Inflatable Toe End Spring for Aircraft Evacuation Slide Sill Height Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Emergency evacuation slides used in aircraft must function effectively across varying sill heights, from normal to high, to ensure safe and efficient passenger evacuation, especially in emergency landings where landing gear failure can alter sill height.
Innovation Solution
The evacuation slide design incorporates a sill height compensating feature, which includes inflatable components extending past the sliding surface. These features adjust the vertical distance between the main support tube and the exit surface, ensuring a suitable sliding angle across different sill heights.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the evacuation slide is designed for normal sill height, then evacuation rate is high, but it cannot support high sill conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The evacuation slide incorporates an inflatable toe end spring that can dynamically adjust its length and support height based on inflation pressure. This dynamic adjustment allows the slide to adapt to different sill heights while maintaining optimal evacuation performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes physical parameters (inflation pressure, volume) of the toe end spring to adjust the slide's effective length and support characteristics. By controlling the inflation parameters, the slide can optimize its performance for both normal and high sill conditions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the evacuation slide is designed for high sill height, then it supports high sill conditions, but evacuation rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The inflatable toe end spring provides dynamic support that can be adjusted to compensate for the increased sill height. By inflating the spring to appropriate pressure, the slide maintains the necessary support function while preserving adequate evacuation rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses pneumatic inflation of the toe end spring to adjust the slide's support characteristics. The pneumatic pressure can be controlled to provide the exact amount of support needed for high sill conditions while maintaining evacuation performance.
3Productivity
If the slide length is reduced for normal sill, then evacuation rate increases, but the slide cannot reach the ground at high sill
Solution Approach 1:
The toe end spring acts as a dynamic length extension that deploys only when needed. During normal operation at standard sill heights, the spring remains compact, maintaining optimal slide length for high evacuation rates. When high sill conditions occur, the spring inflates to extend the effective length.
Solution Approach 2:
The inflatable toe end spring can be stored in a compact, nested state within the slide structure during normal conditions. When activation is required, it expands outward to provide the necessary length extension, then can be deflated and nested again for subsequent use.
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 solution allows the evacuation slide to maintain an optimal sliding angle at both normal and high sill conditions, enhancing passenger evacuation rates and safety by accommodating varying aircraft configurations.
Implementation Method 1
the first sill height compensating feature and the second sill height compensating feature extend longitudinally past the sliding surface of the evacuation slide in response to the evacuation slide being deployed
Data Source
AI summary
An evacuation slide may comprise a first sill height compensating feature coupled to an upper main support tube and a second sill height compensating feature coupled to the upper main support tube, wherein the first sill height compensating feature and the second sill height compensating feature extend longitudinally past the sliding surface of the evacuation slide in response to the evacuation slide being deployed. The first sill height compensating feature and the second sill height compensating feature may be configured to increase a vertical distance between the upper main support tube and an exit surface.