Ejection seat and rail assemblies for aircraft evacuation systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11613367-B2
Application number	US-202117337129-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2021
Priority date	Jun 2, 2021
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

An ejection system may comprise an ejection seat and a rail assembly. A plurality of sliders may be coupled to the ejection seat. The rail assembly may include a rail defining a channel and a rail insert located in the channel. The rail insert may define an insert channel configured to receive the plurality of sliders.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ejection system, comprising:
an ejection seat;
a plurality of first sliders coupled to the ejection seat, wherein the ejection seat is configured to rotate relative to a first slider of the plurality of first sliders; and
a first rail assembly including:
a first rail defining a first channel; and
a first rail insert located in the first channel and defining a first insert channel,

wherein the first insert channel is configured to receive the plurality of first sliders.

2. The ejection system of claim 1 , wherein the first rail insert comprises:
a base portion;
a first wall extending from the base portion;
a first lip extending from the first wall;
a second wall extending from the base portion; and
a second lip extending from the second wall and towards the first lip, wherein the first lip extends from the first wall towards the second lip.

3. The ejection system of claim 2 , wherein the cross-sectional shape of the first insert channel is a dovetail.

4. The ejection system of claim 3 , wherein a first interior surface of the first wall is oriented at an acute angle relative to an interior surface of the base portion, the first interior surface of the first wall and the interior surface of the base portion defining, at least, a portion of the first insert channel.

5. The ejection system of claim 4 , wherein a cross-sectional shape of the first insert channel complements a cross-sectional shape of a first slider of the plurality of first sliders.

6. The ejection system of claim 2 , wherein an interior surface of the base portion comprises a concave curve, the interior surface of the base portion defining, at least, a portion of the first insert channel.

7. The ejection system of claim 6 , wherein a first interior surface of the first wall is parallel to a second interior surface of the second wall.

8. The ejection system of claim 1 , further comprising a friction reducing coating formed over an interior surface of the first rail insert, the interior surface of the first rail insert defining, at least, a portion of the first insert channel, wherein the friction reducing coating has a coefficient of sliding friction that is less than a coefficient of sliding friction of the interior surface of the first rail insert.

9. The ejection system of claim 1 , further comprising
a plurality of second sliders coupled to the ejection seat, wherein the plurality of first sliders is located along a first side of the ejection seat and the plurality of second sliders is located along a second side of the ejection seat, the second side of the ejection seat being opposite the first side; and
a second rail assembly located proximate the second side of the ejection seat, the second rail assembly including:
a second rail defining a second channel; and
a second rail insert located in the second channel and defining a second insert channel, wherein the second insert channel is configured to receive the plurality of second sliders.

10. The ejection system of claim 1 , further comprising a damper coupled between the first slider and the ejection seat.

11. A rail assembly for guiding an ejection seat during ejection, the rail assembly comprising:
a rail defining a channel;
a rail insert located in the channel, the rail insert defining an insert channel; and
a friction reducing coating formed over an interior surface of the rail insert, the interior surface of the rail insert defining, at least, a portion of the insert channel, wherein the friction reducing coating has a coefficient of sliding friction that is less than a coefficient of sliding friction of the interior surface of the rail insert.

12. The rail assembly of claim 11 , wherein the rail insert is made of a first material and the rail is made of a second material different than the first material.

13. The rail assembly of claim 11 , wherein the rail insert comprises:
a base portion;
a first wall extending from the base portion;
a first lip extending from the first wall;
a second wall extending from the base portion; and
a second lip extending from the second wall and towards the first lip, wherein the first lip extends from the first wall towards the second lip.

14. The rail assembly of claim 13 , wherein a first interior surface of the first wall is oriented at an acute angle relative to an interior surface of the base portion, the first interior surface of the first wall and the interior surface of the base portion defining, at least, a portion of the insert channel.

15. The rail assembly of claim 13 , wherein an interior surface of the base portion comprises a concave curve, the interior surface of the base portion defining, at least, a portion of the insert channel.

16. An ejection system, comprising:
an ejection seat including at least one of a plurality of sliders or a plurality of rollers coupled to a side of the ejection seat;
a rail defining a channel configured to receive the at least one of the plurality of sliders or the plurality of rollers;
a first friction reducing coating formed over an interior surface of the rail, the interior surface of the rail defining, at least, a portion of the channel, wherein the first friction reducing coating has a coefficient of sliding friction that is less than a coefficient of sliding friction of the interior surface of the rail; and
a second friction reducing coating formed over the at least one of the plurality of sliders or the plurality of rollers, wherein the second friction reducing coating has a coefficient of sliding friction that is less than a coefficient of sliding friction of the at least one of the plurality of sliders or the plurality of rollers.

17. The ejection system of claim 16 , wherein the ejection seat includes the plurality of sliders, and wherein the ejection seat further comprises:
a first damper coupled between a first slider of the plurality of sliders and the side of the ejection seat; and
a second damper coupled between the first slider and the side of the ejection seat, wherein a seatback of the ejection seat is configured to rotate relative to the first slider.

Assignees

• Ami Ind Inc

Inventors

• Fulcher Jackson
• Holstine Steve
• Stribrny Casey A
• Bharucha Nicholas K
• Hampton John

Classifications

• B64D25/10 Primary

  Ejector seats · CPC title

• B64D11/0616

  with ejection means · CPC title

• B60N2/0715

  C or U-shaped · CPC title