Inline aspirator for inflatable assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11110998-B2
Application number	US-202016852031-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 17, 2020
Priority date	Jul 30, 2018
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

An inline for an inflatable assembly may comprise a first end defining a primary gas inlet and a second end defining a primary gas outlet. An internal surface may define a flow path extending from the primary gas inlet to the primary gas outlet. An orifice may be located between the first end and the second end. The orifice may be defined, at least partially, by a radial wall extending from the internal surface to the external surface. The orifice may be configured to entrain ambient air with a primary gas flowing from the primary gas inlet to the primary gas outlet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inline aspirator for an inflatable assembly, comprising:
a first end defining a primary gas inlet;
a second end defining a primary gas outlet;
an internal surface defining a flow path extending from the primary gas inlet to the primary gas outlet, wherein the internal surface is oriented toward a central axis extending from the primary gas inlet to the primary gas outlet;
an external surface opposite the internal surface, wherein the external surface is oriented away from the central axis; and
an orifice located between the first end and the second end and extending from the internal surface to the external surface, wherein the orifice is defined, at least partially, by a radial wall extending from the internal surface to the external surface, and wherein the radial wall is sloped such that a radially outward portion of the radial wall is located closer to the primary gas inlet as compared to a radially inward portion of the radial wall, and wherein an inlet of the orifice is defined by the external surface and an outlet of the orifice is defined by the internal surface.

2. The inline aspirator of claim 1 , wherein a slope of the radial wall is configured such that ambient air flowing through the orifice enters the flow path in a streamwise direction.

3. The inline aspirator of claim 2 , wherein the internal surface defines a choke, a convergent section upstream of the choke, and a divergent section downstream of the choke.

4. The inline aspirator of claim 3 , wherein a first diameter of the internal surface upstream of the convergent section is equal to a second diameter of the internal surface downstream of the divergent section.

5. The inline aspirator of claim 4 , wherein the outlet of the orifice is located proximate the choke.

6. The inline aspirator claim 5 , wherein the outlet of the orifice is located at a transition from the choke to the divergent section.

7. The inline aspirator of claim 3 , wherein in the convergent section, the internal surface is oriented at a first angle relative to the central axis of the inline aspirator, and wherein in the divergent section, the internal surface is oriented at a second angle relative to the central axis, the first angle being greater than the second angle.

8. The inline aspirator of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the internal surface or the external surface defines a threading proximate the primary gas inlet.

9. A life raft assembly, comprising:
an inflatable raft;
a conduit fluidly coupled to the inflatable raft;
a charge cylinder fluidly coupled to the conduit; and
an inline aspirator located between a first portion of the conduit and a second portion of the conduit, the inline aspirator including:
a first end fluidly coupled to the first portion of the conduit and defining a primary gas inlet;
a second end fluidly coupled to the second portion of the conduit and defining a primary gas outlet;
an internal surface defining a flow path extending from the primary gas inlet to the primary gas outlet, wherein the internal surface is oriented toward a central axis extending from the primary gas inlet to the primary gas outlet;
an external surface opposite the internal surface, wherein the external surface is oriented away from the central axis; and
an orifice located between the first end and the second end and extending from the internal surface to the external surface, wherein the orifice is defined, at least partially, by a radial wall extending from the internal surface to the external surface, and wherein the radial wall is sloped such that a radially outward portion of the radial wall is located closer to the primary gas inlet as compared to a radially inward portion of the radial wall, and wherein an inlet of the orifice is defined by the external surface and an outlet of the orifice is defined by the internal surface.

10. The life raft assembly of claim 9 , wherein the internal surface defines a choke, a convergent section upstream of the choke, and a divergent section downstream of the choke.

11. The life raft assembly of claim 10 , wherein the outlet of the orifice is located downstream of the choke.

12. The life raft assembly of claim 11 , wherein the outlet of the orifice is located at a transition from the choke to the divergent section.

13. The life raft assembly of claim 10 , wherein in the convergent section, the internal surface is oriented at a first angle relative to the central axis of the inline aspirator, and wherein in the divergent section, the internal surface is oriented at a second angle relative to the central axis, the first angle being greater than the second angle.

14. The life raft assembly of claim 13 , wherein a slope of the radial wall is configured such that ambient air flowing through the orifice enters the flow path in a streamwise direction.

15. An inflatable assembly, comprising:
an inflatable structure;
a charge cylinder fluidly coupled to the inflatable structure; and
an inline aspirator fluidly coupled between the inflatable structure and the charge cylinder, the inline aspirator including:
a first end fluidly defining a primary gas inlet;
a second end defining a primary gas outlet;
an internal surface defining a flow path extending from the primary gas inlet to the primary gas outlet, wherein the internal surface is oriented toward a central axis extending from the primary gas inlet to the primary gas outlet;
an external surface opposite the internal surface, wherein the external surface is oriented away from the central axis; and
an orifice located between the first end and the second end and extending from the internal surface to the external surface, wherein the orifice is defined, at least partially, by a radial wall extending from the internal surface to the external surface, and wherein the radial wall is sloped such that a radially outward portion of the radial wall is located closer to the primary gas inlet as compared to a radially inward portion of the radial wall, and wherein an inlet of the orifice is defined by the external surface and an outlet of the orifice is defined by the internal surface.

16. The inflatable assembly of claim 15 , wherein the internal surface defines a convergent section and a divergent section.

17. The inflatable assembly of claim 16 , wherein the outlet of the orifice is located at a transition to the divergent section.

18. The inflatable assembly of claim 15 , wherein a slope of the radial wall is configured such that ambient air flowing through the orifice enters the flow path in a streamwise direction.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Kruts Ivan
• Hartman Drew

Classifications

• B63C9/18 Primary

  Inflatable equipment characterised by the gas-generating {or inflation} device · 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

• B63C9/01

  Air-sea rescue devices, i.e. equipment carried by, and capable of being dropped from, an aircraft (inflatable vessels B63B7/00; inflatable buoys B63B22/22) · CPC title

• B63C9/00

  Life-saving in water (life-saving in general A62B; arrangement or adaptation of signalling or lighting devices for ships, other waterborne vessels or for equipment for shipping B63B45/00; rescue equipment specially adapted for submarine personnel B63G8/40) · CPC title

• B63C2009/0035

  activated by deployment of inflatable life-saving equipment · CPC title