Evacuation slide with beam structure comprising four-point cross section
First Claim
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1. An inflatable slide comprising:
- an elongated member comprising a sliding surface; and
a support structure supporting the elongated member, the support structure comprising a first rail beam and a second rail beam bordering opposites sides of the elongated member,wherein the first rail beam and the second rail beam are inflatable,wherein the first rail beam and the second rail beam each have a four-point cross section,wherein the four-point cross section is made from inflatable chambers and is defined by;
a longitudinal pair of opposite arcuate sections comprising a first arcuate section having a first peak point and a second arcuate section having a second peak point, wherein a first large transverse dimension extends between the first peak point the second peak point, anda transverse pair of opposite arcuate sections comprising a third arcuate section having a third peak point and a fourth arcuate section having a fourth peak point, wherein a second large transverse dimension extends between the third peak point and the fourth peak point,wherein the first large transverse dimension intersects the second large transverse dimension, andwherein the four-point cross section is further defined by a first indent formed between the first arcuate section and the fourth arcuate section, a second indent formed between the second arcuate section and the third arcuate section, a third indent formed between the third arcuate section and the first arcuate section, and a fourth indent formed between the second arcuate section and the fourth arcuate section, wherein a first small transverse dimension extends between the first indent and the second indent and a second small transverse dimension extends between the third indent and the fourth indent.
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Abstract
According to various embodiments, disclosed is a beam structure comprising a four-point cross section for an inflatable article comprising an inflatable slide. The beam structure has greater beam strength and provides greater structural support than an inflatable beam having a traditional circular cross section.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An inflatable slide comprising:
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an elongated member comprising a sliding surface; and a support structure supporting the elongated member, the support structure comprising a first rail beam and a second rail beam bordering opposites sides of the elongated member, wherein the first rail beam and the second rail beam are inflatable, wherein the first rail beam and the second rail beam each have a four-point cross section, wherein the four-point cross section is made from inflatable chambers and is defined by; a longitudinal pair of opposite arcuate sections comprising a first arcuate section having a first peak point and a second arcuate section having a second peak point, wherein a first large transverse dimension extends between the first peak point the second peak point, and a transverse pair of opposite arcuate sections comprising a third arcuate section having a third peak point and a fourth arcuate section having a fourth peak point, wherein a second large transverse dimension extends between the third peak point and the fourth peak point, wherein the first large transverse dimension intersects the second large transverse dimension, and wherein the four-point cross section is further defined by a first indent formed between the first arcuate section and the fourth arcuate section, a second indent formed between the second arcuate section and the third arcuate section, a third indent formed between the third arcuate section and the first arcuate section, and a fourth indent formed between the second arcuate section and the fourth arcuate section, wherein a first small transverse dimension extends between the first indent and the second indent and a second small transverse dimension extends between the third indent and the fourth indent. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An inflatable support structure comprising:
a flexible material formed into an inflatable elongated configuration having a cross section of which when inflated defines four arcuate sections each having a peak point defined by the largest radial extent of an outer surface of the inflatable support structure at each of the four arcuate sections, a first pair of opposing peak points defining a first large transverse dimension and a second pair of opposing peak points defining a second large transverse dimension, four indentations being defined perimetrically between the peak points each of the four indentations having an indent point defined by the smallest radial extent of the outer surface of the inflatable support structure between perimetrically adjacent peak points, a first pair of opposing indent points defining a first small transverse dimension and a second pair of opposing indent point defining a second small transverse dimension, wherein the four arcuate sections are formed from three or fewer inflatable chambers. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An inflatable article comprising a support structure, the support structure comprising an inflatable four-point cross section beam structure, the four-point cross section beam structure including a four-point cross section,
wherein the four-point cross section is defined by a longitudinal pair of opposite arcuate sections comprising a first arcuate section having a first peak point and a second arcuate section having a second peak point, and a transverse pair of opposite arcuate sections comprising a third arcuate section having a third peak point and a fourth arcuate section having a fourth peak point, wherein a first large transverse dimension between the first peak point and the second peak point intersects a second large transverse dimension between the third peak point and the fourth peak point, wherein the four-point cross section is further defined by a first indent formed between the first arcuate section and the fourth arcuate section, a second indent formed between the second arcuate section and the third arcuate section, a third indent formed between the third arcuate section and the first arcuate section, and a fourth indent formed between the second arcuate section and the fourth arcuate section, wherein a first small transverse dimension between the first indent and the second indent intersects a second small transverse dimension between the third indent and the fourth indent, and wherein the four-point cross section beam structure comprises three or fewer inflatable chambers.
Specification