High pressure evacuation slide with truss-shaped side rails

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11186377-B2
Application number	US-201916276115-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2019
Priority date	Feb 14, 2019
Publication date	Nov 30, 2021
Grant date	Nov 30, 2021

Abstract

An evacuation slide may comprise a sliding surface extending from a head end of the evacuation slide to a toe end of the evacuation slide and a truss-shaped side rail located adjacent the sliding surface. An evacuation system may comprise the evacuation slide and a charge cylinder fluidly coupled to the truss-shaped side rail.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An evacuation slide, comprising:
a sliding surface extending from a head end to a toe end of the evacuation slide; and
a truss-shaped side rail located adjacent the sliding surface, the truss-shaped side rail comprising:
an upper tube including a first end located at the head end of the evacuation slide and a second end located at the toe end of the evacuation slide;
a lower tube extending from the head end to the toe end;
a plurality of diagonal tubes located along a length of the sliding surface and extending between the upper tube and the lower tube, wherein each diagonal tube of the plurality of diagonal tubes is oriented at a non-orthogonal angle relative to the lower tube, and wherein each diagonal tube of the plurality of diagonal tubes has a cylindrical shape with a circular cross-section, and
an orthogonal tube extending between the upper tube and the lower tube, wherein the orthogonal tube is generally orthogonal to the upper tube and the lower tube, and wherein the orthogonal tube is located between a first diagonal tube of the plurality of diagonal tubes and a second diagonal tube of the plurality of diagonal tubes, and wherein an upper end of each of the first diagonal tube, the orthogonal tube, and the second diagonal tube intersects a bottom surface of the upper tube, the bottom surface of the upper tube being oriented toward the lower tube, and wherein the upper end of the first diagonal tube and the upper end of the second diagonal tube are each spaced apart from the upper end of the orthogonal tube along the bottom surface of the upper tube.

2. The evacuation slide of claim 1 , further comprising a liner located over an inboard area of the truss-shaped side rail.

3. The evacuation slide of claim 2 , wherein the sliding surface is located proximate the lower tube.

4. The evacuation slide of claim 1 , wherein the upper tube is fluidly coupled to the lower tube.

5. The evacuation slide of claim 4 , wherein the first diagonal tube of the plurality of diagonal tubes is oriented at an angle of between 30° and 60° relative to the lower tube, and wherein a first upper portion of the first diagonal tube is located closer to the head end of the evacuation slide as compared to a first lower portion of the first diagonal tube, the first upper portion of the first diagonal tube being closer to the upper tube as compared to the first lower portion of the first diagonal tube.

6. The evacuation slide of claim 5 , wherein the second diagonal tube is oriented at an angle of between 30° and 60° relative to the lower tube, and wherein a second upper portion of the second diagonal tube is located closer to the toe end of the evacuation slide as compared to a second lower portion of the second diagonal tube, the second upper portion of the second diagonal tube being closer to the upper tube as compared to the second lower portion of the second diagonal tube.

7. An evacuation system, comprising:
an evacuation slide comprising a first truss-shaped side rail, the first truss-shaped side rail including:
an upper tube including a first end located a head end of the evacuation slide and second end located at a toe end of the evacuation slide;
a lower tube extending from the head end of the evacuation slide to the toe end of the evacuation slide;
a plurality of diagonal tubes extending between the upper tube and the lower tube, wherein each diagonal tube of the plurality of diagonal tubes is oriented at a non-orthogonal angle relative to the lower tube, and wherein each diagonal tube of the plurality of diagonal tubes has a cylindrical shape with a circular cross-section; and

a plurality of orthogonal tubes extending between the upper tube and the lower tube, wherein each orthogonal tube of the plurality of orthogonal tubes is generally orthogonal to the upper tube and the lower tube, and wherein each orthogonal tube is located between a pair of diagonal tubes of the plurality of diagonal tubes, each pair of diagonal tubes including a first diagonal tube of the plurality of diagonal tubes and a second diagonal tube of the plurality of diagonal tubes, and wherein an upper end of each first diagonal tube, orthogonal tube, and second diagonal tube intersects a bottom surface of the upper tube, the bottom surface of the upper tube being oriented toward the lower tube, and wherein the upper end of each first diagonal tube and the upper end of the each second diagonal tube are spaced apart along the bottom surface of the upper tube from the upper end of the orthogonal tube located between the first diagonal tube and the second diagonal tube; and
a charge cylinder fluidly coupled to the first truss-shaped side rail.

8. The evacuation system of claim 7 , wherein the second diagonal tube of each pair of diagonal tubes is oriented at an angle of between 30° and 60° relative to the lower tube, and wherein a second upper portion of the second diagonal tube of each pair of diagonal tubes is located closer to the toe end of the evacuation slide as compared to a second lower portion of the second diagonal tube of each pair of diagonal tubes, the second upper portion of the second diagonal tube of each pair of diagonal tubes being closer to the upper tube as compared to the second lower portion of the second diagonal tube of each pair of diagonal tubes.

9. The evacuation system of claim 7 , wherein the first diagonal tube of each pair of diagonal tubes is oriented at an angle of between 30° and 60° relative to the lower tube, and wherein a first upper portion of the first diagonal tube of each pair of diagonal tubes is located closer to the head end of the evacuation slide as compared to a first lower portion of the first diagonal tube of each pair of diagonal tubes, the first upper portion of the first diagonal tube of each pair of diagonal tubes being closer to the upper tube as compared to the first lower portion of the first diagonal tube of each pair of diagonal tubes.

10. The evacuation system of claim 9 , wherein the evacuation slide further comprises:
a second truss-shaped side rail; and
a slide surface extending between the first truss-shaped side rail and the second truss- shaped side rail.

11. The evacuation system of claim 10 , wherein the second truss-shaped side rail is fluidly coupled to the first truss-shaped side rail.

12. A truss-shaped side rail for an inflatable slide, comprising:
an upper tube configured to extend from a head end of the inflatable slide to a toe end of the inflatable slide;
a lower tube configured to extend from the head end of the inflatable slide to the toe end of the inflatable slide;
a plurality of diagonal tubes extending between the lower tube and the upper tube, wherein each diagonal tube of the plurality of diagonal tubes is oriented at a non-orthogonal angle relative to the lower tube; and
a plurality of orthogonal tubes extending between the upper tube and the lower tube, wherein each orthogonal tube is generally orthogonal to the upper tube and the lower tube, and wherein each orthogonal tube is located between a pair of diagonal tubes of the plurality of diagonal tubes, each pair of diagonal tubes including a first diagonal tube of the plurality of diagonal tubes and a second diagonal tube of the plurality of diagonal tubes, and wherein an upper end of each first diagonal tube, orthogonal tube, and second diagonal tube intersects a bottom surface of the upper tube, the bottom surface of the upper tube being oriented toward the lower tube, and wherein the upper end of each first diagonal tube and the upper end of the each second diagonal tube are spaced apart along the bottom surface of the upper tube from the upper end of the

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Mcfarland Eric

Classifications

• B64D25/14 Primary

  Inflatable escape chutes · CPC title