Fire escape – ladder – or scaffold – Chute or escape tower for personnel
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-01
2002-06-25
Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3634)
Fire escape, ladder, or scaffold
Chute or escape tower for personnel
C244S137200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06408982
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to passenger evacuation arrangements for aircraft safety, and in particular to a chute and associated deployment structures for evacuation of passengers from an upper deck of an aircraft in the event of an emergency.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Modern aircraft design, and in particular the proposed introduction of multi-deck aircraft into the fleet of commercial passenger aircraft, has given rise to novel safety concerns. In particular, rapid evacuation of passengers from the upper deck of an aircraft in the event of an emergency can pose problems. Conventional aircraft design calls for evacuation slides that may be deployed from an aircraft hatch. However, this arrangement is not well suited for use with an aircraft having two or more passenger decks, in which the upper deck is at a significant remove from the base of the aircraft fuselage. In particular, conventional inflatable aircraft slides do not typically possess the rigidity to accommodate a large lateral displacement between the top and bottom of the slide. Thus, such slides cannot readily accommodate the drop from the upper deck of a double deck aircraft. For this application (and others) there exists a need for alternative arrangements for evacuating passengers that are readily adaptable to applications involving lengthy drops.
It is proposed herein to apply certain of the principles and teachings of marine vessel evacuation arrangements for use in aircraft.
It is known within marine vessels to provide an emergency passenger evacuation arrangement that comprises an elongate fabric tubular member that may be suspended from an upper deck of the vessel. Typically, a framework is fixed to the vessel deck to support the chute. The interior of the tube or chute incorporates a means for slowing the rate of descent of passengers within the tube. With such an arrangement, passengers enter the tube from an upper deck of the vessel, and descend through the tube onto a waiting life raft or the like. Such an arrangement offers the advantage of being able to carry passengers in safety down a long descent. Further, the tube may be retained in a folded or bunched form within a relatively compact housing when not in use, and thus this arrangement represents when stowed a light weight and compact arrangement. Further, such a tube may be provided in virtually any length. Since the tube is suspended vertically rather than angled, structural rigidity is not required.
Examples of conventional marine evacuation passenger chutes may be found within the following references:
U.K. Patent Application No. 2,168,008 (Koizumi)
U.K. Patent No. 1,490,855 (Fujikura Rubber Works Limited)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,095 (Koizumi)
Conventionally, a marine chute deployment arrangement comprises a frame or the like fixedly mounted to a deck of a vessel, a portion of which overhangs the edge of the vessel to suspend the chute in a position somewhat displaced from the side of the vessel. The overhanging portion may either permanently overhang the vessel gunnel or be moveable between a fully inboard position and an overboard position upon deployment of the chute. A chute fabricated from fabric or other flexible material is housed in a folded or bunched form within a container associated with the frame, when in the stowed position. One end of the chute is fastened by cords or the like to the frame. Upon deployment of the chute, the chute is removed from the container and lowered or dropped over the side of the vessel, with the chute remaining attached and suspended at its upper end from the frame.
Within the chute, the rate of descent of passengers through the chute is controlled by various means. Typically, the chute comprises inner and outer fabric layers, with the inner chute layer forming a tortuous zig-zag path for effectively slowing the rate of descent of passengers within the chute. Alternatively, the inner chute layer may be partly elasticized, or other constriction means may be employed to create friction between the body of the user and the chute material.
In another aspect, an inflatable passenger platform may be associated with the base of the chute to receive descending passengers and provide a waiting area for the arrival of rescue craft. Further, various tensioning means permit users to properly tension the chute following deployment.
Within one aspect of the present invention, it is proposed to employ a generally conventional marine-type evacuation chute, in association with a frame and housing specifically adapted for aircraft use, in order to provide an emergency aircraft evacuation arrangement. The foldable chute may be conveniently stowed in an appropriate housing when not in use, and a frame specifically adapted for aircraft use suspends the chute over the side of an aircraft adjacent an escape hatch. It is noted that within conventional marine chute evacuation arrangements, the structure that suspends the chute over the side of the vessel is typically relatively large and is permanently fixed to the deck of the vessel adjacent the gunnel for rapid deployment of the chute. Such an arrangement is generally suitable for marine use. However, within the small confines of an aircraft, it is essential that a more compact deployment arrangement be provided, and it is further desirable to provide an arrangement whereby the frame may be positioned at some remove from the hatch when not in use, in order to provide free access to the hatch for entering and exiting passengers during normal aircraft operation. As well, it is of course essential that the chute deployment structure be capable of being housed entirely inboard of the aircraft when not in use and only extend outwardly from the aircraft when deployed.
In another aspect, the invention addresses the need during emergency evacuation of aircraft for particularly rapid passenger evacuation protocols. Thus, it is desirable to provide a rapid means for discharging passengers. One drawback of a marine type chute extending the full drop from an upper airplane deck is the time required for passengers to slide through such a tube. Thus it is desirable that at least a portion of the chute be replaced with a more expeditious evacuation arrangement. A further cause of delay can result from the hesitation experienced by untrained individuals at the moment of entry into and evacuation chute. In order to minimize this delay, it is desirable to provide an entry arrangement which does not commence with a vertical drop. Thus conventional chute arrangements may be modified to provide a non-vertical region at the upper end of the chute.
It is further desirable to provide a lightweight deployment structure for a chute arrangement that achieves a portion of its structural integrity and rigidity from the airframe of the aircraft, thus minimizing the weight and bulk of the structural elements of the device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a passenger evacuation arrangement for emergency use in aircraft, and in particular for evacuating passengers from an upper deck or decks of a multi-deck aircraft. The invention may however be used in connection with other types of aircraft. It is a further object to provide an emergency evacuation arrangement for aircraft passengers, which is relatively light weight and compact when stowed and which safely, rapidly and effectively evacuates passengers to ground level. It is a further object to provide an arrangement consisting of a marine-type evacuation chute, and a frame for suspending the chute overboard of an aircraft in a vertical orientation, wherein the frame is relatively compact when in a stowed position. Conveniently, the frame may be stowed within any convenient location within the aircraft in a region within the vicinity of an escape hatch and is at least partly supported when in use by the aircraft frame.
In one aspect, the invention comprises an aircraft emergency passenger evacuation chute arrangement for discharging passengers from a hatch of an aircraft, comprising:
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Stodola Daniel P.
Thompson Hugh B.
Zahl Adrian
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