Aircraft Evacuation Slide with Extendable Head End
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft evacuation systems face challenges in maintaining a safe angle for evacuation slides when landing on varying terrain, as existing systems do not effectively adjust to changes in distance from the aircraft sill to the surface and aircraft angles, potentially leading to unsafe slopes during emergency evacuations.
Innovation Solution
An evacuation slide assembly with extendable portions and a height sensor that deploys pyrotechnic cutters to adjust the slide's angle by loosening threads and inflating an extendable tube, ensuring the slide maintains a safe angle relative to vertical, regardless of the aircraft's roll, pitch, or landing surface conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the evacuation slide is designed with a fixed length, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the slide cannot maintain a safe angle when landing on varying terrain or when the aircraft is at different angles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the evacuation slide length adjustable rather than fixed. The slide includes an extendable portion that can be deployed or retracted based on the detected terrain conditions and aircraft angle, allowing the system to adapt dynamically to varying environments while maintaining a safe evacuation angle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the evacuation slide into multiple portions: a main body and an extendable portion. This segmentation allows the slide to be configured in different lengths as needed, providing adaptability to various terrain conditions while keeping the base structure relatively simple.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the evacuation slide extends to accommodate varying terrain, then the adaptability improves, but the device complexity and potential failure points increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring the slide with an extendable portion that is ready for deployment but remains compact during storage. The height sensor is pre-positioned to detect terrain conditions, and the control system is pre-programmed to activate the extension mechanism when needed, ensuring reliable and timely adaptation without adding complex real-time decision-making components.
3Reliability
If a height sensor and control mechanism are added to adjust the slide angle, then the safety and adaptability improve, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the height sensor and control mechanism to serve multiple functions: detecting terrain height, determining aircraft angle, controlling the extendable portion deployment, and monitoring the evacuation path safety. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components, thereby improving reliability while limiting the increase in overall system complexity.
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
The system ensures a safe and stable evacuation path by dynamically adjusting the slide's length and angle in response to changing aircraft and terrain conditions, providing a consistent and secure means of egress for passengers during emergencies.
Implementation Method 1
The first cutter may comprise a pyrotechnic package
Implementation Method 2
The first extendable portion may include an extendable tube in fluid communication with the main body and configured to receive pressurized air from the main body and inflate in response to the at least one thread being loosened
Data Source
AI summary
An evacuation slide assembly for an aircraft may comprise a main body configured to extend from a sill of the aircraft toward a surface within a range of angles relative to vertical when deployed so as to allow persons to safely slide down the main body to the surface. The main body may include a head end configured to attached to the sill of the aircraft, and a toe end opposite the head end. A first extendable portion may be coupled to the head end of the main body and may be in operable communication with a height sensor. The first extendable portion may be configured to deploy to adjust for a variation in a positional relationship between the surface and the sill to maintain the main body within the range of angles.