Inflatable Evacuation Units with Horizontal Deployment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing evacuation systems for vessels are bulky, heavy, and require significant space, leading to inefficiencies in storage and deployment, and pose risks during lowering due to sudden movements and potential injuries.

Innovation Solution

A compact evacuation system featuring self-propelling, inflatable floatable units stored in a compact storage unit with a deployment arrangement that includes a crane arm and hydraulic sliding mechanism, allowing for efficient horizontal and vertical deployment without occupying excessive space, and ensuring safe and reliable evacuation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional lifeboats and tender boats are used for evacuation, then evacuation capacity is achieved, but the system occupies excessive space and requires vessel reinforcement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveevacuation capacityVSAvoidstorage space

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The evacuation system is divided into multiple modular inflatable units, each capable of independent operation. These units can be stored compactly and deployed separately, allowing the evacuation capacity to be maintained while significantly reducing the overall storage volume required compared to traditional single-piece lifeboats.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from rigid, fixed-structure lifeboats to inflatable structures that can be compressed to a fraction of their operational size. When deflated, the units occupy minimal space; when inflated, they provide the necessary buoyancy and capacity for evacuation, thus resolving the space-capacity contradiction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If traditional lifeboats are used, then evacuation capacity is provided, but the system is heavy and requires vessel reinforcement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveevacuation capacityVSAvoidsystem weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses inflatable materials that provide high buoyancy-to-weight ratio. The inflated units achieve the necessary weight for buoyancy and stability, but in their stored deflated state, they weigh significantly less than traditional rigid lifeboats, eliminating the need for extensive vessel reinforcement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The inflatable units utilize composite material construction combining lightweight, high-strength fabrics with inflatable chambers. This allows the units to achieve adequate structural integrity and buoyancy capacity without the excessive weight of traditional rigid lifeboat constructions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Ease of operation

If traditional lifeboats are lowered into water, then evacuation is enabled, but sudden movements and slamming occur causing injury risk

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeployment capabilityVSAvoidinjury risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The inflatable units are designed with dynamic deployment characteristics that allow controlled inflation and water entry. The gradual inflation process and flexible material properties enable the units to absorb shock and adapt to water entry forces, preventing sudden movements and slamming that occur with rigid lifeboats.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The inflatable structure inherently provides cushioning before water contact during deployment. As the units are lowered, the inflatable material compresses and absorbs impact forces, creating a cushioning effect that protects occupants from injury during the water entry process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

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 achieves a high evacuation capacity while minimizing space and weight, ensuring safe and efficient deployment, reducing the need for vessel reinforcement and providing additional space for luxury cabins or public areas.

Implementation Method 1

a plurality of inflatable floatable units (5), each having a capacity of more than 150 persons

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Implementation Method 2

a deployment arrangement (8) having a displacement device (100) adapted to displace the self-propelling, inflatable floatable units (5) horizontally and vertically from the storage unit (7) to a position in the water

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical displacement: Displacement

Data Source

PatentEP2720939B2An evacuation system

Publication Date: 2023.02.08 VIKING LIFE SAVING EQUIP

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AI summary

The present invention relates to an evacuation system (4) for a vessel (1) or offshore facility, comprising a storage unit (7) having a length, a width and a height defining a volume of the storage unit (7), the storage unit (7) in a storage situation being adapted to house one or more self-propelling, inflatable floatable units (5), the inflatable floatable units each having a capacity of more than 150 persons, and a deployment arrangement (8) having a displacement device, wherein a maximum height of the storage unit is 2.7 metres, and the displacement device is adapted to displace the one or more self-propelling, inflatable floatable units in a substantially horizontal and linear direction out of the storage unit (7) below the maximum height and subsequently lower the one or more self-propelling, inflatable floatable units (5) into the water in a substantially vertical direction.