Communications: electrical – Aircraft alarm or indicating systems – Nonalarm flight indicator
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-06
2001-10-02
Swarthout, Brent A. (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Aircraft alarm or indicating systems
Nonalarm flight indicator
C345S008000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06297749
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to aircraft operating systems, and in particular, to an emergency operating system for piloting an aircraft in a smoke filled cockpit.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Smoke and/or fires in aircraft are reported weekly in the United States. It has recently been suggested that a majority of these fires may result from the thermal insulation lining the fuselage of the aircraft and the electrical insulation employed in the electrical wiring of the aircraft.
In many instances, the smoke and/or fire occurs in the cockpit of the aircraft or is circulated there. The smoke is often dense enough to substantially reduce or eliminate the pilot's view of the instruments, the pilot's view through the windscreen of the aircraft, and the pilot's ability to communicate by radio with air-traffic controllers, thereby, making it difficult or impossible to pilot the aircraft. This typically causes an uncontrolled crash landing of the aircraft which unfortunately, maximizes casualties and property losses.
Pilot helmets with visors capable of providing instrumentation and video displays have been developed for various purposes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,177 discloses a pilot helmet having a visor display system that enables a pilot to simultaneously view an image of selected display information and scene external to the aircraft during low visibility flight conditions, such as at night. U.S. Pat. No. 5,296,854 discloses a pilot helmet having a visor display system that enable a pilot to view a video image based upon virtual images of the external world in low visibility flight conditions.
These and other similar helmet designs allow air to freely flow in the space between the visor and the pilot's face. In smoke-filled cockpit conditions, this space can quickly fill with smoke thus, rendering such helmets unusable for piloting the aircraft.
Accordingly, a need exists for an emergency operating system that permits a pilot in a smoke-filled cockpit environment to view minimum aircraft operating system information and external aircraft image scenes, and communicate with air-traffic controllers.
SUMMARY
A system for operating equipment, aircraft or other like vessels in a smoke filled environment. The system comprises a face mask configured to surround a user's eyes and form an airtight seal against the user's face. The mask includes a screen viewable by the user for displaying critical operating system information that permits continued operation of the equipment or aircraft. A signal path means provides the display screen with appropriate signals from instrument display sources of the equipment or aircraft.
One embodiment of the system includes a hand-operated communication device that enables non-verbal communication with others. Another embodiment of the system includes independently powered backup instruments covering minimum critical equipment or aircraft operating conditions. The backup instruments would be coupled to the mask by the signal path means in the event that the equipment or aircraft's instruments should become inoperable due to fire and/or electrical power interruption. Still another embodiment of the system includes a respirator which is integral with the mask and provides oxygen to the user.
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Mathews, Collins Shepherd & Gould P.A.
Swarthout Brent A.
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