Aircraft Evacuation Slide Inverted Airfoil Sheet
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft evacuation slides experience 'kiting' in high lateral wind conditions, where the slide lifts off the ground, rendering it unusable, and lack adequate protection from weather in emergency water landings.
Innovation Solution
An evacuation assembly with a sheet that can be configured in a negative lift mode to prevent 'kiting' by creating an inverted airfoil shape and in a canopy mode to protect passengers from weather, adaptable for both slide and raft configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional evacuation slides are deployed in high lateral wind conditions, then the slide can facilitate passenger evacuation, but the slide lifts off the ground due to 'kiting' effect, rendering it unusable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional slide configuration by adding an inverted airfoil shape to the slide structure. This inversion creates negative lift in high lateral wind conditions, counteracting the kiting effect that normally causes the slide to lift off the ground. The inverted configuration transforms the harmful aerodynamic lift into a beneficial downward force that keeps the slide grounded and usable during evacuation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the aerodynamic parameters of the slide by incorporating an inverted airfoil cross-section. This geometric parameter change modifies the lift characteristics of the slide, transforming it from generating positive lift (causing kiting) to generating negative lift (preventing kiting). The inverted airfoil shape alters the pressure distribution and flow characteristics to achieve the desired anti-kiting effect.
2Reliability
If evacuation slides are used as passenger rafts in water landings, then they can provide buoyancy and flotation, but they lack adequate protection from weather conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by designing the inverted airfoil structure to serve dual purposes: it prevents kiting during slide deployment in windy conditions and simultaneously provides weather protection when the slide is configured as a raft for water landings. The same structural feature addresses both operational modes, eliminating the need for separate protective structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The inverted airfoil structure functions as a flexible shell that encloses the slide, creating a protective environment for passengers. This thin film structure provides weather protection while maintaining the inflatable, flexible nature of the evacuation slide, allowing it to adapt to both slide and raft configurations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a single structure is used for both slide and raft configurations, then versatility is improved, but the structural design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The inverted airfoil structure serves as a universal component that enables both slide and raft configurations without requiring separate structures. This multi-functional design achieves versatility while managing complexity by using a single integrated structural solution rather than multiple specialized components.
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 sheet effectively keeps the slide grounded in windy conditions and provides weather protection when used as a raft, ensuring safe evacuation and passenger comfort.
Implementation Method 1
the sheet is configured in a negative lift mode to prevent 'kiting' by creating an inverted airfoil shape
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
An evacuation assembly (108) of an aircraft may include an evacuation slide (120) and a sheet (140) coupled to the evacuation slide (120). The sheet (140) may be deployable in a negative lift configuration and a canopy configuration. In the negative lift configuration, the sheet (140) may extend across at least a portion of an underside of the evacuation slide. In the canopy configuration, the sheet (140) may extend over at least a portion of a top side of the evacuation slide (120). The evacuation assembly (108) may also include a support that is coupled to and extends between the top side of the evacuation slide (120) and the sheet (140) in response to the sheet (140) being in the canopy configuration.