Multipurpose Indicator Tube for Evacuation Slide Readiness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current off-wing evacuation slide systems are cumbersome due to weighty canopy support tubes that serve a single purpose and are difficult to inflate or attach, especially in high winds, and lack an effective readiness indicator to ensure the slide is fully inflated before use.
Innovation Solution
An inflatable slide system with a multipurpose readiness indicator tube that pivots when fully inflated, serving as both a canopy support and a visible indicator, and a releasable support strap system that adjusts tension to change the angle of the slide, allowing it to function as both a ramp and a slide, and can detach to form a raft or canopy as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If canopy support tubes are added to the evacuation system, then the canopy can be supported at a distance from the sliding surface, but the weight of the system increases and the tubes are difficult to inflate in high wind conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the canopy support tube function with the readiness indicator function into a single integrated tube structure. The readiness indicator tube serves dual purposes: it provides visual indication of slide inflation status and simultaneously supports the canopy at the required distance when inflated. This merging eliminates the need for separate canopy support tubes, reducing overall system weight while maintaining canopy support capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The readiness indicator tube is designed to perform multiple functions: (1) provide visual readiness indication when inflated, (2) support the canopy at proper distance from sliding surface, and (3) serve as a structural component of the evacuation system. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by making the support structure serve additional purposes rather than being a separate weight-bearing component.
2Shape
If canopy support tubes are added to the evacuation system, then the canopy can be supported at a distance from the sliding surface, but the complexity of attaching and inflating the tubes increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the canopy support function with the readiness indicator function into a single tube, the patent eliminates the separate operation of attaching and inflating dedicated support tubes. The readiness indicator tube is integrated into the slide inflation system, so when the slide inflates, the indicator tube automatically inflates and assumes its support position, simplifying the operational sequence.
Solution Approach 2:
The readiness indicator tube automatically performs its support function when inflated by the system's inflation mechanism. No separate manual attachment or inflation action is required from the operator - the tube self-activates as part of the normal slide deployment sequence, making the system easier to operate even in high-wind conditions.
3Loss of information
If a readiness indicator is added to show slide inflation status, then users can determine if the slide is ready for use, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The readiness indicator tube serves dual purposes: providing visual inflation status information and supporting the canopy structure. This multi-functionality means that adding the indicator does not purely increase complexity - the same component that provides information also performs a structural support function, effectively offsetting the complexity addition with functional consolidation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the information display function with the structural support function into a single tube component. Rather than adding a separate indicator mechanism to an existing support structure, the indicator capability is built into the support tube itself, creating a unified component that reduces overall system complexity compared to having separate elements.
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 the slide is fully inflated before use, reduces weight by eliminating redundant components, and provides a clear readiness indicator, while allowing for efficient conversion between slide, raft, and canopy modes, enhancing safety and usability in emergency situations.
Implementation Method 1
A multipurpose indicator tube may be fluidly coupled to the slide portion... The first restraint portion may be configured to decouple from the second restraint portion in response to an internal pressure of the slide portion exceeding a predetermined pressure threshold
Implementation Method 2
The first restraint portion may be configured to decouple from the second restraint portion in response to an internal pressure of the slide portion exceeding a predetermined pressure threshold
Implementation Method 3
An inflatable slide is disclosed herein... A multipurpose indicator tube may be fluidly coupled to the slide portion
Data Source
AI summary
An inflatable slide may comprise a ramp portion and a slide portion extending from the ramp portion. A multipurpose indicator tube may be fluidly coupled to the slide portion. A releasable restraint may be disposed between the multipurpose indicator tube and the slide portion. The releasable restraint may comprise a first restraint portion coupled to an end of the multipurpose indicator tube and a second restraint portion coupled to a toe end of the slide portion. The first restraint portion may be releasably coupled to the second restraint portion. A detachable restraint may be coupled to the slide portion and configured to detachably couple to the end of the multipurpose indicator tube.