Valve for aircraft inflation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11519435-B2
Application number	US-201916569057-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2019
Priority date	Jul 16, 2019
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

Disclosed is a throttle including: an upstream and downstream flanges; a flexible sheath that extends therebetween; a plurality of sets of shape memory alloy wires, extending between the flanges, that are (i) circumferentially aligned about the flanges; and (ii) exterior to the flexible sheath; and (iii) configured to contact an outer boundary of the flexible sheath, wherein: a first set of the plurality of sets of shape memory alloy wires form a first profile when exposed to a first temperature, causing the flexible sheath to form the first profile having a first internal diameter; and a second set of the plurality of sets of shape memory alloy wires form a second profile when exposed to a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature, causing the flexible sheath to form the second profile having a second internal diameter that is smaller than the first internal diameter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A throttle comprising:
an upstream flange;
a downstream flange;
a flexible sheath that extends between the upstream flange and the downstream flange; and
a plurality of sets of shape memory alloy wires, extending between the upstream flange and the downstream flange and that are circumferentially aligned about the upstream flange and the downstream flange and are exterior to the flexible sheath, the plurality of sets of shape memory alloy wires configured to contact an outer boundary of the flexible sheath,
wherein:
a first set of the plurality of sets of shape memory alloy wires form a first profile when exposed to a first temperature, thereby causing the flexible sheath to form the first profile, the first profile having a first internal diameter; and
a second set of the plurality of sets of shape memory alloy wires form a second profile when exposed to a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature, thereby causing the flexible sheath to form the second profile, the second profile having a second internal diameter that is smaller than the first internal diameter.

2. The throttle of claim 1 , wherein, within each of the plurality of sets of shape memory alloy wires, each wire is circumferentially spaced from each adjacent wire by an equidistant interval.

3. The throttle of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of sets of shape memory alloy wires comprise at least four sets of shape memory alloy wires.

4. The throttle of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of sets of shape memory alloy wires each contain at least four shape memory alloy wires.

5. The throttle of claim 4 , wherein the first profile and the second profile of the plurality of sets of shape memory alloy wires each comprise a convergent-divergent profile.

6. The throttle of claim 5 , wherein the flexible sheath is an elastomer.

7. A valve comprising:
an inlet port;
an outlet port fluidly connected to the inlet port;
the throttle of claim 5 , wherein the throttle is fluidly disposed between the inlet port and the outlet port;
a vent port, fluidly disposed between the throttle and the inlet port;
a vent plunger that is axially movable from a first position to fluidly seal the vent port and a second position to fluidly unseal the vent port, responsive to backpressure in the valve; and
a biasing member that biases the vent plunger to fluidly seal the vent port.

8. The valve of claim 7 , wherein the biasing member is a coil spring disposed between a spring seat at the inlet port and the vent plunger, the spring seat being movable to compress and extend the biasing member.

9. The valve of claim 8 , further comprising:
an actuator port; and
an actuator plunger extending from the actuator port toward the vent plunger,
the actuator plunger being axially movable between a first position where the actuator plunger is inserted into the vent plunger to close the valve, and a second position where the actuator plunger is spaced from the vent plunger to open the valve.

10. The valve of claim 9 , wherein the actuator plunger extends outwardly from the actuator port and is configured for being engaged by a handle to axially move the actuator plunger.

11. The valve of claim 10 , wherein the inlet port is disposed on a first axis and the throttle is disposed on a second axis that is oriented at an obtuse outside angle relative to the first axis.

12. The valve of claim 11 , wherein the actuator port is disposed on the first axis.

13. A system for an aircraft, comprising:
a gas canister;
a throttle including:
an upstream flange fluidly coupled to the gas canister;
a downstream flange;
flexible sheath that extends between the upstream flange and the downstream flange; and

a plurality of sets of shape memory alloy wires, extending between the upstream flange and the downstream flange and that are circumferentially aligned about the upstream flange and the downstream flange and are exterior to the flexible sheath, the plurality of sets of shape memory alloy wires configured to contact an outer boundary of the flexible sheath,
wherein:
a first set of the plurality of sets of shape memory alloy wires form a first profile when exposed to a first temperature, thereby causing the flexible sheath to form the first profile, the first profile having a first internal diameter, and
a second set of the plurality of sets of shape memory alloy wires form a second profile when exposed to a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature, thereby causing the flexible sheath to form the second profile, the second profile having a second internal diameter that is smaller than the first diameter.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising an escape slide fluidly coupled to the downstream flange of the throttle.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising:
a valve including:
an inlet port;
an outlet port fluidly connected to the inlet port;
the throttle of claim 14 being fluidly disposed between the inlet port and the outlet port;
a vent port fluidly disposed between the throttle and the inlet port;
a vent plunger that is axially movable from a first position to fluidly seal the vent port and a second position to fluidly unseal the vent port, responsive to backpressure in the valve; and
a biasing member that biases the vent plunger to fluidly seal the vent port.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the valve further comprises:
an actuator port; and
an actuator plunger extending from the actuator port toward the vent plunger,
wherein the actuator plunger is axially movable between a first position where the actuator plunger is inserted into the vent plunger to close the valve, and a second position where the actuator plunger is spaced from the vent plunger to open the valve.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the inlet port is disposed on a first axis and the throttle is disposed on a second axis that is oriented at an obtuse outside angle relative to the first axis.

18. A method of throttling a flow comprising:
channeling the flow through a throttle formed by a flexible sheath and plurality of sets of shape memory alloy wires extending between an upstream flange and a downstream flange;
forming a first profile from the plurality of sets of shape memory alloy wires exposed to a first temperature, thereby causing the flexible sheath to form the first profile, the first profile having a first internal diameter; and
forming a second profile from the plurality of sets of shape memory alloy wires exposed to a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature, thereby causing the flexible sheath to form the second profile having a second internal diameter that is smaller than the first internal diameter.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
directing flow from an inlet port to an outlet port of a valve, the throttle being fluidly disposed between the inlet port and the outlet port; and
venting flow through a vent port of the valve by moving a vent plunger away from the vent port responsive to flow backpressure, the vent port being between the inlet port and the throttle.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising axially moving an actuator plunger between a first position where the actuator plunger is inserted into the vent plunger to close the valve, and a second position where the actuator plunger is spaced from the vent plunger to open the valve.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Kuppan Skandan Berikai

Classifications

• F16K7/04

  constrictable by external radial force · CPC title

• F16K1/526

  for limiting the maximum flow rate, using a second valve · CPC title

• B64D25/14 Primary

  Inflatable escape chutes · CPC title

• F16K31/002

  actuated by temperature variation (thermo-electric F16K31/025) · CPC title

• G05D7/012

  the sensing element being deformable and acting as a valve · CPC title