Active vent and re-inflation system for a crash attenuation airbag
First Claim
1. A crash attenuation system for an aircraft, the system comprising:
- an airbag inflatable generally adjacent to an exterior of the aircraft;
a first gas generator in fluid communication with an interior of the airbag for inflating the airbag with gas; and
a vent system, the vent system comprising;
a vent passage being configured to allow gas to escape from within the airbag during an impact;
an actuator door configured to selectively seal the vent passage, thereby preventing gas from leaving the airbag;
an actuator located proximate to the actuator door; and
an actuator duct that provides fluid communication between a second gas generator and the actuator;
wherein deployment of gas from the second gas generator causes the actuator to inflate, thereby causing the actuator door to seal the vent passage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A crash attenuation system has an airbag inflatable generally adjacent to an exterior of the aircraft. The system includes a gas generator in fluid communication with an interior of the airbag. The system also includes a vent system having a vent passage supported by the aircraft, the vent passage being configured to allow gas to escape from within the airbag during an impact. The vent system also includes an actuator door for sealing the vent passage, thereby preventing gas from leaving the airbag. The actuator door is actuated by an actuator, the actuator being in fluid communication with the gas generator through an actuator duct. The system operates such that deployment of gas from the gas generator causes the actuator to inflate, thereby causing the actuator door to seal the vent passage. The gas generator is configured to re-inflate the airbag after the actuator door seals the vent passage.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A crash attenuation system for an aircraft, the system comprising:
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an airbag inflatable generally adjacent to an exterior of the aircraft; a first gas generator in fluid communication with an interior of the airbag for inflating the airbag with gas; and a vent system, the vent system comprising; a vent passage being configured to allow gas to escape from within the airbag during an impact; an actuator door configured to selectively seal the vent passage, thereby preventing gas from leaving the airbag; an actuator located proximate to the actuator door; and an actuator duct that provides fluid communication between a second gas generator and the actuator; wherein deployment of gas from the second gas generator causes the actuator to inflate, thereby causing the actuator door to seal the vent passage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of operating a crash attenuation airbag on an aircraft, the method comprising:
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detecting a crash condition of the aircraft, the crash condition indicating that subsequent flotation of the aircraft is desirable; inflating the crash attenuation airbag prior to impact, the inflating occurring with a gas generator; venting the crash attenuation airbag during impact, the venting occurring by allowing gas to exit the airbag through a vent passage; sealing the vent passage in order to cease venting of the airbag, the sealing of the vent passage occurring by closing an actuator door by communicating pressurized gas to an actuator, the pressurized gas sourcing from the gas generator, the actuator expanding from the pressurized gas so as to forcibly close the actuator door; and re-inflating the airbag with the gas generator so that the airbag aids in flotation of the aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification