Abstract:
An emergency pod configured for use with a rotary wing aircraft is provided including a rigid, generally hollow shell. An inflatable raft is arranged within an interior portion of the hollow shell. The life raft is coupled to an inflation mechanism. A first activation device and a second activation device are operably coupled to the inflation mechanism, the second activation device being disposed within the shell and fastened to a movable portion of the shell, wherein the first activation device and the second activation device operable independently of one another. Inflation of the inflatable raft is initiated when a force is applied to one of the first activation device and the second activation device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to a rotary wing aircraft and, more particularly, to a deployable emergency life raft for use by a search and rescue rotary wing aircraft. 
     Several thousand people drown worldwide each year. In many instances, these deaths are the result of exhaustion, dehydration, and hypothermia induced loss of coordination and consciousness. In instances when survival is not affected by lower temperatures, the task of locating, assisting and otherwise recovering persons in peril from an aquatic environment may be compounded by inclement weather or environmental obstacles, such as fire, ice, or smoke for example, which make approach to the victim perilous to the life of the rescuer. 
     Overwater search and rescue operations generally require a rotary wing aircraft to cover long distances and grid patterns in search of in-water survivors who may need immediate assistance prior to rescue from a helicopter rescue hoist or a nearby vessel. The need may arise to drop one or more emergency life rafts to survivors at multiple locations. When conventional life rafts are deployed, the life rafts may be rapidly swept away from its deployed location, such that the life rafts provide little or no benefit to physically exhausted survivors who are unable to reach the raft in time. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, an emergency pod configured for use with a rotary wing aircraft is provided including a rigid, generally hollow shell. The shell includes a movable portion configured to move between a closed position and an open position. An inflatable raft is arranged within an interior portion of the hollow shell. The life raft is coupled to an inflation mechanism. A first activation device and a second activation device are operably coupled to the inflation mechanism. The first activation device and the second activation device are configured to operate the inflation mechanism to initiate inflation of the life raft when a force is applied thereto. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, a rotary wing aircraft is provided including a main rotor system configured to rotate about an axis of rotation and an airframe. An emergency pod is releasably mounted to an external portion of the airframe. The emergency pod includes a rigid, generally hollow shell. The shell has a movable portion configured to move between a closed position and an open position. An inflatable raft is arranged within an interior portion of the hollow shell. The life raft is coupled to an inflation mechanism. A first activation device and a second activation device are operably coupled to the inflation mechanism. The first activation device and the second activation device are configured to operate the inflation mechanism to initiate inflation of the life raft when a force is applied thereto. 
     According to yet another embodiment of the invention, a method of releasing an emergency pod coupled to a rotary wing aircraft is provided including maneuvering the rotary wing aircraft to a predetermined height and/or speed relative to a body of water. The emergency pod is jettisoned from the rotary wing aircraft. A tension is created on a first activation device of the emergency pod. Inflation of a life raft within the emergency pod is initiated and the emergency pod is separated from the rotary wing aircraft. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary search and rescue rotary wing aircraft; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view an emergency pod configured for use with a search and rescue rotary wing aircraft according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of a cross section of the emergency pod according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the interface between the emergency pod and the rotary wing aircraft according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a detailed perspective view of the interface between the emergency pod and the rotary wing aircraft according to an embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of the emergency pod and the rotary wing aircraft according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     The detailed description explains embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  schematically illustrates an exemplary search and rescue rotary-wing aircraft  10  having a main rotor system  12 . The aircraft  10  includes an airframe  14  having an extending tail  16  which mounts a tail rotor system  18 , such as an anti-torque system for example. The main rotor assembly  12  is driven about an axis of rotation A through a main gearbox (not shown) by one or more engines E. The main rotor system  12  includes a rotor hub  20  having a plurality of rotor blade assemblies  22  mounted to and projecting radially outwardly therefrom. Although a particular helicopter configuration is illustrated and described in the disclosed non-limiting embodiment, other configurations and/or machines, such as high speed compound rotary wing aircraft with supplemental translational thrust systems, dual contra-rotating coaxial rotor system aircraft, turboprops, tilt-rotors, and tilt-wing aircraft, will also benefit from the present invention. 
     An emergency pod  30 , configured for use with a rotary wing aircraft  10 , is illustrated in more detail in  FIG. 2 . The emergency pod  30  includes a rigid, generally hollow shell  32 , formed from a rigid material, such as formed aluminum or a composite material for example. In one embodiment, the shell  32  has an aerodynamic shape configured to reduce drag while the rotary wing aircraft  10  is in flight. At least one handle  40  is mounted to the exterior surface  34  of the shell  32 . In one non-limiting embodiment, as illustrated in the FIG., two handles  40  are arranged adjacent the longitudinal ends  36 ,  38  of the shell  32 . The handles  40  may facilitate carrying the pod  30  and installing the pod  30  on the rotary wing aircraft  10 , as well as provide an area for a person waiting to be rescued to grab onto. The shell  32 , additionally includes a portion  42 , such as a panel for example, configured to move between a first, closed position and a second, open position to reveal the interior  44  of the hollow shell  32  (see  FIG. 3 ). When the movable portion  42  is in the closed position, the shell  32  is hermetically sealed such that the shell  32  is substantially buoyant when dropped into a body of water and the interior  44  of the shell  32  is protected from salt fog intrusion. In one embodiment, a plurality of floats  46  are positioned within the interior  44  of the shell  32  such that the pod  30  is configured to float, even when the movable portion  42  is in the open position. 
     Arranged within the interior  44  of the emergency pod  30  is a standard inflatable emergency life raft  50  equipped with a survival kit  52  in accordance with the Federal Aviation Administration&#39;s regulation set forth in TSO-C70a. An inflation mechanism  54  within the shell  32 , such as a pressurized gas for example, is operably coupled to the life raft  50  and is configured to inflate the life raft  50  when activated. The inflation mechanism  54  is connected to a first activation device  58  extending from the exterior surface  34  of the shell  32 . The inflation mechanism  54  may also be connected to a second activation device  60  arranged substantially within the pod  30 . The first and second activation devices  58 ,  60  may be a rope or lanyard. In one embodiment, the second activation device  60  is operably coupled to the movable portion  42  of the shell  32 . Application of a force to either the first or second activation device  58 ,  60  is configured to activate the inflation mechanism  54  by opening a valve  56  thereof, such that a gas within the inflation mechanism  54  begins to inflate the life raft  50 . As the life raft  50  begins to inflate, the life raft  50  will exert a pressure on an interior surface  45  of the movable portion  42  causing the movable portion  42  to pivot from the closed position to the open position, and the raft  50  to exit from the interior  44  of the shell  32 . 
     A search and rescue rotary wing aircraft  10  may include any number of emergency pods  30 . Each emergency pod  30  is configured to mount to an external portion of the rotary wing aircraft  10 , such as an external stores pylon  24  extending generally horizontally from the airframe  14  near a primary egress for example (see  FIGS. 4-6 ). The emergency pod  30  is releasably mounted to a bomb rack (not shown) of the external stores pylon  24  in a conventional manner, such as using suspension lugs  62  spaced apart by a distance of approximately fourteen inches for example (see  FIGS. 2 and 5 ). In addition, a portion of the first activation device  58  is coupled to the pylon  24  or an adjacent portion of the airframe  14 . 
     The emergency pod  30  is configured to be released from the pylon  24  when the rotary wing aircraft  10  is either hovering close to the water, or alternatively, when the rotary wing aircraft  10  is moving at a slow speed at a distance of less than or equal to approximately forty feet above the water. To deploy the emergency pod  30 , an operator, through a flight control system (not shown) jettisons the emergency pod  30  in a manner similar to launching a bomb. As a result of gravity, deployment of the pod  30  applies a tension to the first activation device  58 , thereby causing the inflation mechanism  54  to initiate inflation of the raft  50 . As the force of the first activation device  58  increases, the first activation device  58  separates from the aircraft  10 , and the pod  30  drops to the body of water below the rotary wing aircraft  10 . The pressure of the inflating life raft  50  causes the movable portion  42  of the shell  32  to pivot open, and the raft  50  to expand outwardly. In one embodiment, first activation device  58  is a lanyard and the length of the lanyard is selected to allow the emergency pod  30  to at least partially drop below the rotary wing aircraft  10  before inflation of the raft  50  is initiated. 
     The emergency pod  30  may also be used by the crew on the rotary wing aircraft  10 , such as during an emergency over-water landing for example. The pod  30  will be jettisoned when water ditching is imminent. If the pod  30  is deployed when the aircraft  10  is at a height above the water such that an adequate tension is applied to the first activation device  58 , inflation of the raft  50  will initiate. In one embodiment, the length of time required to inflate the raft  50  is sufficient for rotation of the rotor  12  to stop and the crew on the aircraft  10  to egress. Alternatively, inflation of the raft  50  may be manually activated by a crewman in instances when the pod  30  is deployed too near the water for the first activation device  58  to initiate inflation. Pivoting the movable portion  42  of the shell to the open position applies a force to the second activation device  60 , thereby initiating inflation of the raft  50 . 
     The emergency pod  30  described herein may be easily jettisoned to nearby survivors or may provide a personal survival function to the crew of the rotary wing aircraft  10 . Due to the buoy-like structure and weight of the pod  30 , movement of the pod  30  will be less than that of an inflated life raft which may be quickly swept away from its initial drop point by wind and waves. 
     While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.