Tangent support tube for life raft assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11401014-B2
Application number	US-202016943531-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2020
Priority date	Mar 20, 2020
Publication date	Aug 2, 2022
Grant date	Aug 2, 2022

Abstract

A life raft may comprise a border tube and a canopy support tube coupled to an outer portion of the border tube. A first orifice defined by the canopy support tube is aligned with a second orifice defined by the border tube. A diameter of the first orifice is less than a diameter of the second orifice.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A life raft, comprising:
a border tube; and
a canopy support tube coupled to an outer portion of the border tube, the outer portion of the border tube being approximately 90°, about a circumference of the border tube, from an uppermost point of the border tube, the canopy support tube being configured to extend in an upward direction from the outer portion of the border tube, wherein a first orifice formed in an outer circumferential surface of the canopy support tube is aligned with a second orifice formed in the outer portion of the border tube, wherein a diameter of the first orifice is less than a diameter of the second orifice, and wherein the canopy support tube includes a closed end formed by the outer circumferential surface and located generally opposite the uppermost point of the border tube.

2. The life raft of claim 1 , further comprising an inner patch coupled to an inner circumferential surface of the border tube and the outer circumferential surface of the canopy support tube.

3. The life raft of claim 2 , wherein an outer dimeter of the inner patch is greater than the diameter of the second orifice.

4. The life raft of claim 1 , further comprising a seam tape coupled to the outer circumferential surface of the canopy support tube and an outer circumferential surface of the border tube.

5. The life raft of claim 1 , wherein the closed end of the canopy support tube includes a first portion of the outer circumferential surface of the canopy support tube bonded to a second portion of the outer circumferential surface of the canopy support tube.

6. The life raft of claim 5 , wherein the closed end of the canopy support tube includes a weld bonding the first portion of the outer circumferential surface of the canopy support tube to the second portion of the outer circumferential surface of the canopy support tube.

7. A life raft, comprising:
a first border tube;
a second border tube located on the first border tube; and
a canopy support tube coupled to an outer portion of at least one of the first border tube or the second border tube, wherein a line tangent to the outer portion of the at least one of the first border tube or the second border tube is approximately perpendicular to a line tangent to an uppermost point of the first border tube, wherein the canopy support tube is configured to extend in an upward direction from the outer portion of the at least one of the first border tube or the second border tube, and wherein a first orifice defined by the canopy support tube is aligned with a second orifice defined by the at least one of the first border tube or the second border tube, and wherein a diameter of the first orifice is less than a diameter of the second orifice.

8. The life raft of claim 7 , further comprising an inner patch coupled to an outer circumferential surface of the canopy support tube and to an inner circumferential surface of the at least one of the first border tube or the second border tube, wherein the first orifice is formed in the outer circumferential surface of the canopy support tube.

9. The life raft of claim 8 , wherein an outer dimeter of the inner patch is greater than the diameter of the second orifice.

10. The life raft of claim 9 , further comprising a seam tape coupled to the outer circumferential surface of the canopy support tube and an outer circumferential surface of the at least one of the first border tube or the second border tube.

11. The life raft of claim 8 , wherein a closed end of the canopy support tube includes a first portion of the outer circumferential surface of the canopy support tube bonded to a second portion of the outer circumferential surface of the canopy support tube, the closed end being oriented generally away from the uppermost point of the first border tube.

12. The life raft of claim 7 , further comprising a one-way valve located between a first interior volume defined by the canopy support tube and a second interior volume defined by the at least one of the first border tube or the second border tube.

13. The life raft of claim 12 , wherein the one-way valve is configured allow fluid to flow from the second interior volume to the first interior volume.

14. A method of forming a life raft, comprising:
aligning a canopy support tube orifice defined by a canopy support tube with a border tube orifice defined by an outer portion of a border tube, wherein the canopy support tube is configured to extend in an upward direction from the outer portion of the border tube, and wherein the border tube orifice is formed approximately 90°, about a circumference of border tube, from an uppermost point of the border tube;
bonding an inner patch to an inner circumferential surface of the border tube; and
bonding the inner patch to an outer circumferential surface of the canopy support tube.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein a diameter of the canopy support tube orifice is less than a diameter of the border tube orifice.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising closing an end of the canopy support tube using radio frequency welding.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein closing the end of the canopy support tube using radio frequency welding comprises:
applying a non-conductive tape to the inner circumferential surface of the canopy support tube;
folding an edge of the canopy support tube into an interior volume of the canopy support tube; and
generating an electric field at the end of the canopy support tube.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein a line tangent to the outer portion of the border tube is approximately perpendicular to a line tangent to the uppermost point of the border tube.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Reddy Chana Kesava
• Saxena Bhavamanyu Aman

Classifications

• B63B73/40

  characterised by joining methods · CPC title

• B63C9/04 Primary

  Life-rafts · CPC title

• B63C2009/044

  covered · CPC title

• B63C2009/042

  inflatable · CPC title

• B63B73/43

  Welding, e.g. laser welding · CPC title