Release system for evacuation slide assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10472076-B2
Application number	US-201615262944-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2016
Priority date	Sep 12, 2016
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

A release system for an evacuation slide assembly of an aircraft includes a fluid delivery manifold, a first actuator, and a second actuator. In various embodiments, a fluid is configured to flow into and pressurize the fluid delivery manifold from a fluid source in response to an evacuation event. In various embodiments, the first actuator is fluidly coupled to the fluid delivery manifold, wherein the first actuator is configured to release a blowout panel of the evacuation slide assembly in response to the fluid pressurizing the fluid delivery manifold. In various embodiments, the second actuator is fluidly coupled to the fluid delivery manifold, wherein the second actuator is configured to release a soft cover of the evacuation slide assembly in response to the fluid pressurizing the fluid delivery manifold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A release system for an evacuation slide assembly of an aircraft, the release system comprising:
a blowout panel;
a soft cover;
wherein both the blowout panel and the soft cover are configured to be deployed by a power source in response to an evacuation event, the power source also being configured to deploy an evacuation slide, the release system further comprising:
a fluid delivery manifold, wherein the power source is a fluid power source and a fluid is configured to flow into and pressurize the fluid delivery manifold from the fluid power source in response to the evacuation event;
a first actuator fluidly coupled to the fluid delivery manifold, wherein the first actuator is configured to deploy the blowout panel in response to the fluid pressurizing the fluid delivery manifold; and
a second actuator fluidly coupled to the fluid delivery manifold, wherein the second actuator is configured to deploy the soft cover in response to the fluid pressurizing the fluid delivery manifold;
wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are non-electrically actuated.

2. The release system of claim 1 , further comprising the evacuation slide that is configured to be in operable communication with the power source, wherein the evacuation slide is configured to be deployed by the power source in response to the evacuation event.

3. The release system of claim 1 , wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are pneumatic actuators.

4. The release system of claim 1 , wherein the first actuator comprises a pneumatic ball lock.

5. The release system of claim 1 , wherein the second actuator comprises a pneumatic piston actuator.

6. The release system of claim 1 , wherein:
in a locked state the first actuator is configured to secure the blowout panel; and
in response to the fluid pressurizing the fluid delivery manifold, the first actuator is configured to transition to an unlocked state to release the blowout panel.

7. The release system of claim 1 , wherein:
in a locked state the second actuator is configured to retain an evacuation slide enclosed within the soft cover; and
in response to the fluid pressurizing the fluid delivery manifold, the second actuator is configured to transition to an unlocked state to allow release of the evacuation slide from enclosure within the soft cover.

8. The release system of claim 1 , wherein the second actuator is configured to release a key-loop of a lacing to allow the lacing to unfurl.

9. An evacuation slide assembly of an aircraft, the evacuation slide assembly comprising:
an evacuation slide mounted to the aircraft;
a charged tank fluidly coupled to the evacuation slide, wherein fluid is configured to flow from the charged tank to the evacuation slide in response to an evacuation event;
a blowout panel for retaining the evacuation slide;
a first actuator fluidly coupled to the charged tank, wherein the first actuator is configured to release the blowout panel in response to the fluid flowing from the charged tank to the first actuator;
a soft cover for retaining the evacuation slide;
a second actuator fluidly coupled to the charged tank, wherein the second actuator is configured to release the soft cover in response to the fluid flowing from the charged tank to the second actuator;
wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are pneumatic actuators.

10. The evacuation slide assembly of claim 9 , further comprising a packboard mounted to the aircraft, wherein the packboard comprises a packboard compartment.

11. The evacuation slide assembly of claim 10 , wherein the evacuation slide is mounted to the packboard.

12. The evacuation slide assembly of claim 11 , wherein the blowout panel extends across an opening of the packboard compartment, wherein the first actuator, in a locked state, secures the blowout panel relative to the packboard to retain the evacuation slide within the packboard compartment.

13. The evacuation slide assembly of claim 12 , wherein the soft cover is disposed within the packboard compartment and comprises lacing, wherein the second actuator, in a locked state, retains the evacuation slide within the soft cover.

14. The evacuation slide assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a valve for controlling flow of the fluid from the charged tank, wherein the valve is non-electrically actuated.

15. The evacuation slide assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are non-electrically actuated.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Schmidt Ryan
• Rautenbach Helperus Ritzema

Classifications

• A62B1/20

  by making use of sliding-ropes, sliding-poles or chutes, e.g. hoses, pipes, sliding-grooves, sliding-sheets · CPC title

• B64D25/14 Primary

  Inflatable escape chutes · CPC title