Morphing Evacuation Slide Sill Height Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
High door sills on aircraft evacuation slides increase passenger egress velocity, leading to potential injuries during emergency evacuations.
Innovation Solution
A sill height morphing feature is introduced, comprising dual chambers and a sliding surface that deforms in response to force, adjusting the angle between the slide and exit surface to reduce passenger velocity by redirecting the velocity vector.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If the door sill height is increased, then the slide deployment height is improved, but the passenger egress velocity increases causing injury
Solution Approach 1:
The slide structure transitions from a rigid fixed angle to a dynamic morphing structure that can adjust its angle. The dual chamber configuration allows the slide to change its geometry in response to deployment conditions, enabling the slide to adapt its angle to reduce passenger velocity and minimize injury risk while maintaining compatibility with high door sills
Solution Approach 2:
The slide's deployment angle is changed from a fixed parameter to a variable parameter that can morph between different angles. By controlling the inflation pressure distribution in the dual chambers, the slide can adjust its angle to optimize passenger safety by reducing egress velocity while still accommodating the fixed door sill height
2Ease of manufacture
If the slide angle is fixed, then the manufacturing simplicity is improved, but the adaptability to different sill heights is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The slide incorporates a morphing capability that allows it to dynamically adjust its deployment angle based on the door sill height and deployment conditions. This dynamic adaptation is achieved through the dual chamber configuration that can redistribute inflation pressure to change the slide's geometry, providing versatility without requiring multiple fixed-angle slide designs
Solution Approach 2:
The dual chamber slide structure serves multiple functions: it can deploy at different angles to accommodate various door sill heights, control passenger velocity through angle adjustment, and maintain structural integrity during deployment. This multi-functionality allows a single slide design to replace multiple fixed-angle slides, improving adaptability while maintaining manufacturing efficiency
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 morphing feature reduces the likelihood of passenger injury by altering the slide's angle and velocity vector, thereby minimizing impact with the exit surface during egress.
Implementation Method 1
the foot section, the sliding surface, and the portion of the lower chamber comprising the second foot tube are configured to deform in response to a force
Implementation Method 2
the foot section, the sliding surface, and the portion of the lower chamber comprising the second foot tube are configured to deform in response to a force and a change in a sill height
Data Source
AI summary
A sill height morphing feature may comprise an upper chamber comprising an orthogonal foot section and a first foot tube, a lower chamber, relatively below the upper chamber, coupled to the upper chamber and comprising a second foot tube, a sliding surface between the upper chamber and the lower chamber, wherein the first foot tube lies relatively beneath the sliding surface, wherein the second foot tube lies relatively beneath the sliding surface and relatively behind and proximate to the first foot tube, wherein the sliding surface is coupled to the first foot tube at a top surface of the first foot tube.