Universal oxygen mask bayonet and bayonet receiver deflector

Details Universal oxygen mask bayonet and bayonet receiver deflector Universal oxygen mask bayonet and bayonet receiver deflector

2001-06-01

2002-11-05

Doerrler, William C. (Department: 3744)

Surgery

Respiratory method or device

Face mask covering a breathing passage

C128S201240, C128S202270

Reexamination Certificate

active

06474337

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to military tactical aircraft oxygen mask bayonet and bayonet receiver assemblies. More particularly, it relates to an apparatus for reducing the risk of parachute riser entanglement with the oxygen mask bayonet and bayonet receiver in the event of ejection.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The ejection from an aircraft during an emergency subjects the pilot to various torso loads. These loads must be considered in the design, implementation and deployment of parachutes for the pilots during the emergency ejection scenario. In addition, the type of aircraft and the corresponding ejection schedule must also be considered in order to assure safety during parachute deployment. Thus, the deployment of the parachute and corresponding riser and shroud lines in the emergency ejection situation has proven to be a significant design aspect of the entire pilot helmet and oxygen mask connection thereto.
By way of example, the Harrier Aircraft (AV-8B) has an ejection seat configuration that is unlike all other fixed wing pilot ejection seats. The AV-8B ejection schedule includes a low altitude high acceleration that subjects the pilot to higher than normal torso loads. It has been demonstrated that for all ranges of air speeds, the parachute riser lines are sure to contact the side of the pilot helmet during deployment. This riser contact is not subtle, rather it typically manifests itself as “riser slap”, a known condition that subjects the pilot to unsafe and possibly fatal head and neck forces.
Referring to the prior art
FIGS. 1-3
, there is shown an exemplary helmet
10
having a visor
12
and other operational equipment mounted thereon. The oxygen mask strap holder
14
, which is attached to the oxygen mask (not shown) via straps
15
a
and
15
b
, includes an oxygen mask bayonet
16
that is releasably inserted into a bayonet receiver
30
mounted onto the respective sides of the helmet
10
. The bayonet
16
includes a bayonet tab
18
, ratchet-like pawls
19
a
and
19
b
and a distal end
20
. During operation, end
20
is inserted into opening
32
in bayonet receiver
30
, and ratchet pawls
19
a
and
19
b
engage corresponding notches (not shown) within receiver
30
to adjustably lock the position of the connected oxygen mask with respect to the helmet and onto the pilots face. Generally, there are four (4) positions or clicks that bayonet
16
can make when inserted into bayonet receiver
30
. These four (4) positions determine how tightly the oxygen mask is positioned on the pilot's face and enable pilot adjustment of the same.
The bayonet receiver
30
includes two mounting holes
34
a
and
34
b
that receive screws from the underside of the helmet. In order to release the oxygen mask, the pilot simply pulls down on bayonet tab
18
(in the direction of the arrow in FIG.
2
), thereby releasing pawls
19
a
and
19
b
from their engagement within receiver
30
and causing the bayonet to slide out of the receiver.
Unfortunate accidents have resulted in a reconsideration of the oxygen mask bayonet
16
and bayonet receiver
30
configuration on the pilot's helmet. It has been determined that during ejection and parachute deployment, the riser and shroud lines can get caught or hung up on any one of the bayonet tab
18
, the bottom edges
36
of bayonet receiver
30
and/or the aft end
20
of bayonet
16
that protrudes beyond receiver
30
(FIG.
3
). These potential hang up hazards are on both sides of the helmet and thereby create the potential for a fatality during ejection. It is also possible that the riser and shroud lines could cause inadvertent release of one of the bayonets during ejection, thereby increasing the risk of injury and/or fatality to the air crew during ejection.
It is therefore desirable to retrofit the existing oxygen mask bayonet and bayonet receiver with a deflector that eliminates the potential for riser entanglement with the bayonet and/or bayonet receiver during ejection and parachute deployment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a universal deflector for the oxygen mask bayonet and bayonet receiver for pilot helmets of various sizes.
It is another object of the invention to provide a universal deflector for the oxygen mask bayonet and bayonet receiver that is easily installed and replaced for both new and retrofit applications.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a universal deflector for the oxygen mask bayonet and bayonet receiver that does not require re-tooling of the existing bayonet and bayonet receiver assemblies.
These and other objects are achieved in accordance with an embodiment of the invention wherein a bayonet receiver deflector is disposed on the helmet between the bayonet receiver and helmet, and a bayonet deflector is connected to the oxygen mask bayonet. The bayonet receiver deflector includes a contoured side for providing a smooth transition between the helmet and the bayonet receiver on at least one side of the bayonet receiver, and means for securing the bayonet receiver deflector to the helmet. The oxygen mask bayonet deflector is made of two parts consisting of a bayonet ramp deflector and a bayonet tab deflector. The bayonet ramp deflector includes a ramped side and a bayonet tab portion and means for connecting the deflector to the oxygen mask bayonet. The bayonet tab portion includes a slot in an upper side thereof and an opening in a rear side thereof aligned with a hole in the bayonet tab.
The bayonet tab deflector is generally frusto-conical in shape and includes a stem and a notch on the stem. In order to secure the bayonet tab deflector to the ramped deflector, the stem passes through a hole in the bayonet tab and into the opening in the rear side of the bayonet tab portion of said bayonet ramp deflector. An e-clip or other releasable clip engages the notch in the stem from through the opening in the bayonet tab portion of the bayonet ramped deflector and secures the tab deflector to the bayonet ramp deflector by sandwiching the bayonet tab between the two parts.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4457461 (1984-07-01), Docking et al.
patent: 4803980 (1989-02-01), Nowakowski et al.
patent: 5156146 (1992-10-01), Corces et al.
patent: 5191317 (1993-03-01), Toth et al.
patent: 5309901 (1994-05-01), Beaussant
patent: 5349949 (1994-09-01), Schegerin
patent: 5577495 (1996-11-01), Murphy
patent: 5630412 (1997-05-01), Dubruille et al.
patent: 6044844 (2000-04-01), Kwok et al.
patent: 6118382 (2000-09-01), Hibbs et al.
patent: 2166189 (1986-04-01), None

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