US-20260125157-A1 - PRE-DEPLOYED STEERABLE PARAFOIL APPARATUS FOR STRATOSPHERIC GUIDED DESCENT

Abstract

A support brace for facilitating deployment of a parafoil at altitude and a related apparatus for delivering a payload to an altitude and returning the payload to Earth are provided. The support brace includes a first subsection component including (i) a connection bracket for releasably securing an inflatable balloon above the brace and (ii) an outer wall. The support brace includes a plurality of extension arms extending outwardly from the outer wall of the first subsection component, where each extension arm includes a respective distal end and angled portion, and where the angled portion of each extension arm is angled downward and away from the first subsection component. The support brace includes a parafoil support arm connecting the plurality of distal ends of the plurality of extension arms. Advantageously, the support brace ensures rapid, symmetric inflation of a parafoil and prevents tangling of the parafoil's lines.

Inventors

• Albert Caubet
• Ignasi Lluch i Cruz
• Joan Jorquera Grau
• Jesús Domínguez Cobreros
• Conor Crowe
• Hripsime Matevosyan
• Asa Jonas Ivry BLOCK

Assignees

• Near Space Labs, Inc.

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20251024

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A support brace for facilitating deployment of a parafoil at altitude, the brace comprising: a first subsection component comprising (i) a connection bracket for releasably securing an inflatable balloon above the brace and (ii) an outer wall; a plurality of extension arms extending outwardly from the outer wall of the first subsection component, wherein each extension arm comprises a respective distal end of a plurality of distal ends and a respective angled portion of a plurality of angled portions, and wherein the respective angled portion of each extension arm is angled downward and away from the first subsection component; and a parafoil support arm connecting the plurality of distal ends of the plurality of extension arms.
2. 2 . The support brace of claim 1 , wherein the first subsection component further comprises an inner void defined by an inner wall of the support brace.
3. 3 . The support brace of claim 2 , wherein the connection bracket is disposed within the inner void of the first subsection component and connected to the inner wall of the support brace by one or more brace ribbings.
4. 4 . The support brace of claim 1 , wherein the outer wall, the plurality of extension arms, and the parafoil support arm form a second subsection component defining at least two parafoil line voids.
5. 5 . The support brace of claim 4 , wherein the at least two parafoil line voids comprise a first parafoil line void and a second parafoil line void, and wherein at least one of the plurality of extension arms separates the first parafoil line void and the second parafoil line void.
6. 6 . The support brace of claim 5 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of extension arms defines portions of both the first parafoil line void and the second parafoil line void.
7. 7 . The support brace of claim 4 , wherein the at least two parafoil line voids comprise a first parafoil line void and a second parafoil line void configured to receive first and second subsets, respectively, of a set of parafoil lines.
8. 8 . The support brace of claim 4 , wherein the at least two parafoil line voids are arranged in a side-by-side configuration relative to the first subsection component.
9. 9 . The support brace of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of distal ends of the plurality of extension arms are angled downward and away from the first subsection component.
10. 10 . The support brace of claim 1 , wherein each extension arm comprises a respective inner portion of a plurality of inner portions different from the respective angled portion of the extension arm, and wherein the plurality of inner portions of the plurality of extension arms define a plane.
11. 11 . The support brace of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of distal ends are angled downward and away from the plane.
12. 12 . The support brace of claim 1 , wherein the parafoil support arm is configured to bias a parafoil downward and away from the first subsection component.
13. 13 . The support brace of claim 1 , wherein a set of parafoil lines is configured to contact the parafoil support arm when a parafoil coupled to the set of parafoil lines has a semi-deployed configuration.
14. 14 . An apparatus for delivering a payload to an altitude and returning the payload to Earth, the apparatus comprising: a parafoil deployable from a semi-deployed configuration to an inflated configuration; a support brace for facilitating deployment of the parafoil at altitude, the support brace comprising: a first subsection component comprising (i) a connection bracket for releasably securing an inflatable balloon above the support brace and (ii) an outer wall; a plurality of extension arms extending outwardly from the outer wall of the first subsection component, wherein each extension arm comprises a respective distal end of a plurality of distal ends and a respective angled portion of a plurality of angled portions, and wherein the respective angled portion of each extension arm is angled downward and away from the first subsection component; and a parafoil support arm connecting the plurality of distal ends of the plurality of extension arms, wherein the parafoil is releasably connected to the parafoil support arm; a payload; a set of payload support lines connecting the first subsection component of the support brace to the payload; and a set of parafoil lines connecting the parafoil to the payload, wherein the parafoil is released from the parafoil support arm when the parafoil deploys from the semi-deployed configuration toward the inflated configuration.
15. 15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the parafoil remains connected to the payload by the set of parafoil lines when the parafoil deploys from the semi-deployed configuration toward the inflated configuration.
16. 16 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the parafoil support arm biases the parafoil downward and away from the first subsection component when the parafoil is arranged in the semi-deployed configuration.
17. 17 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the parafoil is positioned adjacent to the support brace when the parafoil is arranged in the semi-deployed configuration.
18. 18 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the parafoil is positioned above the support brace, the set of parafoil lines, the set of payload support lines, and the payload when the parafoil is arranged in the inflated configuration.
19. 19 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the parafoil is releasably connected to the parafoil support arm by the set of parafoil lines.
20. 20 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the support brace comprises at least two parafoil line voids that organize the set of parafoil lines.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/717,513, filed on Nov. 7, 2024, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes. TECHNICAL FIELD In general, various embodiments of this disclosure relate to a structure and assembly device for parafoil deployment and, more specifically, to a support brace that facilitates the deployment of a parafoil at high altitudes and enables guided descent of a payload to a predefined ground point. BACKGROUND To date, methods for preparing and deploying a parafoil from a pre-deployed state at high altitude (e.g., stratospheric altitudes) have been met with various challenges. In some instances, parafoils are pre-folded and placed in a receptacle, such as a bag, but this approach requires following very specific folding techniques to ensure symmetric opening and to prevent tangling of the parafoil lines coupling the parafoil to a payload. These techniques are time consuming, require very specific skills, and remain error prone. Even with perfect folding, an incomplete, poor opening can result—especially at high altitudes where the air is thin (e.g., altitudes of over 20,000 feet and especially over 60,000 feet above sea level). Such an incomplete opening can prevent the parafoil from fully deploying to an inflated form, thereby reducing the parafoil's ability to control and slow the descent of a payload to which the parafoil is coupled. In some instances, pre-deployed parafoils connected to a set of semi-rigid support bars have been tried, but this approach has also resulted in significant tangling of the parafoil lines. SUMMARY In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates to an improved support brace for facilitating the deployment of a parafoil at an altitude and a related apparatus for delivering a payload to an altitude and returning the payload to earth using such a support brace. In one aspect, embodiments of the invention feature a support brace for facilitating the deployment of a parafoil at an altitude. The support brace includes a first subsection component including (i) a connection bracket for releasably securing an inflatable balloon above the brace and (ii) an outer wall. The support brace includes a plurality of extension arms extending outwardly from the outer wall of the first subsection component, where each extension arm includes a respective distal end of a plurality of distal ends and a respective angled portion of a plurality of angled portions, and where the respective angled portion of each extension arm is angled downward and away from the first subsection component. The support brace includes a parafoil support arm connecting the plurality of distal ends of the plurality of extension arms. One or more of the following features may be included. The first subsection component can further include an inner void defined by an inner wall of the support brace. In some variations, the connection bracket can be disposed within the inner void of the first subsection component and connected to the inner wall of the support brace by one or more brace ribbings. The outer wall, the plurality of extension arms, and the parafoil support arm can form a second subsection component defining at least two parafoil line voids. The at least two parafoil line voids can include a first parafoil line void and a second parafoil line void, where at least one of the plurality of extension arms separates the first parafoil line void and the second parafoil line void. The at least one of the plurality of extension arms can define portions of both the first parafoil line void and the second parafoil line void. The at least two parafoil line voids can include a first parafoil line void and a second parafoil line void configured to receive first and second subsets, respectively, of a set of parafoil lines. The at least two parafoil line voids can be arranged in a side-by-side configuration relative to the first subsection component. The plurality of distal ends of the plurality of extension arms can be angled downward and away from the first subsection component. Each extension arm can include a respective inner portion of a plurality of inner portions different from the respective angled portion of the extension arm, where the plurality of inner portions of the plurality of extension arms define a plane. In some variations, the plurality of distal ends are angled downward and away from the plane. The parafoil support arm can be configured to bias a parafoil downward and away from the first subsection component. A set of parafoil lines can be configured to contact the parafoil support arm when a parafoil coupled to the set of parafoil lines has a semi-deployed configuration. In another aspect, embodiments of the invention feature a related apparatus for delivering a payload to an altitude and returning the payload to earth. The apparatus includes a