JPH04260897A - Aerial release buoy - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a less expensive and lighter buoy by dispensing with a parachute by arranging a large number of hinge type pedals on a circumference of a cylindrical body, providing a flexible cylindrical skirt between the body and the pedals and controlling lowering of the buoy by making the skirt in a state directed outward back by releasing a part of the pedals from the buoy at the time when the buoy is lanched. CONSTITUTION: A large number of pedals 6 are integrally formed on a cylindrical band 5 arranged around a roughly cylindrical body 2, and a thin part 7 is provided on a connecting part of each of the pedals 6 with the band 5. A flexible cylindrical skirt 9 is arranged between the pedals 6 and the body 2, and one circumferential edge part of the skirt 9 is fixed on the body 2 in the neighborhood of the band 5. When a buoy 1 is launched, wind enters between a wind flap 10 and the body 2, the wind flap 10 is removed from a holding band 11 and the pedals 6 are released, the pedals 6 and the skirt 9 are folded by movement of the buoy 1 in an air current and take a rear and outward position.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to air-launched buoys, and more particularly to deep-sea temperature measuring buoys.

0002

[Prior Art] Deep-sea temperature measurement buoys are usually used by aircraft,
Alternatively, the buoy may be launched into the sea from a helicopter and its descent needs to be controlled so that it lands in the most favorable position.

0003

Conventional buoys have a parachute device to control their descent, and the parachute is packed inside the buoy prior to deployment and deployed when needed. be done. The use of parachutes is expensive and requires additional payload and relatively expensive construction materials.

An object of the present invention is to provide an air-launched buoy that eliminates the need for a parachute and provides a cheaper and lighter buoy.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, an air-launched vehicle having a generally cylindrical body having a front end and a rear end and a number of hinged petals disposed around the circumference of the body A buoy, wherein the hinged petal is held in the body in a forwardly pointing direction in a pre-launch condition of the buoy, and a flexible cylindrical skirt is arranged around and in contact with the body. and the petal is partially released from the buoy when the buoy is launched, and the forward movement of the body causes the petal and the flexible cylindrical skirt to move rearwardly, and having an outwardly facing configuration, the skirt controlling the lowering of the buoy;
The air-launched buoy is provided externally of the petal.

[0006] In a preferred configuration, said petal is advantageously made integrally with a cylindrical band made of plastic material and arranged circumferentially on said body. The hinge of each petal is formed by a thinned section at the junction of the petal and the cylindrical band, the cylindrical band comprising:
It is held to the body by a circumferential retaining wire that extends around the body and into the thinned portion of the petal.

[0007] When the buoy is launched, each petal may be configured to impinge on the circumferential wire to control rearward and outward movement of the petal. The buoy also has a circumferential retaining band that holds the petal against the body of the buoy in a pre-launch mode of the buoy, and the wind flap causes the buoy to retain the petal when the buoy is launched. The retaining band may be released to partially release the petal.

[0008] The buoy has an antenna attached to the rear end of the body, wherein the antenna is held against the body by the wind flap, and when the wind flap is released; It is advantageous to release it. Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 1 of the drawings, a deep sea temperature measuring buoy 1 is shown launched from an aircraft (not shown) for descent into the ocean (not shown). The buoy 1 has a body 2 with a front end 3 and a rear end 4. A cylindrical band 5 of plastics material is disposed around the body 2, and the cylindrical band 5 has a number, typically 18, of forwardly directed grooves formed integrally with the cylindrical band 5. The petals 6 are arranged around the circumference of the main body 2. Each petal 6 is provided with a thinned section 7 at its junction with the band 5, by means of which the petal 6 is effectively hinged to the band 5. Band 5 and thus Petal 6 is Band 5
It is held on the body 2 of the buoy 1 by a circumferential holding wire 8 whose ends (not shown) are twisted together in order to press it against the body 2.

A flexible cylindrical skirt 9 is arranged between the petal 6 of the buoy 1 and the body 2, one circumferential edge of the skirt 9 being fixed to the body 2 near the band 5. Figure 1
The buoy 1 also has a plastic wind flap 10
In the pre-launch state, this wind flap 10 is held on the main body 2 of the buoy 1 by a holding band 11 attached to the wind flap 10 at both ends, and this holding band 11 also extends around the petal 6. It extends to hold the petal 6 against the body 2 of the buoy 1.

The buoy 1 in FIG. 1 further has an antenna 12,
In the pre-launch state, this antenna 12 is bent towards the main body 2 of the buoy 1 and held in place by the wind flap 10. Buoy 1 explained with reference to Figure 1
operates as follows. When the buoy is launched from an aircraft, wind enters between the wind flap 10 of the buoy 1 and the main body 2, and this wind causes the wind flap to be removed from the retaining band 11, and the wind flap and retaining band 11 are removed from the buoy 1. separate. This releases the petal 6 and also releases the antenna 12. This antenna 1
2 is self-erecting and assumes a position extending rearwardly from the rear end 4 of the main body 2, as indicated by the dashed line 13.

The movement of the buoy 1 in the air current causes the main body 2 to assume the position shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, in which the petals 6 and the flexible skirt 9 are folded back as shown and Taking the outer position, the flexible skirt 9 is attached to the main body 2
It is on the outside of petal 6, and between petal 6 and skirt 9.
In one piece, the buoy first reaches its forward end 3 in a uniform manner.
The air delays and stabilizes the trajectory of Buoy 1 as it enters the sea.

[0013] When the buoy 1 enters the sea, it floats on the sea surface with its front end 3 facing downward, and a seawater entry switch (not shown) is actuated to energize the buoy's electronic circuitry (not shown). After a suitable delay, a probe device (not shown) is released from the front end 3 and the probe device is lowered into the sea to take the necessary deep sea temperature measurements, which are carried out when the buoy 1 is in floating mode. It is transmitted back to the control center via an antenna 12 extending substantially vertically upward from the rear end 4 of the buoy emerging from the sea.

FIG. 3 of the drawings shows a side sectional view of a portion of the buoy of FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the arrangement of the petals 6 in a pre-launch mode. In FIG. 3, a part of the main body 2 of the buoy 1 is shown.
It is shown with a cylindrical band 5 of plastics material, having a petal 6 integrally formed therewith. The petal 6 is hinged to the band 5 by a thinned portion 7. The band 5 and the petal 6 have a circumferential holding wire 8
It is held in the body 2 of the buoy by. A flexible cylindrical skirt 9 is arranged between the petal 6 and the body 2 of the buoy 1, one end 14 of the skirt 9 being clamped between the band 5 and the body 2. It will be seen that the skirt 9 is attached to the body 2 near the hinge 7 in a suitable manner. The petal 6 is attached to the buoy 1 by means of a retaining band 11.
It is held against the main body 2 of.

FIG. 4 of the drawings shows the side sectional view of FIG. 3 with the buoy 1 in flight mode. In this mode, the retaining band 11 is released and the airflow from the forward movement of the buoy causes the petal 6 and skirt 9 to move backward and forward.
The part of each petal 6 which has an outward configuration and is close to the thin-walled hinge part 7 impinges on the circumferential wire 8, retarding and stabilizing the trajectory of the buoy 1, as already explained.

The petal 6, the integral cylindrical band 5, the skirt 9, the wind flap 10 and the retaining band 11 are all made of plastic material and therefore add little to the weight of the buoy 1, making it easier to use existing air-launched It will be appreciated that this provides a highly advantageous modification to parachute structures used in buoys.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 is a perspective view of a deep-sea temperature measurement buoy according to the invention immediately after being air-launched from an aircraft; FIG.

2 is a perspective view of the buoy of FIG. 1 in flight mode; FIG.

3 is a side cross-sectional view of a portion of the buoy of FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the arrangement of the petals in a pre-launch mode; FIG.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3 showing the arrangement of the petals in flight mode;

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Deep sea temperature measurement buoy 2 Main body 3 Front end 4 Rear end 5 Cylindrical band 6 Petal 7 Thin wall part 8 Wire 9 Flexible cylindrical skirt 10 Wind flap 11 Retention band 12 Antenna

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. An air-launched buoy having a generally cylindrical body having a forward end and a rear end, and a plurality of hinged petals disposed about the circumference of the body, the hinged petals comprising: , in the pre-launch condition the buoy is held on the body in a forward pointing direction, a flexible cylindrical skirt is provided around the body and between the body and the petal; The petal is partially released from the buoy when the buoy is launched, and the forward movement of the body causes the petal and the flexible cylindrical skirt to assume a rearward and outwardly directed configuration, and the The air-launched buoy, wherein a skirt is external to the petal to control the lowering of the buoy. 2. The buoy of claim 1, wherein the petal is made of plastic material. 3. The buoy of claim 2, wherein the petal is integrally formed with a cylindrical band disposed circumferentially on the buoy. 4. The buoy of claim 3, wherein the hinge of each petal is formed by a thinned section at the junction of the petal and the cylindrical band. 5. The buoy of claim 4, wherein said cylindrical band is held to said body by a circumferential retaining wire extending around said body and into a thinned portion of said petal. 6. The buoy of claim 5, wherein each petal impinges on the circumferential wire to control aft and outward movement of the petal when the buoy is launched. 7. In the pre-launch mode of the buoy,
7. A buoy as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising a circumferential retaining band retaining the petal relative to the body of the buoy. 8. A wind flap associated with said retaining band, said wind flap causing said retaining band to be released to partially release said petal when said buoy is launched. The buoy described in. 9. The buoy according to claim 1, further comprising an antenna attached to the rear end of the main body. 10. The buoy of claim 9, wherein the antenna is held against the body by the wind flap when the wind flap is released. 11. A buoy according to claim 1, in the form of a deep sea temperature measurement buoy.