Translucent Evacuation Slide with Internal Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial aircraft evacuation slides face limited visibility during night evacuations, causing hesitation among passengers and slowing the evacuation process.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a translucent tubular member with a light source, such as a light emitting diode, within the slide's chamber to illuminate the slide surface, which can be made from synthetic textile coated with urethane, providing improved visibility through diffused and reflected light.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If traditional opaque slide materials are used, then the slide structure is simple and cost-effective, but visibility during night evacuations is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The slide incorporates translucent or transparent materials that allow light to pass through and be visible from the outside. The material properties are specifically selected to transmit light while maintaining structural integrity, enabling the slide to be illuminated from within during nighttime evacuations.
Solution Approach 2:
Light sources are positioned inside the slide structure to illuminate the slide from within. This internal illumination system acts as an intermediary to enhance visibility without requiring external lighting, allowing passengers to see the slide clearly during nighttime emergencies.
2Illumination intensity
If light sources are added to illuminate the slide, then night-time visibility is improved, but the device complexity and energy requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The translucent or transparent slide material itself serves as a light-distributing element. When illuminated from within by light sources, the material evenly distributes the light across the slide surface, creating uniform visibility without requiring complex external lighting arrangements.
Solution Approach 2:
The slide structure incorporates internal light sources that illuminate the slide from within. This internal illumination system acts as an intermediary to enhance visibility without requiring external lighting, allowing passengers to see the slide clearly during nighttime emergencies.
3Illumination intensity
If translucent materials are used for the slide, then light transmission and visibility are enhanced, but the material selection and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The slide incorporates translucent or transparent materials that allow light to pass through and be visible from the outside. The material properties are specifically selected to transmit light while maintaining structural integrity, enabling the slide to be illuminated from within during nighttime evacuations.
Solution Approach 2:
The slide may use composite material structures combining translucent outer layers with internal support structures. This allows the slide to maintain both light-transmitting properties for visibility and sufficient mechanical strength for safe evacuation, balancing optical and structural requirements.
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
Enhances night-time visibility of the slide surfaces by distributing light along the slide, thereby accelerating passenger evacuation during emergencies.
Implementation Method 1
A light source may be directed into the chamber and configured to illuminate the tubular member from within the chamber
Implementation Method 2
The tubular member may comprise a translucent material defining a chamber internal to the tubular member
Implementation Method 3
The synthetic textile or the urethane may include a color to add the color to light emitted from the light source
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
An evacuation slide, comprising a first tubular member (202, 302) defining a first chamber (206, 306), wherein the first tubular member (202, 302) comprises a translucent material; a slide surface coupled to the first tubular member (202, 302); a first light source (208, 308) coupled to the first tubular member (202, 302) and configured illuminate the first tubular member (202, 302) from within the first chamber (206, 306); a second tubular member (202, 302) defining a second chamber (206, 306) and coupled to the slide surface; and a second light source (208, 308) coupled to the second tubular member (202, 302) and configured to illuminate the second tubular member (202, 302) from within.