Aircraft evacuation slide with primary gas relief valve
First Claim
1. An inflatable aircraft evacuation slide system comprising:
- an inflatable evacuation slide stored in an undeployed condition;
a source of inflation gas for inflating said inflatable evacuation slide;
a control circuit; and
a control valve, said control valve comprising;
a valve body defining an interior chamber and an inlet port in fluid communication with said source of inflation gas,a primary valve member, said primary valve member disposed in a fluid path between said inlet port and said interior chamber, said primary valve member opening in response to an external signal to permit pressurized fluid to flow from said inlet port into said interior chamber,a primary outlet port having a first end opening into said interior chamber and a second end in fluid communication with said inflatable evacuation slide, anda gas relief outlet disposed in a gas flow path between said interior chamber and said inflatable evacuation slide, said gas relief valve having a vent port opening into a region external to said valve body, said gas relief outlet further comprising a normally-open valve, open to the vent port opening, and an actuator, said actuator responsive to a signal from said control circuit to move said normally-open valve into a closed position to close said vent port of said gas relief outlet.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An emergency evacuation slide system includes a control valve having a normally-open vent that closes after a predetermined period of time calculated to vent excess inflation gas produced by the gas generator. In operation, in the event of an aircraft emergency exit door being opened in the “armed” condition, the primary valve member of the control valve is opened allowing inflation gas to flow into the valve chamber. A portion of the gas entering the chamber is vented through the normally-open vent. After a predetermined period of time calculated to be sufficient to vent the excess inflation gas, the normally-open valve is closed to divert 100% of the remaining inflation gas into the evacuation slide.
22 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An inflatable aircraft evacuation slide system comprising:
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an inflatable evacuation slide stored in an undeployed condition; a source of inflation gas for inflating said inflatable evacuation slide; a control circuit; and a control valve, said control valve comprising; a valve body defining an interior chamber and an inlet port in fluid communication with said source of inflation gas, a primary valve member, said primary valve member disposed in a fluid path between said inlet port and said interior chamber, said primary valve member opening in response to an external signal to permit pressurized fluid to flow from said inlet port into said interior chamber, a primary outlet port having a first end opening into said interior chamber and a second end in fluid communication with said inflatable evacuation slide, and a gas relief outlet disposed in a gas flow path between said interior chamber and said inflatable evacuation slide, said gas relief valve having a vent port opening into a region external to said valve body, said gas relief outlet further comprising a normally-open valve, open to the vent port opening, and an actuator, said actuator responsive to a signal from said control circuit to move said normally-open valve into a closed position to close said vent port of said gas relief outlet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of inflating an aircraft evacuation slide comprising:
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providing an inflatable evacuation slide stored in an undeployed condition; providing a source of inflation gas for inflating said inflatable evacuation slide; providing a control circuit; and providing a control valve comprising a valve body defining an interior chamber, an inlet port, a primary valve member disposed in a fluid path between said inlet port and said interior chamber, a primary outlet port disposed in a fluid path between said interior chamber and said inflatable evacuation slide, and a gas relief outlet comprising a normally-open valve, open to the vent port opening, disposed in a fluid path between said interior chamber and a region external to said valve body; opening said primary valve member to permit a flow of inflation gas to flow from said source of inflation gas into the interior chamber of said valve body; venting a first portion of said flow of inflation gas through said gas relief outlet; and providing a signal from said control circuit to close said normally-open valve after a predetermined period of time, whereby a second portion of said flow of inflation gas is directed through said primary outlet port into said inflatable evacuation slide. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification