Intermediate body tube for an evacuation slide

Abstract

A device for an evacuation slide may include an upper body tube having a first upper body end and a second upper body end, a lower body tube having a first lower body end and a second lower body end, and an intermediate body tube configured between the upper body tube and the lower body tube.

Description

Attorney Docket No. 037514-1457084Client Ref. No. B-030829PCT01Patent Application INTERMEDIATE BODY TUBE FOR AN EVACUATION SEIDE TECHNICAE FIELD

[0001] The field of the disclosure relates to passenger vehicles, and, more particularly, to evacuation slides, rafts, and slide / ramps for passenger vehicles.BACKGROUND

[0002] Passenger vehicles, such as aircraft, typically include one or more evacuation slides for emergency situations such as evacuations. Conventionally, evacuation slides may include tubed sections which are bound together without any space therebetween. Due to their size and complexity, these evacuation slides are difficult to manufacture and utilize an excessive amount of fabric which increases a weight of the evacuation system and an amount of fuel consumed by the passenger vehicle. In addition to the aforementioned complexities, labor costs of installing these overtly heavy and complex evacuation slides in passenger ai rcrafts can escalate budgets.SUMMARY

[0003] The terms “disclosure,” “the disclosure,” “this disclosure” and “the present disclosure” used in this patent are intended to refer broadly to all of the subject matter of this patent and the patent claims below. Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit the subject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of the patent claims below. Embodiments of the disclosure covered by this patent are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various aspects of the disclosure and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this patent, any or all drawings and each claim.

[0004] According to certain embodiments, a device for an evacuation system may include an upper body tube having a first upper body end and a second upper body end, a lower bodyAtorney Docket No. 037514-1457084Client Ref. No. B-030829PCT01Patent Application tube having a first lower body end and a second lower body end, and an intermediate body tube configured between the upper body tube and the lower body tube.

[0005] According to certain embodiments, the first upper body end may be coupled to the first lower body end and the second upper body end may coupled to the second lower body end. In some examples, the intermediate body may be coupled to the upper body or the lower body along a length between the first upper body end and the second upper body end.

[0006] According to certain embodiments, the upper body tube and the lower body tube may have a shape selected from a group that may include: i) rectangular, ii) cylindrical, iii) U-shaped, iv) I-Shaped, v) H-shaped, vi) figure eight shaped, vii) triangular, or combinations thereof.

[0007] According to certain embodiments, the upper body tube or the lower body may include one or more support tubes extending along a length.

[0008] According to certain embodiments, the one or more support tubes may be in contact with a sliding surface and may be configured to support the sliding surface, the sliding surface may be atached to i) the upper body tube, ii) the lower body tube, or both i) and ii).

[0009] According to certain embodiments, the one or more support tubes may be in contact with one or more surfaces of the intermediate body tube and the intermediate body may be configured to increase a beam strength of i) the upper body tube, ii) the lower body tube, iii) the intermediate body tube, or iv) combinations thereof.

[0010] According to certain embodiments, the first upper body end and the second upper body end may occupy a first plane parallel to a length between the first upper body end and the second upper body end, and at least a portion of the intermediate body tube occupies the first plane.

[0011] According to certain embodiments, the intermediate body tube may have a shape selected from a group comprising: i) a straight tube, ii) cylindrical, iii) U-shaped, iv) I-Shaped, v) H-shaped, vi) figure eight shaped, vii) triangular, viii) rectangular, ix) polygonal, or combinations thereof.

[0012] According to certain embodiments, the upper body tube or the lower body tube may be a unitary tube.

[0013] According to certain embodiments, the upper body tube, the lower body tube, and the intermediate body tube may be connected to each other using one or more i) gusset patches, ii) crotch tapes, iii) webs, or combinations thereof.Atorney Docket No. 037514-1457084Client Ref. No. B-030829PCT01Patent Application

[0014] According to certain embodiments, the intermediate body tube may include four or fewer truss tube miter seams.

[0015] According to certain embodiments, the intermediate body tube may be configured to separate a first length of the upper body tube from a second length of the lower body tube by a vertical distance.

[0016] According to certain embodiments, the intermediate body tube may be configured to bend the upper body tube away from the lower body tube.

[0017] According to certain embodiments, the upper body tube, the lower body tube, or the intermediate body tube may have diameters in a range between 1 inches and 54 inches.

[0018] According to certain embodiments, the upper body tube, the lower body tube, or the intermediate body tube may be made from a material selected from a group comprising: a fabric, a polymer, a composite, or combinations thereof.

[0019] According to certain embodiments, an apparatus for an evacuation slide may include an upper body tube having a first upper body end and a second upper body end, a lower body tube having a first lower body end and a second lower body end, and at least one intermediate body tube which may be configured between the upper body tube and the lower body tube.

[0020] According to certain embodiments, the at least one intermediate body tube may include two or fewer intermediate body tubes.

[0021] According to certain embodiments, the at least one intermediate body tube may be configured to increase rigidity of i) the upper body tube, ii) the lower body tube, iii) the intermediate body tube, or iv) combinations thereof.

[0022] According to certain embodiments, a system for an evacuation slide may include an upper body tube having a first upper body end and a second upper body end, a lower body tube having a first lower body end and a second lower body end, and at least one intermediate body tube configured between the upper body tube and the lower body tube.

[0023] According to certain embodiments, the upper body tube may include a first set of side rails connecting the first upper body end and the second upper body end, the lower body tube may include a second set of side rails connecting the first lower body end to the second lower body end. In some examples, the at least one intermediate body tube may include a third set of side rails with a first length parallel to the first set of side rails and the second set of side rails, the first set of side rails and the second set of side rails are longer than the third set of sideAtorney Docket No. 037514-1457084Client Ref. No. B-030829PCT01Patent Application rails, and wherein the third set of side rails separates the first set of side rails and the second set of side rails by a vertical distance along a second length at least equal to the first length.

[0024] Various implementations described herein may include additional systems, methods, features, and advantages, which cannot necessarily be expressly disclosed herein but will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. It is intended that all such systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within the present disclosure and protected by the accompanying claims.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram of an example evacuation slide, according to various embodiments.

[0026] FIG. 2 is an example angled view of a deployed evacuation slide, according to various embodiments.

[0027] FIG. 3 is an example side view of a deployed evacuation slide, according to various embodiments.

[0028] FIG. 4 is an example front view of a deployed evacuation slide, according to some embodiments.

[0029] FIG. 5 is an example front view of a sliding surface for an evacuation slide, according to some embodiments.

[0030] FIG. 6 is an example back view of a deployed evacuation slide, according to some embodiments.

[0031] FIG. 7 is an example group of various intermediate body tube configurations, according to some embodiments.

[0032] In the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified. Not all instances of an element are necessarily labeled to reduce cluter in the drawings where appropriate. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles being described.Atorney Docket No. 037514-1457084Client Ref. No. B-030829PCT01Patent Application DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The subject mater of embodiments of the present disclosure is described here with specificity to meet statutory requirements, but this description is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claims. The claimed subject mater may be embodied in other ways, may include different elements or steps, and may be used in conjunction with other existing or future technologies. This description should not be interpreted as implying any particular order or arrangement among or between various steps or elements except when the order of individual steps or arrangement of elements is explicitly described.

[0034] The described embodiments of the disclosure provide evacuation slides, slide / rafts, ramps and slide / ramps for passenger vehicles. While the evacuation slides, slide / rafts, ramps and slide / ramps are discussed for use with aircraft, they are by no means so limited. Rather, embodiments of the evacuation slides, slide / rafts, ramps and slide / ramps may be used in any suitable passenger vehicles of any type or otherwise as desired.

[0035] The described embodiments herein use the terms ‘upper’, ‘upper body’, ‘upper body end’, ‘top’, ‘lower’, ‘lower body end’, ‘lower end’, ‘botom’, ‘intermediate’, ‘intermediate body’, and similar. When these terms are used alone, or in combination, (e.g., an upper body tube having a first upper body end), the terms are referring to a spatial relationship with respect to a plane (e.g., plane along an x-z axis as depicted in FIG. 3) or a surface (e.g., surface 120 as depicted in FIG. 3) unless explicitly stated otherwise in the context of the discussion. For example, an upper body tube (e.g., upper body tube 110 as depicted in FIG. 3) has a “higher” spatial relationship along a y-axis than a lower body tube (e.g., lower body tube 114 as depicted in FIG. 3) relative to an arbitrary x-z plane, where z extends in and out of the page.

[0036] Passenger vehicles such as aircraft, or similar may be equipped with evacuation slides or ramps. The evacuation slides are typically stored as a part of a door or stored in a compartment adjacent the door for quick deployment in situations where passengers need to leave the passenger vehicle quickly and safely. When deploying from the vehicle, the evacuation slide may unroll from a door and away from the vehicle while the slide is inflated. Various compartments within the slide may fill in order to provide support for passengers exiting the vehicle by sliding down the slide. Depending on the type and shape of the slide, the tubes which are filled with an inflation gas may be connected by a large and interconnected network of high stress areas, intersection seams, and crossover seams. Due to this, evacuation slides have been complex in design, difficult to manufacture due to the complexity of design,Atorney Docket No. 037514-1457084Client Ref. No. B-030829PCT01Patent Application and utilize excessive fabric which leads to increased costs such as installation, materials, upkeep, and additional points of failure when used. Moreover, conventional evacuation slides use numerous components such as panels with a large number of seams (e.g., straight / curved miter seams) which increase a number of high stress areas that are vulnerable to wear, tear, and failure.

[0037] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, an improved evacuation slide may include a centralized inflated truss tube that may be positioned between a top tube and a botom tube. The top tube may support a sliding surface for passengers to exit the passenger vehicle while the botom tube may provide good support for the top tube to ensure the passengers may use the evacuation slide safely. The sliding surface may be attached to only the upper tube, only the lower tube or both the upper and lower tubes. The centralized inflated truss tube may substantially increase a rigidity of the evacuation slide by increasing a vertical cross section height of the top tube relative to the botom tube which is particularly useful in resisting movement in high wind conditions (e.g., around thirty knots). Due to the arrangement of the centralized inflated truss tube relative to the top tube and botom tube, conventional spacer tubes (e.g., sporadically placed support tubes) may be reduced and / or eliminated entirely.

[0038] Techniques, apparatus, devices, systems, and methods discussed herein are directed towards an evacuation slide with an intermediate body tube. The evacuation slide of the present disclosure remedies the problems of conventional evacuation slides. By way of a non-limiting example, conventional evacuation slides may utilize numerous spacer tubes with spacer tube miter seams, numerous high stress spacer tube crossover seams, and circumferential spacer tube closing seams. The improved evacuation slide may utilize an intermediate inflated truss tube to replace the spacer tubes, reduce the spacer tube miter seams to four or fewer truss tube miter seams, removing the high stress spacer tube crossover seams, and reducing the circumferential spacer tube closing seams by using a single truss tube outboard closing seam. These reductions may minimize a weight and cost of an inflatable evacuation slide.

[0039] In addition, this evacuation slide device significantly minimizes a number of inflatable tubes by providing increased support by relying on a more resilient and stable slide structure. Redundant secondary panels and seams, which are common on conventional evacuation slides, are substantially reduced or eliminated by the use of the intermediate body tube. Moreover, the evacuation slide according to various embodiments may minimize straight or curved seams and minimize a number of miter seams which will subsequently minimize aAtorney Docket No. 037514-1457084Client Ref. No. B-030829PCT01Patent Application number of seam crossovers. Due to the minimal amount of seams, the lowered amount of stress areas, improved strength, rigidity, and resiliency of the evacuation slide, the evacuation slide may operate at a substantially smaller volume which will reduce weight, optimize operating pressures, and maximize leak test margins. Moreover, due to the reduced amount of seams and length of the seams, an amount of reflective paint applied to the evacuation slide may be reduced and / or minimized.

[0040] FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram 100 of an example evacuation slide, according to various embodiments. By way of example, an evacuation slide 104 may be a passenger vehicle emergency slide or ramp compliant with technical standard order (TSO) C69c safety standards. The evacuation slide 104 may attach to a passenger vehicle 101 (e.g., plane, offshore facility, etc.) at one end while the other end is configured to be supported on a surface 120 (e.g., tarmac, ground, etc.). Passengers 102 using the passenger vehicle 101 may use the evacuation slide 104 to exit the passenger vehicle 101 to reach the surface 120 safely.

[0041] FIG. 2 is an example angled view 200 of a deployed evacuation slide, according to various embodiments. By way of example, an evacuation slide may include at least an upper body tube 110, a lower body tube 114, and an intermediate body tube 112. A sliding surface (discussed in more detail with respect to FIG. 5) may be atached to an upper body tube 110, a lower body tube 114 and / or the intermediate body tube 112. Each of the upper body tube 110, the lower body tube 114, and the intermediate body tube 112 may be inflatable tubes that are connected to one another to provide good support for passengers (e.g., passengers 102 as depicted in FIG. 1) to slide down the evacuation slide along an x-axis as well as good resistance against wind in all directions.

[0042] FIG. 3 is an example side view 300 of a deployed evacuation slide, according to various embodiments. By way of example, the evacuation slide 104 may include an upper body tube 110, an intermediate body tube 112, and a lower body tube 114. The upper body tube 110 may be an inflatable structure made of any suitable material including, but not limited to, a fabric, a polymer, a composite, or combinations thereof. The upper body tube 110 may have a shape selected from a group including, but not limited to, i) rectangular, ii) cylindrical, iii) U-shaped, iv) I-shaped, v) H-shaped, vi) figure eight shaped, vii) triangular, or combinations thereof. The upper body tube 110 may be unitary (e.g., molded) or may be a series of inflated tubes connected together.

[0043] According to certain embodiments, the upper body tube 110 may be in contact with the intermediate body tube 112 at one or more locations. The intermediate body tube 112 mayAtorney Docket No. 037514-1457084Client Ref. No. B-030829PCT01Patent Application be an inflatable structure made of any suitable material including, but not limited to, a fabric, a polymer, a composite, or combinations thereof. The intermediate body tube 112 may have a shape selected from a group including, but not limited to, i) a straight tube, ii) cylindrical, iii) U-shaped, iv) I-shaped, v) H-shaped, vi) figure eight shaped, vii) triangular, viii) rectangular, ix) polygonal, or combinations thereof. In some examples, the intermediate body tube 112 may be configured to provide support and rigidity to the upper body tube 110. The intermediate body tube 112 may be configured to be atached to the lower body tube 114 at one or more locations. The intermediate body tube 112 may be unitary (e.g., molded) or may be a series of inflated tubes connected together.

[0044] In some examples, the upper body tube 110 may be atached to the lower body tube 114 at a first end and at a second end with the intermediate body tube 112 supported therebetween. The lower body tube 114 may be an inflatable structure made of any suitable material including, but not limited to, a fabric, a polymer, a composite, or combinations thereof. The lower body tube 114 may have a shape selected from a group including, but not limited to, i) rectangular, ii) cylindrical, iii) U-shaped, iv) I-shaped, v) H-shaped, vi) figure eight shaped, vii) triangular, or combinations thereof. The upper body tube 110, the intermediate body tube 112, and the lower body tube 114 may be connected, or otherwise joined, by a coupling mechanism such as, but not limited to, i) one or more gusset patches, ii) one or more crotch tapes, iii) one or more sewn connections, iv) adhesives, v) elastomeric bonding, vi) webs, or combinations thereof. The lower body tube 114 may be a unitary (e.g., molded) or may be a series of inflated tubes connected together.

[0045] In some examples, each of the upper body tube 110, the lower body tube 114, or the intermediate body tube 112 may be unitary with each other, or may be connected to one another at various locations. For example, the upper body tube 110 and the lower body tube 114 may be unitary with one another while the intermediate body tube 112 may be a separate inflatable tube. It should be readily recognized by one skilled in the art that any suitable combination of tube connections, constructions, shapes, or support structures may be utilized to effectively connect each of the upper body tube 110, the lower body tube 114, or the intermediate body tube 112 to each other.

[0046] FIG. 4 is an example from front view 400 of a deployed evacuation slide 104, according to some embodiments. By way of example, an upper body tube 110 may be coupled to a sliding surface (not depicted) and a support tube 111. The sliding surface may also be coupled to the intermediate body tube 112 and / or the lower body tube 114. The sliding surfaceAtorney Docket No. 037514-1457084Client Ref. No. B-030829PCT01Patent Application may be atached to the upper body tube 110 at one or more locations along the length of the upper body tube 110 and additionally, or alternatively, attached to the support tube 111. The support tube 111 may extend along a portion of (e.g., fifty percent, sixty percent, etc.) or an entirety of a length along an x-axis of the upper body tube 110. In some examples, the support tube 111 and the upper body tube 110 are unitary in construction (e.g., molded as one continuous surface). The support tube 111 may be substantially co-located in an x / z plane and may cross over the intermediate body tube 112. In this manner, the support tube 111 may be configured to significantly increase a beam strength of the evacuation slide 104 since, in this configuration, the support tube 111 may be located further from a neutral plane (e.g., an x / z plane in which the intermediate body tube 112 exists) of the evacuation slide 104 and at least partially supported by the intermediate body tube 112 forming an arc (as depicted in FIG. 3).

[0047] In addition, or alternatively, the upper body tube 110 may include additional support tubes parallel to the support tube 111, angled, and / or perpendicular to the support tube along the length of the upper body tube 110. The support tube 111 may be an inflatable structure made of any suitable material including, but not limited to, a fabric, a polymer, a composite, or combinations thereof. The support tube 111 may have a shape selected from a group including, but not limited to, i) rectangular, ii) cylindrical, iii) U-shaped, iv) I-shaped, v) H-shaped, vi) figure eight shaped, vii) triangular, or combinations thereof.

[0048] In some examples, the support tube 111 may be coupled to the intermediate body tube 112 at one or more locations (e.g., gusset patches, crotch tapes, webs, etc.). In some embodiments, the upper body tube 110 may include a first upper body end 130 and a second upper body end 131. The first upper body end 130 may be configured to be coupled to a passenger vehicle directly or by way of a girt. The second upper body end 131 may be configured to be held adjacent to the surface 120 by way of a lower body tube 114 supporting the upper body tube 110. In some examples, the support tube 111 may pass over the intermediate body tube 112 and connect to the lower body tube 114 (e.g., at a first lower body end 133 or a second lower body end 134 as depicted in FIG. 6).

[0049] According to certain embodiments, the upper body tube 110, the intermediate body tube 112, or the lower body tube 114 may have diameters in a range between one inch and fifty-four inches. In some embodiments, the diameters may include ranges, without limitation, including: between five and fifty-four inches, between ten and fifty-four inches, between fifteen and fifty-four inches, between twenty and fifty-four inches, between twenty-five and fifty-four inches, between thirty and fifty-four inches, between thirty-five and fifty-four inches,Atorney Docket No. 037514-1457084Client Ref. No. B-030829PCT01Patent Application between forty and fifty four inches, between forty-five and fifty-four inches, or between fifty and fifty-four inches. In some examples, each of the upper body tube 110, the intermediate body tube 112, and / or the lower body tube 114 may include different diameters or the same diameters. The upper body tube 110 may include a first set of side rails 110a, 110b, configured to connect the first upper body end 130 and the second upper body end 131 and provide good support and rigidity to the evacuation slide 104.

[0050] FIG. 5 is an example front view of a sliding surface for an evacuation slide 500, according to some embodiments. By way of example, a sliding surface 193 may be a surface configured to be used by passengers (e.g., passenger 102 with respect to FIG. 1) aboard a vehicle (e.g., passenger vehicle 101 with respect to FIG. 1) to safely exit the vehicle. The sliding surface 193 may be made of a material that provides adequate support to one or more passengers to slide from a first upper body end 130 towards a second upper body end 131 along the sliding surface 193. The material may include, without limitation, a substrate, a polymer, a fabric, an alloy, a metal, or combinations thereof. By way of a non-limiting example, the substrate may include a woven nylon with a polymer coating to form a fabric which may have an allow and / or metal added to promote good heat dissipation and comfort to passengers sliding down the sliding surface 193. The sliding surface 193 may be atached to the upper body tube using any suitable atachment method that provides good connection and support between the upper tube body 110 and the sliding surface 193. For example, the atachments may include, without limitation, gusset patches, crotch tapes, t-tapes, webs, sewn atachments, fasteners, adhesives. In some embodiments, the sliding surface 193 may be unitary with the upper body tube 110 and form a single structure. In addition, or alternatively, the sliding surface 193 may be connected and / or positioned on the upper body tube 110 according to various heights. For example, the sliding surface 193 may be in direct contact with the intermediate body tube (not depicted) but not in direct contact with the lower body tube 114. In addition, or alternatively, the sliding surface 193 may be connected to the upper body tube 110 and form temporary support contacts with any of the support tubes (not depicted), the intermediate body tube, the lower body tube 114, or combinations thereof, when in use as the sliding surface 193 bends and contorts during use or in the wind. According to some embodiments, the sliding surface 193 may be attached to only the upper body tube 110, only the lower body tube 114, or any suitable tubes and / or components of the evacuation slide.

[0051] In some examples, the sliding surface 193 may be attached to the lower body tube 114 using any suitable attachment method that provides good connection and support betweenAttorney Docket No. 037514-1457084Client Ref. No. B-030829PCT01Patent Application the lower body tube 114 and the sliding surface 193. For example, the attachments may include, without limitation, gusset patches, crotch tapes, t-tapes, webs, sewn attachments, fasteners, adhesives. In some embodiments, the sliding surface 193 may be unitary with the lower body tube 114 and form a single structure where the intermediate body tube 112 may be installed substantially in line with the lower body tube 114 where the sliding surface 193 may pass over the intermediate body tube 112 but below the upper body tube 110. In addition, or alternatively, the sliding surface 193 may be connected and / or positioned on the lower body tube 114 according to various heights. In addition, or alternatively, the sliding surface 193 may be connected to the lower body tube 114 and form temporary support contacts with any of the support tubes (not depicted), the intermediate body tube, the upper body tube 110, or combinations thereof, when in use as the sliding surface 193 bends and contorts during use or in the wind.

[0052] FIG. 6 is an example back view 500 of a deployed evacuation slide 104, according to some embodiments. By way of example, the evacuation slide 104 may include a lower body tube 114 which may include a first lower body end 133 and a second lower body end 134. A second set of rails 114a, 114b may extend between the first lower body end 133 and the second lower body end 134 and provide good support and rigidity to the evacuation slide 104, and specifically to an upper body tube 110 and intermediate body tube 112. In some examples, the second lower body end 134 may be in contact with a surface 120 (e.g., tarmac) to provide good traction, resistance to wind, and ample support for individuals using the slide.

[0053] FIG. 7 is an example group 700 of various intermediate body tube configurations, according to some embodiments. By way of example, the intermediate body tubes 112a-l 12h may include any suitable configuration of intermediate body tube. The intermediate body tube 112a may be substantially the same as, or similar to, any of the intermediate body tubes of FIG.1-FIG. 6. It should be readily recognized by one skilled in the art that the intermediate body tubes as depicted in FIG. 1-FIG. 6 may be substituted by any of, but not limited to, intermediate body tubes 112a-l 12h, alone or in combination.

[0054] In some examples, the intermediate body tubes 112a- 112h may include one or more side rails which may connect to one or both of an upper body tube (e.g., upper body tube 110 of FIG. 4) or a lower body tube (e.g., lower body tube 114 of FIG. 6). The intermediate body tube 112a may include at least one set of side rails 113a, 113b which extend along a length of the upper body tube and the lower body tube. In a non-limiting example, the upper body tube may include a first set of rails (e.g., side rails 110a, 110b as depicted in FIG. 4) which mayAttorney Docket No. 037514-1457084Client Ref. No. B-030829PCT01Patent Application connect a first lower body end and a second lower body end (e.g., first lower body end 133 and second lower body end 134 as depicted FIG. 4) and the lower body tube may include a second set of rails (e.g., side rails 114a, 114b as depicted in FIG. 6) which may connect a first lower body end to a second lower body end (e.g., first lower body end 133 and the second lower body end 134 as depicted in FIG. 6). The intermediate body tube 112a may include a third set of side rails (e.g., side rails 113a, 113b) with a first length parallel to the first set of side rails and the second set of side rails. In this example, the first set of side rails and the second set of side rails may be longer than the third set of side rails such that the third set of side rails may substantially separate the first set of side rails and the second set of side rails by a vertical distance along a second length at least equal to the first length. The vertical distance (e.g., the cross-section) between the upper body tube and the lower body tube created by the intermediate body tube 112a may increase the beam strength of the evacuation slide 104.

[0055] According to certain embodiments, the intermediate body tubes may include four or fewer truss tube miter seams as in, but not limited to, intermediate body tubes 112a, 112b, 112d, 112e, 112g, or 112h. The intermediate body tubes may be unitary in construction or may be coupled together utilizing a coupling mechanism such as, but not limited to, i) one or more gusset patches, ii) crotch tapes, iii) webs, iv) one or more sewn connections, v) adhesives, vi) elastomeric bonding. In some examples, the intermediate body tubes may include one or more intermediate support tubes 170. The intermediate support tubes 170 may extend along a length of the intermediate tube and may be configured at an angle parallel, angled, horizontally perpendicular, or vertically perpendicular (e.g., column-like) to the upper body tube, the lower body tube, or combinations thereof. In a non-limiting example, for vertically perpendicular intermediate support tubes 170 (not depicted) may extend vertically (e.g., along a y-axis as shown in in FIG. 3) from the lower body tube 114 and the upper body tube 110. They may extend between both ends of the upper body tube and the lower body tube or may be suitable spaced to provide adequate rigidity and strength to the evacuation slide. The vertically perpendicular intermediate support tubes 170 may include any suitable shape, size, or structure. It should be readily recognized by one skilled in the art that while the intermediate body tubes 112a-l 12h are shown with defined edges connecting side rails at various angle, these defined edges are not intended to always represent seams, connections, junctions, or similar, and are shown to depict various configurations for clarity. For example, intermediate body 112c may be one unitary structure with no seams or junctions.Atorney Docket No. 037514-1457084Client Ref. No. B-030829PCT01Patent Application

[0056] The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description, not of a form of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it should be recognized by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Thus, it should be understood that although the present disclosure includes specific embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of the concepts herein disclosed may be implemented to by those skilled in the art, and that such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of the claims and description.

[0057] As used in this application and in the claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include the plural forms unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Additionally, the term “includes” means “comprises”. Further, the term “coupled” does not exclude the presence of intermediate elements between the coupled items. In some examples, values, procedures, or devices are referred to by comparisons to other values, procedures, or devices. It will be appreciated that such descriptions are intended to indicate that a selection among many used functional alternatives can be made, and such selections need not be beter, smaller, or otherwise preferable to other selections. Additionally, the description sometimes uses terms like “produce” and “provide” or similar to describe the disclosed methods. These terms should be considered high-level abstractions of the actual operations that are performed. The actual operations that correspond to these terms may vary depending on the particular implementation and are readily discernible by one or ordinary skill in the art.

[0058] The systems, apparatuses, and methods described herein should not be construed as limiting in any way. Instead, the present disclosure is directed toward all novel and non-obvious features and aspects of the various disclosed embodiments, alone and in various combinations and sub-combinations with one another. The disclosed apparatus, devices, and systems are not limited to any specific aspect or feature or combinations thereof, nor do the disclosed apparatus, devices, and systems require that any one or more specific advantages be present or problems be solved. Any theories of operation are to facilitate explanation, but the disclosed systems, methods, and apparatuses are not limited to such theories of operation.

[0059] Although the operations of some of the disclosed techniques, processes, and / or methods are described in a particular, sequential order for convenient presentation, it should be understood that this manner of description encompasses rearrangement, unless a particular ordering is required by specific language set forth below. For example, operations describedAtorney Docket No. 037514-1457084Client Ref. No. B-030829PCT01Patent Application sequentially may in some cases be rearranged or performed concurrently. Moreover, for the sake of simplicity, the attached figures may not show the various ways in which the disclosed apparatus, devices, and systems may be used in conjunction with other apparatus, devices, and systems.

[0060] Where terms are used without explicit definition, it is understood that the ordinary meaning of the word is intended, unless a term carries a special and / or specific meaning in systems or other relevant fields. The terms “approximately”, “same”, “about”, “similar”, or “substantially” are used to indicate a deviation from the stated property or numerical value within which the deviation has litle to no influence of the corresponding function, property, or atribute of the structure being described. In an illustrated example, where a value is described as “substantially equal” or “approximate” to another value, the term “substantially” or “approximate” is intended to reflect that the two values being compared can be unequal within a percentage (e.g., + / - ten percent).

[0061] The description provides exemplary embodiments, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the devices and / or methods. Rather, the ensuing description of the exemplary embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing various embodiments. It is understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope as set forth in the appended claims. In addition, specific details are given in the description to provide a thorough and detailed understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, specific apparatus, devices, systems, methods, and other elements of the present disclosure may be shown in schematic diagram form or omited from illustrations in order not to obscure the embodiments in unnecessary detail.

[0062] In the following, further examples are described to facilitate the understanding of the disclosure:

[0063] Example 1. A device for an evacuation slide, the device comprising: an upper body tube having a first upper body end and a second upper body end; a lower body tube having a first lower body end and a second lower body end; and an intermediate body tube configured between the upper body tube and the lower body tube.

[0064] Example 2. The device of any of the preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the first upper body end is coupled to the first lower body end and the second upper body end is coupled to the second lower body end; and wherein theAtorney Docket No. 037514-1457084Client Ref. No. B-030829PCT01Patent Application intermediate body is coupled to the upper body and the lower body along a length between the first upper body end and the second upper body end.

[0065] Example 3. The device of any of the preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the upper body tube and the lower body tube have a shape selected from a group comprising: i) rectangular, ii) cylindrical, iii) U-shaped, iv) I-shaped, v) H-shaped, vi) figure eight shaped, vii) triangular, or combinations thereof.

[0066] Example 4. The device of any of the preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the upper body tube or the lower body includes one or more support tubes extending along a length.

[0067] Example 5. The device of any of the preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the one or more support tubes are in contact with a sliding surface and are configured to support the sliding surface.

[0068] Example 6. The device of any of the preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the one or more support tubes is in contact with one or more surfaces of the intermediate body tube, wherein the intermediate body is configured to increase a beam strength i) the upper body tube, ii) the lower body tube, iii) the intermediate body tube, or iv) combinations thereof.

[0069] Example 7. The device of any of the preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the first upper body end and the second upper body end occupy a first plane parallel to a length between the first upper body end and the second upper body end, and wherein at least a portion of the intermediate body tube occupies the first plane.

[0070] Example 8. The device of any of the preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the intermediate body tube has a shape selected from a group comprising: i) a straight tube, ii) cylindrical, iii) U-shaped, iv) I-shaped, v) H-shaped, vi) figure eight shaped, vii) triangular, viii) rectangular, ix) polygonal, or combinations thereof.

[0071] Example 9. The device of any of the preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the upper body tube or the lower body tube is a unitary tube .

[0072] Example 10. The device of any of the preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein upper body tube, the lower body tube, and the intermediate body tube are connected to each other using one or more i) gusset patches, ii) crotch tapes, iii) webs, or combinations thereof.Atorney Docket No. 037514-1457084Client Ref. No. B-030829PCT01Patent Application

[0073] Example 11. The device of any of the preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the intermediate body tube includes four or fewer truss tube miter seams.

[0074] Example 12. The device of any of the preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the intermediate body tube is configured to separate a first length of the upper body tube from a second length of the lower body tube by a vertical distance .

[0075] Example 13. The device of any of the preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the intermediate body tube is configured to bend the upper body tube away from the lower body tube.

[0076] Example 14. The device of any of the preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the upper body tube, the lower body tube, or the intermediate body tube have diameters in a range between one inch and fifty four inches.

[0077] Example 15. The device of any of the preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the upper body tube, the lower body tube, and the intermediate body tube are made from a material selected from a group comprising: a fabric, a polymer, a composite, or combinations thereof.

[0078] Example 16. An apparatus for an evacuation slide, the apparatus comprising: an upper body tube having a first upper body end and a second upper body end; a lower body tube having a first lower body end and a second lower body end; and at least one intermediate body tube configured between the upper body tube and the lower body tube.

[0079] Example 17. The apparatus of any of the preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the at least one intermediate body tube includes two or fewer intermediate body tubes.

[0080] Example 18. The apparatus of any of the preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the at least one intermediate body tube is configured to increase rigidity of i) the upper body tube, ii) the lower body tube, iii) the intermediate body tube, or iv) combinations thereof.

[0081] Example 19. A system for an evacuation slide, the system comprising: an upper body tube having a first upper body end and a second upper body end; a lower body tube having a first lower body end and a second lower body end; and at least one intermediate body tube configured between the upper body tube and the lower body tube.

[0082] Example 20. The system of any of the preceding examples or combination of examples, wherein the upper body tube includes a first set of side rails connecting the firstAtorney Docket No. 037514-1457084Client Ref. No. B-030829PCT01Patent Application upper body end and the second upper body end, the lower body tube includes a second set of side rails connecting the first lower body end to the second lower body end, the at least one intermediate body tube includes a third set of side rails with a first length parallel to the first set of side rails and the second set of side rails, wherein the first set of side rails and the second set of side rails are longer than the third set of side rails, and wherein the third set of side rails separates the first set of side rails and the second set of side rails by a vertical distance along a second length at least equal to the first length.

[0083] Example 21. The system of any of the preceding examples or combination of examples, wherein the first upper body end and the second upper body end occupy a first plane parallel to a length between the first upper body end and the second upper body end, and wherein at least a portion of the intermediate body tube is perpendicular to the first plane.

[0084] Example 22. The system of any of the preceding examples or combination of examples, wherein the first upper body end and the second upper body end occupy a first plane parallel to a length between the first upper body end and the second upper body end, and wherein at least a portion of the intermediate body tube is perpendicular to the first plane arranged in vertical columns.

[0085] Different arrangements of the components depicted in the drawings or described above, as well as components and steps not shown or described are possible. Similarly, some features and sub-combinations are useful and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. Embodiments of the disclosure have been described for illustrative and not restrictive purposes, and alternative embodiments will become apparent to readers of this patent. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above or depicted in the drawings, and various embodiments and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claims below.

Claims

Atorney Docket No. 037514-1457084Client Ref. No. B-030829PCT01Patent Application CLAIMSThat which is claimed is:

1. A device for an evacuation system, the device comprising:an upper body tube having a first upper body end and a second upper body end; a lower body tube having a first lower body end and a second lower body end; andan intermediate body tube configured between the upper body tube and the lower body tube.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first upper body end is coupled to the first lower body end and the second upper body end is coupled to the second lower body end; and wherein the intermediate body tube is coupled to the upper body tube and the lower body tube along a length between the first upper body end and the second upper body end.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the upper body tube and the lower body tube have a shape selected from a group comprising: i) rectangular, ii) cylindrical, iii) U-shaped, iv) I-shaped, v) H-shaped, vi) figure eight shaped, vii) triangular, or combinations thereof.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the upper body tube or the lower body tube includes one or more support tubes extending along a length.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the one or more support tubes are in contact with a sliding surface and are configured to support the sliding surface, the sliding surface being atached to i) the upper body tube, ii) the lower body tube, or both i) and ii).

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the one or more support tubes is in contact with one or more surfaces of the intermediate body tube, wherein the intermediate body tube is configured to increase a beam strength of i) the upper body tube, ii) the lower body tube, iii) the intermediate body tube, or iv) combinations thereof.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first upper body end and the second upper body end occupy a first plane parallel to a length between the first upper body end and theAtorney Docket No. 037514-1457084Client Ref. No. B-030829PCT01Patent Application second upper body end, and wherein at least a portion of the intermediate body tube occupies the first plane.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the intermediate body tube has a shape selected from a group comprising: i) a straight tube, ii) cylindrical, iii) U-shaped, iv) I-shaped, v) IT-shaped, vi) figure eight shaped, vii) triangular, viii) rectangular, ix) polygonal, or combinations thereof.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the upper body tube or the lower body tube is a unitary tube.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the upper body tube, the lower body tube, and the intermediate body tube are connected to each other using one or more i) gusset patches, ii) crotch tapes, iii) webs, or combinations thereof.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the intermediate body tube includes four or fewer truss tube miter seams.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the intermediate body tube is configured to separate a first length of the upper body tube from a second length of the lower body tube by a vertical distance.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein a length of the upper body tube and a length of the lower body tube are at least half of a total length of the device.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the upper body tube, the lower body tube, or the intermediate body tube have diameters in a range between 1 inches and 54 inches.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the upper body tube, the lower body tube, and the intermediate body tube are made from a material selected from a group comprising: a fabric, a polymer, a composite, or combinations thereof.

16. An apparatus for an evacuation slide, the apparatus comprising:Atorney Docket No. 037514-1457084Client Ref. No. B-030829PCT01Patent Application an upper body tube having a first upper body end and a second upper body end; a lower body tube having a first lower body end and a second lower body end; andat least one intermediate body tube configured between the upper body tube and the lower body tube.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one intermediate body tube includes two or fewer intermediate body tubes.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one intermediate body tube is configured to increase rigidity of i) the upper body tube, ii) the lower body tube, iii) the intermediate body tube, or iv) combinations thereof.

19. A system for an evacuation slide, the system comprising:an upper body tube having a first upper body end and a second upper body end; a lower body tube having a first lower body end and a second lower body end; and at least one intermediate body tube configured between the upper body tube and the lower body tube.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the upper body tube includes a first set of side rails connecting the first upper body end and the second upper body end, the lower body tube includes a second set of side rails connecting the first lower body end to the second lower body end, the at least one intermediate body tube includes a third set of side rails with a first length parallel to the first set of side rails and the second set of side rails, wherein the first set of side rails and the second set of side rails are longer than the third set of side rails, and wherein the third set of side rails separates the first set of side rails and the second set of side rails by a vertical distance along a second length at least equal to the first length.

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