JP7599385B2 - Parachute devices, launch devices and flying devices - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a parachute device, an ejection device, and a flying device, for example, a parachute device that can be attached to a multi-rotor rotorcraft-type flying device capable of remote control and autonomous flight.

In recent years, the practical application of multi-rotor rotorcraft-type flying devices (hereinafter simply referred to as "rotorcraft") capable of remote control and autonomous flight in industrial fields has been considered. For example, in the transportation industry, the use of rotorcraft (so-called drones) to transport luggage and passengers has been considered.

Rotorcraft for transport are equipped with an autonomous flight function that flies while identifying its own position using GPS (Global Positioning System) signals, etc. However, if an abnormality occurs in the rotorcraft for some reason, it will no longer be able to fly autonomously, and there is a risk of an accident, such as the rotorcraft falling. For this reason, there is a demand for improving the safety of rotorcraft.

In particular, it is expected that transport rotorcraft will continue to grow in size in the future, so that they can transport larger cargo and passengers. If such a large rotorcraft becomes uncontrollable for some reason and falls, there is a greater risk of causing severe damage to people and structures than with previous rotorcraft. For this reason, when trying to increase the size of rotorcraft, it is necessary to place even more emphasis on safety than before.

Therefore, in order to improve the safety of rotorcraft, consideration is being given to fitting a parachute device for flying objects, such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1, to rotorcraft.

Patent No. 4785084

However, conventional parachutes for flying objects are designed so that the air currents generated during flight make it easy for the parachute to open. Therefore, when the object falls from a stationary position in the sky, the air currents do not work immediately, and the parachute does not open immediately.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a technology that ensures a reliable parachute deployment even when the effect of airflow cannot be obtained immediately during the flight or fall of a flying device.

In order to solve the above problems, the parachute device of the present invention is characterized by comprising a parachute, a cylindrical storage section that stores the parachute and has an open end and a bottom at the other end, a gas generator attached to the bottom of the storage section and generates gas, at least one flying object that is arranged on the periphery of the storage section and connected to the parachute, a launcher that is arranged on the periphery of the storage section and connected to the gas generator and holds the flying object so that it can be launched by gas from the gas generator, and a catapult that is slidably attached to the gas generator so that the gas from the gas generator pushes the parachute from the bottom side toward the opening of the storage section.

According to the present invention, even if the effect of the air current during flight or fall of the flying device cannot be obtained immediately, it is possible to ensure that the parachute opens reliably.

1 is a diagram showing a schematic external view of a flying device equipped with a parachute device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a functional block diagram of a flying device equipped with a parachute device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the parachute of the parachute device according to the present embodiment is opened; FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a parachute device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the parachute device taken along line AA of FIG. 4. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the parachute device taken along line BB of FIG. 4. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 4 for explaining the configuration of the gas generating device. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 4 for explaining the configuration of the gas generating device. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the catapult's extrusion member. 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 7A. 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 7A. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a catapult piston. A diagram showing the state of the projectile and catapult after the parachute is pushed out. FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view for explaining the sliding of the catapult by gas. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the parachute of the flying device according to the embodiment is open; FIG.

1. Overview of the embodiment First, an overview of a representative embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that in the following description, as an example, reference numerals in the drawings corresponding to components of the invention are given in parentheses.

[1] The device is characterized by comprising: a parachute (10); a cylindrical storage section (20) that stores the parachute (10) and has an open end and a bottom (22) at the other end; a gas generator (30) that is attached to the bottom (22) of the storage section (20) and generates gas; at least one projectile (50) that is disposed on the peripheral surface (21) of the storage section (20) and connected to the parachute (10); a launch section (40) that is disposed on the peripheral surface (21) of the storage section (20) and connected to the gas generator (30) and holds the projectile (50) so that it can be launched by gas from the gas generator (30); and a catapult (60) that is slidably attached to the gas generator (30) so that the parachute (10) is pushed from the bottom (22) side toward the opening (23) of the storage section (20) by gas from the gas generator (30).

[2] In the above parachute device (1), the catapult (60) may have a cylindrical pusher member (61) that has an open end and a wall portion (63) at the other end and is fitted over the gas generator (30) to accommodate the gas generator (30), and a rod-shaped member (68) that has one end fixed to the wall portion (63) of the pusher member (61) and is formed so that the other end can engage with the gas generator (30) and cannot be removed from inside the gas generator (30).

[3] In the parachute device (1), the extrusion member (61) may have at least one flange portion (64) that extends outward from the edge on the side of the opening and is arranged so as not to overlap with the ejection portion (40) in the sliding direction.

[4] In the parachute device (1), the storage section (20) may have an engagement member (22a) that engages with the flange section (64) to prevent relative rotation of the pusher member (61) with respect to the storage section (20).

[5] In the parachute device (1), the rod-shaped member (68) may be rounded at the other end (682).

[6] In the parachute device (1), the bottom (22) of the storage section (20) may have a recess (322) formed with an inclined surface, and the other end (682) of the rod-shaped member (68) may be stored in the recess (322).

[7] In the parachute device (1), the gas generator (30) may have a guide hole (317) that slidably guides the rod-shaped member (68), and an O-ring (318) may be provided on the inner peripheral surface of the guide hole (317).

[8] In the parachute device (1), the gas generator (30) may have an annular protrusion (316) erected on the side of the opening (23) along the edge of the guide hole (317), and may be provided with a locking member (319p) that penetrates the annular protrusion (316) and the rod-shaped member (68) radially in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the rod-shaped member (68) and breaks when the rod-shaped member (68) slides.

[9] The launching device (2) according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: a flying object (50) connectable to a parachute (10); a cylindrical storage section (20) having an open end and a bottom (22) at the other end for storing the parachute (10); a gas generator (30) attached to the bottom (22) of the storage section (20) for generating gas; a launching section (40) disposed on the peripheral surface (21) of the storage section (20) and connected to the gas generator (30), which holds the flying object (50) so that it can be launched by gas from the gas generator (30); and a catapult (60) slidably attached to the gas generator (30) so that the gas from the gas generator (30) pushes the parachute (10) from the bottom (22) side toward the opening (23) of the storage section (20).

[10] The launching device according to the present invention comprises a cylindrical storage section (20) having an open end and a bottom section (22) at the other end for storing a parachute (10), a gas generator (30) attached to the bottom section (22) of the storage section (20) for generating gas, and a catapult (60) slidably attached to the gas generator (30) so that the gas from the gas generator (30) pushes the parachute (10) from the bottom section (22) side toward the opening section (23) of the storage section (20). The catapult (60) is open at one end and has a wall section (63) at the other end, and the gas generator (30) is attached to the bottom section (22) of the storage section (20) so that the gas from the gas generator (30) pushes the parachute (10) from the bottom section (22) side toward the opening section (23) of the storage section (20). The device has a cylindrical push-out member (61) that is fitted over the gas generator (30) to accommodate the gas generator (30), and a rod-shaped member (68) whose one end (681) is fixed to the wall (63) of the push-out member (61) and whose other end (682) is formed so as to be engageable with the gas generator (30) so as not to be removed from the gas generator (30). The push-out member (61) has at least one flange (64) that extends outward from the edge on the opening side, and the gas generator (30) has a guide hole (317) that slidably guides the rod-shaped member (68).

[11] The flying device (100) according to the present invention is characterized by comprising an aircraft unit (110), a thrust generating unit (120) connected to the aircraft unit (110) and generating thrust, a flight control unit (114) controlling the thrust generating unit (120), an abnormality detection unit detecting abnormalities during flight, a parachute device (1) according to any one of [1] to [8] above, and a drop control unit (116) that launches a flying object (50) in response to detection of an abnormality by the abnormality detection unit (115).

2. Specific Examples of the Embodiments Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same reference symbols are used for components common to the embodiments, and repeated description will be omitted. It should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the dimensional relationships and ratios of each element may differ from the reality. The drawings may also include parts with different dimensional relationships and ratios.

The flying device 100 equipped with the parachute device 1 according to the present embodiment is, for example, a multi-rotor flying device having three or more rotors, a so-called drone. The parachute device 1 according to the present embodiment is for safely lowering the flying device 100. The parachute device 1 is applicable to known flying devices, and the flying device to which it is applicable is not limited to a specific flying device. For example, the parachute device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied to the flying device 100 shown in FIG. 1.

Figure 1 is a diagram showing a schematic view of the appearance of a flight device 100 equipped with a parachute device 1 according to this embodiment. The flight device 100 is equipped with an aircraft unit 110, thrust generating units 121 to 12n (n is an integer equal to or greater than 3), the parachute device 1, a notification device 130, and an arm unit 140.

The aircraft unit 110 is the main body of the flight device 100. As described below, the aircraft unit 110 houses various functional parts for controlling the flight of the flight device 100. Note that in this embodiment, a cylindrical aircraft unit 110 is illustrated as an example, but the shape of the aircraft unit 110 is not particularly limited.

Thrust generating units 121 to 124 are rotors that generate thrust. In the following description, when there is no need to distinguish between the thrust generating units 121 to 124, they will simply be referred to as "thrust generating unit 120."

The thrust generating unit 120 has, for example, a propeller 125, a motor 126, and a cylindrical housing 127. The housing 127 houses the propeller 125 and the motor 126 that rotates the propeller 125. A mesh (e.g., a resin material or a metal material (stainless steel, etc.)) may be provided at the opening of the housing 127 to prevent direct access to the propeller 125.

The number n of thrust generating units 120 is not particularly limited, but is preferably three or more. For example, the flying device 100 may be a tricopter with three thrust generating units 120, a quadcopter with four thrust generating units 120, a hexacopter with six thrust generating units 120, or an octocopter with eight thrust generating units 120.

In this embodiment, a quadcopter having four (n=4) thrust generating units 121-124 is illustrated as an example of the flying device 100. The arm units 140 are structures for connecting the aircraft unit 110 and each thrust generating unit 120. The arm units 140 are attached to the aircraft unit 110, for example, protruding radially from the center C of the aircraft unit 110 and spaced equally apart in the circumferential direction of the aircraft unit 110. A thrust generating unit 120 is attached to the tip of each arm unit 140.

The alarm device 130 is a device that notifies the outside of the flying device 100 of danger. The alarm device 130 is composed of, for example, a light source such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode) and a sound generating device (an amplifier and a speaker, etc.). In response to detection of an abnormality by the abnormality detection unit 115 described below, the alarm device 130 notifies the outside that the flying device 100 is in a dangerous state by light or sound.

The alarm device 130 may be exposed to the outside of the aircraft unit 110, or may be housed inside the aircraft unit 110 and capable of outputting light generated from a light source or sound generated from a speaker to the outside.

The parachute device 1 is a device that slows down the falling speed of the flight device 100 in the event that an abnormality occurs in the flight device 100 and there is a risk of the flight device 100 falling, thereby ensuring a safe fall of the flight device 100. The parachute device 1 is installed, for example, on the aircraft unit 110. The specific configuration of the parachute device 1 will be described later.

Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of a flight device 100 equipped with a parachute device 1 according to this embodiment. The aircraft unit 110 includes a power supply unit 111, a sensor unit 112, motor drive units 113_1 to 113_n (n is an integer equal to or greater than 3), a flight control unit 114, an abnormality detection unit 115, a drop control unit 116, a communication unit 117, and a memory unit 118.

Of these functional units, the flight control unit 114, the abnormality detection unit 115, and the drop control unit 116 are realized, for example, by program processing using a program processing device (e.g., a microcontroller) including a processor (e.g., a CPU: Central Processing Unit) and a memory.

The power supply unit 111 includes a battery 111a and a power supply circuit 111b. The battery 111a is, for example, a secondary battery (e.g., a lithium-ion secondary battery). The power supply circuit 111b is a circuit that generates a power supply voltage based on the output voltage of the battery 111a and supplies it to each piece of hardware that constitutes the above-mentioned functional unit. The power supply circuit 111b includes, for example, multiple regulator circuits, and supplies a power supply voltage of an appropriate magnitude to each piece of the above-mentioned hardware.

The sensor unit 112 is a functional unit that detects the state of the flying device 100. The sensor unit 112 detects the inclination of the flying device 100's body, etc. The sensor unit 112 includes, for example, an angular velocity sensor 112a, an acceleration sensor 112b, a magnetic sensor 112c, and an angle calculation unit 112d.

The angular velocity sensor 112a is a sensor that detects angular velocity (rotational speed). For example, the angular velocity sensor 112a is a three-axis gyro sensor that detects angular velocity based on three reference axes: the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis.

The acceleration sensor 112b is a sensor that detects acceleration. For example, the acceleration sensor 112b is a three-axis acceleration sensor that detects acceleration based on three reference axes, the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis.

The magnetic sensor 112c is a sensor that detects geomagnetism. For example, the magnetic sensor 112c is a three-axis geomagnetic sensor (electronic compass) that detects the direction (absolute direction) based on three reference axes: the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis.

The angle calculation unit 112d calculates the inclination of the aircraft of the flying device 100 based on the detection results of at least one of the angular velocity sensor 112a and the acceleration sensor 112b. Here, the inclination of the aircraft of the flying device 100 refers to the angle of the aircraft (aircraft unit 110) with respect to the ground (horizontal direction).

For example, the angle calculation unit 112d may calculate the angle of the aircraft with respect to the ground based on the detection results of the angular velocity sensor 112a, or may calculate the angle of the aircraft with respect to the ground based on the detection results of the angular velocity sensor 112a and the acceleration sensor 112b. Note that the method of calculating the angle using the detection results of the angular velocity sensor 112a and the acceleration sensor 112b may use a known formula.

The angle calculation unit 112d may also correct the angle calculated based on the detection results of at least one of the angular velocity sensor 112a and the acceleration sensor 112b based on the detection results of the magnetic sensor 112c. The angle calculation unit 112d is realized by program processing using a microcontroller, for example, in the same manner as the flight control unit 114, etc.

In addition to the angular velocity sensor 112a, acceleration sensor 112b, and magnetic sensor 112c described above, the sensor unit 112 may also include, for example, an air pressure sensor, a wind volume (wind direction) sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a GPS receiver, and a camera.

The communication unit 117 is a functional unit for communicating with the external device 180. Here, the external device 180 is a transmitter or a server that controls the operation of the flight device 100 and monitors the status of the flight device 100. The communication unit 117 is composed of, for example, an antenna and an RF (Radio Frequency) circuit. The communication between the communication unit 117 and the external device 180 is realized, for example, by wireless communication in the ISM band (2.4 GHz band).

The communication unit 117 receives operation information of the flying device 100 transmitted from the external device 180 and outputs it to the flight control unit 114, and also transmits various measurement data measured by the sensor unit 112 to the external device 180. Furthermore, when an abnormality in the flying device 100 is detected by the abnormality detection unit 115, the communication unit 117 transmits information to the external device 180 indicating that an abnormality has occurred in the flying device 100. Furthermore, when the flying device 100 falls to the ground, the communication unit 117 transmits information to the external device 180 indicating that the flying device 100 has fallen.

The motor driving units 113_1 to 113_n are provided in each thrust generating unit 120 and are functional units that drive the motor 126 to be driven in response to instructions from the flight control unit 114. In the following description, when there is no need to distinguish between the motor driving units 113_1 to 113_n, they will simply be referred to as "motor driving units 113."

The motor drive unit 113 drives the motor 126 so that the motor 126 rotates at a rotation speed instructed by the flight control unit 114. For example, the motor drive unit 113 is an ESC (Electronic Speed Controller).

The flight control unit 114 is a functional unit that performs overall control of each functional unit of the flight device 100. The flight control unit 114 controls the thrust generation unit 120 so that the flight device 100 flies stably. Specifically, the flight control unit 114 calculates an appropriate rotation speed for the motor 126 of each thrust generation unit 120 based on operation information (instructions for ascending, descending, moving forward, moving backward, etc.) from the external device 180 received by the communication unit 117 and the detection results of the sensor unit 112. The flight control unit 114 instructs each motor drive unit 113 on the calculated rotation speed, respectively, to fly the aircraft in the desired direction in a stable state.

For example, if the attitude of the aircraft is disturbed by an external influence such as wind, the flight control unit 114 calculates the appropriate rotation speed of the motor 126 of each thrust generating unit 120 based on the detection result of the angular velocity sensor 112a. The flight control unit 114 instructs each motor drive unit 113 on the calculated rotation speed so that the aircraft becomes horizontal.

For example, the flight control unit 114 calculates an appropriate rotation speed for the motor 126 of each thrust generating unit 120 based on the detection results of the acceleration sensor 112b in order to prevent the flight device 100 from drifting when the flight device 100 is hovering. The flight control unit 114 instructs each motor driving unit 113 of the calculated rotation speed. The flight control unit 114 also controls the communication unit 117 to realize the transmission and reception of the various data described above with the external device 180.

The memory unit 118 is a functional unit for storing various programs and parameters for controlling the operation of the flight device 100. For example, the memory unit 118 is composed of a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory and a ROM, a RAM, etc. The parameters stored in the memory unit 118 are, for example, a remaining capacity threshold 118a and a tilt threshold 118b, etc., which will be described later.

The abnormality detection unit 115 is a functional unit that detects abnormalities during flight. Specifically, the abnormality detection unit 115 monitors the detection results of the sensor unit 112, the state of the battery 111a, and the operating state of the thrust generation unit 120, and determines whether the flight device 100 is in an abnormal state.

Here, "abnormal state" refers to a state in which autonomous flight of the flight device 100 may become impossible. In other words, an abnormal situation occurs when at least one of the following occurs: the thrust generating unit 120 fails, the remaining capacity of the battery 111a falls below a predetermined threshold, or the aircraft (aircraft unit 110) tilts abnormally.

When the abnormality detection unit 115 detects a malfunction in the thrust generation unit 120, it determines that the flight device 100 is in an abnormal state. Here, a malfunction in the thrust generation unit 120 refers to, for example, the motor 126 not rotating at the rotation speed specified by the flight control unit 114, the propeller 125 not rotating, or the propeller 125 being damaged.

Furthermore, when the abnormality detection unit 115 detects that the remaining capacity of the battery 111a has fallen below a predetermined threshold (hereinafter also referred to as the "remaining capacity threshold") 118a, it determines that the flying device 100 is in an abnormal state. Here, the remaining capacity threshold 118a may be, for example, a capacity value at which the motor cannot rotate at the rotation speed instructed by the flight control unit 114. The remaining capacity threshold 118a is, for example, stored in advance in the memory unit 118.

Furthermore, if the abnormality detection unit 115 detects an abnormal tilt of the flying device 100 (aircraft), it determines that the flying device 100 is abnormal. For example, if the angle calculated by the angle calculation unit 112d continues to exceed a predetermined threshold (hereinafter also referred to as the "tilt threshold") 118b for a predetermined period of time, the abnormality detection unit 115 determines that the flying device 100 is in an abnormal state.

For example, the angle (pitch angle) when the flying device 100 moves forward and backward and the angle (roll angle) when the flying device 100 moves left and right are obtained in advance by experiment. The tilt threshold 118b may be set to a value greater than the angle obtained by the experiment. The tilt threshold 118b is, for example, stored in advance in the memory unit 118.

The drop control unit 116 is a functional unit for controlling the drop of the flight device 100. Specifically, when the abnormality detection unit 115 detects that the flight device 100 is in an abnormal state, the drop control unit 116 executes a drop preparation process to drop the flight device 100 safely.

Specifically, the fall control unit 116 executes the following process as a fall preparation process. That is, the fall control unit 116 controls the alarm device 130 in response to the detection of an abnormality by the abnormality detection unit 115 to notify the outside that a dangerous situation exists. In addition, the fall control unit 116 controls each motor drive unit 113 in response to the detection of an abnormality by the abnormality detection unit 115 to stop the rotation of each motor 126. Furthermore, in response to the detection of an abnormality by the abnormality detection unit 115, the fall control unit 116 outputs a control signal to the parachute device 1 to instruct it to open the parachute, thereby opening the parachute 10.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the parachute 10 in the parachute device 1 according to this embodiment in an open state. The parachute 10 includes a canopy 11, a sling 12, and a connecting line 13. The sling 12 is a string-like member, and is made of, for example, a metal material (e.g., stainless steel) or a fiber material (e.g., nylon string). One end of the sling 12 is connected to the canopy 11, and the other end is connected to the parachute container 20 (attachment portion 22a). In other words, the sling 12 connects the parachute 10 and the parachute container 20.

The connecting cord 13 connects the canopy 11 to each flying object 50, which will be described later. The connecting cord 13 is a cord-like member, and is made of, for example, a metal material (e.g., stainless steel) or a fiber material (e.g., nylon cord). One end of the connecting cord 13 is attached, for example, to the edge (periphery) side of the canopy 11, and the other end is attached to the flying object 50.

The connecting ropes 13 are spaced apart from each other and attached to the periphery of the canopy 11. For example, if the open parachute 10 (canopy 11) has a circular shape when viewed from the apex of the canopy 11, the connecting ropes 13 are attached at equal intervals to the periphery of the canopy 11 along the circumferential direction of the canopy 11.

When only one flying object 50 is provided, one end of the connecting line 13 needs to be attached to the periphery of the parachute 10. In this case, there is no particular limitation on the position on the periphery of the parachute 10 where the connecting line 13 is attached.

Here, the diameter D of the canopy 11 required to make the flying device 100 fall at a low speed can be calculated, for example, based on the following formula (1). In formula (1), m is the total weight of the flying device 100, v is the falling speed of the flying device 100, ρ is the air density, and Cd is the drag coefficient.

For example, when the total weight m of the flight device 100 is 250 kg, the drag coefficient Cd is 0.9, and the air density ρ is 1.3 kg/ ^m3 , the diameter D of the canopy 11 required to make the falling speed v of the flight device 100 5 m/s is calculated to be 14.6 m from formula (1).

The above flight device 100 is equipped with a parachute device 1 as a safety device. The parachute device 1 according to this embodiment is equipped with a parachute 10, a tubular parachute container (container) 20 that has an open end and a bottom 22 at the other end and contains the parachute 10, a gas generator 30 that is attached to the bottom 22 of the parachute container 20 and generates gas, six tubular flying objects 50 connected to the parachute 10, a launcher 40 that is arranged on the circumferential surface 21 of the parachute container 20 and connected to the gas generator 30, and holds the flying objects 50 so that they can be launched by gas from the gas generator 30, and a catapult 60 that is slidably attached to the gas generator 30 so that the gas from the gas generator 30 pushes the parachute 10 from the bottom 22 side toward the opening 23 of the parachute container 20. The configuration of the parachute device 1 will be specifically described below.

Figure 4 is a schematic plan view of the parachute device 1 according to this embodiment. Note that the parachute 10 and the lid 26 are not shown in Figure 4.

The parachute device 1 has a parachute 10 and a launching device 2 (parachute container 20, gas generator 30, launching unit 40, projectile 50, catapult 60, and launching control unit 70).

(Injection unit)
5A is a partial cross-sectional view of the parachute device 1 taken along line A-A in FIG. 4. FIG. 5B is a partial cross-sectional view of the parachute device 1 taken along line B-B in FIG. 4. The parachute device 1 according to this embodiment has a launching device 2 that includes six projectiles 50 that can be connected to the parachute 10, a tubular parachute container 20 that has an open end and a bottom 22 at the other end and that stores the parachute 10, a gas generator 30 that is attached to the bottom 22 of the parachute container 20 and generates gas, a launching section 40 that is disposed on the circumferential surface 21 of the parachute container 20 and is connected to the gas generator 30, and that holds the projectiles 50 so that they can be launched by gas from the gas generator 30, and a catapult 60 that is slidably attached to the gas generator 30 so that the parachute 10 is pushed from the bottom 22 side toward the opening 23 of the parachute container 20 by gas from the gas generator 30. The configuration of the launching device 2 will be described in detail below.

The launching device 2 stores the parachute 10 and launches the stored parachute 10 to the outside. The launching device 2 includes a parachute container 20, a gas generator 30, a launching unit 40, a projectile 50, a catapult 60, and a launch control unit 70.

The parachute container 20 contains the parachute 10 with the canopy 11 folded before the parachute 10 is used. The parachute container 20 is formed, for example, from resin or the like. The parachute container 20 has a peripheral surface portion 21 and a bottom portion 22. The parachute container 20 is a cylindrical container that contains the parachute 10. The parachute container 20 is formed, for example, with one end open to form an opening portion 23 and the other end at least partially closed by the bottom portion 22.

The parachute container 20 is set on the upper surface of the aircraft unit 110, i.e., the surface facing away from the ground when the flight device 100 is flying. For example, it is preferable that the parachute container 20 is installed on the upper surface of the aircraft unit 110 so that the center point C, which is the center of the aircraft unit 110, and the axis X1 passing through the center of the parachute container 20 are coaxial.

The peripheral surface portion 21 is provided around the axis X1 and is formed, for example, in a cylindrical and tapered shape. The peripheral surface portion 21 is formed so that its diameter increases from the bottom portion 22 toward the opening portion 23.

The bottom 22 is located opposite the opening 23. The bottom 22 is molded integrally with the peripheral surface 21 at the edge opposite the edge on the opening 23 side. A storage hole is formed in the bottom 22, centered on the axis X1. The gas generator 30, which will be described later, enters the parachute container 20 through the storage hole and is attached to the bottom 22 from the side opposite the opening 23. The parachute 10 and gas generator 30 in the parachute container 20 are stored in the space defined by the peripheral surface 21 and the bottom 22.

The bottom 22 further has two mounting parts (engagement members) 22a. The mounting parts 22a are provided on the surface of the bottom 22 facing the opening 23. The mounting parts 22a are provided at positions facing each other across the axis X1. The mounting parts 22a engage with the catapult 60, which will be described later, to prevent the catapult 60 from rotating.

The mounting parts 22a are fixed to the parachute container 20 by, for example, screws inserted through the bottom 22 and the fixing plate 32 (described later) from the fixing plate 32 side. Two branched ends of the sling 12 of the parachute 10 are connected to each mounting part 22a.

The lid 26 covers the opening 23 of the parachute container 20. The lid 26 may be made of, for example, a resin material or a thin film material. The lid 26 is formed in a dome shape in a cross section along the axis X1. The lid 26 preferably covers the entire opening 23 of the parachute container 20 so that the flying object 50, launching part 40, and parachute 10 arranged on the peripheral surface part 21 of the container 20 are not exposed to the outside. This makes it possible to prevent rain, dust, etc. from entering the inside of the parachute container 20. A sealing device may be provided between the lid 26 and the parachute container 20.

The lid 26 is fixed to the peripheral portion 21, for example, by a removable metal fitting (not shown). For example, the metal fitting fixes the lid 26 to the peripheral portion 21 with a fixing force sufficient to easily remove the lid 26 when the projectile 50 launched from the launching portion 40 comes into contact with the lid 26.

Figures 6A and 6B are cross-sectional views for explaining the configuration of the gas generator 30. The gas generator 30 is a device that generates gas that serves as the basis of thrust for launching the flying object 50 (described later) from the launch section 40. The gas generator 30 is partially inserted into the parachute container 20 through a storage hole in the parachute container 20. For example, the gas generator 30 is disposed on the axis X1 of the parachute container 20 when viewed from the opening 23 side of the parachute container 20, and is fixed to the bottom 22 inside the parachute container 20 from the side opposite the opening 23.

The gas generator 30 is located below the parachute 10 in the parachute container 20. The gas generator 30 is attached to the bottom 22 of the parachute container 20 coaxially or approximately coaxially with respect to the axis X1 of the parachute container 20. The gas generator 30 has a housing 31, a fixing plate 32, a gas generating agent 33, an ignition charge 34, and a sealing member 35.

The housing 31 holds the gas generating agent 33 inside. The housing 31 is formed, for example, with one end open and the other end closed. The housing 31 has a peripheral wall portion 311 and a ceiling wall portion 312. The peripheral wall portion 311 extends along the axis X1 and is formed in a ring shape around the axis X1.

The peripheral wall 311 has six connection ports 313 on the side that opens opposite the ceiling wall 312. The connection ports 313 are formed in the housing 31 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The connection ports 313 are formed in a cylindrical shape and protrude from the housing 31 to communicate between the inside and outside of the housing 31. One end of a gas introduction pipe 42, which will be described later, is inserted into the connection ports 313.

A guide portion 314 that guides a lead wire (not shown) is provided on a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the peripheral wall portion 311. The guide portion 314 is a portion that is formed radially outward from the peripheral wall portion 311 and has a greater thickness than the other portions of the peripheral wall portion 311. The guide portion 314 is formed with a guide hole 315 that extends so that its extension direction intersects with the axis X1. The guide portion 314 is provided between two adjacent connection ports 313 in the circumferential direction of the housing 31.

The portion of the guide hole 315 that leads to the inside of the housing 31 is blocked by the ignition charge 34. One end of the lead wire guided through the guide hole 315 is connected to the ignition charge 34.

The lead wire is an electrical wiring for igniting the gas generator 30. The lead wire is made of, for example, vinyl wire, tin-plated wire, or enameled wire. The ignition charge 34 at one end of the lead wire is formed, for example, by applying a liquid agent mixed with resin or the like to the tip of the lead wire and solidifying it. The ignition charge 34 is in contact with the gas generating agent 33. The other end of the lead wire is connected to the injection control unit 70. The ignition charge 34 ignites, for example, in response to an ignition signal output from the injection control unit.

The gas generator 30 is attached to the parachute container 20 so that the ceiling wall portion 312 faces the opening 23 of the parachute container 20.

The ceiling wall 312 has a convex annular protrusion 316 on the surface facing the opposite side of the opening of the housing 31. A guide hole 317 is formed in the ceiling wall 312 at the annular protrusion 316, which penetrates the housing 31 coaxially or approximately coaxially with the axis X1. In other words, the annular protrusion 316 is erected along the periphery of the guide hole 317. The guide hole 317 slidably guides the piston 68 of the catapult 60, which will be described later. An annular groove is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the guide hole 317, and an O-ring 318 is fitted into this groove.

The annular protrusion 316 of the ceiling wall 312 has a through hole 319 formed therein, which penetrates in a radial direction intersecting with the axis X1. A pin (rod-shaped locking member) 319p (see Figures 5A and 5B), such as a shear pin that breaks when the piston 68 slides, is inserted into the through hole 319. The pin 319p is also inserted into the piston 68. This locks the piston 68 to the housing 31.

The opening side of the housing 31 is closed by a fixing plate 32. The fixing plate 32 is formed, for example, in a circular shape when viewed from above. It is preferable that the fixing plate 32 has an outer diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the bottom 22. The fixing plate 32 is fixed to the bottom 22 from the side opposite the opening 23, for example, by a screw or the like.

The fixing plate 32 has a convex portion 321 that is, for example, circular in plan view. When the fixing plate 32 is attached to the housing 31, the convex portion 321 is formed so as to protrude from the side of the fixing plate 32 that faces the housing 31 toward the housing 31 and into the inside of the housing 31. The outer diameter of the convex portion 321 is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the peripheral wall portion 311 of the housing 31.

When the fixing plate 32 is attached to the housing 31, the fixing plate 32 has a recess 322 that is, for example, circular or approximately circular in plan view, at a position facing the guide hole 317. The recess 322 is formed coaxially with the axis X1 and has a slope on the opposite side to the ceiling wall portion 312. The recess 322 is tapered so that the diameter decreases toward the center (axis X1) as it moves away from the housing 31. The recess 322 may be formed in a polygonal shape in plan view. The recess 322 is capable of partially accommodating the spherical end portion 682 of the piston 68.

An annular seal member 36 is provided at the contact area between the housing 31 and the fixed plate 32. The seal member 36 prevents gas generated inside the housing 31 from leaking out from between the housing 31 and the fixed plate 32.

The housing 31 and the fixing plate 32 are made of fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) or the like. Note that the housing 31 and the fixing plate 32 are not limited to being made of resin, and may also be made of metal.

The housing 31 and the fixing plate 32 are fastened to each other with fasteners such as screws. The housing 31 and the fixing plate 32 define a gas generation chamber GS filled with gas inside the housing 31. The gas generation chamber GS is filled with gas generating agent 33. The gas generating agent 33 is provided on the side of the ceiling wall portion 312 in a state spaced apart from the fixing plate 32.

The gas generating agent 33 is placed in the gas generation chamber GS with a portion of its surface covered by the sealing member 35. In this embodiment, the gas generating agent 33 is fixed in the housing 31 so that it cannot be removed. Gas is generated when the gas generating agent 33 chemically reacts with the ignition charge 34 that is ignited in response to an ignition signal output from the injection control unit. The sealing member 35 is made of a material that is easily destroyed by the pressure of the gas generated from the gas generating agent 33. For example, the sealing member 35 is a thin film of polyester or the like.

Returning to FIG. 5A, the launching unit 40 holds the flying object 50 and launches the held flying object 50 to the outside using gas supplied from the gas generator 30. A launching unit 40 is provided for each flying object 50. The launching device 2 in the parachute device 1 is equipped with six launching units 40 in order to hold six flying objects 50 separately.

The ejection sections 40 are provided in the parachute container 20. Specifically, each ejection section 40 is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral section 21. Each ejection section 40 may be provided on the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral section 21 via a cover member (not shown).

The ejection section 40 includes a holder 41 and a gas introduction pipe 42. The holder 41 is formed in a tubular shape (e.g., cylindrical). The holder 41 is inserted inside the flying object 50. Both ends of the tip and base ends of the holder 41 are open, and the gas introduction pipe 42 is connected to the base end end 410 so that gas can be supplied. The base end end 410 of the holder 41 is formed, for example, in the shape of a flange with a flange protruding in the radial direction, and supports one end of the flying object 50.

The gas introduction pipe 42 is a tubular member formed of, for example, a metal material such as stainless steel or a resin material. One end of the gas introduction pipe 42 is inserted into the opening of the end 410 on the base end side of the holder 41. This allows communication between the gas introduction pipe 42 and the internal space of the holder 41. A sealing device (not shown) is provided at the connection between the holder 41 and the gas introduction pipe 42. The sealing device prevents leakage of gas introduced into the holder 41 through the gas introduction pipe 42 from the gas generation chamber GS, which is filled with gas from the gas generator 30.

A sealing device (gasket) 43 is provided at the tip end 411 of the holder 41 to prevent gas introduced into the holder 41 from the gas generation chamber GS, which is filled with gas from the gas generator 30, via the gas introduction pipe 42 from leaking from the gap between the inner circumferential surface of the projectile 50 and the outer circumferential surface of the holder 41.

The ejection section 40 is inclined in the direction of the axis X2 that passes through the center of the holder 41 along the longitudinal direction relative to the axis X1 of the parachute container 20, with the tip end 411 inclined away from the axis X1 of the parachute container 20.

The multiple launching sections 40 are arranged at equal intervals around the axis X1 of the parachute container 20. For example, if the parachute device 1 has six launching sections 40, each launching section 40 is arranged at intervals of approximately 60° (≒360°/6) around the axis X1 of the parachute container 20.

The flying body 50 is a member that leads the parachute 10 to the outside of the parachute container 20 and assists in the opening (deployment) of the parachute 10. The flying body 50 is formed, for example, from a resin material or a metal material. The flying body 50 is formed, for example, in a rod shape. More specifically, the flying body 50 is formed, for example, in a partially hollow cylindrical shape (for example, a hollow bullet shape).

The flying object 50 is engaged with the holding body 41 of the launching section 40 while connected to the parachute 10. Specifically, the flying object 50 is closed at the tip end and connected to the parachute 10 via the connecting line 13. The flying object 50 is open at the base end, into which the holding body 41 is inserted. When held by the launching section 40, the flying object 50 is supported on the end 410 on the base end side of the holding body 41.

In this embodiment, six flying objects 50 are provided, but there is no particular limit to the number of flying objects 50 as long as at least one flying object 50 is provided.

The flying object 50 is fixed to the holding body 41 by a pin (shear pin) 51 to prevent the flying object 50 from falling from the launching part 40 when the parachute device 1 is not in use. For example, when a through hole formed on the side of the flying object 50 and a hole formed on the outer circumferential surface of the holding body 41 of the launching part 40 are aligned, the pin (shear pin) 51 is inserted into the through hole on the flying object 50 side and the hole on the holding body 41 side. This keeps the flying object 50 fixed to the launching part 40 when the parachute device 1 is not in use.

The pin 51 is configured to be breakable by a force applied to the pin 51 in the direction of ejection of the flying object 50 (direction along the axis X2) when the flying object 50 is ejected. This prevents the pin 51 from interfering with the ejection of the flying object 50. For example, the pin 51 is preferably made of an aluminum alloy, a resin, or the like. The distance between the tip of the flying object 50 and the tip end 411 of the holding body 41 of the ejection section 40 may be determined by appropriately setting the position of the through hole formed on the side of the flying object 50 so that the gas pressure for releasing the flying object 50 is appropriate.

The catapult 60 is attached to the gas generator 30 from the ceiling wall portion 312 side, and is a member that pushes the parachute 10 toward the opening 23. The catapult 60 is attached to the gas generator 30 so that it can slide along the axis X1.

The catapult 60 includes a push-out member 61 and a piston (rod-shaped member) 68. The push-out member 61 is formed of, for example, an aluminum alloy, resin, or the like, and has a circular shape when viewed from above. FIG. 7A is a plan view of the push-out member 61 of the catapult 60. FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 7A. FIG. 7C is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 7A.

The pusher member 61 includes six peripheral wall portions 62, a ceiling wall portion 63, and a flange portion 64. The peripheral wall portions 62 are provided at a predetermined interval from each other around the axis X1 and extend along the axis X1. Slits 65 are provided between the peripheral wall portions 62 in the circumferential direction. The peripheral wall portions 62 are connected to each other at one end by the ceiling wall portion 63. The pusher member 61 is formed in a cylindrical shape as a whole. Note that, in this embodiment, the pusher member 61 has six peripheral wall portions 62, but this can be changed as appropriate depending on the number of launching portions 40 and flying objects 50.

When the catapult 60 is attached to the gas generator 30, the outer diameter of the peripheral wall portion 62a corresponding to the guide portion 314 in the housing 31 of the gas generator 30 is larger than the outer diameter of the other peripheral wall portions 62b. In other words, the peripheral wall portion 62a is radially outward from the peripheral wall portion 62b. When the catapult 60 is attached to the gas generator 30, the peripheral wall portions 62a and 62b have a shape that fits the housing 31 of the gas generator 30.

When the catapult 60 is attached to the gas generator 30, each slit 65 is located in a position corresponding to the gas introduction pipe 42 of the ejection section 40 and the flying object 50. This ensures that the catapult 60 does not impede the ejection motion of the flying object 50 from the parachute container 20.

The ceiling wall portion 63 has a recess 66 formed in a concave shape on the opposite side to the flange portion 64 when viewed from inside the catapult 60, at the center near the axis X1. The recess 66 fixedly accommodates one end 681 of the piston 68. In other words, the extrusion member 61 and the piston 68 are fixed to each other.

The flanges 64 are provided on the end (edge) of each peripheral wall 62 on the opposite side to the ceiling wall 63. The flanges 64 extend radially outward from each peripheral wall 62. A pair of flanges 64 that face each other in the radial direction have notches 67 formed therein that extend toward the peripheral wall 62. In this embodiment, the notches 67 are provided on the flanges 64 that are connected to, for example, the peripheral wall 62a and the peripheral wall 62b that faces the peripheral wall 62a in the radial direction, among the multiple peripheral wall 62.

When the catapult 60 is attached to the gas generator 30, the mounting portion 22a provided on the parachute container 20 is partially inserted into the notch 67. This prevents the catapult 60 from rotating relative to the gas generator 30, and the catapult 60 does not impede the ejection motion of the projectile 50 from the parachute container 20.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the piston 68 of the catapult 60. The piston 68 is a rod-shaped metal or resin member having a predetermined length along the axis X1 when the catapult 60 is attached to the gas generator 30. The cross-sectional shape of the piston 68 intersecting the longitudinal direction is circular. Here, the longitudinal direction is the sliding direction of the piston 68, and is a direction parallel or approximately parallel to the axis X1. The length of the piston 68 from one end to the other end is preferably at most about 0.8 times or less the length along the axis X1 from the bottom 22 to the opening 23 of the parachute container 20. The catapult 60 is located below the parachute 10 when the parachute 10 is contained in the parachute container 20, and the length of the piston 68 along the axis X1 is preferably 0.8 times or less the height of the parachute container 20 along the axis X1.

The piston 68 is inserted into the guide hole 317 of the housing 31 of the gas generator 30, and penetrates the gas generating agent 33 inside the housing 31. The piston 68 is fixed to the ceiling wall 63 of the catapult 60, for example by adhesive, with one end 681 of the piston 68 housed in the recess 66 of the catapult 60. A through hole 69 is formed on the side of one end 681 of the piston 68. The through hole 69 extends, for example, perpendicular to the axis X1. A pin 319p for engaging the piston 68 with the housing 31 is inserted into the through hole 69.

The other end of the piston 68 is rounded and formed as a spherical end 682. The spherical end 682 of the piston 68 has, for example, a hemispherical surface. The piston 68 has a flange 683 on the side of the spherical end 682. The flange 683 is formed in an annular shape around the entire circumference of the piston 68 around the axis X1. The outer diameter of the flange 683 is larger than the inner diameter of the guide hole 317 of the housing 31. Therefore, the sliding of the piston 68 toward the opening 23 of the parachute container 20 is limited by the flange 683 coming into contact with the ceiling wall 312 of the housing 31.

When the piston 68 is engaged with the housing 31 by the pin 319p, the spherical end 682 is housed within the recess 322 of the fixed plate 32.

The parachute device 1 is provided with a launch control unit 70 (see Figs. 5A and 5B). The launch control unit 70 is a circuit that controls the launch of the flying object 50 from the launch unit 40 and the ejection member 61 of the catapult 60. The launch control unit 70 is an electronic circuit that outputs an ignition signal when it receives a control signal instructing the opening of the parachute 10 from the drop control unit 116 in the aircraft unit 110, for example. In this embodiment, the launch control unit 70 is provided outside the parachute container 20, for example, inside the aircraft unit 110, but may be housed in the parachute container 20.

The launch control unit 70 is an electronic circuit that outputs an ignition signal when it receives a control signal from the drop control unit 116 in the aircraft unit 110 to instruct the opening of the parachute 10. When the ignition signal is input to the gas generator 30 via a lead wire, the ignition charge 34 ignites and gas is generated from the gas generating agent 33. As described below, the flying object 50 receives thrust from the pressure of the gas generated by the gas generator 30 and is launched from the launch unit 40. In addition, the pushing member 61 of the catapult 60 slides due to the pressure of the gas generated by the gas generator 30.

Next, the flow of the opening of the parachute 10 in the parachute device 1 according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 9A is a diagram showing the state of the flying object 50 and the catapult 60 after the parachute 10 is pushed out. Figure 9B is a partially enlarged view for explaining the sliding of the catapult 60 by the gas. Note that the parachute 10 is not shown in Figure 9A.

For example, when a flying device 100 equipped with a parachute device 1 is flying, if a strong wind causes the inclination of the body (body unit 110) of the flying device 100 to exceed the inclination threshold 118b for a predetermined period of time and the abnormality detection unit 115 determines that an abnormal state exists, the drop control unit 116 on the flying device 100 side sends a control signal to the launch control unit 70 of the parachute device 1 to instruct the opening of the parachute 10.

When the injection control unit 70 receives a control signal instructing the parachute 10 to open, it outputs an ignition signal to the gas generator 30 via the lead wire. Specifically, the injection control unit 70 passes a predetermined current through the lead wire, igniting the ignition charge 34 in contact with one end of the lead wire.

When the ignition charge 34 is ignited, the gas generating agent 33 reacts chemically to generate gas. When the gas pressure increases, the gas breaks through the sealing member 35 and fills the gas generation chamber GS.

The gas in the gas generation chamber GS is introduced into the holder 41 of each ejection section 40 through each gas introduction pipe 42 from each connection port 313. The flying object 50 held by each holder 41 is subjected to the pressure of the gas released from the tip end 411 of the holder 41, moves in a direction along the axis X2 of the holder 41 of the ejection section 40, and collides with the lid 26. The impact of the flying object 50 causes the lid 26 to detach from the parachute container 20, and the flying object 50 is ejected from the parachute container 20 to the outside.

Furthermore, the gas in the gas generation chamber GS enters the recess 322 of the fixed plate 32 and acts on the spherical end 682 of the piston 68. The spherical end 682 is in point contact or near point contact with the recess 322 at its tip, and the contact area with the recess 322 is extremely small. Therefore, gas acts on the spherical end 682 of the piston 68 from the side of the fixed plate 32 so as to lift the piston 68.

Since one end 681 of the piston 68 facing the spherical end 682 is in the atmosphere, which has a lower air pressure than the inside of the gas generation chamber GS, the piston 68 slides along the longitudinal direction toward the opening 23 of the parachute container 20. As a result, the pushing member 61 of the catapult 60 is lifted toward the opening 23 and away from the gas generator 30 until the flange 683 of the piston 68 hits the ceiling wall 312 of the housing 31. As the pushing member 61 rises, the parachute 10 is pushed out from the bottom 22 side of the parachute container 20 toward the opening 23.

Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing the parachute 10 of the flying device 100 according to this embodiment in an open state. When each flying object 50 is launched from the parachute container 20, the parachute 10 (canopy 11) is pulled by each flying object 50 via the connecting rope 13. The pulling of the parachute 10 by the flying object 50 is assisted by the pushing of the parachute 10 by the sliding of the pushing member 61 of the catapult 60 from the bottom 22 side of the parachute container 20 to the opening 23.

After the parachute 10 is released from the parachute container 20, the canopy 11 of the parachute 10 is pulled further by each flying object 50, and unfolds from its folded state. This causes air to flow into the canopy 11, causing the canopy 11 to open.

According to the parachute device 1 of this embodiment, the gas generated by the gas generator 30 is released from the ejection section 40 through the gas introduction pipe 42, and the gas pressure ejects the flying object 50 from the ejection section 40, and the gas pressure in the gas generation chamber GS causes the piston 68 of the catapult 60 to rise and lift the pusher member 61. As a result, the catapult 60 assists the flying object 50 in pulling the canopy 11 of the parachute 10, so that the canopy 11 can be released from the parachute container 20 more quickly.

Therefore, even if a rotorcraft capable of remaining stationary in the air, such as the flight device 100, cannot benefit from the effect of air currents during a fall, by attaching the parachute device 1 according to this embodiment, it is possible to quickly and reliably open the parachute and allow the aircraft to fall gently.

In addition, each flying object 50 shoots out in the direction in which the axis X2 of the launcher 40 extends. That is, each flying object 50 flies in a direction away from the axis X1 of the parachute container 20. This allows each flying object 50 to pull the canopy 11 of the released parachute 10 from its apex toward its edge (periphery) more effectively than if it were launched straight up (in a direction parallel to the axis X1 of the parachute container 20). This allows the canopy 11 to open quickly, making it easier to fill with air.

Furthermore, the flange 683 on the spherical end 682 of the piston 68 of the catapult 60 comes into contact with the ceiling wall 312 of the housing 31 and does not come out of the housing 31, so the catapult 60 is not released outside the parachute container 20 together with the parachute 10.

In addition, the catapult 60 has a flange 64, which increases the surface area that supports the parachute 10 from the bottom 22 side of the parachute container 20. This effectively assists in the release of the parachute 10. In addition, the flange 64 does not overlap with the launch section 40 and the flying object 50 in the direction of the axis X1, so it does not interfere with the launch of the flying object 50.

Furthermore, the pushing member 61 of the catapult 60 is engaged with the mounting portion 22a provided on the bottom 22 of the parachute container 20 at the notch 67, so that the pushing member 61 of the catapult 60 is prevented from rotating around the piston 68. This allows the pushing member 61 to overlap with the launching portion 40 and the flying object 50 in the direction of the axis X1, preventing the catapult 60 and the flying object 50 from interfering with each other's movements when gas is generated.

Furthermore, the piston 68 has a spherical end 682, so that the gas in the gas generation chamber GS can effectively act on the spherical end 682 to lift the piston 68.

Furthermore, the fixed plate 32 of the gas generator 30 is provided with a recess 322 with a slope, and the spherical end 682 of the piston 68 is housed in this recess 322, so that the generated gas can easily act on the spherical end 682 of the piston 68 along the slope.

Furthermore, an O-ring 318 is provided in the guide hole 317 of the housing 31, which prevents the gas in the gas generation chamber GS from leaking to the outside through the guide hole 317, and the gas in the gas generation chamber GS acts effectively on the piston 68.

Furthermore, the piston 68 is locked to the housing 31 by the pin 319p, so that, for example, the piston 68 is prevented from moving in a manner that pushes up the extrusion member 61 due to a sudden descent of the flight device 100.

＜Other＞
Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and includes all aspects included in the concept of the present invention and the scope of the claims. In addition, each configuration may be appropriately and selectively combined so as to achieve at least a part of the above-mentioned problems and effects. For example, in the above embodiment, the extrusion member 61 has multiple peripheral wall portions 62, but it may have one peripheral wall portion 62 formed integrally in the circumferential direction.

For example, in the above embodiment, the launch device 2 of the parachute 10 has the launch unit 40 and the projectile 50, but it may only include the parachute container 20, the gas generator 30, the catapult 60, and the launch control unit 70. With this launch device, the piston 68 rises and the pusher member 61 is lifted by the pressure of the gas generated by the gas generator 30. This pushes out the canopy 11 of the parachute 10 from the parachute container 20, allowing the canopy 11 to be released from the parachute container 20 more quickly.

1...parachute device, 2...launching device, 10...parachute, 11...canopy, 12...hanging rope, 13...connecting rope, 20...parachute container (storage section), 21...periphery, 22...bottom, 22a...mounting section (engagement member), 23...opening, 26...lid, 30...gas generator, 31...housing, 311...periphery wall, 312...ceiling wall, 313...connecting port, 314...guide section, 315...guide hole, 316... Annular convex portion, 317... guide hole, 318... O-ring, 319... through hole, 319p... pin (rod-shaped locking member), 32... fixing plate, 321... convex portion, 322... concave portion, 33... gas generating agent, 34... ignition charge, 35... sealing member, 36... seal member, 40... ejection portion, 41... holder, 410... base end portion, 411... tip end portion, 42... gas introduction pipe, 50... projectile, 51... pin (shear pin), 60... catapult, 61: extrusion member; 62, 62a, 62b: peripheral wall portion; 63: ceiling wall portion; 64: flange portion; 65: slit; 66: recess; 67: notch; 68: piston (rod-shaped member); 681: one end portion; 682: spherical end portion (other end); 683: flange portion; 70: ejection control portion; 100: flight device; 110: aircraft unit; 111: power supply portion; 111a: battery; 111b: power supply circuit; 112: sensor portion; 112a: angular velocity sensor 112b...acceleration sensor, 112c...magnetic sensor, 112d...angle calculation unit, 113...motor drive unit, 114...flight control unit, 115...abnormality detection unit, 116...fall control unit, 117...communication unit, 118...storage unit, 118a...remaining capacity threshold, 118b...tilt threshold, 120...thrust generation unit, 125...propeller, 126...motor, 127...housing, 130...alarm device, 140...arm unit, 180...external device

Claims (8)

With a parachute
a tubular storage section having an open end and a bottom at the other end for storing the parachute;
a gas generator attached to a bottom of the container for generating gas;
at least one projectile disposed on a periphery of the receptacle and connected to the parachute;
a launching section that is disposed on a peripheral surface of the container section and is connected to the gas generator, and that holds the projectile so as to be launchable by gas from the gas generator;
a catapult slidably attached to the gas generator so that gas from the gas generator pushes the parachute from the bottom side toward the opening of the container;
Equipped with
The catapult is
a cylindrical extrusion member having an open end and a wall at the other end, the extrusion member being fitted over the gas generator so as to accommodate the gas generator;
a rod-shaped member having one end fixed to the wall portion of the push-out member and formed so as to be engageable with the gas generator at the other end side so as not to be removable from the gas generator;
having
the extrusion member has at least one flange portion extending outward from an edge on a side of the opening and provided so as not to overlap with the injection portion in a sliding direction;
A parachute device , characterized in that the storage portion has an engagement member that engages with the flange portion to prevent relative rotation of the push-out member with respect to the storage portion . 2. The parachute apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the rod-shaped member is rounded at the other end. 3. A parachute device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the bottom of the storage section has a recess formed with an inclined surface, and the other end of the rod-shaped member is stored in the recess. 4. A parachute device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3 , characterized in that the gas generator has a guide hole that slidably guides the rod-shaped member, and an O-ring is provided on the inner surface of the guide hole. With a parachute
a tubular storage section having an open end and a bottom at the other end for storing the parachute;
a gas generator attached to a bottom of the container for generating gas;
at least one projectile disposed on a periphery of the receptacle and connected to the parachute;
a launching section that is disposed on a peripheral surface of the container section and is connected to the gas generator, and that holds the projectile so as to be launchable by gas from the gas generator;
a catapult slidably attached to the gas generator so that gas from the gas generator pushes the parachute from the bottom side toward the opening of the container;
Equipped with
The catapult is
a cylindrical extrusion member having an open end and a wall at the other end, the extrusion member being fitted over the gas generator so as to accommodate the gas generator;
a rod-shaped member having one end fixed to the wall portion of the push-out member and formed so as to be engageable with the gas generator at the other end side so as not to be removable from the gas generator;
having
The gas generator comprises:
a guide hole for slidably guiding the rod-shaped member, an O-ring being provided on an inner peripheral surface of the guide hole, and an annular protrusion being provided along an edge of the guide hole on the side of the opening of the accommodation portion,
a locking member is provided that radially penetrates the annular protrusion and the rod-shaped member in a direction intersecting an extension direction of the rod-shaped member and that is broken by sliding of the rod-shaped member. A flying object connectable to a parachute;
a cylindrical container having an open end and a bottom at the other end for accommodating the parachute;
a gas generator attached to the bottom of the container for generating gas;
a launching section that is disposed on a peripheral surface of the container section and is connected to the gas generator, and that holds the projectile so as to be launchable by gas from the gas generator;
a catapult slidably attached to the gas generator so that gas from the gas generator pushes the parachute from the bottom side toward the opening of the container;
Equipped with
The catapult is
a cylindrical extrusion member having an open end and a wall at the other end, the extrusion member being fitted over the gas generator so as to accommodate the gas generator;
a rod-shaped member having one end fixed to the wall portion of the push-out member and formed so as to be engageable with the gas generator at the other end side so as not to be removable from the gas generator;
having
the extrusion member has at least one flange portion extending outward from an edge on a side of the opening and provided so as not to overlap with the injection portion in a sliding direction;
11. A parachute ejection device, comprising: a housing portion having an engagement member that engages with the flange portion to prevent relative rotation of the pusher member with respect to the housing portion . a cylindrical container having an open end and a bottom at the other end for accommodating the parachute;
a gas generator attached to the bottom of the container for generating gas;
a catapult slidably attached to the gas generator so that gas from the gas generator pushes the parachute from the bottom side toward the opening of the container;
Equipped with
The catapult is
a cylindrical extrusion member having an open end and a wall at the other end, the extrusion member being fitted over the gas generator so as to accommodate the gas generator;
a rod-shaped member having one end fixed to the wall portion of the push-out member and formed so as to be engageable with the gas generator at the other end side so as not to be removable from the gas generator;
having
the gas generator has a guide hole for slidably guiding the rod-shaped member, an O-ring is provided on an inner peripheral surface of the guide hole , and an annular protrusion is provided along an edge of the guide hole on the side of the opening of the accommodation portion,
a locking member is provided that radially penetrates the annular convex portion and the rod-shaped member in a direction intersecting an extension direction of the rod-shaped member and that breaks when the rod-shaped member slides . The body unit,
a thrust generating unit connected to the aircraft unit and configured to generate thrust;
A flight control unit that controls the thrust generating unit;
An abnormality detection unit that detects abnormalities during flight;
A parachute device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ,
a drop control unit that launches the flying object in response to detection of an abnormality by the abnormality detection unit.

Images