Aerial vehicle safety apparatus and method of accommodating expandable object in aerial vehicle safety apparatus

An aerial vehicle safety apparatus includes a piston member, a cylinder that accommodates the piston member and is provided with a hole through which the piston member protrudes outward at time of operation, a push-up member that is pushed up in one direction by the piston member, an expandable object that is pushed up while being supported by the push-up member, a gas generator as a power source that moves the piston member in the cylinder, and a first member and a second member that serve as a cylindrical container that accommodates the piston member, the cylinder, the push-up member, the expandable object, and the gas generator. The expandable object is stored in the container so as to form a plurality of layers in a radial direction.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an aerial vehicle safety apparatus that ejects an expandable object such as a parachute, and relates to a method of accommodating the expandable object in the aerial vehicle safety apparatus.

BACKGROUND ART

In recent years, with the development of an autonomous control technology and a flight control technology, an industrial use of an aerial vehicle provided with a plurality of rotor blades called a drone, for example, has been accelerating. The drone flies, for example, by simultaneously rotating a plurality of rotor blades in a well-balanced manner, ascends and descends by increasing or decreasing a rotation speed of the rotor blades, and can advance and retreat by tilting an airframe by increasing or decreasing the rotation speed of the rotor blades. Such aerial vehicles are expected to spread worldwide in the future.

Meanwhile, the risk of fall accidents of the aerial vehicles as described above is considered to be dangerous and hinders spread of the aerial vehicles. In order to reduce the risk of such fall accidents, parachute apparatuses for aerial vehicles have been commercialized as safety devices.

As a parachute aerial vehicle safety apparatus for the aerial vehicle parachute apparatus, for example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a parachute folded vertically from a bottom to an opening of a container so as to be overlapped.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

Patent Literature 1: EP 3050805 B

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problems

The parachute aerial vehicle safety apparatus as described in Patent Literature 1 is required to be further reduced in size and weight.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an aerial vehicle safety apparatus with a simple configuration capable of smoothly and quickly expanding an expandable object such as a parachute at time of expansion as in a related art and capable of being reduced in size and weight as compared with the related art.

Solutions to Problems

(1) An aerial vehicle safety apparatus of the present invention includes an expandable object configured to hold air inside during expansion, a container that accommodates the expandable object in an initial state, a hat-shaped member provided in the container and including a columnar member and a flange provided at one end of the columnar member, and an ejection apparatus that ejects the hat-shaped member and the expandable object from inside of the container to outside of the container at time of operation, in which in the initial state, the expandable object is accommodated in the container while being folded into layers including at least a first layer configured by arranging the expandable object to be positioned at a predetermined position of the columnar member with one end of the expandable object as a starting end from a state in which the expandable object is collected into an elongated shape, extending the expandable object around the columnar member along a peripheral surface of the columnar member from the starting end to the one end of the expandable object by one round, and forming a terminal end, and a second layer configured by folding back the expandable object from the terminal end of the first layer to overlap an outer side of the first layer, further extending the expandable object around the first layer along a peripheral surface of the first layer by one round to reach one end of the first layer, and layering the expandable object on the first layer in a radial direction.

(2) An aerial vehicle safety apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention may include an expandable object configured to hold air inside during expansion, a container that accommodates the expandable object in an initial state, a hat-shaped member provided in the container and including a columnar member and a flange provided at one end of the columnar member, and an ejection apparatus that ejects the hat-shaped member and the expandable object from inside of the container to outside of the container at time of operation, in which in the initial state, the expandable object is accommodated in the container while being folded into layers including at least a first layer configured by arranging the expandable object to be positioned at a predetermined position on the flange with one end of the expandable object as a starting end from a state in which the expandable object is collected into an elongated shape, extending the expandable object on the flange by one round about the columnar member from the starting end, and forming a terminal end, and a second layer configured by folding back the expandable object from the terminal end of the first layer to overlap the first layer on an opposite side of the flange, further extending the expandable object around the columnar member by one round along a surface of the first layer to reach one end of the first layer, and layering the expandable object on the first layer in a direction opposite to the flange.

In a configuration according to (1) or (2), it is possible to provide an aerial vehicle safety apparatus with a simple configuration capable of smoothly and quickly expanding an expandable object such as a parachute at time of expansion as in a related art and capable of being reduced in size and weight as compared with the related art.

(3) In the aerial vehicle safety apparatus according to (1) or (2), a coupling member coupled to a body of the aerial vehicle or the container is preferably connected to the expandable object, and the coupling member, in the initial state, is preferably bundled in a bellows shape or a substantially figure-of-eight shape and is placed on the flange or in the expandable object being folded.

In a configuration according to (3), the coupling member can be smoothly pulled out when the expandable object is ejected at the time of operation.

(4) The present invention is a method of accommodating an expandable object in an aerial vehicle safety apparatus including an expandable object configured to hold air inside during expansion, a container that accommodates the expandable object in an initial state, a hat-shaped member provided in the container and including a columnar member and a flange provided at one end of the columnar member, and an ejection apparatus that ejects the hat-shaped member and the expandable object from inside of the container to outside of the container at time of operation, the method including at least forming a first layer by arranging the expandable object to be positioned at a predetermined position on the flange with one end of the expandable object as a starting end from a state in which the expandable object is collected into an elongated shape, extending the expandable object on the flange by one round about the columnar member from the starting end, and forming a terminal end, and forming a second layer by folding back the expandable object from the terminal end of the first layer to overlap an outer side of the first layer, further extending the expandable object around the first layer by one round along a peripheral surface of the first layer to reach one end of the first layer, and layering the expandable object on the first layer in a radial direction.

(5) Another aspect of the present invention may be a method of accommodating an expandable object in an aerial vehicle safety apparatus including an expandable object configured to hold air inside during expansion, a container that accommodates the expandable object in an initial state, a hat-shaped member provided in the container and including a columnar member and a flange provided at one end of the columnar member, and an ejection apparatus that ejects the hat-shaped member and the expandable object from inside of the container to outside of the container at time of operation, the method including at least forming a first layer by arranging the expandable object to be positioned at a predetermined position on the flange with one end of the expandable object as a starting end from a state in which the expandable object is collected into an elongated shape, extending the expandable object on the flange by one round about the columnar member from the starting end, and forming a terminal end, and after forming the first layer, forming a second layer by folding back the expandable object from the terminal end of the first layer to overlap the first layer on an opposite side of the flange, further extending the expandable object around the columnar member by one round along a surface of the first layer to reach one end of the first layer, and layering the expandable object on the first layer in a direction opposite to the flange.

A configuration according to (4) or (5) facilitates manufacturing of an aerial vehicle safety apparatus, with simple steps, capable of smoothly and quickly expanding an expandable object such as a parachute at time of expansion as in a related art and capable of being reduced in size and weight as compared with the related art.

FIRST EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, an aerial vehicle safety apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As illustrated inFIG.1, an aerial vehicle safety apparatus100according to the present embodiment includes a piston member10as a sliding member, a cylinder14that accommodates the piston member10and is provided with a hole13through which the piston member10protrudes outward (upward inFIG.1) at time of operation, a push-up member15that is pushed up in one direction (upward inFIG.1) by the piston member10, an expandable object16that is pushed up while being supported by the push-up member15, a gas generator (micro gas generator or the like)17as a power source that moves the piston member10in the cylinder14, and a first member18and a second member21that serve as a cylindrical container that accommodates the piston member10, the cylinder14, the push-up member15, the expandable object16, and the gas generator17. Here, as a modification, an elastic body such as a spring or a magnetic body such as magnetism may be used as a power source instead of the gas generator17.

The container and the push-up member15include a fiber-reinforced member (member containing a fiber-reinforced composite material as a main component) using a thermosetting resin or a thermoplastic resin and a fiber bundle or a fiber yarn including glass fiber, carbon fiber, or the like. Here, typical examples of the thermosetting resin that can be used include thermosetting resins represented by phenol resins, urea resins, melamine resins, unsaturated polyester resins, epoxy resins, polyimide resins, vinyl ester resins, cyanate ester resins and the like. Typical examples of the thermoplastic resin include polyamide resins, polyolefin resins, acrylic resins, polyester resins, polymethyl methacrylate, polystyrene resins, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer synthetic resins, vinyl chloride resins, nylon 6, nylon 66, polyamideimide, polyetherimide, polycarbonate, polyacetal, polyphenylene oxide, and polyphenylene sulfide. These resins may be used alone or as a mixture.

At least one additive selected from the group consisting of graphite, molybdenum disulfide, hexagonal boron nitride, a fluoropolymer, and a silicone base material may be applied to a surface of the container and a surface in contact with the container of the push-up member15in order to reduce a coefficient of dynamic friction and a coefficient of static friction. In particular, as a fluoropolymer, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE); fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP); perfluoroalkoxy polymer (PFA); perfluoromethyl alkoxy polymer (MFA); Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF); polyethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE); polyethylene chloride trifluoroethylene (ECTFE); and at least one fluoropolymer selected from the group consisting of polymers of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride (THV).

The gas generator17is disposed below a body11described later of the piston member10in a state of being press-fitted into an opening end below the cylinder14, in a state of being caulked and fixed to the cylinder14, or in a state of being welded and fixed to the cylinder14. A lower part of the cylinder14is fixed to a bottom of the first member18.

The piston member10includes the body11having a portion with an outer diameter substantially equal to an inner diameter of the cylinder14, and includes a rod12connected to the body11, extending upward, and having a smaller diameter than the body11. Note that the body11and the rod12may be integrated. An upper end of the rod12is fixed to an inner surface of an upper end of a bottomed cylindrical portion19(an example of a columnar member) (described later) of the push-up member15via the hole13of the cylinder14. A stopper23disposed so as to surround a part of the rod12of the piston member10is provided in an upper inner part of the cylinder14. That is, the rod12is disposed in a state of being inserted through the stopper23. As a result, when the piston member10moves upward, the body11comes into contact with the stopper23and stops, and thus the body11is not released outward from inside of the cylinder14.

As illustrated inFIG.1, the push-up member15is a hat-shaped member and includes a bottomed cylindrical portion19(an example of the columnar member) disposed so as to cover a part of the cylinder14, that is, an outer part of the cylinder14except for the opening end at which the gas generator17is disposed, and the push-up member15includes a support20having a disc shape, provided as a flange at an opening edge of the bottomed cylindrical portion19, and supporting the expandable object16. In such a configuration, a bottom of the support20is provided so as to abut on an inner surface the bottom of the first member18serving as a bottom of the container in an initial state. The support20and the first member18need not be in contact with each other. An outer periphery of the support20is formed so as not to be in contact with an inner side of the first member18. A thickness of a bottom of the bottomed cylindrical portion19may be larger than a thickness of a cylindrical portion of the bottomed cylindrical portion19in order to increase strength.

As illustrated inFIGS.2(a) and2(b), the first member18is a bottomed cylindrical member having a bottom18aand a cylindrical side wall18b. As illustrated inFIGS.1and2(b), the bottom of the first member18is provided with a plurality of vent holes24communicating the inside and the outside of the first member18. At the vent holes24, when the push-up member15rapidly moves in the first member18, negative pressure is generated in a region between the push-up member15and a bottom surface of the first member18. The negative pressure makes it difficult to move the push-up member15. Therefore, by providing the vent holes24, the phenomenon of negative pressure can be reduced, and the push-up member15can be smoothly moved. By appropriately adjusting an opening area of the vent holes24along with output adjustment of the gas generator17, it is possible to control ejection speed and ejection distance of the expandable object16.

The second member21is a member serving as a top of the container, and is a bottomed short cylindrical lid member having a bottom21aand a cylindrical side wall21bwith a second opening27detachably fitted to a first opening26on an opposite side of the bottom21a. The second opening27and the first opening26can be joined by fitting due to a shape difference or by using a fastener.

Here, as illustrated inFIG.3, the first opening26and the second opening27may be joined by a snap-fit method (a kind of mechanical joining method in which fitting is performed by utilizing elasticity of a material) in which fitting is performed from an outer diameter side of the second opening27of the second member21to an inner diameter side of the first opening26of the first member18. Specifically, as illustrated inFIG.3, a protrusion21cis provided on an outer periphery of the second opening27, and a recess18cwith which the protrusion21cmeshes is provided on an inner periphery of the first opening26of the first member18. As a result, not only the first member18and the second member21can be fitted to each other to easily fix the second member21to the first member18, but also at the time of operation, the push-up member15pushed up by a force generated by the gas generator17pushes up the second member21via the support22and releases the fixation by removing the meshed protrusion21cfrom the recess18c, and the second member21is removed from the first member18as illustrated inFIG.4. Therefore, the expandable object16can be smoothly ejected. Here, as a modification, a snap-fit system may be used in which the second opening27of the second member21is fitted to an outer diameter of the first opening26of the first member18from an inner diameter side (that is, a diameter of the second member21is larger than a diameter of the first member18). Further, the support22may include resin, but preferably includes metal in order to have higher strength.

The expandable object16is, for example, an umbrella portion of a parachute or a canopy of a paraglider. The expandable object16is accommodated in the container including the first member18and the second member21by the following method. First, for example, in a case where the expandable object16is a parachute, with a part to be a vertex of the expandable object16being expanded as one end, parts to which a plurality of lines25(a string-like coupling member that couples the container, an airframe31of an aerial vehicle30described later, or the like with the expandable object16) illustrated inFIG.5(a)are connected are collected to be in an elongated state.

At this time, as illustrated inFIG.5, the expandable object16is preferably folded to be in an elongated state. Specific description is as follows. First, as illustrated inFIG.5(a)which is a plan view (as viewed from a side) of the expandable object (parachute), the expandable object16(parachute) is folded with dotted lines as mountains and solid lines between the dotted lines as valleys so as to be in a state illustrated inFIG.5(b)(bilaterally symmetrical). At this time, the plurality of lines25are collected and arranged in a straight line. The next step will be described with reference to a schematic view inFIG.5(b). It is preferable to align an end of the expandable object16at a position B-B in the plan view inFIG.5(b). This allows air to easily enter the expandable object16at time of expansion and facilitates fast expansion.

The schematic view inFIG.5(b)is a view taken in a direction of B-B arrow of the plan view inFIG.5(b)and is a schematically illustrated view. With dotted lines of the expandable object16in the plan view inFIG.5(b)as mountains and with alternate long and short dash lines as valleys, the expandable object16is folded such that a cross section on the right side of a center of the expandable object16in the drawing has a substantially S-shape and a cross section on the left side of the center of the expandable object16in the drawing has an inverted substantially S-shape (so as to be in a state inFIG.5(c)(bilaterally symmetrical)). Here, a schematic view inFIG.5(c)is a view taken in a direction of C-C arrow of a plan view inFIG.5(c)and is a schematically illustrated view. Finally, with a center line of the expandable object16in the plan view inFIG.5(c)as a mountain, the expandable object16is folded so as to be in a state illustrated inFIG.5(d). Here, the schematic view inFIG.5(d)is a view taken in a direction of arrows D-D in a plan view inFIG.5(d), and is a schematically illustrated view. Then, the expandable object is accommodated in the first member18and the second member21serving as the container of the aerial vehicle safety apparatus100as follows in a state where the plurality of lines25are collected. The lines25may be accommodated in the folded parachute, and the expandable object16may be accommodated in the container including the first member18and the second member21.

That is, one end of the lines25is connected to the first member18, the support20, or the airframe31, and the lines25are bundled and placed in a bellows shape or a substantially figure-of-eight shape on the support20of the push-up member15. Then, as illustrated inFIG.2(a), a first end16a(an end to which the lines25are connected) of the expandable object16is wound around a side surface of the bottomed cylindrical portion19of the push-up member15to reach the first end16a, and a first layer16A of the expandable object16is formed. Thereafter, while the first layer16A thus formed is held, an unwound part of the expandable object16is folded back in the opposite direction and wound by one round to the first end16awhile overlapping the first layer16A of the expandable object16in a radial direction to form a second layer16B. In the same manner, while the first layer16A and the second layer16B thus formed are held, an unwound part of the expandable object16is folded back in the opposite direction and wound by one round so as to overlap the second layer16B of the expandable object16in the radial direction to form a third layer16C. A fourth layer16D and a fifth layer16E are formed in the same manner, and finally, a sixth layer16F including a second end16bof the expandable object16is formed in the same manner.

Here, for the sake of convenience, each of the drawings illustrates a state in which the expandable object16is accommodated such that an outer side of the expandable object16is not in contact with the inner side of the first member18when the expandable object16is wound. However, since a base cloth of the expandable object16includes a relatively flexible material (for example, a cloth using a canvas, a polyamide synthetic resin fiber, a polyester resin, a polyolefin resin, or the like), in practice, an outer periphery of the expandable object may come into contact with an inner side of the side wall18bof the first member18or the like.

In the above configuration, when the gas generator17is operated, for example, at time of a fall of the aerial vehicle or the like equipped with the aerial vehicle safety apparatus100, the piston member10is propelled upward in the cylinder14by pressure of gas generated by the operation. Thus, the push-up member15having the bottomed cylindrical portion19connected to the rod12of the piston member10is propelled upward in the first member18. Then, the push-up member15pushes up the second member21via the support22, removes the meshed protrusion21cfrom the recess18c, and releases the fixation (joint) between the first opening26and the second opening27. In this way, each part associated with operation functions as a removal mechanism that removes the second member21from the first member18. Thereafter, by receiving a propulsive force of the push-up member15, the expandable object16is smoothly and quickly ejected outward (upward on the sheet ofFIG.1) from inside of the first member18. At this time, since the expandable object16, which is folded as illustrated inFIG.2(a), is expanded smoothly and quickly after ejection.

As illustrated inFIG.6, the aerial vehicle safety apparatus100is connected and fixed to the airframe31of the aerial vehicle30via a coupling member40. At this time, as illustrated inFIG.6, the coupling member40connects the first member18and the airframe31at a position not to close the vent holes24. Therefore, the aerial vehicle30includes the airframe31, the aerial vehicle safety apparatus100joined to the airframe31, one or more propulsion mechanisms (for example, propellers)32joined to the airframe31to propel the airframe31, and a plurality of legs33provided in a lower part of the airframe31. Here, in practice, a socket for energization is fitted to an electrode (not shown) in a lower part of the gas generator17, but for convenience of description, the socket is omitted inFIG.1.

As described above, in the present embodiment, since a part (the second member21) of the side wall of the container serving as frictional resistance at the time of operation is removed, it is possible to provide the aerial vehicle safety apparatus100having a simple configuration and capable of ejecting and expanding the expandable object16to the outside of the container smoothly and quickly.

The expandable object16is folded such that a force to expand in an outer radial direction of the container (the first member18and the second member21) is relatively not applied in the initial state. As a result, since the expandable object16can exist in a lump state until a line tension is applied after ejection, air resistance can be made relatively small, and the expandable object16is less likely to be subjected to disturbance (such as an influence of wind) at time of ejection.

Since the first member18and the second member21are joined by the snap-fit method, when the second member21is attached to the first member18, the second member can be prevented from being detached from the first member by a slight impact. The method of joining the second member21to the first member18is not limited to the snap-fit method, and other methods may be adopted.

SECOND EMBODIMENT

Next, an aerial vehicle safety apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference toFIG.7. In the present embodiment, reference signs having the same numbers in the last two digits as those in the first embodiment are similar, and thus the description thereof may be omitted. Parts that are not described are similar to the aerial vehicle safety apparatus and the aerial vehicle according to the first embodiment, and thus the description thereof may be omitted.

In an aerial vehicle safety apparatus200according to the present embodiment, a state in which an expandable object116is accommodated in the container is different from a state in which the expandable object16is accommodated in the first embodiment, but the other parts are similar. Note that the expandable object116and the expandable object16become parachutes having the same shape after expansion.

The expandable object116is accommodated in a container including a first member118and a second member121by the following method. First, for example, in a case where the expandable object116is a parachute, the expandable object is folded so as to be in the state ofFIG.5(d)as in the first embodiment. Then, the expandable object is accommodated in the first member118and the second member121serving as the container of the aerial vehicle safety apparatus200as follows in a state where a plurality of lines (similar to the lines25in the first embodiment, not shown) are collected.

The lines may be accommodated in the folded expandable object116, and the expandable object116may be accommodated in the first member18and the second member21.

That is, one end of the lines is coupled to the first member118, a support120, or an airframe of an aerial vehicle (similar to the airframe of the aerial vehicle in the first embodiment, not shown), and the lines are placed on the support120of the push-up member115. Thereafter, as shown inFIG.7(b), a first end116a(an end to which the line is connected) of the expandable object116is placed on an upper surface of the support120of the push-up member115, and then is extended counterclockwise around a bottomed cylindrical portion119to reach the first end116aand form a first layer116A of the expandable object116. Subsequently, while the formed first layer116A is held, a part of the expandable object116not in contact with the support120is folded back in the opposite direction, and while overlapping the first layer116A of the expandable object116in an axial direction of the bottomed cylindrical portion119, the part is extended clockwise around the bottomed cylindrical portion119to reach the first end116aand form a second layer116B. In the same manner, while the first layer116A and the second layer116B are held, a part of the expandable object116not having formed a layer is folded back in the opposite direction, and while overlapping the second layer116B of the expandable object116in the axial direction of the bottomed cylindrical portion119, the part is extended counterclockwise around the bottomed cylindrical portion119by one round to form a third layer116C. A fourth layer116D, a fifth layer116E, a sixth layer116F, and a seventh layer116G are formed in the same manner, and finally, an eighth layer116H including a second end116bof the expandable object116is formed in the same manner.

Here, the expandable object116is accommodated such that an outer side of the expandable object116is not in contact with an inner side of the first member118. The expandable object116may be accommodated such that the outer side of the expandable object116is in contact with the inner side of the first member118.

In the above configuration, when a gas generator (similar to the gas generator17, not shown) is operated, for example, at time of a fall of the aerial vehicle or the like equipped with the aerial vehicle safety apparatus200, a piston member (similar to the piston member10, not shown) is propelled upward in a cylinder (similar to the cylinder14, not shown) by pressure of gas generated by the operation. Thus, the push-up member115having the bottomed cylindrical portion119connected to a rod (similar to the rod12, not shown) of the piston member is propelled upward in the first member118. As a result, the push-up member115pushes up the second member121via the support122and functions as a removal mechanism that removes the second member121from the first member118. Thereafter, by receiving a propulsive force of the push-up member115, the expandable object116is smoothly and quickly ejected outward (upward on the sheet ofFIG.7) from inside of the first member118. At this time, since the expandable object116, which is folded as illustrated inFIG.7, is expanded smoothly and quickly after ejection.

The above configuration exerts similar effects to the first embodiment.

As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration of the present invention shall not be interpreted as to be limited to the embodiments. The scope of the present invention is defined not by the above embodiments but by claims set forth below, and shall encompass the equivalents in the meaning of the claims and every modification within the scope of the claims. For example, the expandable object according to the embodiments may be packaged with a package that is broken or disassembled at time of expansion.

In the embodiments, the gas generator is adopted as the power source, but the configuration is not limited as long as the sliding member can apply a driving force for propelling the inside of the cylinder to the sliding member. For example, an elastic body such as a spring or a magnetic body such as gas or magnetism may be adopted.

In the embodiments, the support of the push-up member is provided so as to abut on the bottom of the first member. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the support may be disposed near a middle of the rod of the piston member in a length direction.

In the embodiments, the upper end of the rod is fixed to the inner surface of the upper end of the bottomed cylindrical portion of the push-up member, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The upper end of the rod is not required be fixed to the inner surface.

In the embodiments, the second member may be automatically removed from the first member by a drive device such as a motor in accordance with the operation of the gas generator.

In the embodiments, the container has a cylindrical shape. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the container may have another shape such as a quadrangular cylinder.

The piston member in the embodiments may be configured as a telescopic structure.

In the embodiments, the parachute has been described as an example of the expandable object, but the present invention is not limited thereto. An expandable object including a lift generation member may be ejected as the expandable object. Examples of the lift generation member include a parafoil, a triangular parachute, a Rogallo parachute, a single surface parachute, a double-cloth paraglider, an airplane wing, a propeller, and a balloon. When the lift generation member has a control line, the aerial vehicle safety apparatus desirably includes a steering mechanism capable of changing an inclination angle of the ejected lift generation member using the control line. This steering mechanism includes a plurality of reels for winding up a plurality of control lines coupled to the lift generation member and includes a motor serving as power of the reels, for example. By winding up or pulling out the control lines by driving the motor, it is possible to appropriately pull the lift generation member or loosen a tension.

In the embodiments, the vent holes are provided in the bottom of the container, but the present invention is not limited to this position. Any position may be adopted as long as the negative pressure generated between the container and the push-up member at the time of operation can be suppressed.

The cylinder, the power source, and the container in the embodiments are preferably coupled or fixed to the airframe by a rubber band, a belt, a string, or other means (mechanical joint, bolt, fastener, or adhesive).

In the embodiments, a shape of the support supporting the expandable object may be any of a disk shape (including circle and ellipse), a polygon, or a radial shape. When the shape of the support is an ellipse or a polygon, an inner surface of the container is desirably formed along the outer periphery of the support.

In the embodiments, in a case where a fastener is used for joining the second opening27and the first opening26, there may be provided a release mechanism (for example, a mechanism that uses a driving force of a motor and members transmitting the driving force, such as a cam and a gear) that automatically releases coupling between the second opening27and the first opening26by the fastener in accordance with operation of the aerial vehicle safety apparatus.

In the embodiments, the configuration has been described in which the expandable object is wound around the bottomed cylindrical portion of the push-up member in the container, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the present invention can be applied to any apparatus as long as the apparatus pushes up an expandable object placed on a launcher (a kind of push-up member) provided in a container in response to the operation of the launcher and ejects the expandable object to the outside of the container.

EXAMPLES

Next, examples according to the present invention will be described. Specifically, an aerial vehicle safety apparatus having the same configuration as the configuration of the second embodiment in which an accommodation volume of the container is changed to three types (Examples 1 to 4) and an aerial vehicle safety apparatus having the same configuration as the configuration of Example 2 except for using the expandable object folded in the manner of folding illustrated inFIG.8(Comparative Example) are manufactured, and experiments of ejection and expansion of the expandable object performed for each apparatus and results of the experiments will be described. InFIG.8, reference signs having the same numbers in the last two digits are the same as those in the second embodiment, and thus the description thereof may be omitted. Parts that are not described are similar to the aerial vehicle safety apparatus and the aerial vehicle according to the second embodiment, and thus the description thereof may be omitted.

Here, description will be made of the manner of folding an expandable object216in the initial state to be accommodated in the container of the aerial vehicle safety apparatus in Comparative Example. First, before being accommodated in the container, as illustrated inFIG.8(a), the expandable object216is installed in a cylindrical member214A having the same shape as the cylinder, and a force is applied to lightly crush the expandable object216from four directions of outlined dotted arrows to form four projections216ahaving a projecting shape illustrated inFIG.8(b). Next, a force is applied to lightly crush both sides of the projections216ato form a projection216a1in an elongated state from the projections216aas illustrated inFIG.8(c). Subsequently, the projection216a1is folded so as to have a waveform in which unevenness is repeatedly formed in a lateral direction with respect to a horizontal direction, and a wavy portion216a2is formed as illustrated inFIG.8(d). The expandable object216folded in this manner was covered with a package (not shown) while being held, and accommodated in the container of the aerial vehicle safety apparatus used in the experiment.

In the experiment, time from the operation to the application of the line tension (time until the lines reach a maximum height at which the lines are fully extended and stretched (maximum height arrival time)) was measured. Each experiment was performed three times in Examples 1 to 3, twice in Example 4, and twice in Comparative Example. The time during which the line tension was applied was measured using a highly sensitive camera and moving image analysis (motion analysis) software (TEMA manufactured by PHOTRON LIMITED). Specifically, a state from operation until the lines were fully extended and stretched was photographed with the high-sensitivity camera, and the time when the line tension was applied was calculated from moving image information obtained by photographing using the software.

The results of the experiments are shown in Table 1 below.

From Table 1, it was found that average values of the maximum height arrival times of Examples 1 to 4 were significantly shorter than the average value of the maximum height arrival times of Comparative Examples. That is, it was found that, in Examples 1 to 4, the time until the state in which the line tension is applied such that the expandable object is easily expanded can be significantly reduced as compared with Comparative Example.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST