Parachute slider with stiffening elements

1. An improved slider for use with a ram air parachute having a canopy and suspension lines, the slider for slowing and controlling opening of the canopy when the parachute is deployed, the slider starting at a position adjacent a bottom of the canopy when the parachute is deployed and then being pushed downwardly as the canopy spreads and pulls outwardly on the suspension lines, the slider reaching a lower position on the suspension lines when the canopy is fully inflated, the slider comprising:

a generally rectangular body having corner grommets through which the suspension lines of the parachute pass, the body having a long axis and a short axis, the long axis being generally parallel with the longitudinal span of the ram air parachute canopy when fully inflated and having a leading edge facing the relative wind during flight of the parachute and an opposite trailing edge, the short axis extending in a fore/aft direction that is generally perpendicular to the long axis;

the body of the slider having a plurality of channels and a plurality of flexible rods inserted within said channels, respectively, said plurality of rods extending in the fore/aft direction to keep the slider spread open between the leading and trailing edges when the ram air parachute is fully inflated to reduce folding and flapping of the slider when the slider is in the lower position.

2. The improved slider as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the channels are sewn onto the slider body.

3. The improved slider as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the flexible rods are made of a flexible nylon polymer monofilament.

4. The improved slider according to claim 3 , wherein the flexible nylon polymer monofilament rods have a diameter of between 0.080 inches and 0.155 inches.

5. A ram air parachute comprising:

a ram air canopy having suspension lines connected thereto that is inflated upon deployment of the parachute; and

a slider for slowing and controlling opening of the canopy when the parachute is deployed, the slider having a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis with a generally rectangular body having corner grommets through which the suspension lines of the parachute pass, the longitudinal axis being generally parallel with a long axis of the ram air canopy when inflated, said lateral axis extending in a direction generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, the slider having a retaining structure that includes a channel formed on the body of the slider that extends along the lateral axis in a fore/aft direction, the slider starting at a position adjacent a bottom of the canopy when the parachute is deployed and then being pushed downwardly along the suspension lines as the canopy spreads out, the slider reaching a lowermost position on the suspension lines when the canopy is fully inflated; and

a stiffening element that is secured to the slider by being inserted within the channel of the retaining structure, the stiffening element being made of a material that is able to bend without breaking in order to allow for packing of the parachute while being stiff enough upon opening of the canopy to stiffen the slider in the fore/aft direction to resist folding of the slider along the lateral axis and reduce flapping when the canopy is fully inflated and the slider has moved to said lowermost position.

6. The ram air parachute according to claim 5 , wherein the retaining structure includes a plurality of channels formed on the body of the slider and extending in the fore/aft direction and longitudinally spaced from one another, said stiffening element including a plurality of stiffening elements inserted within the plurality of channels, respectively.

7. The ram air parachute according to claim 6 , wherein the stiffening elements are flexible rods made of a solid monofilament nylon polymer.

8. The ram air parachute according to claim 7 , wherein the flexible rods have a diameter of between 0.080 inches and 0.155 inches.

9. A method of retrofitting a slider to reduce flapping and noise when the slider, which is used to slow canopy opening of an unmanned ram air parachute, has reached a lowermost position upon full inflation of the canopy, comprising:

providing the slider with a plurality of retaining structures that extend in a fore/aft direction between a leading edge of the slider that faces the relative wind during descent and an opposite trailing edge, the leading and trailing edges of the slider being generally parallel with a longitudinal axis of the slider, the plurality of retaining structures being longitudinally spaced from one another and being formed by sewing a plurality of channels on the slider; and

securing stiffening elements formed as flexible rods to the slider by inserting the rods into the channel so that the rods extend end in the fore/aft direction bet we the slider leading and trailing edges, the stiffening elements, as retained on the slider by the retaining structures, serving to keep the slider spread open in the fore/aft direction when the parachute is fully inflated and the slider has reached its lowermost position.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein said flexible rods are made of a nylon polymer monofilament.

11. A parachute assembly comprising:

a parachute having suspension lines connected to a canopy that is inflated upon parachute deployment; and

a slider for slowing and controlling opening of the canopy when the parachute is deployed, the slider starting at an upper position adjacent a bottom of the canopy when the parachute is deployed and then being pushed downwardly as the canopy spreads and pulls outwardly on the suspension lines, the slider reaching a lower position on the suspension lines when the canopy is fully inflated, the slider having a leading edge and an opposite trailing edge, the leading edge facing the relative wind during descent of the parachute assembly, the slider having at least one channel extending in a fore/aft direction with a flexible rod inserted therein that stiffens the slider in the fore/aft direction to keep the slider spread open between the leading and trailing edges and reduce folding and flapping of the slider when the canopy is fully inflated and the slider is in the lower position.

12. The parachute assembly as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the parachute is a ram-air parachute.