Multipurpose Inflatable Boarding Deck for Life Raft Canopy Support

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional life rafts for aircraft evacuation often require separate canopy support structures, increasing complexity, weight, and cost, and may not efficiently adapt to inverted deployment scenarios.

Innovation Solution

A life raft design featuring a multipurpose inflatable boarding deck that can transition between a boarding position and a canopy support position, utilizing an inflatable border tube and a platform supported by inflatable tubes, with a fastening feature to secure the deck in the canopy position, allowing for fluid communication between inflatable volumes and reducing the need for standalone canopy structures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate canopy support structures are used in conventional life rafts, then the canopy can be supported, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecanopy support capabilityVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The boarding deck is designed to serve dual purposes: it functions as a boarding platform during initial deployment and transforms into a canopy support structure when the canopy is installed. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate canopy support structures, directly resolving the technical contradiction by maintaining canopy support capability while reducing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the boarding deck and canopy support functions into a single integrated structure. The boarding deck is structurally merged with the canopy support system, allowing it to perform both boarding and canopy support functions. This merging eliminates redundant components and reduces overall structure complexity while maintaining reliable canopy support.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If separate canopy support structures are used in conventional life rafts, then the canopy can be supported, but the weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecanopy support capabilityVSAvoidlife raft weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The boarding deck is designed to serve dual purposes: it functions as a boarding platform during initial deployment and transforms into a canopy support structure when the canopy is installed. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate canopy support structures, directly resolving the technical contradiction by maintaining canopy support capability while reducing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the boarding deck and canopy support functions into a single integrated structure. The boarding deck is structurally merged with the canopy support system, allowing it to perform both boarding and canopy support functions. This merging eliminates redundant components and reduces overall structure complexity while maintaining reliable canopy support.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Device complexity

If the boarding deck is fixed in position, then the structure is simple, but the adaptability to inverted deployment is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoiddeployment position adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The boarding deck is designed with dynamic characteristics, allowing it to be positioned in different configurations. The deck can be temporarily secured during boarding operations and then repositioned or secured in alternative positions when the canopy is installed, enabling adaptation to both normal and inverted deployment scenarios while maintaining reasonable structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The boarding deck is designed to serve dual purposes: it functions as a boarding platform during initial deployment and transforms into a canopy support structure when the canopy is installed. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate canopy support structures, directly resolving the technical contradiction by maintaining canopy support capability while reducing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design simplifies the life raft by eliminating the need for separate canopy support structures, reducing weight and cost, while enabling efficient deployment and adaptation to inverted positions, enhancing usability and safety during emergency water landings.

Implementation Method 1

the first inflatable volume is in fluidic communication with the second inflatable volume

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluidic communication:

Data Source

PatentUS10351219B1Life raft system with multipurpose inflatable boarding deck

Publication Date: 2019.07.16 GOODRICH CORP

AI summary

A life raft may comprise a base and a multipurpose inflatable boarding deck coupled to the base and moveable between a first position whereby the multipurpose inflatable boarding deck facilitates embarking and a second position whereby the multipurpose inflatable boarding deck supports a canopy.