US 12,448,130 B1
Steerable parachute for guiding a payload to a target
Griffin Hemingway, USAFA, CO (US); Jason Christopher, USAFA, CO (US); Enrique Arjona, USAFA, CO (US); Orval Powell, Colorado Springs, CO (US); Harold Fotso, USAFA, CO (US); Cayden Boll, Albuquerque, NM (US); Christian Lund, Provo, UT (US); and Michael Anderson, Colorado Springs, CO (US)
Assigned to United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH (US)
Filed by Government of the United States as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH (US)
Filed on Apr. 17, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/638,115.
Int. Cl. B64D 17/34 (2006.01); B64D 17/24 (2006.01)
CPC B64D 17/34 (2013.01) [B64D 17/24 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A steerable parachute for carrying a payload towards a target, the steerable parachute defining a longitudinal axis and comprising:
a deployable canopy for providing drag or lift during descent of the steerable parachute;
a basket for conveying payloads to the ground;
a plurality of guy wires connecting the basket to the canopy at a like plurality of spaced apart attachment points;
a high cant drive system for canting the canopy in a desired direction and comprising
at least one motor, the at least one motor having opposed output shafts with a first output shaft joined to a first guy wire and a second output shaft joined to a second guy wire, whereby rotation of the output shafts shortens the first guy wire and/or lengthens the second guy wire to guide the steerable parachute in a desired direction, wherein each of the first output shaft and the second output shaft has a proximal end juxtaposed with the respective motor and a distal end remote therefrom, the first output shaft having a first output shaft diameter and further comprising a first reel juxtaposed with the distal end of the first output shaft, the first reel having a first reel diameter larger than the first output shaft diameter and being joined to a respective guy wire and the second output shaft having a second output shaft diameter and further comprising a second reel juxtaposed with the distal end of the second output shaft, the second reel having a second reel diameter larger than the second output shaft diameter and being joined to a respective guy wire, wherein the first reel and the second reel have mutually different diameters; and
a controller for sending command signals to the motor to impart rotation to the opposed output shafts.