Dual configuration evacuation assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10457406-B2
Application number	US-201715466473-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2017
Priority date	Mar 22, 2017
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

An evacuation assembly of an aircraft may include an evacuation slide and a sheet coupled to the evacuation slide. The sheet may be deployable in a negative lift configuration and a canopy configuration. In the negative lift configuration, the sheet may extend across at least a portion of an underside of the evacuation slide. In the canopy configuration, the sheet may extend over at least a portion of a top side of the evacuation slide. The evacuation assembly may also include a support that is coupled to and extends between the top side of the evacuation slide and the sheet in response to the sheet being in the canopy configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An evacuation assembly of an aircraft, the evacuation assembly comprising:
an evacuation slide; and
a sheet coupled to the evacuation slide, wherein the sheet is deployable in a negative lift configuration and a canopy configuration;
wherein:
in the negative lift configuration the sheet extends across at least a portion of an underside of the evacuation slide;
in the canopy configuration the sheet extends over at least a portion of a top side of the evacuation slide;
the evacuation slide comprises a longitudinal axis, a first longitudinally extending border tube, and a second longitudinally extending border tube;
the first longitudinally extending border tube and the second longitudinally extending border tube extend parallel to the longitudinal axis to form opposing lateral edges of the evacuation slide;
a first portion of the sheet is affixed to the first longitudinally extending border tube; and
a second portion of the sheet, at least in the canopy configuration, is detachably coupled to the second longitudinally extending border tube.

2. The evacuation assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sheet does not extend across an entire width of an underside of the evacuation slide, such that the second portion of the sheet is detachably coupled to a first connection point of the evacuation slide in the negative lift configuration and the second portion of the sheet is detachably coupled to a second connection point of the evacuation slide in the canopy configuration, wherein the first connection point and second connection point are at different locations.

3. The evacuation assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the sheet is permanently bonded to the first longitudinally extending border tube.

4. The evacuation assembly of claim 1 , wherein in the negative lift configuration the sheet and the underside of the evacuation slide are cumulatively shaped and configured to produce negative lift in response to air flowing across the evacuation slide in a width direction, wherein the width direction is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the evacuation slide.

5. The evacuation assembly of claim 4 , wherein the evacuation slide comprises a head portion and a toe portion, wherein the longitudinal axis extends centrally along a length of the evacuation slide from the head portion to the toe portion, wherein in the negative lift configuration a top length of a top air flow path across the top side of the toe portion of the evacuation slide in the width direction is less than a bottom length of a bottom air flow path across the sheet and the underside of the toe portion of the evacuation slide in the width direction.

6. The evacuation assembly of claim 2 , wherein:
the evacuation assembly comprises a support; and
the support is coupled to and extends between the top side of the evacuation slide and the sheet in the canopy configuration.

7. The evacuation assembly of claim 6 , wherein
the support is disposed in a middle section between the first longitudinally extending border tube and the second longitudinally extending border tube.

8. The evacuation assembly of claim 7 , wherein:
the support is a first support; and
the evacuation slide comprises a second support that is longitudinally spaced apart from the first support and that is disposed in the middle section.

9. An evacuation assembly of an aircraft, the evacuation assembly comprising:
an evacuation slide comprising a longitudinal axis and a first longitudinally extending border tube and a second longitudinally extending border tube that extend parallel to the longitudinal axis to form opposing lateral edges of the evacuation slide;
a sheet coupled to the evacuation slide, wherein:
the sheet is deployable in a negative lift configuration and a canopy configuration;
in the negative lift configuration the sheet extends across at least a portion of an underside of the evacuation slide;
in the canopy configuration the sheet extends over at least a portion of a top side of the evacuation slide;
a first portion of the sheet is affixed to the first longitudinally extending border tube; and
a second portion of the sheet, at least in the canopy configuration, is detachably coupled to the second longitudinally extending border tube; and

a support coupled to and extending between the top side of the evacuation slide and the sheet in response to the sheet being in the canopy configuration, wherein the support is disposed in a middle section between the first longitudinally extending border tube and the second longitudinally extending border tube.

10. A method of using an evacuation assembly of an aircraft, the method comprising:
inflating an evacuation slide such that the evacuation slide is in slide mode, wherein in the slide mode a sheet is coupled to the evacuation slide in a negative lift configuration, wherein in the negative lift configuration the sheet extends across at least a portion of an underside of the evacuation slide, wherein the evacuation slide comprises a longitudinal axis and a first longitudinally extending border tube and a second longitudinally extending border tube that extend parallel to the longitudinal axis to form opposing lateral edges of the evacuation slide;
detaching the evacuation slide from the aircraft such that the evacuation slide is in raft mode; and
after detaching the evacuation slide from the aircraft, configuring the sheet in a canopy configuration, wherein in the canopy configuration the sheet extends over at least a portion of a top side of the evacuation slide, wherein a first portion of the sheet is affixed to the first longitudinally extending border tube of the evacuation slide and a second portion of the sheet is detachably coupled to the evacuation slide, wherein configuring the sheet in the canopy configuration comprises:
detaching the second portion of the sheet from the evacuation slide;
retracting the sheet from the underside of the evacuation slide;
extending the sheet over the portion of the top side of the evacuation slide; and
after extending the sheet over the portion of the top side of the evacuation slide, attaching the second portion of the sheet to the second longitudinally extending border tube of the evacuation slide.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein configuring the sheet in the canopy configuration is performed in response to the evacuation slide being in the raft mode.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein a support is coupled to the top side of the evacuation slide and is disposed in a middle section of the evacuation slide between the first and second longitudinally extending border tubes, wherein extending the sheet over the portion of the top side of the evacuation slide comprises coupling the sheet to the support.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Haynes Timothy C
• Schmidt Ryan

Classifications

• B63B2027/145

  Inflatable ramps · CPC title

• B63C9/22

  Devices for holding or launching life-buoys, inflatable life-rafts, or other floatable life-saving equipment (equipment for handling life-boats or the like B63B23/00) · CPC title

• B64D25/14 Primary

  Inflatable escape chutes · CPC title