Submarine Escape Suit Liferaft Deployment Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Submarine escape suit wearers experience discomfort due to the liferaft inflating directly from the pack during deployment in existing submarine escape suit assemblies.

Innovation Solution

A submarine escape suit assembly with a liferaft pack featuring an outer casing that opens to release an inner casing containing a deflated liferaft and an actuation device, allowing controlled inflation and deployment of the liferaft after separation from the suit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the liferaft inflates directly from the pack during deployment, then the deployment process is simple and rapid, but the wearer experiences discomfort and lack of control

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeployment speedVSAvoidwearer comfort and control

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The pack is divided into an outer casing and an inner casing that can be separated. The inner casing containing the liferaft is released from the outer casing before inflation, allowing the wearer to control the inflation process separately from the deployment process, thereby improving comfort and control while maintaining rapid deployment capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The inner casing is pre-positioned within the outer casing in a compact, deflated state. Before inflation occurs, the inner casing is released from the outer casing, preparing the system for controlled inflation. This preliminary separation allows the wearer to initiate inflation at the optimal moment for comfort and control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If the inner casing is released from the outer casing before inflation, then the wearer has control over inflation timing and comfort, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewearer comfort and controlVSAvoidpack structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The inner casing is nested within the outer casing in a compact arrangement. The inner casing contains the deflated liferaft and is positioned to be easily released from the outer casing. This nesting design provides a simple mechanical structure that enables controlled inflation while minimizing overall device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The inner casing is extracted from the outer casing through a simple release mechanism. This extraction allows the inner casing to be separated before inflation, giving the wearer control over the inflation timing. The extraction process is designed to be simple and reliable, adding minimal complexity to the overall device

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 the wearer to choose when the liferaft inflates, providing comfort and convenience by initiating inflation only after the inner casing is separated from the suit, allowing for controlled deployment and boarding.

Implementation Method 1

actuation of the device passing gas to the liferaft for subsequent inflation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas compression and expansion:

Data Source

PatentUS8092267B2Submarine escape suit assemblies

Publication Date: 2012.01.10 RFD BEAUFORT LTD

AI summary

A submarine escape suit assembly comprises a submarine escape suit (10) and a liferaft pack (11). The pack (11) is formed by an outer casing (20) that can be pulled open to access a sealed inner casing (21) containing a liferaft. A cord (27) on the inner pack (11) is pulled to commence inflation of the liferaft (10).