Abstract:
A base is attachable to a first object and a bar is attachable to a second object. A pivot lever having a lip is engaged with the bar. The base is configured to engage said pivot lever to define a fulcrum. A retainer engaged with said pivot lever. A keeper secures the retainer to the base so that the retainer restricts pivoting of the pivot lever about the fulcrum thereby securing the bar to the base. The keeper is operable to release the retainer to permit rotation of the pivot lever about the fulcrum to release the bar from the base, thereby releasing the objects from being connected together.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/644,250 filed on Jan. 14, 2005, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a parachute canopy quick release device.  
         [0003]     Releasing an entangled main canopy from a person or package in free fall is the first step in the sequence of deploying a reserve canopy. If the entangled main canopy is not released, the possibility that the reserve canopy will become entangled with the main canopy is significant. A main canopy may also have to be released after a person/package has landed, in order to prevent the canopy from inflating, due to wind, and dragging the person along the ground. This scenario is particularly important if high winds exist in the landing area.  
         [0004]     When used by a person, a canopy is attached at the person&#39;s right and left shoulders by the canopy risers.  
         [0005]     Several devices exist in an attempt to release the main canopy. Some prior art devices require the user to separately release a mechanism at each shoulder. These devices require a relatively long period to release, a disadvantage when an individual is falling at terminal velocity, about 120 mph, at low altitudes.  
         [0006]     Other devices automatically release the canopy at both shoulders when a person pulls a cord; however these devices are easily assembled in an improper manner and thus prone to failure.  
         [0007]     Some prior art devices fail in use and only release one side of the canopy and not the other. The user is thus faced with the unpleasant option of trying to clear the malfunction and running out of altitude, or releasing the reserve into the main, with the increased chance of reserve failure.  
         [0008]     Some prior art devices require lubrication and are thus prone to failure if the lubricant is lacking. An overly lubricated device may stain the canopy&#39;s risers or the user&#39;s clothing, or the lubricant can adversely affect riser strength.  
         [0009]     Other prior art devices require a relatively force to activate, or are large, bulky, relatively heavy, or easily fouled by dirt.  
         [0010]     Multiple problems have been identified with one of the most popular systems, commonly called a three-ring release. The rings may deform under high loads. The rings must have metal-to-metal contact: if the large ring is not in contact with the second ring, but is touching the riser webbing, the load transferred to the small ring and loop is drastically increased. Rings also sometimes deform when the parachutist opens the canopy while falling in an unstable attitude, thereby placing a high load on the rings. Rings must be rotated periodically to prevent elongation or deformation.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     The invention is a secure and release mechanism that detachably connects two objects together, and includes a base, which attaches to a first object; and a ring, which attaches to a second object. The ring is fitted to a pivot lever, the combined ring and pivot lever are nested in the base. A spring may be fitted between the pivot lever and base. The nested pivot lever and ring are fitted with a retainer, and the entire assembly held together with a keeper such as a ripcord. A pocket located at one end of the base accepts a corresponding end of the pivot lever; together these form a fulcrum. The end of the pivot lever can be tapered or otherwise contoured to mate with the base and aid to the release. The pocket can be formed by pins or a lip or other suitable projection. The assembled mechanism can form an unstable system with a natural tendency to rotate at the fulcrum, but is restrained from doing so by the retainer. The ring is able to rotate within its nested position in the base, however the base limits its degree of rotation.  
         [0012]     Loads placed on the ring are transmitted through the pivot lever and countered by the base.  
         [0013]     The mechanism recited has a means to attach to a parachute canopy, such as a loop, ring or slot and also a means to attach to a parachute harness. When used to link a parachute canopy and parachute harness, two of the mechanisms recited can be used together, one at each shoulder, and the means for release can be combined. Then a single pull on one ripcord will release both mechanisms, thereby detaching the parachute harness from the parachute canopy.  
         [0014]     The mechanism then, detachably connects a parachutist to a parachute, and is comprised of: a base; a pivot lever; said pivot lever having means to accept a ring; a ring; a spring; a retainer; said base having a hole or other means to accept a ripcord or other locking method; said base having holes to accept a strap or straps of a parachute; said base having tabs along its sides designed to limit rotation of said ring; said base having scallops or indentations or otherwise be designed to provide clearance from straps attached to said base. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a partial view of a parachutist under a canopy.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the canopy quick release device of the present invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a disassembled canopy quick release device of the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the base.  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a front view of the pivot lever.  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a perspective side view of the pivot lever.  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  is a rear view of the pivot lever.  
         [0022]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing the ring.  
         [0023]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the retainer.  
         [0024]      FIG. 10  is a sectional side view of the assembled canopy quick release device.  
         [0025]      FIG. 11  shows a parachutist suspended under a canopy.  
         [0026]      FIG. 12  shows an enlarged, detailed view of a parachutist.  
         [0027]      FIG. 13  shows an assembled canopy quick release device.  
         [0028]      FIG. 14  is a frontal view of the ring.  
         [0029]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the pivot lever.  
         [0030]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of the pivot lever/ring combination.  
         [0031]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of the base.  
         [0032]      FIG. 18  is a top view of the base.  
         [0033]      FIG. 19  is a side view of the assembled canopy quick release device.  
         [0034]      FIG. 20  is an exploded perspective view of the device.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0035]     As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed here. However, it is understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed are not to be interpreted as necessarily limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.  
         [0036]     This invention includes a base, spring, pivot lever, ring, and retainer and relates to attachment methods of parachute canopies and harness to people and objects. The invention provides a method to quickly detach two objects that are linked together with the invention, and while the example of parachute canopies and related harnesses is used, the invention has other uses as well. For example, people using rappelling gear can use the invention in order to provide a quick release from such gear. As another example, the invention can be used to secure and release the ends of a restraining wire or wires.  
         [0037]     The means of construction of the device depends on the application and forces placed on it in that application. In critical applications such as parachuting or rappelling, the device is preferably constructed of a metal such as steel, aluminum, or titanium and forged. In less critical applications such as fastening the ends of a packing wire together, the device may be stamped steel or molded plastic.  
         [0038]     The device includes a base with integrated guides, and holes, a pivot lever, a spring, a ring, a retainer, and a keeper such as a ripcord, strap, or other device. The retainer can be a plate or tube, rod, or other device. In the example of a parachutist, the base is attached to the parachute &#39;s webbing, the ring to the canopy risers. In use, the base stays attached to the parachutist or package, while the ring separates from the base and remains attached to the canopy risers.  
         [0039]     The base uses a pocket, tabs and holes to align the pivot lever and ring. The base may have indentations or scallops to provide room for the canopy risers looped through the pivot lever and ring. The bottom of the base is designed to accept, and hold in place, the pivot lever and ring combination.  
         [0040]     When the parachutist wishes to release the main canopy, he pulls on a pull ring. The pull ring is attached to a bifurcated ripcord. One side of the bifurcated ripcord goes to the device on the users right shoulder, the other side goes to the device on the left shoulder. The force on the pull ring dislodges the ripcords on both devices. This allows the retainers on each device to fall away. The pivot lever and ring combination pivots on a beveled edge of the pivot lever, allowing the ring with risers to separate from the base. The parachutist now falls away from canopy.  
         [0041]     The base, pivot lever and ring may be flat, curved or hinged to provide better fit to the user or package.  
         [0042]     While the drawings include the exemplary embodiments, the drawings are merely meant to be representative of the invention and not absolute with regard to particular profiles, angles, curves, and sizes.  
         [0043]     Referring to  FIG. 11 , there is a parachutist  1  suspended under a canopy  2 . Canopy lines  3  come to a confluence at risers  4 . The risers  4  are linked through a canopy quick release device  5  to parachute harness webbing  6 . A chest strap  7  links parachute harness webbing  6  to prevent the parachutist  1  from falling out of the parachute harness webbing  6  when the canopy  2  inflates. Leg straps  8  support the lower body of the parachutist  1  during canopy  2  inflation. A pull ring  9  is used to activate the canopy quick release device  5  and is linked to the canopy quick release device  5  through a bifurcated cord  10 .  
         [0044]      FIG. 12  shows an enlarged, detailed view of the parachutist  1  with the chest strap omitted for clarity. The risers  4  are looped through a ring  11  of the canopy quick release device  5 . The parachute harness webbing  6  is also fed through an oblong hole  12  of a base  14  of the canopy quick release device  5 . To release the canopy  2 , the parachutist  1  pulls on the pull ring  9 . Pull ring  9  acts on the assembled canopy quick release device  5  through the bifurcated cord  10 .  
         [0045]      FIG. 13  shows the assembled canopy quick release device  5  with tabs  13  protruding from the sides. The parachute harness webbing  6  extends through the oblong hole  12  of the base  14  for attachment of the webbing to the base. The tabs  13  on the base  14  help align and hold a pivot lever/ring combination  15  in place. A profile of the base  14  may be curved or flat. A profile of the pivot lever/ring combination  15  may be curved or flat. A retainer  25  fits under retainer tabs  23 . The retainer  25  can be formed as a plate a bar or other device that can hold the pivot lever on the base. A keeper, such as a ripcord  26 , holds the retainer  25  against the pivot lever, which secures the ring to the base. The keeper can be formed by a rod or bar or other removable device.  
         [0046]      FIG. 14  is a frontal view of the ring  11  showing a hole  17  through which the canopy risers  4  extend for attachment to the ring. At least part of the ring forms a bar  30 , in the form of a rod or other suitable shape.  
         [0047]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the pivot lever  16 , showing a concave groove  18  for receiving the ring  11 . The pivot lever can be a plate, one side of which has an edge lip  29  that can be defined by a the concave groove  18 , or a channel, scallop, projection, or the like. The pivot lever  16  can have a tapered or beveled edge  19  opposite from, and distal to, the concave groove which engages the base  14  when the pieces are assembled. The beveled edge facilitates rotation.  
         [0048]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of a pivot lever/ring combination  15  showing the ring  11  and pivot lever  16 . The bar  30  of the ring  11  engages the lip  29  by fitting into the groove.  
         [0049]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of base  14  showing a fulcrum pocket  20 , the tabs  13 , the oblong hole  12 , a spring hole  21 , retainer tabs  23 , and ripcord holes  24 . Alternative profiles of the base are possible. For example, the tabs  13  may extend from edges of the base  14  or extend from edges of the pivot lever  16 . The holes can be formed as slots or otherwise provide a structure for attachment of the riser and webbing. The fulcrum pocket can be formed as a lip or a tab or a projection engaged by the pivot lever.  
         [0050]      FIG. 18  is a top view of the base  14  showing one ripcord hole  24  and the tabs  13 .  
         [0051]      FIG. 19  is a sectional side view of the assembled canopy quick release device showing the base  14 , the ripcord  26 , the parachute harness webbing  6 , the pivot lever/ring combination  15 , and the canopy riser  4 . The beveled edge  19  of the pivot lever fits into the pocket  20  to define a fulcrum. The ripcord  26  extends through the ripcord holes  24  of the base  14 . The Referring to  FIGS. 11, 12 ,  13 ,  19 , and  20 , when the parachutist wishes to release the main canopy  2 , he pulls on the pull ring  9 . The pull ring  9  operates the ripcord  26  by action of the bifurcated cord  10 , which causes the ripcord to slide out of the ripcord holes  24  and releases retainer  25 . This allows the ring  11  to separate from the base  14  and allows the pivot lever and ring combination  15  to pivot on beveled edge  19  under a force of the canopy  2  and parachutist  1  imparted to the riser  4  and webbing  6 . This force can be supplemented by a spring  27 , such as a V spring disposed in a pocket  28  of the pivot lever  16 , urging the pivot lever away from the base  14 . Alternative methods are possible, for example a coiled spring or leaf spring can be used in place of the V spring. The ring  11  subsequently separates from the pivot lever  16  and Parachutist  1  now falls away from canopy  2 .  
         [0052]      FIG. 20  is an exploded perspective view showing: the base  14 , the spring  27 , the ring  11 , the pivot lever  16 , the retainer  25 , and the ripcord  26 .