U.S. patent application number 11/246507 was filed with the patent office on 2007-04-26 for cellulose-based aerial delivery system and method of use.
Invention is credited to Richard V. Goddard.
Application Number | 20070090174 11/246507 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37912350 |
Filed Date | 2007-04-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070090174 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Goddard; Richard V. |
April 26, 2007 |
Cellulose-based aerial delivery system and method of use
Abstract
The present invention is directed to an aerial delivery system
that provides for the controlled delivery of items from an aircraft
into a selected drop zone. In accordance with the present
invention, the aerial delivery system includes a base and a
sidewall arrangement adjacent the base. The sidewall arrangement
generally acts as a sleeve defining an inner volume. Within the
inner volume is a tray or cassette configured to be moveable within
the inner volume. Adjacent the sidewall arrangement opposite the
base is a top cover. The top cover is generally oversized relative
to the shape defined by the sidewall arrangement. A plurality of
straps connects the top cover, sidewall arrangement and,
optionally, the material within the inner volume. The aerial
delivery system is activated by an air stream that catches the
oversized top cover, forcing the separation between the top cover
and the other portions of the aerial delivery system. The
separation of top cover places a load upon the straps that initiate
the release of materials contained within the aerial delivery
system.
Inventors: |
Goddard; Richard V.;
(Hanford, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WEYERHAEUSER COMPANY;INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DEPT., CH 1J27
P.O. BOX 9777
FEDERAL WAY
WA
98063
US
|
Family ID: |
37912350 |
Appl. No.: |
11/246507 |
Filed: |
October 7, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
229/100 ;
169/34 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A62C 3/0235
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
229/100 ;
169/034 |
International
Class: |
B65D 5/00 20060101
B65D005/00 |
Claims
1. An cellulose-based aerial delivery system, comprising: a base,
the base defining a berm of cellulose material, a plurality of
sidewall panels adjacent the base, the plurality of sidewall panels
having an inside surface, at least one of the plurality of sidewall
panels being adjacent the berm; a top cover adjacent the sidewall
arrangement opposite the base; a strap connecting the top cover to
one of the inside surfaces.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates generally to cellulose-based
containers and, more specifically, to cellulose-based containers
configured to hold and selectively dispense contents when the
cellulose-based container is deployed from an aircraft.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Aerial deployment of water and fire retardant chemicals in
fighting fires is known in the art. Typically, an aircraft either
loads on the fly from a large body of water such as a lake or
river, or is loaded on the ground via hoses from tanks. In both
cases, the water and/or chemical retardant is not contained within
any kind of vessel once it leaves the aircraft. In short, the water
and/or chemical retardant is a generally uncontrollable free body
once it leaves the aircraft.
[0003] As such, under current practices many factors limit the
pilot's ability to hit their desired target. For example, in fire
suppression, the pilot must release the cargo relatively close to
the ground to prevent the water or chemical retardant from
dissipating in the air relatively close to the ground, night flying
for fire suppression is not permitted. Finally, the loose nature of
the cargo when currently dropped affects the pilot's ability to
control where the cargo hits within the drop zone. As such,
precision drops to relatively small drop zones in not practical,
such as dropping absorbent or petroleum devouring material on oil
slicks is not feasible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention is directed to an aerial delivery
system that provides for the controlled delivery of items from an
aircraft into a selected drop zone. In accordance with the present
invention, the aerial delivery system includes a base and a
sidewall arrangement adjacent the base. The base includes a buildup
corresponding to a sidewall arrangement profile. The sidewall
arrangement generally acts as a sleeve defining an inner volume.
Within the inner volume is a base panel such as a tray or cassette
that is configured to be moveable within the inner volume. Adjacent
the sidewall arrangement opposite the base is a top cover. The top
cover is generally oversized relative to the shape defined by the
sidewall arrangement. A plurality of straps connects the top cover,
sidewall arrangement and, optionally, the material within the inner
volume. The aerial delivery system is activated by an air stream
that catches the oversized top cover, forcing the separation
between the top cover and the other portions of the aerial delivery
system. The separation of top cover places a load upon the straps
that initiate the release of materials contained within the inner
volume.
[0005] The present invention further includes a method of
accurately delivering a volume of material via an aerial drop to a
target zone. The method includes releasing a cellulose-based
container from an aircraft. The cellulose-based container includes
a base, a sidewall arrangement and a top cover. The sidewall
arrangement generally defines an inner volume that contains the
volume of material. The inner volume may also container a tray or
cassette that forms a moveable bottom panel to the sidewall
arrangement. A plurality of straps connects the top cover and the
sidewall arrangement. The method further includes initiating the
release of the volume of material by displacing the top cover from
the rest of the cellulose-based container thereby placing
sufficient tension on the straps to release the volume of material
from the aerial delivery system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] Various embodiments of the present invention are described
in detail below with reference to the following drawings.
[0007] FIG. 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of an aspect
of the aerial delivery system made in accordance with an aspect of
the present invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a another perspective view of yet another aspect
of the aerial delivery system made in accordance with an aspect of
the present invention;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an aspect of the base made
according to the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a plan view of a blank of the sidewall assembly
made in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 5 is a plan view of a blank depicting a portion of the
top cover made in accordance with an aspect of the present
invention;
[0012] FIG. 6 is a plan view of blank depicting another portion of
the top cover made in accordance with an aspect of the present
invention;
[0013] FIG. 7 is a plan view of a blank depicting a bag cassette
made in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of an assembled bag
cassette made from the blank of FIG. 7;
[0015] FIG. 9 is a plan view depicting a tray blank made in
accordance with an aspect of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an assembled tray formed
from the blank of FIG. 9;
[0017] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the sidewall assembly and
top cover made in accordance with an aspect of the present
invention; and,
[0018] FIGS. 12a-12e are sequential perspective view of the aerial
delivery system made operating in accordance with an aspect of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] The present invention will now be described with reference
to the accompanying FIGURES. The present invention provides a
plurality of container blanks and other structures that when
combined as taught herein form an aerial delivery system. By way of
overview and with reference to FIGS. 1 through 12e, an embodiment
of the present invention includes sheets of formable material that
may be cut, scored, shaped or otherwise arranged to form a aerial
delivery system 20 that generally includes a base 24, sidewall
arrangement 22 and top cover 26. Specific details of the aerial
delivery system 20, its components and use are described with more
particularity below.
[0020] With specific reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, various aspects of
the aerial delivery system 20 are depicted. The aerial delivery
system 20 generally includes a base 24, a sidewall arrangement 22,
a top cover 26, and at least one strap 28 connecting the top cover
26 with either the contents 27 within the sidewall assembly 22, or
directly to an inner surface of the sidewall assembly 22. As
depicted in the FIGURES, the strap 28 runs through the surface of
the top cover 26 around the outside surface of the sidewall
assembly 22, between the sidewall assembly 22 and the base 24 and
then into an inner volume formed by the sidewall assembly 22.
However, it will be appreciated that the strap 28 may also go
directly from the top cover 26 to the inside of the sidewall
assembly 22 without departing from the spirit and scope of the
present invention. The base 24 is lies adjacent but is not
connected to the strap 28. In this manner, when deployment is
initiated, (discussed in more detail below) if the strap 28 is
attached to the contents 27, such as, without limitation, being
heat welded to a liquid impermeable polymer based bag 74, tension
on the straps 28 tear the bag to release the contents 27.
Similarly, if the straps 28 are attached to an inner surface of the
sidewall arrangement 22, tension on the straps 28 tears the
sidewall assembly to release the contents 27.
[0021] With respect to FIG. 3, the base 24 is typically a
corrugated pallet having runners 43 on a bottom side and a buildup
41 on a top side. One suitable example of a corrugated pallet
useful with the present invention is the multi-runner corrugated
pallet produced by Weyerhaeuser Company's Spacekraft.RTM. business.
The base 24 also includes a buildup 41 on the top side--opposite
the side having the runners 43. The buildup 41 is essentially a
berm of corrugated material that substantially defines the at least
a portion of the sidewall arrangement profile. In this manner, the
buildup 41 provides base support to the sidewall arrangement
22.
[0022] The runners 43 on the base 24 allow machines, such as fork
lifts (not shown) to move the entire aerial delivery system 20 once
loaded with content 27. Thus, an aircraft 72 may be loaded
relatively quickly when necessary. Likewise, any number of aerial
delivery systems 20 may be assembled and stored in a ready state
for use.
[0023] FIGS. 4-10 depict various blanks and erected elements
configured to form a various parts of the aerial delivery system
20. The various blanks used to form the components of the aerial
delivery system 20 are preferably constructed from a single piece
of formable material such as, without limitation, sheets of
cellulose-based materials formed from cellulose materials such as
wood pulp, straw, cotton, bagasse, or the like. Cellulose-based
materials used in the present invention come in many forms such as
containerboard and corrugated containerboard. Likewise, additional
forms may include single wall, double wall and triple wall
corrugated containerboard materials. Still further, where
additional strength is necessary, the cellulose-based materials may
have more walls than a triple wall material, such as, four our
greater walls. For purposes of this application, a wall is defined
as a corrugated containerboard material having a corrugated medium
between two liner sheets. Thus, a single wall corrugated
containerboard material has two liner sheets and one corrugated
medium. A double wall corrugated material has three liner sheets
and two corrugated mediums. As a general rule, the number of
"walls" is increased from a single wall corrugated containerboard
material via adding one more liner sheet and one more corrugated
member for each added "wall". The various blanks are cut and
scored, perforated or other formed to include a plurality of panels
that when erected and assembled form the aerial delivery system 20.
In all FIGURES, like numbers indicate like parts. Additionally, cut
lines are shown as solid lines, score lines as dashed lines, and
lines of perforation as broken lines.
[0024] With specific reference to FIG. 4, the one possible
configuration for the sidewall arrangement blank 32 is depicted.
The sidewall arrangement blank 32 is a single sheet of cellulose
material arranged to form a variety of side panels 34 that when
erected form a generally octagon shaped sidewall assembly profile.
As depicted in this FIGURE, there are no bottom flaps or panels
(not shown) included. However, it will be appreciated that the
sidewall arrangement 22 may also include any variety of bottom
flaps or panels as is determined desirable. As bottom flaps/panels
are known in the art a detailed discussion or FIGURES showing their
arrangement is not necessary herein to understand this aspect of
the invention. Additionally the sidewall arrangements 22 depicted
in FIG. 4 are configured to form an octagonal shaped sidewall
arrangement profile. However, it will be appreciated that an aerial
delivery system 20 having other geometries, such as, without
limitation, square or rectangular, may also be employed with this
invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the
present invention. Further, it will be appreciated that if the
geometry of the sidewall assembly 22 is altered, the other various
element of the aerial delivery system 20 may also be altered
accordingly without departing from the spirit and scope of the
present invention. The sidewall assembly 22 may also include any
number of metal or polymer bands 75 wrapped around the sidewall
assembly's 22 outer surface to add hoop strength to the aerial
delivery system 20.
[0025] With respect to FIGS. 5 and 6, elements of the top cover 26
are shown in more detail. The top cover 26 includes a top cover
shell 29 and a top plate 44, laminated or otherwise joined together
to form a single piece top cover 26. Specifically the top cover
shell 29 includes a top panel 44. Top panel 44 includes opposed
first top panel side flaps 46 hingedly connected to the top panel
44 along fold lines 31. Additionally, the top panel 44 includes
opposed second top panel side flaps 48 attached along a fold line
33. The first top panel side flaps 46 have disposed on opposing
ends corner panels 52 hingedly connected to the first top pane side
flaps 46 along a fold line 37. Positioned off an edge of the corner
panel 52 is the corner panel flap 54, which is hingedly connected
to the corner panel 52 along a fold line 35. Further disposed
through a surface of the top panel 44 are bores 38. Positioned in
the second top panel side flaps 48 near the opposed ends are slots
50. Likewise, formed in the fold line 33 are additional slots 50.
The various slots 50 are generally positioned and configured to
receive the corner panel flap 54 when the top cover 26 is
erected.
[0026] FIG. 6 depicts an aspect of the top plate 36. The top plate
36 is generally sized and shaped in the same size and shape as the
top panel 44. Further, the top plate 36 includes bores 38
positioned as the bores in the top panel 44.
[0027] The top plate 36 is laminated or otherwise attached to the
top panel 44 of the top cover shell 29 such that the respective
bores 38 align. In an embodiment, the top cover shell 29 is a
double wall cellulose-based material and the top plate 36 is a
triple wall material. When laminated or otherwise joined, the top
cover 26 has a five wall thickness in the top panel 44/top plate 36
region. It will be appreciated that such an arrangement is merely
exemplary. As discussed above, the elements that make up the
components of the aerial delivery system 20 may include any number
of walls, from single wall on up without departing from the spirit
and scope of the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 7 depicts an aspect of the base plate 58 that is
moveable within the sidewall arrangement 22. This configuration of
the base plate 38 includes a base panel 60 which is substantially
rectangular in shape. The base panel 60 includes at its corners two
different folding tab slot assemblies. The first corner assembly 68
is depicted in the upper half of FIG. 7. Specifically a base plate
corner panel 62 is hingedly connected with the base plate 60 along
a fold line 41. Interposed with the fold line 41 is a slot 66 that
lies along the fold line 41. The base plate corner panel 62
includes a base plate comer panel tab 64 extending from an outer
surface of the base plate corner panel 62. Conversely, the second
corner assembly 70 is somewhat similar to the first comer assembly
68; however, with two primary distinctions. First, the slot 66 does
not lie along the fold line as indicated by 43. Rather, the slot 66
is positioned between the fold line 43 and an outer periphery of
the respective base plate corner tab 64. Secondly, the base plate
corner panel tab 64 of the second corner assembly is somewhat
smaller than the base plate corner panel tab 64 of the first corner
assembly 68.
[0029] With specific reference to FIG. 8, it will be appreciated
how this aspect of the base plate 50 is configured. Specifically,
opposing base plates 50 are such that one first corner panel
assembly 68 of one base plate 58 lays juxtaposed one second corner
assembly 70 of another base plate 58. In this manner, the first
corner assembly 68 may be folded upwardly along a fold line 41.
Likewise the respective second corner assembly 70 may be folded
upwardly along fold line 43. The respective base plate corner panel
tabs 64 may then be inserted into the respective slots of the other
base plate 58. In this manner a locking arrangement is achieved
between the two panels. As best seen in FIG. 8, this configuration
of the base plate 58 provides an open area between the joined base
panels 60, forming a bag cassette. Within this space, contents 27,
such as, without limitation, a bag 74 filled with water or fire
retardant chemicals may be place. It will be appreciated that the
opposed respective base panels 60 will provide a level of
protection to the contents 27 placed therein.
[0030] FIGS. 9 and 10 depict another aspect of the base plate 58.
In this configuration, the base plate 58 is in the form of a tray
76. The tray blank 80 includes a tray bottom panel 82. The trap
bottom panel 82 includes tray side panels 84 hingedly attached to
the tray bottom panel 82 along fold lines 81. Further, the tray
side panels 84 includes tray side panel flaps 86 disposed on
opposed ends of the tray side panel 84 along hinge lines 83. An
outer tray corner panel 88 is hingedly attached to the tray bottom
panel 82 along a fold line 85. The position of the outer tray
corner panel 88 is interposed between respective tray side panels
84. Fold line 85 further includes a tray panel slot formed within
the fold line 85. an inner tray corner panel 90 is attached with
the outer tray corner panel along a fold line 87. Extending from an
outer periphery of the inner tray corner panel 90 is a tray tab 92.
The tray tab 92 and the tray slot 94 are configured to engage on
another once the tray blank 80 is erected into a tray 76.
[0031] FIG. 10 depicts the tray 76 formed by the erection of tray
blank 80. Specifically, the tray side walls 84 are folded upwardly
along fold lines 81. Also tray side panel flap 86 may be folded
inwardly slightly along fold line 83. The outer tray comer panel 88
may then be upwardly along fold line 85 and subsequently the inner
tray comer panel 90 may be folded downwardly along fold line 87 to
bring the outer tray comer panel 88 juxtaposed the inner tray
corner panel 90. The tray tab 92 may then be inserted into the tray
slot 94 to substantially lock the tray 76 in place. In this
configuration, the tray does not include a cover, rather only
bottom and side support/protection for the contents 27.
[0032] Further, it will be appreciated that additional embodiments
may be used as the moveable base plate 58. The general function of
the base plate 58 is to provide a bottom surface for the sidewall
arrangement 22, thereby providing bottom support the contents 27
placed therein. Additionally, the base plate 58 should be moveable
within the sidewall arrangement 22. In this manner the base plate
58 does not impede content deployment once the opening of the
aerial delivery system 20 is initiated.
[0033] FIGS. 12a-12e depicts one possible use for the aerial
delivery system 20 of the present invention. Specifically, the
container is shown being deployed from an aircraft 72. As seen in
FIG. 12a, the aerial delivery system 20 may be transported in an
aircraft 72 to a deployment area. Once the deployment area is
reached, the aerial delivery system 20 may be dropped from the
aircraft 72 as depicted in FIG. 12b. After being dropped, the
aerial delivery system 20 enters the aircraft's slip stream. At
this time, the overhang 78 acts as a parachute to pull to top cover
from the other aerial delivery system 20 components, as depicted in
FIG. 12c. As depicted in FIG. 12d, the straps 28 become taunt and
initiate dispensing of the contents 27. As the aerial delivery
system dispenses the contents 27, the contents 27 will cover a
desired dispersion area 96, as depicted in FIG. 12e.
[0034] It will be appreciated that the length of the straps 28 and
the amount of overhang may be configured to let the aerial delivery
system 20 drop a desired distance from the aircraft 72 before
dispensing the contents 27. In this manner, an aircraft 72 may be
flown at a higher elevation while still dispensing the contents 27
in an optimal manner at a lower elevation. Likewise, this
flexibility allows the aerial delivery system 20 to be deployed
from a variety of aircraft 72 having variable flight
characteristics. It will be appreciated that this aerial box
delivery system 20 may be used in a variety of manners to deploy
any variety of contents 27. In one manner it may be used to deploy
water or fire retardant chemicals on fires stored in bags 74 within
the sidewall assembly 22. Additionally, the contents of the aerial
box delivery system 20 may be natural or man-made materials of a
non-liquid nature. One suitable, non limiting example is coconut
husks. It has been found that coconut husks have a unique
characteristic in that they absorb petroleum products without
absorbing water. As such, the aerial delivery system 20 may be used
with coconut husks as contents 27 to rapidly and accurately respond
to maritime oils spills to limit environmental damage.
Additionally, it will be appreciated that the aerial delivery
system 20 may be used to accurately deploy any variety of contents
27 to nearly any location, be it sea or land.
[0035] While various embodiments of the invention has been
illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined
entirely by reference to the claims that follow.
* * * * *