Abstract:
The present invention is directed to an aerial delivery system that provides for the controlled delivery of items from an aircraft into a selected drop zone. In accordance with the present invention, the aerial delivery system includes a base and a sidewall arrangement adjacent the base. The sidewall arrangement generally acts as a sleeve defining an inner volume. Within the inner volume is a tray or cassette configured to be moveable within the inner volume. Adjacent the sidewall arrangement opposite the base is a top cover. The top cover is generally oversized relative to the shape defined by the sidewall arrangement. A plurality of straps connects the top cover, sidewall arrangement and, optionally, the material within the inner volume. The aerial delivery system is activated by an air stream that catches the oversized top cover, forcing the separation between the top cover and the other portions of the aerial delivery system. The separation of top cover places a load upon the straps that initiate the release of materials contained within the aerial delivery system.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to cellulose-based containers and, more specifically, to cellulose-based containers configured to hold and selectively dispense contents when the cellulose-based container is deployed from an aircraft. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Aerial deployment of water and fire retardant chemicals in fighting fires is known in the art. Typically, an aircraft either loads on the fly from a large body of water such as a lake or river, or is loaded on the ground via hoses from tanks. In both cases, the water and/or chemical retardant is not contained within any kind of vessel once it leaves the aircraft. In short, the water and/or chemical retardant is a generally uncontrollable free body once it leaves the aircraft. 
         [0003]    As such, under current practices many factors limit the pilot&#39;s ability to hit their desired target. For example, in fire suppression, the pilot must release the cargo relatively close to the ground to prevent the water or chemical retardant from dissipating in the air before it reaches the fire, and thus losing its effectiveness. Further, as the pilots must fly relatively close to the ground, night flying for fire suppression is not permitted. Finally, the loose nature of the cargo when currently dropped affects the pilot&#39;s ability to control where the cargo hits within the drop zone. As such, precision drops to relatively small drop zones in not practical, such as dropping absorbent or petroleum devouring material on oil slicks is not feasible. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention is directed to an aerial delivery system that provides for the controlled delivery of items from an aircraft into a selected drop zone. In accordance with the present invention, the aerial delivery system includes a base and a sidewall arrangement adjacent the base. The base includes a buildup corresponding to a sidewall arrangement profile. The sidewall arrangement generally acts as a sleeve defining an inner volume. Within the inner volume is a base panel such as a tray or cassette that is configured to be moveable within the inner volume. Adjacent the sidewall arrangement opposite the base is a top cover. The top cover is generally oversized relative to the shape defined by the sidewall arrangement. A plurality of straps connects the top cover, sidewall arrangement and, optionally, the material within the inner volume. The aerial delivery system is activated by an air stream that catches the oversized top cover, forcing the separation between the top cover and the other portions of the aerial delivery system. The separation of top cover places a load upon the straps that initiate the release of materials contained within the inner volume. 
         [0005]    The present invention further includes a method of accurately delivering a volume of material via an aerial drop to a target zone. The method includes releasing a cellulose-based container from an aircraft. The cellulose-based container includes a base, a sidewall arrangement and a top cover. The sidewall arrangement generally defines an inner volume that contains the volume of material. The inner volume may also contain a tray or cassette that forms a moveable bottom panel to the sidewall arrangement. A plurality of straps connects the top cover and the sidewall arrangement. The method further includes initiating the release of the volume of material by displacing the top cover from the rest of the cellulose-based container thereby placing sufficient tension on the straps to release the volume of material from the aerial delivery system. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Various embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a partially exploded perspective view of an aspect of the aerial delivery system made in accordance with an aspect of the present invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a another perspective view of yet another aspect of the aerial delivery system made in accordance with an aspect of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an aspect of the base made according to the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of a blank of the sidewall assembly made in accordance with an aspect of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of a blank depicting a portion of the top cover made in accordance with an aspect of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of blank depicting another portion of the top cover made in accordance with an aspect of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of a blank depicting a bag cassette made in accordance with an aspect of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a partial perspective view of an assembled bag cassette made from the blank of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a plan view depicting a tray blank made in accordance with an aspect of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an assembled tray formed from the blank of  FIG. 9 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the sidewall assembly and top cover made in accordance with an aspect of the present invention; and, 
           [0018]      FIGS. 12   a - 12   e  are sequential perspective view of the aerial delivery system made operating in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying FIGURES. The present invention provides a plurality of container blanks and other structures that when combined as taught herein form an aerial delivery system. By way of overview and with reference to  FIGS. 1 through 12   e , an embodiment of the present invention includes sheets of formable material that may be cut, scored, shaped or otherwise arranged to form a aerial delivery system  20  that generally includes a base  24 , sidewall arrangement  22  and top cover  26 . Specific details of the aerial delivery system  20 , its components and use are described with more particularity below. 
         [0020]    With specific reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , various aspects of the aerial delivery system  20  are depicted. The aerial delivery system  20  generally includes a base  24 , a sidewall arrangement  22 , a top cover  26 , and at least one strap  28  connecting the top cover  26  with either the contents  27  within the sidewall assembly  22 , or directly to an inner surface of the sidewall assembly  22 . As depicted in the FIGURES, the strap  28  runs through the surface of the top cover  26  around the outside surface of the sidewall assembly  22 , between the sidewall assembly  22  and the base  24  and then into an inner volume formed by the sidewall assembly  22 . However, it will be appreciated that the strap  28  may also go directly from the top cover  26  to the inside of the sidewall assembly  22  without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The base  24  lies adjacent but is not connected to the strap  28 . In this manner, when deployment is initiated, (discussed in more detail below) if the strap  28  is attached to the contents  27 , such as, without limitation, being heat welded to a liquid impermeable polymer based bag  74 , tension on the straps  28  tear the bag to release the contents  27 . Similarly, if the straps  28  are attached to an inner surface of the sidewall arrangement  22 , tension on the straps  28  tears the sidewall assembly to release the contents  27 . 
         [0021]    With respect to  FIG. 3 , the base  24  is typically a corrugated pallet having runners  43  on a bottom side and a buildup  41  on a top side. One suitable example of a corrugated pallet useful with the present invention is the multi-runner corrugated pallet produced by Weyerhaeuser Company&#39;s Spacekraft® business. The base  24  also includes a buildup  41  on the top side—opposite the side having the runners  43 . The buildup  41  is essentially a berm of corrugated material that substantially defines the at least a portion of the sidewall arrangement profile. In this manner, the buildup  41  provides base support to the sidewall arrangement  22 . 
         [0022]    The runners  43  on the base  24  allow machines, such as fork lifts (not shown) to move the entire aerial delivery system  20  once loaded with content  27 . Thus, an aircraft may be loaded relatively quickly when necessary. Likewise, any number of aerial delivery systems  20  may be assembled and stored in a ready state for use. 
         [0023]      FIGS. 4-10  depict various blanks and erected elements configured to form a various parts of the aerial delivery system  20 . The various blanks used to form the components of the aerial delivery system  20  are preferably constructed from a single piece of formable material such as, without limitation, sheets of cellulose-based materials formed from cellulose materials such as wood pulp, straw, cotton, bagasse, or the like. Cellulose-based materials used in the present invention come in many forms such as containerboard and corrugated containerboard. Likewise, additional forms may include single wall, double wall and triple wall corrugated containerboard materials. Still further, where additional strength is necessary, the cellulose-based materials may have more walls than a triple wall material, such as, four or greater walls. For purposes of this application, a wall is defined as a corrugated containerboard material having a corrugated medium between two liner sheets. Thus, a single wall corrugated containerboard material has two liner sheets and one corrugated medium. A double wall corrugated material has three liner sheets and two corrugated mediums. As a general rule, the number of “walls” is increased from a single wall corrugated containerboard material via adding one more liner sheet and one more corrugated member for each added “wall”. The various blanks are cut and scored, perforated or other formed to include a plurality of panels that when erected and assembled form the aerial delivery system  20 . In all FIGURES, like numbers indicate like parts. Additionally, cut lines are shown as solid lines, score lines as dashed lines, and lines of perforation as broken lines. 
         [0024]    With specific reference to  FIG. 4 , the one possible configuration for the sidewall arrangement blank  32  is depicted. The sidewall arrangement blank  32  is a single sheet of cellulose material arranged to form a variety of side panels  34  that when erected form a generally octagon shaped sidewall assembly profile. As depicted in this FIGURE, there are no bottom flaps or panels included. However, it will be appreciated that the sidewall arrangement  22  may also include any variety of bottom flaps or panels as is determined desirable. As bottom flaps/panels are known in the art a detailed discussion or FIGURES showing their arrangement is not necessary herein to understand this aspect of the invention. Additionally the sidewall arrangements  22  depicted in  FIG. 4  are configured to form an octagonal shaped sidewall arrangement profile. However, it will be appreciated that an aerial delivery system  20  having other geometries, such as, without limitation, square or rectangular, may also be employed with this invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Further, it will be appreciated that if the geometry of the sidewall assembly  22  is altered, the other various element of the aerial delivery system  20  may also be altered accordingly without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The sidewall assembly  22  may also include any number of metal or polymer bands  75  wrapped around the sidewall assembly&#39;s  22  outer surface to add hoop strength to the aerial delivery system  20 . 
         [0025]    With respect to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , elements of the top cover  26  are shown in more detail. The top cover  26  includes a top cover shell  29  and a top plate  36 , laminated or otherwise joined together to form a single piece top cover  26 . Specifically the top cover shell  29  includes a top panel  44 . Top panel  44  includes opposed first top panel side flaps  46  hingedly connected to the top panel  44  along fold lines  31 . Additionally, the top panel  44  includes opposed second top panel side flaps  48  attached along a fold line  33 . The first top panel side flaps  46  have disposed on opposing ends corner panels  52  hingedly connected to the first top panel side flaps  46  along a fold line  37 . Positioned off an edge of the corner panel  52  is the corner panel flap  54 , which is hingedly connected to the corner panel  52  along a fold line  35 . Further disposed through a surface of the top panel  44  are bores  38 . Positioned in the second top panel side flaps  48  near the opposed ends are slots  50 . Likewise, formed in the fold line  33  are additional slots  50 . The various slots  50  are generally positioned and configured to receive the corner panel flap  54  when the top cover  26  is erected. 
         [0026]      FIG. 6  depicts an aspect of the top plate  36 . The top plate  36  is generally sized and shaped in the same size and shape as the top panel  44 . Further, the top plate  36  includes bores  38  positioned as the bores in the top panel  44 . 
         [0027]    The top plate  36  is laminated or otherwise attached to the top panel  44  of the top cover shell  29  such that the respective bores  38  align. In an embodiment, the top cover shell  29  is a double wall cellulose-based material and the top plate  36  is a triple wall material. When laminated or otherwise joined, the top cover  26  has a five wall thickness in the top panel  44 /top plate  36  region. It will be appreciated that such an arrangement is merely exemplary. As discussed above, the elements that make up the components of the aerial delivery system  20  may include any number of walls, from single wall on up without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0028]      FIG. 7  depicts an aspect of the base plate  58  that is moveable within the sidewall arrangement  22 . This configuration of the base plate  38  includes a base panel  60  which is substantially rectangular in shape. The base panel  60  includes at its corners two different folding tab slot assemblies. The first corner assembly  68  is depicted in the upper half of  FIG. 7 . Specifically a base plate corner panel  62  is hingedly connected with the base plate  60  along a fold line  41 . Interposed with the fold line  41  is a slot  66  that lies along the fold line  41 . The base plate corner panel  62  includes a base plate corner panel tab  64  extending from an outer surface of the base plate corner panel  62 . Conversely, the second corner assembly  70  is somewhat similar to the first corner assembly  68 ; however, with two primary distinctions. First, the slot  66  does not lie along the fold line as indicated by  43 . Rather, the slot  66  is positioned between the fold line  43  and an outer periphery of the respective base plate corner tab  64 . Secondly, the base plate corner panel tab  64  of the second corner assembly is somewhat smaller than the base plate corner panel tab  64  of the first corner assembly  68 . 
         [0029]    With specific reference to  FIG. 8 , it will be appreciated how this aspect of the base plate  50  is configured. Specifically, opposing base plates  50  are such that one first corner panel assembly  68  of one base plate  58  lays juxtaposed one second corner assembly  70  of another base plate  58 . In this manner, the first corner assembly  68  may be folded upwardly along a fold line  41 . Likewise the respective second corner assembly  70  may be folded upwardly along fold line  43 . The respective base plate corner panel tabs  64  may then be inserted into the respective slots of the other base plate  58 . In this manner a locking arrangement is achieved between the two panels. 
         [0030]    As best seen in  FIG. 8 , this configuration of the base plate  58  provides an open area between the joined base panels  60 , forming a bag cassette. Within this space, contents  27 , such as, without limitation, a bag  74  filled with water or fire retardant chemicals may be place. It will be appreciated that the opposed respective base panels  60  will provide a level of protection to the contents  27  placed therein. 
         [0031]      FIGS. 9 and 10  depict another aspect of the base plate  58 . In this configuration, the base plate  58  is in the form of a tray  76 . The tray blank  80  includes a tray bottom panel  82 . The trap bottom panel  82  includes tray side panels  84  hingedly attached to the tray bottom panel  82  along fold lines  81 . Further, the tray side panels  84  includes tray side panel flaps  86  disposed on opposed ends of the tray side panel  84  along hinge lines  83 . An outer tray corner panel  88  is hingedly attached to the tray bottom panel  82  along a fold line  85 . The position of the outer tray corner panel  88  is interposed between respective tray side panels  84 . Fold line  85  further includes a tray panel slot formed within the fold line  85 . An inner tray corner panel  90  is attached with the outer tray corner panel along a fold line  87 . Extending from an outer periphery of the inner tray corner panel  90  is a tray tab  92 . The tray tab  92  and the tray slot  94  are configured to engage on another once the tray blank  80  is erected into a tray  76 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 10  depicts the tray  76  formed by the erection of tray blank  80 . Specifically, the tray side walls  84  are folded upwardly along fold lines  81 . Also tray side  20  panel flap  86  may be folded inwardly slightly along fold line  83 . The outer tray corner panel  88  may then be upwardly along fold line  85  and subsequently the inner tray corner panel  90  may be folded downwardly along fold line  87  to bring the outer tray corner panel  88  juxtaposed the inner tray corner panel  90 . The tray tab  92  may then be inserted into the tray slot  94  to substantially lock the tray  76  in place. In this configuration, the tray does not include a cover, rather only bottom and side support/protection for the contents  27 . 
         [0033]    Further, it will be appreciated that additional embodiments may be used as the moveable base plate  58 . The general function of the base plate  58  is to provide a bottom surface for the sidewall arrangement  22 , thereby providing bottom support the contents  27  placed therein. Additionally, the base plate  58  should be moveable within the sidewall arrangement  22 . In this manner the base plate  58  does not impede content deployment once the opening of the aerial delivery system  20  is initiated. 
         [0034]      FIGS. 12   a - 12   e  depicts one possible use for the aerial delivery system  20  of the present invention. Specifically, the container is shown being deployed from an aircraft. As seen in  FIG. 12   a , the aerial delivery system  20  may be transported in an aircraft to a deployment area. Once the deployment area is reached, the aerial delivery system  20  may be dropped from the aircraft as depicted in  FIG. 12   b . After being dropped, the aerial delivery system  20  enters the aircraft&#39;s slip stream. At this time, the overhang  78  acts as a parachute to pull to top cover from the other aerial delivery system  20  components, as depicted in  FIG. 12   c . As depicted in  FIG. 12   d , the straps  28  become taunt and initiate dispensing of the contents  27 . As the aerial delivery system dispenses the contents  27 , the contents  27  will cover a desired dispersion area  96 , as depicted in  FIG. 12   e.    
         [0035]    It will be appreciated that the length of the straps  28  and the amount of overhang may be configured to let the aerial delivery system  20  drop a desired distance from the aircraft before dispensing the contents  27 . In this manner, an aircraft may be flown at a higher elevation while still dispensing the contents  27  in an optimal manner at a lower elevation. Likewise, this flexibility allows the aerial delivery system  20  to be deployed from a variety of aircraft having variable flight characteristics. 
         [0036]    It will be appreciated that this aerial box delivery system  20  may be used in a variety of manners to deploy any variety of contents  27 . In one manner it may be used to deploy water or fire retardant chemicals on fires stored in bags  74  within the sidewall assembly  22 . Additionally, the contents of the aerial box delivery system  20  may be natural or man-made materials of a non-liquid nature. One suitable, non limiting example is coconut husks. It has been found that coconut husks have a unique characteristic in that they absorb petroleum products without absorbing water. As such, the aerial delivery system  20  may be used with coconut husks as contents  27  to rapidly and accurately respond to maritime oils spills to limit environmental damage. Additionally, it will be appreciated that the aerial delivery system  20  may be used to accurately deploy any variety of contents  27  to nearly any location, be it sea or land. 
         [0037]    While various embodiments of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.