Background of the Invention Parachute systems often utilize drogue parachutes to both stabilize and slow the fall rate of heavy loads prior to deploying the main parachute. To open the main parachute of a drogue equipped parachute system, the trailing drogue is first released. This in turn, and separately, pulls a ripcord pin that allows the parachute container to open, and the main parachute to deploy. For a successful main parachute deployment, both the drogue release system and the main parachute container opening system must function in the correct order, and in rapid succession. However, because these two systems are typically separate systems, it is possible for one to function without the other, or to release in the wrong order. By way of example, it is dangerous for the drogue parachute to release or collapse without opening the main parachute container, or for the main parachute container to open without the drogue parachute being released or collapsed. The results of such out of sequence function is frequently fatal.

By way of further example, for typical tandem parachute systems, the drogue parachute is attached to the parachute system harness, either above or below the main parachute container as illustrated by wave example with reference to U. S. Patent No. 4,746,084 to Strong. The release mechanism for the drogue parachute is typically a well known three ring release as described in U. S. Patent No. 4,337,913 to Booth, which release mechanism is separate and apart from the main parachute container closing system. Typically, the main parachute container is held closed by a pin which is connected to the drogue bridle or kill line. The drogue parachute is then separately attached to the parachute harness by the three ring release as disclosed, by way of example, in the above referenced Strong'084 patent.

Typicaily, when the drogue parachute is deployed, jumpers are suspended from a point which is either above or below the main parachute container. This yields a drogue fall position that is either"head high"or"head low"when compared to a desirable"face the earth"position. By way of example, when the drogue parachute is released, the pin on the drogue bridle opens the main parachute container as the drogue departs. The jumper releases the drogue and the drogue pulls the pin for opening the main parachute container as it departs.

In addition to generally being complicated to assemble, existing known parachute systems are subject to inherent malfunctions, some fatal. By way of example, one malfunctions well known in the art of sky diving includes an out of sequence deployment where the main parachute container is opened accidentally while the drogue parachute is still attached or inflated. Typically, this results in a hard to deal with"horseshoe"condition, which has been fatal in many incidents. There remains a need to guarantee a proper deployment sequencing of the drogue and main parachutes.

In addition to the releasing of the drogue parachute as above described and as illustrated with reference to the Strong'084 patent, the drogue parachute also serves as a pilot parachute which deploys the main parachute when a desired altitude is reached. However, once the main parachute is opened, the aerodynamic drag of the drogue parachute reduces performance of the main parachute. To solve this performance problem, drogue parachutes have been designed to collapse a limited amount after the drogue is released from its function of slowing down the decent, or after the main parachute has been deployed. Typically, this is accomplish by inverting the apex of the drogue parachute using a kill line as described, by way of example, in U. S. Patent No.

4,399,969 to Gargano for a gliding parachute. the kill line travels through the center of the drogue canopy and is generally sandwiched between layers of webbing which form the drogue bridal. In typical parachute systems, the kill line and drogue bridle are not connected to each other at the main canopy end of the assembly. The bridal is connected either to the deployment bag, or to a release mechanism, or both, but not to the main parachute. The kill line is only connected to the main parachute. Typically, the kill line travels through the two later bridal as

described in the Gargano'969 patent for collapsing the pilot parachute to reduce drag on the main parachute to thereby improve the glide ratio of the main parachute. It is further well known in the art to use a metal ring attached to the of a drogue or pilot parachute. The ring and the bridle are free to move along the kill line as far as its own inertia will allow. Because of this, the amount of collapse must be limited by other means such as a bridal stop.

Such well-known designs present problems. By way of example, the entire deployment bag lift off load is taken by the kill line. If the kill line breaks, the drogue parachute is lost. Further, a kill line failure may foul deployment of the main parachute canopy possibly causing entanglement. During the drogue collapse sequence, the upper bridal stop near the apex of the drogue canopy forcibly strikes its base as it limits the drogue's collapse, causing excess wear.

During the collapse sequence, the released drogue bridal"scrunches up"causing a"Chinese finger lock"styled configuration that then slides typically six to nine feet, and at a high speed, up the kill line causing excessive wear. Because the kill line is not directly connected to the drogue bridal at both ends, the drogue bridal can rotate around kill line during canopy descent. Such twists are often hard to detect and difficult untwist before the next use. If the twists are not removed before subsequent jumps, jumper injury and canopy damage may result, as well as decreased main parachute performance to drag. If the drogue is packed for another jump while still in its collapse position, it will not fully inflate in free fall.

This can cause a higher free fall velocity, resulting less reliable and often harder parachute openings. This in turn can cause canopy damage and injury to the jumper, or jumpers in the case of a tandem system. The excess wear creates the need for costly drogue repairs.

Many more example of parachute system failures are documented and can be described resulting in the well known understanding that there continues to be a need in the art of sky diving to reduce parachute system failures and in particular, reduce fatalities in the business or the sport of sky diving. The present invention seeks to reduce parachute system failures and especially those which have been known to result in fatality for those parachute systems which employ a drogue parachute and the like.

Summary of Invention In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the invention to provide for a failure free release or collapse of a drogue parachute when the main parachute is deployed. It is further an object of the present invention to provide a safe parachute deployment system that will prevent well known skydiving fatalities such as those occurring from tandem parachuting incidents resulting from a broken closing loop ; collapsed drogue in tow; deployed reserve parachute before breaking away main parachute; an improper drogue three ring assembly ; no, late, or low pull of reserve parachute; main container opened on step or opened after exit; a mis-routed kill line ; no drogue release; non-standard drogue release jammed; out of sequence deployment; packed high speed malfunction; rigging error; and use of an unapproved aircraft, by way of example. It is further an object to provide a desirable body position during drogue parachute deployment while the jumper is in free fall.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention are provided by a parachute system comprising a parachute container having a tray portion for packing a main parachute therein and a plurality of flaps operable therewith for enclosing the packed main parachute within the parachute container when the flaps are in a closed position. A bridle, including a stop carried at median portion thereof, has its proximal end operable with the main parachute and its distal end operable with a deceleration styled parachute, such as a drogue parachute, carried outside the parachute container. The bridle extends outwardly from within the parachute container through the folded flaps for suspension of the parachute container by the deceleration styled parachute while the stop is secured within the parachute container by the flaps in the closed position. A closing member, such as a closing line loop, is connected to the flaps for holding them in the closed position and securing the stop and the packed parachute within the parachute container. A ripcord operates with the closing member for unlocking the flaps to release the stop and permit the bridle to pull the main parachute from the parachute container under a pulling force from the deceleration styled parachute, thus initiating deployment of the main parachute.

In one embodiment of the invention herein described, a plate is carried within the parachute container for receiving the bridle therethrough and securing the stop thereto when the flaps are in the closed position. Embodiment of the plate may inclue, by way of example, a disk having a tube extending therefrom and outwardly from the container through the plurality of flaps, or a stiffener portion of a deployment bag within which the main parachute is carried.

In one embodiment of the ripcord, a ripcord pin is operable with the closing member for removably securing the closing member and thus locking the flaps in the closed position. A ripcord line connected the pin is used for pulling the pin from engagement with the closing member for unlocking the flaps. In one embodiment, the ripcord line passes through an eyelet of the ripcord pin for slidable engagement therewith. A fixed end of the ripcord line is attached to the parachute container and a free end provided for manual pulling when releasing the ripcord pin from the closing member. With such an arrangement, the ripcord pin provides a pulley styled engagement with the ripcord line thus providing a mechanical advantage for the jumper when manually pulling the ripcord line. For additional safety and convenience to the jumper, one embodiment of the ripcord includes a left hand ripcord line and a right hand ripcord line with portions of the lines carried within a ripcord housing. An elastic cord extends between the free ends of each line for biasing handles attaches at each free end toward the ripcord housing.

To further prevent an out of sequence deployment of the drogue parachute and main parachute, by way of example, a safety pin carried by the bridle at a median location outside the parachute container is connected to the ripcord pin for preventing removal of the ripcord pin from the closing member. Tension on the bridle resulting from deployment of the drogue parachute pulls the safety pin from the ripcord pin thus allowing the ripcord line to pull the ripcord pin from the member only after the drogue parachute has been deployed.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a deployment bag is carried within the parachute container and is connected to the main parachute. The bridle is connected to the deployment bag. To meet one need earlier expressed, a kill line, carried by the bridle, is attached at one end to the deployment bag, as

is the bridle itself, and at an opposing end to an apex of the drogue parachute, or deceleration styled parachute.

A method aspect of the present invention includes a method which provides safe deployment of a main parachute operable with a deceleration styled parachute. The method includes packing a main parachute in a parachute container and enclosing the packed main parachute therein with flaps folded in a closed position, attaching a proximal end of a bridle to the main parachute for deployment thereof, or alternatively to a parachute deployment bag within which the main parachute is carried, and attaching a distal end of the bridle to a deceleration styled parachute, such as a drogue parachute, carried outside the parachute container. The bridle extends outwardly from within the parachute container through the folded flaps for suspension of the parachute container by the deceleration styled parachute while a stop on the bridle is secured within the parachute container by the flaps in the closed position. The method further includes securing the flaps in the closed position with a closing member for holding the flaps in the closed position and securing the stop and the packed parachute within the parachute container, and connecting a ripcord to the closing member for unlocking the flaps and releasing the stop, thus permitting the bridle to pull the main parachute from the parachute container under a pulling force from the deceleration styled parachute, thus deploying the main parachute.

A method aspect of the invention further includes placing the deployment bag within a parachute container for enclosing the deployment bag within the parachute container when the flaps are in a closed position, attaching a proximal end of a bridle to the deployment bag and a distal end to the deceleration styled parachute carried outside the parachute container, attaching one end of a kill line to the deployment bag and an opposing end of the kill line to the deceleration styled parachute, locking the plurality of flaps in the closed position for securing the deployment bag and thus the parachute within the parachute container, deploying the deceleration styled parachute for altering a free falling condition, and unlocking the plurality of flaps for causing the bridle to pull the deployment bag from the parachute container to thus initiate deploying the main parachute. In

one embodiment, the method includes attaching the kill line to the deployment at the same location as the bridle attachment to the deployment bag.

The method aspect of the invention further includes attaching a safety pin to the bridle at a location outside the parachute container and engaging a safety pin with the ripcord pin for preventing removal of the ripcord pin from the closing member, wherein tension on the bridle resulting from deployment of the deceleration styled parachute disengages the safety pin from the ripcord pin thus allowing the ripcord line to pull the ripcord pin from the closing member only after deployment of the deceleration parachute.

Brief Description of Drawings A preferred embodiment of the invention as well as alternate embodiments are described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one parachute system of the present invention illustrated, by way of example, in a tandem sky diving scenario; FIG. 2 is a side view of one embodiment of the parachute system of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a rear view of the embodiment of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a bottom and rear perspective view of the parachute system of FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is an unpacked system view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 illustrating elements of the embodiment; FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of a drogue parachute and deployment elements of the embodiment of FIG. 1; FIG. 7 is a partial enlarged view of a flap portion of a main parachute container illustrating one closing configuration thereof; FIG. 8 is a partial cross section of one ripcord embodiment illustrated for use in the embodiment of FIG. 1; FIG. 9 is a partial top view of a main parachute container illustrating another closing configuration; FIG. 10 is a partial top view of one deployment bag; FIG. 11 is a cross-section view taken through lines 11-11 of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is a partial perspective view of the parachute system of FIG. 1 illustrating a deployed main parachute and a trailing collapsed drogue parachute.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments The present invention will now be described more fully herein after with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited by the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those of ordinary skill in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

Referring now initially to FIG. 1, one embodiment of the present invention, a tandem parachute system 10, comprises a drogue parachute 12 connected at the center of a main parachute container 14 for providing a desirable head high drogue-fall position 16, for simulating an individual free fall condition for the student 18 learning to sky dive during a tandem dive with an instructor 20. The tandem student/instructor pair 18,20 are not suspended from the harness 22 as earlier described, by way of example, for parachute systems typical in the art.

As illustrated with reference to FIGS. 2-4, the tandem parachute system 10, herein described by way of example, includes the parachute container 14 having a tray portion 24 for packing a main parachute 26 therein and a plurality of flaps 28 for enclosing a packed main parachute within the parachute container when the flaps are in a closed position. In the embodiment herein described by way of example, the main parachute 26 is carried within a deployment bag 32 as is typical in the art. However, it will be clear to those of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention way include packing a main parachute, reserve parachute, and the like in various ways without departing from the teachings of the present invention. With continues reference to FIGS. 2-4, the drogue parachute 12, herein described by way of example for a deceleration styled parachute, is carried within a drogue pouch 34 outside and below the main parachute container 14 for easy manual deployment by the instructor 20 reaching for the drogue parachute handle 36 and pulling the drogue parachute from the pouch. A reserve parachute

38 forms a part of the system 10 and in carried within a reserve parachute container 40 above the main parachute container 14. Alternate drogue storage 41 may place the drogue parachute 12 between the main and reserve parachute containers 14,40.

With reference again to FIG. 1 and to FIGS. 5 and 6, a bridle 42 includes a stop 44 carried at median portion 46 of the bridle. The bridle 42 has its proximal end 48 connected the deployment bag 32, which bag is connected to the main parachute 14 for deployment thereof. It is expected that the embodiments herein presented by way of example for the present invention will make the reader appreciate that the proximal end 48 may be connected directly to the main parachute 26 without departing from the intent and teachings of the present invention. A distal end 50 is connected to the drogue parachute 12. When the drogue parachute 12 is deployed as illustrated with reference again to FIG. 1, the bridle 42 extends outwardly from within the main parachute container 14 through the folded flaps 28 for suspension of the parachute container by the drogue parachute while the stop 44 is secured within the main parachute container by the flaps in the closed position 30.

As illustrated with reference to FIG. 7, a closing member 52 is operable with the plurality of flaps 28 for locking the flaps in the closed position 30 and thus securing the stop 44 and the packed main parachute 26 within the parachute container 14. For clarity, a flap cover 29 illustrated with reference again to FIG. 4, is not shown in FIG. 7. For the system 10 herein described, the flaps 28 have D- rings 54 attached to each of four flaps 28a, 28b, 28c, 28d providing apertures for receiving a line 56 of the closing member 52 therethrough for securing the flaps 28 in the closed position 30. A ripcord 58 includes a ripcord pin 60 having a shaft portion 62 and an eyelet 64. The shaft 62 of the ripcord pin 60 passes through a loop 66 within an end of the closing member 52 for locking the closing member 52 and thus the flaps 28 in the closed position 30. The ripcord 58 includes a ripcord line 68 connected to the ripcord pin 60 for pulling the pin from engagement with the loop 66 for unlocking the flaps 28.

It may be useful to note at this point in the description that pulling the ripcord 58 both releases the drogue parachute 12 from its pull on the main

container 14 and may in fact be released from the main container. Further, pulling of the ripcord 58 simultaneously causes the flaps 28 to open for initiating deployment of the main parachute 26, the main parachute opening and drogue release now being one operation, thus practically eliminating out-of-sequence deployment malfunctions. For the system 10 herein described by way of example, it is desirable to keep the drogue parachute 12 with the system 10 to avoid loss or damage to the drogue parachute, and continue to use the drogue parachute in a partially deflated position as a pilot chute for enhancing deployment if the main parachute as will herein be described in further detail.

With reference again to FIG. 7, one preferred arrangement of the ripcord 58 includes the ripcord line 68 passing through the eyelet 64 for slidable engagement therewith, and a fixed end 70 of the ripcord line coming back on the ripcord line and attached to the parachute container 14. The free end 72 of the ripcord line 68 is used for manual pulling to release the ripcord pin 60 from the loop 66 of the closing member 56, thus unlocking the flaps 28. With such an arrangement, the ripcord pin 60 acts as a pulley for the ripcord line 68, thus providing a mechanical advantage when the free end 72 is pulled, for releasing the stop 44 and permitting the bridle 42 to pull the deployment bag 32 and thus the main parachute 26 from the parachute container 14 under a pulling force from the drogue parachute 12, thus initiating deployment of the main parachute after deployment of the drogue parachute. Further, and with continued reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, a safety pin 74 is carried by the bridle 42 at a location outside the parachute container. The safety pin 74, a hooked eye styled pin, engages the eyelet 64 of the ripcord pin 60 for preventing removal of the ripcord pin from the loop 66. For the embodiment herein described by way of example, the safety pin 74 engages both the eyelet 64 and a final closing grommet 76 within the flap 28d, thus locking the ripcord pin 60 in place until tension on the bridle 42, resulting from deployment of the drogue parachute 12 disengages the safety pin 74 from the ripcord pin for allowing the ripcord line 68 to pull the ripcord pin from the loop 66 of the closing member 52 only after deployment of the drogue parachute.

As illustrated with reference again to FIG. 4, and to FIG. 8, one embodiment of the ripcord 58 includes a left hand ripcord line 68a and a right

hand ripcord line 68b, wherein at least a portion of each line is carried within a ripcord housing 78. The ripcord 68 further includes an elastic cord 80 extending between the free ends 72a, 72b of each line 68a, 68b for biasing left and right handles 82a, 82b at each free end toward the ripcord housing 78, thus conveniently positioning the handles at established locations for easy reach by the instructor 20, or student 18 should it be needed, and allowing each handle to return to the same place.

With reference again to FIGS. 6 and 7, in one embodiment of the present invention, a plate 84 is carried within the parachute container 14. The plate 84 includes an aperture 86 for receiving the bridle 42 therethrough while securing the stop 44 to the plate when the flaps 28 are in the closed position 30, as earlier described. The plate 84 includes a disk portion 88 which is carried within the parachute container 14, and a tube portion 90 extending outside the container 14 through spaces between the flaps 28. The tube portion further includes a flanged end 92 which serves to position the closing member 52 and keep the plate in a desirable place. A removable stop pin 94 passes through the bridle 42 for connection to the plate 84 for forming the stop 44.

With reference now to FIGS. 9-11, another embodiment of the present invention includes a stiffener 96 within the deployment bag 32, which stiffener performs a function of the plate 84, earlier described. As illustrated with reference to FIG. 9, operation of the releasing of the bridle stop 44 and thus the drogue parachute 12 are as earlier described using the ripcord 58 operable with the closing member 52. As further illustrated, grommeted apertures 98 within each flap 28 secure the closing line 56 of the closing member 52. With both the plate 84 and the stiffener 96, forces applied by the drogue parachute 12 through the bridle 42 help spread the forces across the flaps 28.

With reference again to FIGS. 6 and 11, the system 10 further includes a kill line 100 carried by the bridle 42. The kill line 100 is attached at one end 102 to the deployment bag 32 and at an opposing end 104 to an apex of the drogue parachute 12. As herein illustrated, the bridle 42 is a tubular styled bridle which permits the kill line 100 to be carried within the bridle. In the embodiment herein described, the proximal end 48 of the bridle 42 and the one end 102 of the kill line

100 are attached at the same point on the deployment bag 32 using an attachment ring 106. By way of further detail, and with reference again to FIG. 5, when the drogue parachute 12 is set prior to packing, that portion 108 of the bridle 42 between the plate 84 and the deployment bag 32 is"scrunched"or gathered along the kill line 100 in accordion-like fashion, allowing the apex 110 of the drogue parachute 12 to be let out to a high drag, free fall position 112 illustrated with the solid lines of FIG. 6. When the flaps 30 are opened and the plate 84, or deployment bag 32 in the case of the embodiment earlier described with reference to FIGS. 9-11, the gathered portion 108 is extended to thus pull down the apex 110 of the drogue parachute 12, as illustrated with dashed lines of FIG. 6. Because the bridle 42 itself is used to collapse the drogue parachute 12 to a desired limited amount, no additional elements such as an upper bridle stop typically used in the art, is needed. In addition, the above described arrangement has been found to minimized excessive wear on the drogue parachute elements.

Further, as a result of attaching the bridle 42 and the kill line 100 to the same point, the attachment ring 106, additional benefits are realized. By way of example, both the kill line and the bridle share the bag liftoff load, thus both can be made from lighter materials for reducing weight and bulk of the parachute system. The drogue apex does not strike the base of the drogue during collapse of the drogue parachute, thus reducing wear on the drogue parachute. The bridle and kill line are prevented from twisting on each other, thus hard openings, jumper injury, and parachute canopy damage caused by twisted kill lines are avoided. Should the kill line break during drogue collapse, the drogue parachute is not lost because it is still connected to the deployment bag or canopy by the bridle. Kill line replacement time and cost is reduced. Further, the above described arrangement permits the drogue parachute to automatically be set in a non-collapsed position during free fall even if it is packed in a collapsed position, thus a desired drogue parachute inflation and main parachute deployment results, as illustrated in FIG. 12.

Accordingly, many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to the mind of one skilled in the art having benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and alternate embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.