초록 ▼

An ejection seat having pitch, roll, and yaw control provided by three separate rocket motors where each rocket motor has a fixed nozzle and the entire rocket motor is rotated about a single axis corresponding to the minimum principal moment of inertia of the rocket. Actuation for each rocket motor

An ejection seat having pitch, roll, and yaw control provided by three separate rocket motors where each rocket motor has a fixed nozzle and the entire rocket motor is rotated about a single axis corresponding to the minimum principal moment of inertia of the rocket. Actuation for each rocket motor is by means of a hydraulic rack and pinion actuator. Power for the hydraulic actuators is provided by a unique hydro-pneumatic amplifier that converts stored gas energy into pressurized hydraulic fluid. The high pressure hydraulic fluid is directed through conventional servo valves into the appropriate actuators to provide main, roll, pitch, and yaw thrust as required to achieve upright orientation and vertical flight.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A maneuvering ejection seat for an aircraft comprising: a seat for supporting an aircraft occupant; a first rocket motor having a fixed nozzle and a substantially cylindrical housing with a first longitudinal axis, said first rocket motor being mounted to said seat by a beari

What is claimed is: 1. A maneuvering ejection seat for an aircraft comprising: a seat for supporting an aircraft occupant; a first rocket motor having a fixed nozzle and a substantially cylindrical housing with a first longitudinal axis, said first rocket motor being mounted to said seat by a bearing allowing said first rocket motor to rotate about said first longitudinal axis, said first longitudinal axis being the sole degree of freedom about which said rocket motor rotates relative to said seat; a sensor for determining a rotational position of said first rocket motor relative to said seat; and a hydraulic actuator for rotating said first rocket motor about said first longitudinal axis; a hydro-pneumatic amplifier for supplying pressurized hydraulic fluid to said hydraulic actuator, said hydro-pneumatic amplifier comprising a housing having a bore therein with an input port, an output port and a free floating piston disposed in said bore separating said input port from said output port, a supply of hydraulic fluid contained within said bore in a region between said piston and said output port; a source of pressurized gas fluidically connected to said input port of said hydro-pneumatic amplifier for pressurizing said supply of hydraulic fluid; and a servo valve inter-disposed between said output port of said hydro-pneumatic amplifier and said hydraulic actuator for controlling a flow of pressurized hydraulic fluid from said a hydro-pneumatic amplifier to said hydraulic actuator. 2. The ejection seat of claim 1, wherein: said seat comprises a back portion and a seat portion and said first longitudinal axis of said first rocket motor is oriented substantially vertically with respect to said back portion of said seat. 3. The ejection seat of claim 2, wherein: said fixed nozzle of said first rocket motor is oriented such that the thrust of said first rocket motor is oriented along a vector that is canted on an obtuse angle relative to said first longitudinal axis. 4. The ejection seat of claim 1, wherein: said hydraulic actuator comprises a double acting piston operatively attached to a rack gear for moving said rack gear from a first position to a second position, said rack gear being meshed with a pinion gear, said pinion gear being attached to said first rocket motor along said first longitudinal axis. 5. The ejection seat of claim 4, wherein: said sensor comprises an electronic sensor having a drive gear meshing with said pinion gear. 6. A maneuvering ejection seat for an aircraft comprising: a seat for supporting an aircraft occupant; a first rocket motor having a fixed nozzle, said first rocket motor being mounted to said seat by a bearing allowing said first rocket motor to rotate about a longitudinal axis, a sensor for determining a rotational position of said first rocket motor relative to said seat; and a hydro-pneumatic actuator for rotating said first rocket motor about said longitudinal axis, said hydro-pneumatic actuator comprising a pressure vessel, a separate hydro-pneumatic amplifier, a servo valve, and a hydraulic actuator, wherein said hydro-pneumatic amplifier comprises a housing having a bore therein with an input port at a first end thereof, an output port at a second end thereof and a free floating piston disposed therein separating said input port from said output port, a supply of hydraulic fluid being contained within said bore in a region between said piston and said output port, said pressure vessel comprising a container holding a pressurized gas and having an output port fluidically interconnected with said input port of said hydro-pneumatic amplifier, said pressure vessel further comprising a normally-closed valve separating said pressurized gas from said input port of said hydro-pneumatic amplifier, said normally-closed valve responsive to an external signal for opening to allow said pressurized gas to flow through said input port and pressurize a region within said bore between said input port and said piston, whereby said supply of hydraulic fluid is pressurized by said piston acted on by said pressurized gas; said hydraulic actuator having an input port fluidically interconnected to said output port of said hydro-pneumatic amplifier, said hydraulic actuator being operatively connected to said first rocket motor for rotating said first rocket motor about said longitudinal axis, said servo valve being disposed between said output port of said hydro-pneumatic amplifier and said hydraulic actuator for controlling a flow of pressurized hydraulic fluid from said hydro-pneumatic amplifier to said hydraulic actuator. 7. The maneuvering ejection seat of claim 6, further comprising: a second rocket motor having a fixed nozzle, said second rocket motor being mounted to said seat by a bearing allowing said second rocket motor to rotate about a second longitudinal axis, a second sensor for determining a rotational position of said second rocket motor relative to said seat; and a second hydro-pneumatic actuator for rotating said second rocket motor about said second longitudinal axis, said hydro-pneumatic actuator comprising a pressure vessel, a separate hydro-pneumatic amplifier, a servo valve, and a hydraulic actuator. 8. The maneuvering ejection seat of claim 7, further comprising: a third rocket motor having a fixed nozzle, said third rocket motor being mounted to said seat by a bearing allowing said third rocket motor to rotate about a third longitudinal axis, a third sensor for determining a rotational position of said third rocket motor relative to said seat; and a third hydro-pneumatic actuator for rotating said third rocket motor about said third longitudinal axis, said hydro-pneumatic actuator comprising a pressure vessel, a separate hydro-pneumatic amplifier, a servo valve, and a hydraulic actuator. 9. A maneuvering ejection seat for an aircraft comprising: a seat for supporting an aircraft occupant; a first rocket motor having a fixed nozzle and a substantially cylindrical housing with a first longitudinal axis, said first rocket motor being mounted to said seat by a bearing allowing said first rocket motor to rotate about said first longitudinal axis, said first longitudinal axis being the sole degree of freedom about which said rocket motor rotates relative to said seat; a first sensor for determining a rotational position of said first rocket motor relative to said seat; a first hydraulic actuator for rotating said first rocket motor about said first longitudinal axis; a first servo valve for controlling a flow of pressurized hydraulic fluid into said first hydraulic actuator; a second rocket motor having a fixed nozzle and a substantially cylindrical housing with a second longitudinal axis, said second rocket motor being mounted to said seat by a bearing allowing said second rocket motor to rotate about said second longitudinal axis, said second longitudinal axis being the sole degree of freedom about which said second rocket motor rotates relative to said seat; a second sensor for determining a rotational position of said second rocket motor relative to said seat; a second hydraulic actuator for rotating said second rocket motor about said second longitudinal axis; a second servo valve for controlling a flow of pressurized hydraulic fluid into said second hydraulic actuator; at least one hydraulic accumulator operatively connected to at least one of said first and second servo valves; a supply of hydraulic fluid within said at least one hydraulic accumulator; and a source of pressurized gas for pressurizing said supply of hydraulic fluid; wherein said at least one hydraulic accumulator comprises a hydro-pneumatic amplifier comprising a housing having a bore therein with an input port, an output port and a piston disposed in said bore separating said input port from said output port, wherein said supply of hydraulic fluid is contained within said bore in a region between said piston and said output port and wherein said source of pressurized gas is connected to said input port of said hydro-pneumatic amplifier for pressurizing said supply of hydraulic fluid. 10. The ejection seat of claim 9, wherein: said source of pressurized gas is a pressure vessel with an output port and a normally-closed valve closing said output port. 11. The ejection seat of claim 9, wherein: said second longitudinal axis lies in a plane normal to said first longitudinal axis and is normal to a plane containing said first longitudinal axis. 12. The ejection seat of claim 11, wherein: said fixed nozzle of said second rocket motor is oriented such that the thrust of said second rocket motor is oriented along a vector that is substantially at right angles to said second longitudinal axis. 13. The ejection seat of claim 12, further comprising: a third rocket motor having a fixed nozzle and a substantially cylindrical housing with a third longitudinal axis, said third rocket motor being mounted to said seat by a bearing allowing said third rocket motor to rotate about said third longitudinal axis, said third longitudinal axis being the sole degree of freedom about which said third rocket motor rotates relative to said seat; a third sensor for determining a rotational position of said third rocket motor relative to said seat; and a third hydraulic actuator for rotating said third rocket motor about said third longitudinal axis. 14. The ejection seat of claim 13, wherein: said third longitudinal axis is parallel to the intersection of a plane containing said first longitudinal axis and a plane containing said second longitudinal axis. 15. The ejection seat of claim 14, wherein: said fixed nozzle of said third rocket motor is oriented such that the thrust of said third rocket motor is oriented along a vector that is substantially at right angles to said third longitudinal axis.