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EP-4335751-B1 - OFF-WING EVACUATION PACKBOARD COVER PANEL AND SOFT COVER RELEASE UTILIZING MAGNETOSTRICTION

EP4335751B1EP 4335751 B1EP4335751 B1EP 4335751B1EP-4335751-B1

Inventors

  • JNANEGOWDA, Vasantha Kumara
  • DESHAPANDE, Sunil

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230905

Claims (6)

  1. A system for releasing a blowout panel (110) and softcover (206) release of an evacuation slide in an aircraft, the system comprising: the blowout panel (110); the soft cover (206), the soft cover including key-loop lacing (210); a first actuator (202, 400), wherein the first actuator (400) comprises: a first drive rod (412) comprising a first magnetostriction material; a nose fitting (408); a first spindle (414), wherein the first drive rod (412) abuts a face of a proximal end the first spindle (414), wherein the first spindle (414) is slidable within the nose fitting (408); and a set of ball bearings (406) comprised in the nose fitting (408), wherein the first magnetostriction material of the first drive rod (412) is configured to, when magnetized, expand along a length of the first magnetostriction material in a first direction forcing the first spindle (414) to translate in the first direction thereby allowing the set of ball bearings (406) holding the blowout panel (110) in place to translate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction due to a distal end of the first spindle (414) moving in the first direction and allowing the set of ball bearings (406) to retract inward in the second direction to inside the periphery of the nose fitting (408) thereby releasing the blowout panel; a second actuator (212, 700), wherein the second actuator (700) comprises: a second drive rod (706) comprising a second magnetostriction material ; and a second spindle (708), wherein the second drive rod (706) abuts a face of a proximal end the second spindle (708), wherein the second magnetostriction material of the second drive rod (706) is configured to, when magnetized, expand along a length of the second magnetostriction material in a third direction forcing the second spindle (708) to translate in the third direction thereby pulling the key-loop of the lacing (210) coupled to a distal end of the second spindle (708) thereby untying the key-loop of lacing (210) associated with the softcover; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to: receive an indication that an evacuation event has begun; and responsive to receiving the indication of the evacuation event has begun: send a first signal to the first actuator that magnetizes the first magnetostriction material within the first actuator, thereby releasing the blowout panel of a packboard compartment (204) in which the evacuation slide is present, and send a second signal to the second actuator that magnetizes the second magnetostriction material within the second actuator, thereby releasing the key-loop of lacing (210) associated with the softcover in which the evacuation slide is present in the packboard compartment.
  2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first actuator (202, 400) is a set of first actuators.
  3. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the first actuator (400) further comprises: a compression spring (602), wherein the compression spring provides a compression spring force that holds the spindle (414) against the first magnetostriction material; and/or wherein the first actuator further comprises: a solenoid (510), wherein the solenoid generates a magnetic field in response to receiving the first signal and wherein the magnetic field magnetizes the first magnetostriction material thereby expanding the first magnetostriction material along the length of the first magnetostriction material in the first direction.
  4. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the first signal is a direct current signal, and/or wherein the second signal is a direct current signal.
  5. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the second actuator further comprises: a compression spring (710), wherein the compression spring provides a compression spring force that holds the spindle (708) against the second magnetostriction material (704); and/or wherein the second actuator further comprises: a solenoid, wherein the solenoid generates a magnetic field in response to receiving the second signal and wherein the magnetic field magnetizes the second magnetostriction material thereby expanding the second magnetostriction material along the length of the second magnetostriction material in the first direction.
  6. A method (1200) for releasing a blowout panel and softcover release of an evacuation slide in an aircraft, the method comprising: providing a system for releasing a blowout panel (110) and the softcover (206) release of an evacuation slide in an aircraft according to any preceding claim; receiving, by the controller, an indication that an evacuation event has begun; and responsive to receiving the indication of the evacuation event beginning: sending, by the controller, the first signal to the first actuator that magnetizes the first magnetostriction material within the first actuator, thereby releasing the blowout panel of the packboard compartment in which the evacuation slide is present; and sending, by the controller, the second signal to the second actuator that magnetizes the second magnetostriction material within the second actuator, thereby releasing the key-loop of lacing associated with the softcover in which the evacuation slide is present in the packboard compartment.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to India Patent Application No. 202241051631 (DAS CODE: A8B4), filed September 9, 2022, and titled "OFF-WING EVACUATION PACKBOARD COVER PANEL AND SOFT COVER RELEASE UTILIZING MAGNETOSTRICTION". FIELD The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for off-wing evacuation systems, and more specifically, to utilizing magnetostriction to control a packboard cover and softcover release of an aircraft. BACKGROUND Aircraft emergency landings often demand rapid evacuation of passengers from the aircraft due to potential injuries from fire, explosions, and sinking in water. Quickly evacuating passengers from an aircraft is performed with multiple emergency exits, each equipped with evacuation slides or slides/rafts. Evacuation slides or slides/rafts are needed to comply with aviation regulation and to ensure the safe evacuation of all passengers. These evacuation slides or slides/rafts are normally stored in an uninflated condition in a packboard that occupies a small space in the interior of the aircraft. Door exit inflatable slides are typically mounted on the interior of the aircraft door or immediately adjacent to it. Over wing exits are normally stored in an uninflated condition in a special packboard compartment that opens to the exterior of the aircraft adjacent the over wing exit. The packboard compartment is closed by means of a packboard cover, hereinafter referred to as a blowout panel, that fits flush with and blends smoothly into the contours of an exterior of the aircraft. The blowout panel is retained to the packboard compartment by means of a plurality of releasable ball locks. Opening an aircraft emergency evacuation exit in an armed condition releases the releasable ball locks, allowing the blowout panel to fall away/unlock. Simultaneously, the emergency evacuation slide is inflated and extends to its deployed condition ready for evacuation of passengers. US2020010204A1 relates generally to aircraft evacuation systems and, more particularly, to systems and methods for softcover attachment. In response to the emergency exit door of the aircraft opening, or in response to another evacuation event, the evacuation system may jettison a panel and deploy an inflatable slide. The panel covers a housing that comprises the inflatable slide. The inflatable slide is retained by a softcover. The softcover includes two fabric panels held together by lace that is configured in a series of loops with each loop extending through a lace aperture in the fabric panels and closed by a pin located in a final or "key" loop to prevent the lace from unfurling. The pin is slidably coupled to the lace such that the lace unlaces in response to a removal, or an uncoupling, of the pin from the lace and so doing allows the softcover to open. An actuator is positioned to translate (i.e., pull) the pin and release the inflatable slide. SUMMARY A system for releasing a blowout panel and softcover release of an evacuation slide in an aircraft is provided as claimed in claim 1. In various embodiments, the first actuator is a set of first actuators. In various embodiments, the first actuator further includes a compression spring, where the compression spring provides a compression spring force that holds the spindle against the first magnetostriction material. In various embodiments, the first actuator further includes a solenoid, where the solenoid generates a magnetic field in response to receiving the first signal and where the magnetic field magnetizes the first magnetostriction material thereby expanding the first magnetostriction material along the length of the first magnetostriction material in the first direction. In various embodiments, the first signal is a direct current signal. In various embodiments, the second actuator further includes a compression spring, where the compression spring provides a compression spring force that holds the spindle against the second magnetostriction material. In various embodiments, the second actuator further includes a solenoid, where the solenoid generates a magnetic field in response to receiving the second signal and where the magnetic field magnetizes the second magnetostriction material thereby expanding the second magnetostriction material along the length of the second magnetostriction material in the first direction. In various embodiments, the second signal is a direct current signal. Also disclosed herein is a method for releasing a blowout panel and softcover release of an evacuation slide in an aircraft as claimed in claim 6. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The subject matter of the present disclosure is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. A more complete understanding of the present disclosure, however, may best be obtained by referring to the following detailed description and claims in connection with the following drawings. While th