Pressure activated latch
First Claim
1. A pressure activated latch for latching an emergency door of an aircraft emergency flotation system, comprising:
- a latch housing including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet spaced longitudinally from the fluid inlet;
a latch pin including an interface portion that extends out of the latch housing in a latched position and a sealing portion, the latch pin being configured to slide within the latch housing between the latched position and an unlatched position in which the interface portion is retracted into the latch housing; and
an internal biasing element disposed within the latch housing and configured to bias the latch pin to the latched position,wherein the interface portion of the latch pin is engaged with a latch tab of the emergency door and the sealing portion of the latch pin is configured to prevent fluid communication between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet when the latch pin is in the latched position, andwherein the interface portion of the latch pin is disengaged from the latch tab of the emergency door and the sealing portion of the latch pin is configured to allow fluid communication between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet when the latch pin is in the unlatched position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A pressure activated latch includes a latch housing, a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, an internal biasing member and a sliding latch pin that is configured to engage a latch tab that is substantially adjacent to the latch housing. The latch pin is slidable between a first position in which the latch pin prevents fluid communication between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet and engages the latch tab and a second position in which the latch pin is disengaged from the latch tab and fluid communication is permitted between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. The internal biasing member is configured to apply a force upon the latch pin to bias it into the first position.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A pressure activated latch for latching an emergency door of an aircraft emergency flotation system, comprising:
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a latch housing including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet spaced longitudinally from the fluid inlet; a latch pin including an interface portion that extends out of the latch housing in a latched position and a sealing portion, the latch pin being configured to slide within the latch housing between the latched position and an unlatched position in which the interface portion is retracted into the latch housing; and an internal biasing element disposed within the latch housing and configured to bias the latch pin to the latched position, wherein the interface portion of the latch pin is engaged with a latch tab of the emergency door and the sealing portion of the latch pin is configured to prevent fluid communication between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet when the latch pin is in the latched position, and wherein the interface portion of the latch pin is disengaged from the latch tab of the emergency door and the sealing portion of the latch pin is configured to allow fluid communication between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet when the latch pin is in the unlatched position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An emergency flotation system, comprising
a pressurized fluid source; -
an inflatable device storage compartment including a lid and lid latching tabs; a plurality of pressure activated latches configured to selectively engage the lid latching tabs, wherein each pressure activated latch includes a latch housing that includes a fluid inlet spaced from a fluid outlet, a latch pin including a sealing portion that is slidable within the latch housing such that an interface portion of the latch pin is translatable between a first extended position and a second retracted position in which the interface portion is retracted into the latch housing, and an internal biasing element disposed within the latch housing and configured to bias the latch pin to the first extended position, wherein in the first extended position the latch pin prevents fluid communication between the inlet and the outlet and the interface portion of the latch pin is engaged with a respective lid latching tab, wherein in the second retracted position fluid communication between the inlet and the outlet is permitted and the interface portion of the latch pin is disengaged from the lid latching tab, and wherein the pressure activated latches are fluidly coupled to each other; and an inflatable device coupled in fluid communication with the pressurized fluid source through the plurality of pressure activated latches. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification