Apparel – Guard or protector – Body cover
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-22
2001-09-25
Lindsey, Rodney M. (Department: 3765)
Apparel
Guard or protector
Body cover
C002S016000, C244S1220AG
Reexamination Certificate
active
06292945
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to aircrew ejection in general and more particularly to a flight suit restraint system for securing the air crewmember safely in his aircraft seat during ejection.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Of major concern when a fighter aircraft is disabled in the air, is ejecting the crewmembers safely. In fighter aircraft, the air crewmembers initiate the process of ejection by pulling on an ejection handle, squeezing an ejection handle or some similar device to initiate ejection. The canopy that encloses the air crewmembers inside the aircraft cockpit is first blown or cut away. Next, the seat ejects out of the aircraft by a ballistic catapult along guide rails and the seat and air crewmember sitting thereon begins to enter the windblast. After the seat separates from the guide rails, it is propelled clear of the aircraft by rocket motors. When the seat reaches a safe trajectory, a parachute deploys for returning the air crewmember to the earth. The seat is stripped from the aircrew member and falls back to earth.
The proper positioning of the air crewmember in his seat is necessary for a safe ejection from the airplane. Such a positioning is requires that the air crew member is correctly aligned in his seat and that his arms and legs are safety stowed. Many factors affect positioning such as the attitude of the plane, is it flying straight, level and upright or is it in some other position?
A system identified as Inflatable Body and Head Restraint System, “IBAHRS” has been proposed which provides a pair of inflatables inside the vertical harness that extends from the five point rotary buckle to each shoulder. IBAHRS is a passive system that automatically tightens the harness at the onset of the crash. The inflatable pretensions the straps and forces the occupant back against the seat. This action lessens the chances of the air crew member from striking cockpit objects during the emergency.
However, in fixed wing aircraft, there are systems which use a net-like device that come out from the seat and tends to keep the arms and maybe the legs close to the body. In this way, when the air crewmember clears the aircraft, the windblast will not cause his limbs to flail. Around the ankles of the air crewmember are “garter-like” restraints that are tethered to the seat. During normal flying, the air crewmember's legs are free to move around, but during ejection, the tethers are pulled tight pulling the legs against the seat. Later when the air crewmember leaves the seat, the tethers are cut and the legs are no longer secured to the seat.
The location of the ejection handle, typically between the crewmember's legs, is designed so that as the air crewmember pulls the handle, this forces his arms against his/her chest.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a principal advantage of the ejection restraint system to position an air crewmember in his ejection seat before the ejection seat starts moving out of the airplane.
It is yet another advantage of the ejection restraint system to ensure that an air crewmember has his hands and arms securely and properly positioned during ejection to avoid or reduce injury to the air crewmember.
These and other advantages are found in an ejection restraint system for restraining an air crewmember in his seat during ejection from an aircraft. The system has a flight suit with a flexible tape having a high tensile strength sown into pockets in the arms of the flight suit. A non-frangible member secures one end of the tape at the wrist of the flight suit. A fastener member is secured to the other end of the tape. The pockets containing the tape are sewn together by frangible threads. The tapes are adapted to be responsive to an ejection signal for breaking the frangible threads from the pockets. The tapes pull each of the air crewmember's wrists upward toward his shoulders. [to a ring in the air crewmember's seat. A haul-back reel member located in the air crewmember's seat has a ring member for receiving the fastener member. A control unit, mounted on the seat, is responsive to an ejection signal for activating the haul-back reel. Activation of the haul-back reel pulls on the tape causing the arms to be pulled up across the chest of the air crewmember.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2940701 (1960-06-01), Beem et al.
patent: 3074669 (1963-01-01), Bohlin
patent: 3202384 (1965-08-01), Martin
patent: 3329464 (1967-07-01), Barwood et al.
patent: 3502073 (1970-03-01), Stanley
patent: 3957231 (1976-05-01), Miller et al.
patent: 4462563 (1984-07-01), Specker et al.
patent: 4482112 (1984-11-01), Cummings
patent: 5072897 (1991-12-01), Aronne
patent: 5970517 (1999-10-01), Jordan
patent: 6105169 (2000-08-01), Colorado
Lewis Donald J.
Merrifield Terry W.
Holden Jerry J.
Lindsey Rodney M.
The B. F. Goodrich Company
LandOfFree
Ejection restraint systems for flight suits does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Ejection restraint systems for flight suits, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Ejection restraint systems for flight suits will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2453652