Pneumatic Slide Cover Release for Damage-Free Evacuation Deployment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing release mechanisms for aircraft evacuation slides are unreliable, particularly when electrical signals are not available, and can cause damage to the slide, as they rely on frangible pins or inconsistent lacing methods.

Innovation Solution

A pneumatic release actuator system that uses a charged tank to inflate the slide, a ball lock, and a manual valve to pull a pin and release the lace holding the slide in a daisy chain configuration, allowing the slide to deploy without electrical power.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If frangible pins or electrical cutting devices are used to release the lace, then the slide can be deployed, but the mechanism may cause damage to the slide or fail when electrical signals are not available

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeployment reliabilityVSAvoidslide damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a pneumatic actuator that utilizes compressed gas to mechanically pull the pin and release the lace. This pneumatic system provides reliable operation without electrical signals and avoids the damage issues associated with frangible pins or electrical cutting devices, directly resolving the contradiction between deployment reliability and slide damage prevention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Reliability

If pneumatic actuators are used to release the lace, then reliable deployment is achieved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeployment reliabilityVSAvoidactuator complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pneumatic actuator is designed to perform multiple functions: it releases the lace by pulling the pin and simultaneously inflates the slide using the same compressed gas source. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity while maintaining high deployment reliability, addressing the contradiction between reliability and device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

Enables reliable and damage-free deployment of the evacuation slide in emergency situations, independent of electrical signals, by using pneumatic pressure to release the lace and deploy the slide effectively.

Implementation Method 1

A pneumatic actuator may be used to pull the pin and release the lace

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPneumatic pressure: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

a spring disposed within the housing and configured to apply a force to the plunger

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSpring force: Spring

Data Source

PatentEP3446980B1Soft cover release mechanism for evacuation slides

Publication Date: 2021.07.28 GOODRICH CORP

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AI summary

A pneumatic actuator (140) is described, comprising a housing (170); a cylinder (188) disposed within the housing (170); a plunger (184) disposed within the cylinder (188); a seal (186) disposed within the cylinder (188); and a spring (192) disposed within the housing (170) and configured to apply a force to the plunger (184).