Patent Application
20210230906
The present disclosure relates to aircraft systems, and in particular to ball locks for retaining blowout panels for evacuation assemblies.
Emergency evacuation systems may be used to exit an aircraft absent a jet way or other suitable means of egress for passengers. The evacuation system may deploy from the side of an aircraft fuselage, for example through a compartment assembly having a blowout panel and a packboard. Conventional evacuation systems/assemblies generally include one or more attachment fixtures, such as ball locks, to securely retain the blowout panel until an evacuation event warrants deployment of the contained evacuation slide.
In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides a ball lock. The ball lock may include a body having a shaft with at least one retention feature disposed at a distal portion of the shaft. The body may also define a central chamber and an access slot open to the central chamber. A spindle may be disposed within the central chamber of the body, the spindle comprising a distal end configured to selectively engage the at least one retention feature disposed at the distal portion of the shaft, wherein in response to the spindle being in a locked position within the central chamber, the distal end of the spindle engages the at least one retention feature to hold the at least one retention feature in an expanded state. In response to the spindle being in an unlocked position within the central chamber, the distal end of the spindle is withdrawn from the at least one retention feature to allow the at least one retention feature to be in a compressed state. The ball lock may further include an indicator coupled to the spindle and viewable to a user via the access slot, wherein the indicator is configured to indicate to the user whether the spindle is in the locked position or the unlocked position.
In various embodiments, the indicator includes at least one of a colored pattern, a series of numbers/letters, and one or more symbols viewable through the access slot to indicate the position of the spindle. In various embodiments, the indicator is a portion of the spindle. In various embodiments, the indicator is a sleeve coupled to a portion of the spindle. The access slot, through which the indicator is visible to the user, may be a hole for insertion of a key actuator. In various embodiments, the indicator comprises a tab extending from the spindle through the access slot, wherein the position of the tab relative to the slot is indicative of the position of the spindle. For example, the spindle may include a proximal end having a first surface facing a biasing spring and a second surface opposite the first surface, and the tab may extend from the second surface. In various embodiments, the indicator is a position sensor configured to detect a position of the spindle.
Also disclosed herein, according to various embodiments, is an evacuation assembly of an aircraft. The evacuation assembly includes a packboard comprising a top panel and a bottom panel that collectively define a compartment, a ball lock coupled to the top panel of the packboard, and a blowout panel selectively coupled to the ball lock, according to various embodiments. The ball lock may comprise an indicator configured to indicate to a user whether the ball lock is in a locked position or an unlocked position. The indicator may be viewable by the user from an inboard position relative to the aircraft.
Also disclosed herein, according to various embodiments, is an aircraft that includes an evacuation slide held in a stored state within a compartment of a packboard. The packboard may comprise a top panel and a bottom panel that collectively define the compartment. The aircraft may further include a ball lock coupled to the top panel of the packboard, a position sensor coupled to the ball lock, and a blowout panel selectively coupled to the ball lock. The position sensor may be configured to detect a position of the ball lock and to send a feedback control signal to an aircraft controller.
The forgoing features and elements may be combined in various combinations without exclusivity, unless expressly indicated herein otherwise. These features and elements as well as the operation of the disclosed embodiments will become more apparent in light of the following description and accompanying 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 detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the drawing figures.
The detailed description of exemplary embodiments herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which show exemplary embodiments by way of illustration. While these exemplary embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical changes and adaptations in design and construction may be made in accordance with this disclosure and the teachings herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Thus, the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation.
As used herein, “aft” refers to the direction associated with the tail (i.e., the back end) of an aircraft, or generally, to the direction of exhaust of the gas turbine. As used herein, “forward” refers to the direction associated with the nose (i.e., the front end) of an aircraft, or generally, to the direction of flight or motion. As used herein, “distal” refers to the direction outward, or generally, away from a reference component. As used herein, “proximal” and/or “proximate” refers to a direction inward, or generally, towards the reference component.
Disclosed herein, according to various embodiments, is a ball lock that comprises an indicator configured to indicate to a user whether the ball lock is in a locked position or an unlocked position. Said differently, the ball lock disclosed herein is generally configured with an indicator that enables a user to determine if the ball lock is properly engaged/locked. Though numerous details are included herein pertaining to implementing the disclosed ball lock and indicator for securely retaining a blowout panel of a packboard for an evacuation assembly for an aircraft, the disclosure is not necessarily so limited. That is, the scope of the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to ball locks for aircraft evacuation assemblies.
In various embodiments, and with reference to
Referring to
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In various embodiments, and with reference to
The ball lock 600 generally includes a body 610 having a shaft 630 with at least one retention feature 632 disposed at a distal portion of the shaft 630. As mentioned above, the at least one retention feature 632 may include one or more balls that are circumferentially distributed around the shaft 630. These retention feature(s) 632 may be in an expanded state to facilitate secure retention of the blowout panel 300, or the retention feature(s) 632 may be in a compressed state to allow the blowout panel to fall away (i.e., thereby allowing the blowout panel 300 to be jettisoned in response to an evacuation event).
In various embodiments, and with continued reference to
In various embodiments, the ball lock 600 includes a pneumatic inlet 620 and biasing spring 614. The biasing spring 614 may exert a biasing force on the spindle 634 such that the spindle 634 is biased toward the locked position. In response to introduction of compressed air or other fluid via the pneumatic inlet 620, the biasing force of the spring 614 may be overcome, and the spindle may be translated within the central chamber 612 to the unlocked position (e.g.
In various embodiments, the ball lock 600 further includes an indicator 650. The indicator 650 may be a portion of, or may be coupled to, the spindle 634. The indicator 650, according to various embodiments, may be viewable to a user via the access slot 615. Accordingly, the indicator 650 may be configured to indicate to the user whether the ball lock 600 (i.e., the spindle 634) is in the locked position or the unlocked position. The indicator 650 may comprise a colored pattern, a series of numbers/letters, and/or one or more symbols that are indicative the position of the spindle. For example, the indicator 650 may comprise a segment of the spindle that has a first color section (e.g., green) and a second color section (e.g., red). With the first color section being visible via the access slot 615 defined in the body 610 of the ball lock 600, a user may determine that the ball lock 600 is in the locked position. However, with the second color section being visible via the access slot 615, the user may determine that the ball lock 600 is in the unlocked position, and thus further work/inspection may be performed to ensure the blowout panel is securely retained before flight.
In various embodiments, and with reference to 6B, the indicator 650 may be a sleeve or other feature that is coupled to a portion of the spindle 634. Similar to the configuration described above, depending on which portion of the sleeve is visible via the access slot 615, or depending on whether the sleeve is visible or not, the indicator 650 may indicate to a user the position/state of the ball lock, thus preventing inadvertent detachment of the blowout panel 300.
In various embodiments, and with reference to
In various embodiments, and with continued reference to
In various embodiments, the spindle 634 comprises a proximal end 637. The proximal end 637 may be engaged against biasing spring 614. That is, the proximal end 637 of the spindle 634 may have a first surface that faces the biasing spring 614 and a second surface opposite the first surface. The tab 750 may be coupled to and/or may extend from the second surface.
In various embodiments, instead of the indicator being a physical element that is manually viewable by a user, the indicator may be a sensor, such as a position sensor, that automatically detects the position of the spindle to determine the locked/unlocked state of the ball lock. For example, the ball lock 700 may include a position sensor (in place of or in addition to the above described physical indicator). The position sensor may be configured to detect the position of the spindle and/or to directly detect the position of the retention features. In various embodiments, the position sensor may be coupled in electronic control communication with an aircraft controller. That is, the position sensor may generate a feedback control signal that is utilized by one or more controllers of the aircraft.
Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described herein with regard to specific embodiments. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in a practical system. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any elements that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of the disclosure.
The scope of the disclosure is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more.” It is to be understood that unless specifically stated otherwise, references to “a,” “an,” and/or “the” may include one or more than one and that reference to an item in the singular may also include the item in the plural. All ranges and ratio limits disclosed herein may be combined.
Moreover, where a phrase similar to “at least one of A, B, or C” is used in the claims, it is intended that the phrase be interpreted to mean that A alone may be present in an embodiment, B alone may be present in an embodiment, C alone may be present in an embodiment, or that any combination of the elements A, B and C may be present in a single embodiment; for example, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C. Different cross-hatching is used throughout the figures to denote different parts but not necessarily to denote the same or different materials.
The steps recited in any of the method or process descriptions may be executed in any order and are not necessarily limited to the order presented. Furthermore, any reference to singular includes plural embodiments, and any reference to more than one component or step may include a singular embodiment or step. Elements and steps in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been rendered according to any particular sequence. For example, steps that may be performed concurrently or in different order are illustrated in the figures to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure.
Any reference to attached, fixed, connected or the like may include permanent, removable, temporary, partial, full and/or any other possible attachment option. Additionally, any reference to without contact (or similar phrases) may also include reduced contact or minimal contact. Surface shading lines may be used throughout the figures to denote different parts or areas but not necessarily to denote the same or different materials. In some cases, reference coordinates may be specific to each figure.
Systems, methods and apparatus are provided herein. In the detailed description herein, references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “various embodiments”, etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. After reading the description, it will be apparent to one skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement the disclosure in alternative embodiments.
Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element is intended to invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f) unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for.” As used herein, the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.
