Jettisonable Emergency Exit With Pull Strap Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current jettisonable emergency windows in aircrafts are prone to unintentional activation, difficult to access, and cumbersome to operate, failing to meet safety and ergonomic standards, especially in emergency situations like crashes or underwater ditching.
Innovation Solution
A jettisonable emergency exit system with integrated retention means and locking devices, featuring a non-retractable pivot finger and retractable locking hooks activated by nylon straps that can be pulled in any direction, ensuring safe and reliable operation across various conditions, including extreme temperatures and underwater environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional rotatable or translationally movable handles are used for emergency exit activation, then the handle can be operated in a single direction, but the risk of improper use by crew members and passengers increases and too much space is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional handle operation by using a pull strap instead of a push/pull handle. The strap is pulled to activate the emergency exit, reversing the typical interaction mode and reducing the risk of improper use while minimizing space requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the activation mechanism from a complex handle system with kinematic components and reduces it to a simple pull strap system, removing unnecessary complexity while maintaining ease of operation
2Reliability
If holding and locking mechanisms are made robust to prevent unintentional activation, then safety against erroneous jettison is improved, but the mechanism becomes more complex and harder to operate in emergencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different qualities to different parts of the system: the locking mechanism uses a gravity-dependent design with high retention force for reliability, while the activation strap uses low-friction PTFE liners and a mechanical advantage system to reduce activation force to under 200N, creating local quality differences that resolve the contradiction
3Ease of operation
If the emergency exit system is designed to be lightweight and simple, then ease of operation is improved, but resistance to unintentional activation may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary anti-action through the gravity-dependent locking mechanism that automatically engages and locks the emergency exit in place before any activation attempt. The system pre-establishes a locked state that requires deliberate activation, preventing unintentional opening while maintaining overall system simplicity
Data Source
AI summary
A jettisonable emergency exit for a vehicle, comprising an outer peripheral edge that is adapted to be accommodated in an associated frame provided in a vehicle, wherein at least one emergency exit retention means and at least one emergency exit locking device are integrated into the outer peripheral edge, the at least one emergency exit retention means comprising at least one non-retractable pivot finger around which the jettisonable emergency exit is rotatable in an emergency mode, and the at least one emergency exit locking device comprising at least one locking hook that is adapted for locking the jettisonable emergency exit in an associated locking position in normal operation mode and for releasing the jettisonable emergency exit in an associated retracted position in the emergency mode.