Deployment control for inflatable escape slide
First Claim
1. In an inflatable escape slide having an inboard end and an outboard portion, said slide having a panel member supported by a plurality of inflatable tubes to provide a sliding surface from an elevated egress, inflation means operative upon actuation to provide pressurized fluid to said tubes to inflate said tubes to form an extended slide, a restraint control device interconnecting said inboard end and said outboard portion of said escape slide, and said control device operative upon pressurization of said tubes by said inflation means to deploy said outboard portion relative to said inboard end at a continuously controlled rate from the initial pressurization of said tubes to the deployment for a length of said slide that extends from said inboard end to said outboard portion.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A deployment control for an inflatable escape slide for use in a structure such as an aircraft is disclosed wherein the escape slide has an inboard end and an toe end. The inboard end of the slide is suitably attached to an egress on the structure for deployment and extension of the slide by inflation means whereby the slide extends from an elevated egress to a ground support. The slide has inflatable tubes with a slide surface. The inflation means is operative upon actuation to provide pressurized fluids to the tubes which will inflate and distend the tubes into a longitudinally extending escape slide under the control of a restraining control device (or devices). Such device is operative upon pressurization of the tubes to deploy an outboard portion of the slide to which one end of the device is connected to move relative to the inboard end of the slide to which the other end of the device is connected at a controlled rate for a predetermined length of the slide.
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Citations
19 Claims
- 1. In an inflatable escape slide having an inboard end and an outboard portion, said slide having a panel member supported by a plurality of inflatable tubes to provide a sliding surface from an elevated egress, inflation means operative upon actuation to provide pressurized fluid to said tubes to inflate said tubes to form an extended slide, a restraint control device interconnecting said inboard end and said outboard portion of said escape slide, and said control device operative upon pressurization of said tubes by said inflation means to deploy said outboard portion relative to said inboard end at a continuously controlled rate from the initial pressurization of said tubes to the deployment for a length of said slide that extends from said inboard end to said outboard portion.
- 8. In an inflatable escape slide for an airplane structure, said slide having an inboard end and an outboard portion, said escape slide having a plurality of inflatable tubes and a sliding surface for use from an elevated egress on such airplane structure, means for supporting said inboard end at said structure, inflation means operative upon actuation to provide pressurized fluid to said tubes to inflate said tubes to form a longitudinally extending slide, a frictional control device mounted on said inboard end of said slide adjacent to said egress on said airplane structure, said control device having a webbing wound thereon with the outermost end portion of said webbing connected to said outboard portion, said control device operative upon initial pressurization of said tubes to deploy said outboard portion relative to said inboard end by the unwinding of said webbing, and said control device having the rate of deployment of a given length of said slide, and each of said control devices rendered inoperative upon completion of its controlled length of deployment.
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15. In an inflatable escape slide having an inboard end, an outboard portion and a toe end;
- said slide having a plurality of inflatable tubes and a panel member that extend in a longitudinal direction providing a sliding surface from an elevated egress;
inflation means operative upon actuation to provide pressurized fluid to said tubes to inflate said tubes to form said slide;
at least a pair of restraint control devices interconnecting certain portions of said slide;
one of said control devices interconnects said inboard end and an intermediate portion of said slide;
the other one of said control devices interconnects said toe end and another portion of said slide;
said another portion of said slide being located between said inboard end and said intermediate portion of said slide;
said other one of said control devices operative after completion of operation of said one control device; and
said control devices operative to continuously control restrained deployment of said escape slide into its full longitudinal length by maintaining a restraining force during deployment. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
- said slide having a plurality of inflatable tubes and a panel member that extend in a longitudinal direction providing a sliding surface from an elevated egress;
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18. In an inflatable escape slide having an inboard end and a toe end, said slide having an outboard portion located between said inboard end and said toe end, said slide having a plurality of inflatable longitudinally extending tubes with laterally spaced side portions that define a first side portion and a second side portion, each side portion extends from said inboard end to said toe end, inflation means operative upon actuation to pressurize and inflate said tubes to form said slide, a first control device mounted on said first side portion interconnecting said inboard end on said first side portion to said outboard portion on said first side portion, a second control device mounted on said second side portion interconnecting said inboard end on said second side portion to said outboard portion on said second side portion, and said control devices operative upon pressurization of said tubes to deploy said outboard portion relative to said inboard end at a continuously controlled rate of deployment for a length of said slide that extends from said inboard end to said outboard portion.
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19. In an inflatable escape slide for an aircraft having an inboard end located adjacent an egress door of an aircraft and an outboard portion, said outboard portion located remotely from said inboard end, said slide having a plurality of inflatable tubes and a slide panel to provide a sliding surface upon inflation of said tubes, inflation mean operative upon actuation to provide pressurized fluid to said tubes adjacent to said inboard end for distending said tubes to form a longitudinally extending slide with laterally spaced guides, two control devices mounted on said escape slide, each of said control devices having a housing and a spool, said spool journaled in said housing for rotation, a webbing wound onto each of said spools, one control device mounted on each of said guides adjacent to said inboard end, said housings of each control device secured to said inboard end of said slide, each control device having a braking means to frictionally control the unwinding of said webbing from said spool, and each webbing having its outermost end secured to one of said guides at said outboard portion to control the deployment of said outboard portion relative to said inboard end.
Specification