Abstract:
An airdrop package for fuel and water is disclosed. A plurality of hollow cylinders are made of combustible firelog material. Closed water container nested within at least some of the plurality of hollow cylinders. The airdrop package for the plurality of hollow cylinders has a plurality of interconnected flexible walls. The interconnected flexible walls are atop an energy absorbing base. The flexible walls define an array of compartments. The compartments are dimensioned to snugly contain at least one of the hollow cylinders. The base and flexible walls absorb energy upon ground impact of the airdrop package.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The technical field of the invention relates generally to special receptacles or packages and more specifically to systems for airdrop delivery of supplies. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    During disasters of natural or man-made origins, or wartime, emergency supplies are often dropped by parachute from an airplane in an airdrop delivery. Emergency supplies can include water, food, cooking materials, shelter or tools. 
         [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,342,439 discloses an aerial drop assembly for emergency supplies. Emergency supplies are lowered to the ground from an aircraft by an aerial drop, in a drop assembly. A protective container made of double-faced corrugated stock (i.e. cardboard) is attached to a parachute. A cushion may be inserted in the base of the container for additional cushioning. The cushion may be a pad reinforced with sheets of paper, sheet plastic or corrugated paper bonded to opposed faces of the pad. 
         [0004]    Delivery of water for drinking or cooking poses particular difficulties in airdrops. Water delivered in large containers typically cannot be hand carried out by soldiers or relief workers, as water is heavy. Bottled water is often lost as a result of bursting of plastic water bottles upon ground impact from the airdrop. 
         [0005]    There is thus a need for an improved airdrop delivery system for delivering water to soldiers, relief or other emergency workers or survivors in an emergency. It is a goal of the present invention to provide such an improved airdrop delivery system. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    Water for drinking or cooking, and fuel for fire making can be dropped by parachute from an airplane in an airdrop package. Water-filled containers delivered therewith can survive a ground impact. The packaging serves as fuel for fires, e.g. for cooking or warmth. 
         [0007]    The airdrop package has a plurality of hollow cylinders made of combustible firelog material. Within at least some of the hollow cylinders, closed water containers are nested. The airdrop package has a plurality of interconnected flexible walls atop an energy absorbing base. The flexible walls define an array of compartments. The compartments are dimensioned to snugly contain at least one of the hollow cylinders. Upon ground impact of the airdrop package, the base and flexible walls absorb energy. 
         [0008]    The airdrop package may have a matrix of semi-rigid material defining honeycomb-like interstices. The hollow cylinders, made of combustible firelog material, may be closable on opposed ends. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective exploded view of an airdrop delivery system for water and fire making supplies in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a drop unit, including a packed parachute and an assembled airdrop delivery system that is a variation of the airdrop delivery system of  FIG. 1 . The drop unit is shown exiting through the jump door of an airplane. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a drop pallet, including a parachute system and a plurality of airdrop delivery systems such as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The drop pallet is shown exiting the airdrop platform of a military transport. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is an elevated front view of the airdrop delivery system of  FIG. 2 , showing effects of impact. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a soldier carrying canisters holding water bottles, the canisters having been delivered by and recovered from the airdrop delivery system of  FIG. 1 ,  2  or  3 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of one of the canisters of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the canister of  FIG. 6  with the top half removed and showing water bottles inside the canister. 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is an elevated end view of the canister of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a perspective end view of canisters such as the canister of  FIG. 5  or  6  loaded in the airdrop delivery system of  FIG. 1 , the canisters having an alternative closure device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , the airdrop delivery system  100  provides a system for getting water and combustible materials with which to build a fire to soldiers in a war zone, to disaster relief workers or to survivors in an emergency situation. The airdrop delivery system  100  for water and fire making materials and variations and various subassemblies thereof have improvements over known airdrop containers and airdrop delivery systems as will be described. 
         [0019]    Typically, a first package or set of packages in an airdrop delivers water, and a separate second package or set of packages in the airdrop or a subsequent airdrop delivers bundles of firewood, synthetic fire logs or other fire making materials. The airdrop delivery system  100  combines delivery of water and fire making materials in a single package or set of similar packages, and increases the recovery rate of intact water bottles as compared to previously available airdrop delivery methods or packages. Subassemblies of the airdrop delivery system  100  absorb impact as the package hits the ground at the end of the parachute-controlled descent, thus decreasing the tendency of plastic water bottles to burst upon ground impact of the package. Further, the packaging subassemblies provide fire making materials. 
         [0020]    In the version shown in  FIG. 1 , the airdrop delivery system  100  has an outside box  102  made of corrugated cardboard with front wall  104 , rear wall  106 , side walls  108  and  110 , a top cap  112  and a bottom cap  114 . Variations of the airdrop delivery system  100  have no outside box, or an outside box of differing shapes or made of other materials e.g. waxed cardboard, wood or wood products, or composite, and/or are banded or covered in plastic shrinkwrap. 
         [0021]    A load matrix core  130  with an array of horizontally oriented compartments  120  sits atop an energy absorbing base  132 . The energy absorbing base  132  has in one embodiment an upper energy absorbing base  122  and a lower energy absorbing base  124 , each of which is made of multiple sheets of corrugated cardboard, accordion-folded corrugated cardboard, molded and dried wood pulp or paper pulp, other wood products, or other energy absorbing material. 
         [0022]    The load matrix core  130  is a matrix of semi-rigid collapsible material defining honeycomb-like interstices. In the example shown in  FIG. 1 , horizontally oriented corrugated cardboard sheets  118  and vertically oriented corrugated cardboard sheets  116  are matrix walls defining an orthogonal array of the horizontally oriented compartments  120 . Variations can have a lattice with vertically, horizontally and/or diagonally oriented matrix walls, vertical arrays, horizontal arrays, hexagonal arrays, triangular arrays, diagonally oriented arrays and arrays of other geometric arrangements of the compartments  120 . Arrays can have orthogonal walls or walls at other angles with respect to each other, and compartments with regular spacing in one direction e.g. horizontally, vertically or diagonally, regular spacing in two directions e.g. horizontally and vertically, orthogonal diagonal directions, or non-orthogonal diagonal directions, regular spacing in three directions e.g. an hexagonal or triangular array, irregular spacings, regular spacings in one direction and irregular spacings in another direction and so on. Variations can be made of other materials as discussed above with regard to the outside box  102  and/or as discussed above with regard to the energy absorbing base  124 . 
         [0023]    With reference to  FIG. 2 , a drop unit  200  that includes a variation of the airdrop delivery system  100  is exiting through the jump door  232  of an airplane  230 . The jump hatch  234  is shown partially open, and is about to be opened further so that the drop unit  200  can proceed unimpeded. 
         [0024]    In the drop unit  200 , a load matrix core  202  with orthogonally intersecting diagonally oriented matrix walls  204  and  206  sits atop an energy absorbing base  218 . A bottom cap  220  contains the lower portions of the drop unit  200 . Vertical banding  212  and horizontal banding  214  retain the subassemblies of the drop unit  200 . A packed parachute  210  is attached at the top of the drop unit  200 . Inserted into compartments defined by the matrix walls  204 ,  206  of the load matrix core  202  are cylindrical articles  208  for delivery. The cylindrical articles  208  herein depicted are hollow cylinders or canisters made of wood or wood product containing plastic water bottles, about which more will be described with reference to  FIGS. 5-8 . 
         [0025]    With reference to  FIG. 3 , multiples of the airdrop delivery system  100  can be bundled together and assembled onto a drop pallet  300  for delivery of larger amounts of water and fire making materials using a larger airplane, such as a C-17 military transport. The drop pallet  300  has a wood pallet for a base. The drop pallet  300  is shown exiting the airdrop platform  316  of an airplane  322  so-equipped. The airplane  322  is further equipped with a short aft anchor cable support  302 , and anchor cable stop  304  and an anchor cable  312 . A deployment parachute  306  atop the drop pallet  300  has a release-away static-line  308  clipped to the anchor cable  312 . One or more strapping bars  326  and one or more straps  328  secure the multiples of the airdrop delivery system  100  on the drop pallet  300 . When the drop pallet  300  clears the airdrop platform  316  and begins freefall, the static-line  308  initiates the opening of the deployment parachute  306 . The drop pallet  300  then descends to the ground, slowed by the parachute. 
         [0026]    With reference to  FIG. 4 , effects of a ground impact on an airdrop delivery system  400  are shown, as are aspects of structure working to dissipate impact energy. Prior to impact, the load matrix  402  is intact and undistorted as shown, and has cylindrical articles  408  such as canisters containing water or water bottles stowed in compartments  410  formed by the intersecting matrix walls  404  and  406 . The energy absorbing base  412  is likewise intact and undistorted. Banding  420 , shown distorted after impact, is initially undistorted and surrounds the perimeter of the load matrix or surrounds the perimeter of the load matrix  402  and the energy absorbing base  412 . Upon impact of the airdrop delivery system  400  with the ground e.g. as the drop unit  200  or the drop pallet  300  completes the descent, the energy absorbing base  412  compresses. Depending on severity of impact, the load matrix  402  may arrive relatively intact. 
         [0027]    However, the load matrix  402  has features designed to absorb impact energy so that fewer of the plastic water bottles burst in a less gentle landing of the airdrop delivery system  400 . The matrix walls  404  and  406  of the load matrix  402 , which may be made of cardboard, waxed cardboard or corrugated cardboard etc., are perforated to tear and absorb energy on impact. 
         [0028]    Water and fuel storage cylinders or canisters, or other cylindrical articles  408 , are loaded horizontally to better enable the package to absorb impact energy with dissipation over a larger surface area as compared to vertically loaded water containers or other cylindrical articles  408 . Further, the cylindrical articles  408  can roll if released from the load matrix  402  upon impact. Vertically loaded cylindrical articles would be less likely to dissipate impact energy and more likely to break or otherwise be damaged than horizontally loaded cylindrical articles. 
         [0029]    Reinforcement wedges  414  provide support and alignment at the bottom portion of the load matrix  402 , and have an additional function. The reinforcement wedges  414  provide an impact focus at a joining location for the matrix walls  404  and  406 , and promote splitting and tearing of the load matrix  402  to absorb and dissipate impact energy. Perforations as discussed above may be placed at such locations and elsewhere in the load matrix. The number and locations of the perforations can be varied according to material strength, desired control of splitting and tearing, mass of the cylindrical articles  408  and other factors. 
         [0030]    Upon a ground impact sufficient to tear portions of the load matrix  402 , the cylindrical articles  408  will move in a downward direction  416  and an outward direction  418 , and will either disburse out of the airdrop delivery system  400  or be retained by the banding  420 . The banding  420  can bow outward as shown in  FIG. 4  to retain some or all of the cylindrical articles  408 . 
         [0031]    With reference to  FIG. 5 , a soldier  502  is shown carrying several canisters  500  that have been recovered from the airdrop delivery system  400  or variation thereof. Each canister  500  is one of the cylindrical articles  408  carried in the airdrop delivery system  400 . The canisters  500  are strapped to the frame or other portion of the rucksack  504  the soldier  502  carries. A canister  500  can also be carried by grasping the closure device  506  which then functions as a handle. A canister overall length of 25½ inches allows passage through standard doorways. Other dimensions may be devised, such as a maximum length of thirty inches. 
         [0032]    With reference to  FIG. 6 , a canister  600  such as carried in the airdrop delivery system  400  is a synthetic wood fuel log tube  602  made of combustible firelog material and holding water bottles inside (not visible in  FIG. 6 , and see  FIG. 7 ). Each canister  600  is a package of drinking or cooking water and fire making fuel. The tube  602  has two opposed half-pipe sections  604  and  606  that are essentially identical. Having essentially identical half-pipe sections allows manufacture from a single mold. The essentially identical opposed half-pipe sections  604  and  606  may differ in fastener fittings such as apertures, notches or fastener mating hardware, or have differences resulting from manufacturing processes and tolerances or other minor considerations. 
         [0033]    Materials suitable for the combustible firelog material include cellulose fibers, pressed particles in a combustible binder, mixtures of resins and wax, compressed sawdust, compressed wood chips, wood pulp, paper, cardboard, corrugated cardboard and other wood products. Where drinking water is an intended use, the firelog material must house a compatible container, such as a plastic bottle or bag. 
         [0034]    A closure device  608  keeps the water bottles inside the tube  602 , thus closing the respective end of the tube  602 . The closure device  608  further holds the upper half-pipe section  604  and lower half-pipe section  606  together. In variations, both ends of the tube  602  have a respective closure device  608 , or one end of the tube  602  has a closure device  608  and the other end of the tube  602  is closed off, or a bolt, screw or other fastener  610 ,  612  secures the closure device  608  to the tube  602 . As discussed above, the closure device  608  can act as a handle. In further variations, the canister  600  has a closure device and a separate handle, a fastener and a separate handle, an extraction device for removing the canister from a compartment in the airdrop delivery system, or various combinations thereof. In still further variations, the canister has a unitary tube, complementary sections, unevenly divided sections, or more than two sections. 
         [0035]    With reference to  FIG. 7 , removal of one of the half-pipe sections of the canister  600  reveals the water bottles  702  held inside the tube  602 . Upon removal of the closure device  608 , one or more of the water bottles  702  can be removed from the tube  602  by sliding the water bottle  702  out the end of the tube  602  or by separating the two halves of the tube  602  and lifting the water bottle  702  out of the remaining half-pipe section  606  of the tube  602 . Variations of the canister  600  and variations of the water bottle  702  have the canister  600  containing various numbers of water bottles e.g. 1-10 water bottles, water in other types of containers such as water bags, bladders or cans, or water mixed with vitamins, flavors or nutrients. Still further variations of the canister  600  deliver water and food, e.g. water in some of the bottles and food in others of the bottles or other containers. 
         [0036]    With reference to  FIG. 8 , further details of the canister  800  are shown. The upper half-pipe section  804  and lower half-pipe section  806  have mating alignment surfaces  822  that fit the two halves of the tube together. Further variations with or without mating alignment surfaces and variations of the mating alignment surfaces may be devised. The water bottle  820  fits snugly inside of the tube formed by the half-pipe sections  804  and  806 . The wood or wood product of which the two half-pipe sections  804   806  are made provides high heat output when a fire is built using one or more such sections, and provides thermal insulation in cold weather to reduce, delay or prevent freezing of the water in the water bottles while in the canister  800 . 
         [0037]    With reference to  FIG. 9 , a close-up view of the airdrop delivery system shows details in construction and materials of the matrix walls  902  and  904 , and a variation in the canister  906 . Multi-layered corrugated cardboard is used in making the matrix walls  902  and  904 , which are deeply notched e.g. to one half of the depth of the compartment  908 . A cotton lanyard  910  can be pulled in order to extract the canister  906  from the compartment  908  defined by the matrix walls  902  and  904 . The cotton lanyard  910  can also be used as a fire wick, to start a fire using one or more of the wood fuel log tubes or the halves thereof. 
         [0038]    Various assumptions can be used to guide dimensioning of the airdrop delivery system and subassemblies, although further assumptions and further dimensions can be applied. A 10 by 10 array of compartments of a load matrix core has 100 compartments. Each compartment holds one canister with three water bottles of 16.9 fluid ounces each, for a total of 300 such water bottles or 39.6 gallons per drop module. A 96 inch by 88 inch drop skid holds six drop modules for a total of 237 gallons of water. At one gallon per soldier or relief worker per day, a 12 person team is sustained by one drop platform with water rations for 19.8 days, or 18 days with 10% loss on impact. Total weight of each canister, including water, is 4.7 pounds. Dividing 100 canisters, including water, among 12 people in a team results in each person carrying 42 pounds. 
         [0039]    Fire and fuel can be calculated using the above assumptions.  100  pressed wood canister units results in 200 halves. Each half unit burns for about three quarters of an hour. The total number of canisters thus provides 150 burn hours, or 37.5 burn hours with four halves per fire. This is equal to a four hour burn for each of 9.375 days. 
         [0040]    Dimensions of a further embodiment of the airdrop delivery system are as follows. An airdrop delivery system of 48 inches in length, 25.5 inches in width and 60 inches in height, including the energy absorbing base, holds 252 water bottles at a total weight of 300 pounds. The load matrix is made of 0.30 inch thick waxed cardboard. 
         [0041]    In versions made of cardboard, cardboard-related materials, wood and/or wood products, the entire contents of the airdrop delivery system except for the plastic water bottles will burn when ignited. The resultant fire provides soldiers, relief workers or survivors with heat and cooking capabilities. The unit contains plastic water bottles on the inside, which soldiers or other personnel use for drinking water while stationed at a post where neither fire nor water would otherwise be available. The airdrop delivery system combines the two survival requirements of fire building materials and water into one package, relieving the need for separate airdrops of firewood. The airdrop delivery system provides a solution to the problem of water delivery that can survive a ground impact, provides packaging that serves as fuel for fires, and provides packaging that supports all delivery modes. The airdrop delivery system enables transfer and carry of water and fire making supplies by each soldier or other personnel. In disaster, humanitarian or military situations, the airdrop delivery system described herein can be safely dropped by a helicopter from a height of 20 feet to 30 feet without a parachute and with impact survival.