Accommodation and Deployment Device for Payloads on a Flying Machine

Abstract

A device for accommodating and deploying at least one payload on a flying machine includes at least one housing. The housing includes at least two opposite first side surfaces which extend over at least a portion of a length of a payload to be accommodated. The payload to be accommodated is releasably held between the two first side surfaces of the housing. The housing is at least partially arranged in a cavity on an outer surface of a flying machine. The cavity includes at least one outwardly open first opening, and the housing can be at least partially moved out of the cavity for deploying and/or receiving the payload to be accommodated.

Claims

1. A device for accommodating and deploying at least one payload on a flying machine, comprising: at least one housing, wherein the housing has at least two opposite first side surfaces which extend over at least a portion of the length of a payload to be accommodated, wherein the payload to be accommodated is releasably held between the first two side surfaces of the housing, wherein the housing is at least partially arranged in a cavity on an outer surface of a flying machine, wherein the cavity has at least one outwardly open first opening, and wherein the housing is configured to be at least partially moved out of the cavity for deploying and/or receiving the payload to be accommodated.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cavity has a closing device by which the cavity is configured to be sealed aerodynamically and/or in relation to radar radiation at the time of deployment or extraction of at least one payload from the housing.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the housing has at least one further side surface which connects the two first side surfaces of the housing in the area of the side edge of the first side surfaces located in the direction of the outer surface of the flying machine and wherein the outer surface of the flying machine is configured to be sealed aerodynamically and/or in relation to radar radiation by the further side surface of the housing when the housing is fully housed in the cavity.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the side surfaces has at least one closable pressure relief opening.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a rail-guided accommodation device arranged on the first side surfaces and wherein at least one payload to be accommodated is removably held at least on two sides by the accommodation device.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the rail-guided accommodation device is configured to accommodate a plurality of payloads.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein the rail-guided accommodation device has at least two retaining rails.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the retaining rail has a plurality of regularly arranged retaining elements.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the distance between the at least two retaining rails of the rail-guided accommodation device or the position of the at least two retaining rails in the cavity is configured to be changed controllably.

10. The device according to claim 5, wherein the cavity has a magazine for the accommodation of a plurality of payloads and the payloads contained in the magazine are configured to be fed into the housing by a feed mechanism.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of payloads is configured to be deployed sequentially or in pairs by the rail-guided accommodation device.

12. A payload for accommodation and deployment on a flying machine, comprising: an elongated payload body, with at least one outer surface which has at least two elongated recesses extending over a portion of the length of the payload body and which is configured to be accommodated in a device according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In the drawings, the same reference characters generally refer to the same parts across the different views. The drawings are not necessarily true to scale; instead, emphasis is generally placed on illustrating the principles of the invention. In the following description, various embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the following drawings, in which:

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a device for accommodation and deployment of a payload on a flying machine;

[0021] FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of a device for accommodation and deployment of a plurality of payloads on a flying machine; and

[0022] FIG. 3 shows a further representation of an embodiment of a device for accommodation and deployment of a plurality of payloads on a flying machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings, which show for explanation specific details and embodiments in which the invention can be put into practice.

[0024] The word exemplary is used herein with the meaning serving as an example, case or illustration. Any embodiment or embodiment described herein as exemplary shall not necessarily be interpreted as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or configurations.

[0025] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this description and in which specific embodiments in which the invention can be executed are shown for illustrative purposes. In this respect, directional terminology such as top, bottom, front, back, etc. is used with reference to the orientation of the described figure(s). Since components of embodiments can be positioned in a number of different orientations, directional terminology is used for illustrative purposes and is in no way restrictive. It is understood that other embodiments can be used, and structural or logical changes can be made without deviating from the scope of protection of the present invention. It is understood that the characteristics of the various exemplary embodiments described herein can be combined with each other, unless specifically indicated otherwise. The following detailed description is therefore not to be taken in a restrictive sense, and the scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the attached claims.

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a device 10 for accommodating and deploying a payload 11 on a flying machine 12. The device 10 has a housing 13 with two opposite first side surfaces 14in the figure only one of the two side surfaces 14 is visible due to the two-dimensional representation. The side surfaces 14 extend over at least a portion of the length L of the payload 11. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the payload 11 shown in the housing 13 is smaller than would be possible in principle due to the dimension. The payload 11 is detachably held between the first two side surfaces 14 of the housing 13. In a retracted state, the housing 13 is arranged in a cavity 15 on an outer surface of the flying machine 12. The cavity 15 has an externally open first opening 16. The housing 13 is at least partially movable out of the cavity 15 for deploying and/or receiving the payload 11 to be accommodated. FIG. 1 also shows, in addition to the retracted state, the state of the housing 13 which is forced out or pushed out of the strake. In the embodiment of the device 10 shown in FIG. 1, the housing 13 has a pressure relief opening 18 for discharging the exhaust gas jet. In this embodiment the pressure relief opening 18 is arranged on a further side surface 17 which connects the first two side surfaces 14 at the bottom.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment of a device 20 for accommodation and deployment of a plurality of payloads 21, 21 on a flying machine 22. A first payload 21 is arranged in the housing 23. Further payloads 21 are arranged in a magazine 29 in the cavity 25, via which the further payloads 21 can be fed into the housing 23 after deploying the first payload 21. The housing 23 also has a pressure relief opening 28 at the bottom of the side surfaces 24.

[0028] FIG. 3 shows a further representation of an embodiment of a device 30 for accommodation and deployment of a plurality of payloads 31, 31 on an aircraft 32. Here the device 30 has a round magazine 39, in which further payloads 31 are arranged. The further payloads 31 can be reloaded into the housing 33 after the deployment of the first payload 31. In the embodiment of the device 30 shown in FIG. 3, the housing 33 has two first side surfaces 34, 34 and a further side surface 37 connecting the first two side surfaces 34, 34.

[0029] Although the invention has been shown and described primarily with reference to certain embodiments, it should be understood by those who are familiar with the subject area that numerous changes in design and detail can be made to it without deviating from the nature and scope of the invention as defined by the attached claims. The scope of the invention is thus determined by the attached claims, and it is therefore intended that all changes which fall within the literal meaning or the equivalence range of the claims are included.

[0030] While at least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention(s) is disclosed herein, it should be understood that modifications, substitutions and alternatives may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the exemplary embodiment(s). In addition, in this disclosure, the terms comprise or comprising do not exclude other elements or steps, the terms a or one do not exclude a plural number, and the term or means either or both. Furthermore, characteristics or steps which have been described may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps and in any order unless the disclosure or context suggests otherwise. This disclosure hereby incorporates by reference the complete disclosure of any patent or application from which it claims benefit or priority.

REFERENCE CHARACTER LIST

[0031] 10, 20, 30 Device [0032] 11, 21, 21, 31, 31 Payload [0033] 12, 22, 32 Flying machine (or aircraft) [0034] 13, 23, 33 Housing [0035] 14, 24, 34, 34 First side surfaces [0036] 15, 25, 35 Cavity [0037] 16 Opening [0038] 17, 37 Further side surface [0039] 18, 28 Pressure relief opening [0040] 29, 39 Magazine