Inflation control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10946971-B2
Application number	US-201816223161-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2018
Priority date	Aug 17, 2018
Publication date	Mar 16, 2021
Grant date	Mar 16, 2021

Abstract

An inflation control system includes a valve module and a controller. The valve module includes a first valve fluidly connected to a fluid source, a second valve fluidly connected to the first valve, and a pressure regulator fluidly connected to the second valve and an aspirator. The controller is in communication with the first valve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inflation control system, comprising:
a valve module, comprising:
a first valve having a first valve inlet selectively connected to a fluid source and a first valve outlet, and
a second valve having a second valve first inlet connected to the first valve outlet, a second valve second inlet connected to the fluid source, and a second valve outlet fluidly connected to a fluid delivery device that is fluidly connected to an inflatable structure; and

a controller in communication with the first valve.

2. The inflation control system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pressure sensor arranged to provide a pressure signal indicative of a pressure within the inflatable structure to the controller.

3. The inflation control system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a pressure regulator having a third inlet connected to the second valve outlet and a third outlet connected to the fluid delivery device.

4. The inflation control system of claim 3 , wherein responsive to a command from the controller to open the first valve, the fluid source provides a fluid flow to the first valve inlet that is delivered through the first valve outlet and is received by the second valve through the second valve inlet to move the second valve from a closed position towards an open position.

5. The inflation control system of claim 4 , wherein the fluid flow is discharged through the second valve outlet through the third inlet and the third outlet to the fluid delivery device.

6. The inflation control system of claim 5 , wherein responsive to the pressure within the inflatable structure achieving a desired inflation pressure, the controller is programmed to command the first valve to move towards a closed position.

7. The inflation control system of claim 5 , wherein responsive to the first valve moving towards the closed position, the second valve moves towards a closed position.

8. An inflation control system, comprising:
a valve module, comprising:
a first valve fluidly connected to a fluid source,
a second valve fluidly connected to the first valve, and
a pressure regulator fluidly connected to the second valve and an aspirator; and

a controller in communication with the first valve.

9. The inflation control system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a pressure sensor disposed on an inflatable structure, the pressure sensor being arranged to provide a pressure signal indicative of a pressure within the inflatable structure to the controller.

10. The inflation control system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a temperature sensor disposed on the inflatable structure, the temperature sensor being arranged to provide a temperature signal indicative of a temperature within the inflatable structure to the controller.

11. The inflation control system of claim 10 , wherein responsive to a command from the controller to open the first valve, the fluid source provides a fluid flow to the first valve that is delivered to the second valve and delivered through the pressure regulator to the aspirator.

12. The inflation control system of claim 11 , wherein responsive to the pressure within the inflatable structure achieving a desired inflation pressure, the controller is programmed to command the first valve to move towards a closed position.

13. The inflation control system of claim 12 , wherein the desired inflation pressure is at least partially based on the temperature signal.

14. The inflation control system of claim 12 , wherein responsive to the first valve moving towards the closed position, the second valve moves towards the closed position.

15. The inflation control system of claim 11 , wherein prior to the first valve opening, the pressure sensor is inhibited from providing the pressure signal and the temperature sensor is inhibited from providing the temperature signal.

16. The inflation control system of claim 11 , wherein responsive to the first valve opening, the pressure sensor is arranged to provide the pressure signal and the temperature sensor is arranged to provide the temperature signal.

17. The inflation control system of claim 10 , wherein the inflatable structure includes a plurality of temperature sensors and a plurality of pressure sensors.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• John Poly Puthur
• Shivappa Chethana
• Murthy Ravi

Classifications

• B64D25/14 Primary

  Inflatable escape chutes · CPC title

• A62B1/20 Primary

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

• B63C9/24

  Arrangements of inflating valves or of controls thereof (connecting inflating valves to elastic bodies B60C29/00) · CPC title

• F17C2270/0189

  Planes · CPC title