Inflatable flow control

• US 4,312,484 A
• Filed: 05/04/1979
• Issued: 01/26/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zodiac Acquisition Corporation
• Original Assignee: The Garrett Corporation
• Inventors: Meisner, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barefoot, Galen L.
• Application Number:
  US06/036,124
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 244/105, 244/107, 244/101, 244/100 A, 244/118 P, 244/137 P, 244/DIG. 2, 244/17.17, 52/2, 137/852, 137/859, 182/48, 114/219, 114/292, 180/124, 180/116, 180/128, 180/127, 9/11 A, 267/65 A
• US Class Current: 244/17.17
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/56 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7888 With valve member flexing about securement

Abstract

A flow control is provided between an inflatable and a smaller inflatable log which positions the inflatable with respect to the craft to which it is affixed. The flow control permits the inflation of the positioning log through the inflatable but restricts the flow of fluid back from the positioning log to the inflatable.

Claims

1. A helicopter float assembly comprising:

a generally cylindrically configured inflatable helicopter float adapted to be mounted on a helicopter;

a generally cylindrically configured helicopter float positioning log generally axially aligned with said helicopter float, substantially smaller in volume and affixed to said helicopter float along an adjacent lateral surface, said helicopter float and said helicopter float positioning log having a fluid communicating opening therebetween in the lateral surface at which they are affixed together; and

a flow control device affixed to the interior of said helicopter float positioning log around the fluid communicating opening in the lateral surface affixed to the helicopter float, said flow control device including a generally circular base member affixed to the interior of the helicopter float positioning log around the fluid communicating opening therein and having an opening therethrough generally coextensive with the fluid communicating opening, and a generally circular flapper member disposed over said base member and affixed to said base member along two opposed circumferential edges thereof but otherwise free to extend outward from said base member to permit the inflation of said helicopter float positioning log from said helicopter float, said flapper member including a small bleed opening over the opening in the base member to restrict the flow of fluid from the helicopter float positioning log to said helicopter float.

2. A helicopter float assembly comprising:

a generally cylindrically configured inflatable helicopter float adapted to be mounted on a helicopter;

a generally cylindrically configured helicopter float positioning log generally axially aligned with said helicopter float, substantially smaller in volume and affixed to said helicopter float along an adjacent lateral surface, said helicopter float and said helicopter float positioning log having a fluid communicating opening therebetween in the lateral surface at which they are affixed together; and

a flow control device affixed to the interior of said helicopter float positioning log around the fluid communicating opening in the lateral surface affixed to the helicopter float, said flow control device including a base member affixed to the interior of the helicopter float positioning log around the fluid communicating opening therein and having an opening therethrough generally coextensive with the fluid communicating opening, and a flapper member disposed over said base member and affixed to said base member but otherwise free to extend outward from said base member to permit the inflation of said helicopter float positioning log from said helicopter float, said flapper member including a small bleed opening over the opening in the base member to restrict the flow of fluid from the helicopter float positioning log to said helicopter float.

3. A helicopter float assembly comprising:

an inflatable fluid holding helicopter float adapted to be mounted on a helicopter;

an inflatable fluid holding helicopter float positioning log in juxtaposition to said inflatable helicopter float and operably associated therewith at a point of contact between the exteriors thereof to position said float with respect to the helicopter, said float and said log having a fluid communicating opening therebetween at said point of contact; and

flow control means disposed in the fluid communicating opening between said helicopter float and said helicopter float positioning log to permit the inflation of said helicopter float positioning log through said helicopter float but to restrict the flow of fluid from said helicopter float positioning log to said helicopter float, said flow control means comprising a base member disposed over the fluid communicating opening between said helicopter float and said helicopter float positioning log and having an opening coextensive with the fluid communicating opening and a flapper member having a bleed opening therein affixed at two opposed edges to said base member but otherwise free to extend outward from said base member when said helicopter float positioning log is inflated from said helicopter float.

5. The helicopter float assembly of claim 3 or 4 wherein said base member and said flapper member of said flow control means are both circular.

4. A helicopter float assembly comprising:

a multi-chambered inflatable fluid holding helicopter float adapted to be mounted on a helicopter;

a multi-chambered inflatable fluid holding helicopter float positioning log in juxtaposition to said inflatable helicopter float and operably associated therewith at points of contact between the exteriors thereof to position said float with respect to the helicopter, said float and said log having fluid communicating openings therebetween at said points of contact to communicate each helicopter float chamber having a fluid communicating opening with a corresponding chamber of the helicopter float positioning log; and

flow control means disposed in each fluid communicating opening between said helicopter float chambers and said helicopter float positioning log chambers to permit the inflation of said helicopter float positioning log through said helicopter float but to restrict the flow of fluid from said helicopter float positioning log to said helicopter float, said flow control means including a base member disposed over the fluid communicating opening between said helicopter float chambers and said helicopter float positioning log chambers having an opening coextensive with the fluid communicating opening and a flapper member having a bleed opening therein affixed to two opposed edges to said base member but otherwise free to extend outward from said base member when said helicopter float positioning log is inflated from said helicopter float.