Breakaway lacing for emergency evacuation slide

• US 20040094361A1
• Filed: 09/24/2003
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Goodrich Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Goodrich Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Gronlund, Alan W., Melander, Clarence S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,959,658 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 182/48
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 25/14 Inflatable escape chutes

Abstract

A method of lacing together two parts of an inflatable evacuation slide uses a single piece of cord that is passed through multiple pairs of apertures formed in the two parts to be joined. Thereafter, the loops formed by passing the cord through the multiple apertures are laced together and secured with a conventional key loop. In operation, once the key loop is released, since the lacing is composed of a single length of cord, rather than multiple independent loops, the tension in all of the lacing is released simultaneously thereby allowing the lacing to unravel reliably irrespective of the load on the lacing.

Claims

1. A method of lacing together portions of an inflatable evacuation slide system comprising:

providing a first panel composed of a first flexible material, said first panel having a first edge and a first plurality of apertures;

providing a second panel composed of a second material, said second panel having a second edge and a second plurality of apertures corresponding to said first plurality of apertures;

providing a length of cord having a first end and a second end;

attaching said cord to one of said first panel and said second panel;

passing a portion of said cord through each of said first plurality of apertures to form a plurality of loops including a first loop proximal said first end, a second loop adjacent said first loop, and a remainder of said plurality of loops including a last loop proximal said second end of said cord;

passing each of said plurality of loops through corresponding apertures of said second plurality of apertures;

thereafter threading each of said plurality of loops through an immediately preceding adjacent loop beginning with threading said second loop through said first loop and continuing with said remainder of said plurality of loops until said last loop is reached;

and securing said last loop to one of said first and second panels.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said last loop comprises a key loop formed by tying a knot in said cord proximal said second end.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said last loop comprises a key loop formed by attaching said cord to one of said first panel and said second panel proximal said second end of said cord.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said first plurality of apertures is disposed along said first edge of said first panel and said second plurality of apertures is disposed along said second edge of said second panel.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

attaching a remotely actuated cord cutter to said key loop.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

inserting a removable pin through said key loop to retain said key loop in a fixed position.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

attaching a remotely actuated cord cutter to said key loop.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

inserting a removable pin through said key loop to retain said key loop in a fixed position.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

attaching grommets to said first panel and said second panel to reinforce said first plurality of apertures and said second plurality of apertures.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said first panel and said second panel comprise portions of an enclosure for storing an uninflated, stored evacuation slide within an aircraft.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said first panel and said second panel comprise portions of a compartment for storing an un-inflated extensible toe portion of an inflatable evacuation slide.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

said releasable member comprises a pin threaded through said key loop, whereby said key loop is released by withdrawing said pin from said key loop.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

said releasable member comprises a cord cutter attached to said key loop, whereby said key loop is released by said cord cutter cutting said key loop.

12. Apparatus for joining together two parts of an inflatable aircraft evacuation slide comprising:

a single strand of cord having a first end attached to one of said two parts to be joined;

two opposed rows of apertures formed one each in said two parts to be joined, each of said two opposed rows of apertures arranged respectively along an edge of each of said two parts to be joined, each of said apertures in one of said two opposed rows of apertures disposed to correspond with an aperture in the other of said two opposed rows of apertures to form a plurality of pairs of apertures;

a chain of interlocked loops formed by a portion of said single strand of cord being threaded through each of said plurality of pairs of apertures to form a plurality of loops each of which is thereafter threaded through an adjacent loop, said chain of interlocked loops terminating in a single key loop; and

a releasable member securing said key loop to one of said two parts to be joined.