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US 10,322,781 B1Granted
Life raft system with reversible canopy
AssigneeGoodrich Corporation
InventorsTimothy C Haynes, Michael A Luzader
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A life raft may include a base having a first side and a second side. The life raft may also include a first canopy support arm coupled proximate the base, a second canopy support arm coupled proximate the base, and a canopy coupled to the base. At least one of the first canopy support arm or the second canopy support arm may comprise a joint.
Claims16
A life raft comprising:
- a base comprising a first side and a second side;
- a first canopy support arm coupled proximate with the base;
- a second canopy support arm coupled proximate with the base;
- and
- a canopy coupled to the base, wherein at least one of the first canopy support arm or the second canopy support arm comprises a joint,
- wherein the first canopy support arm and the second canopy support arm are configured to support the canopy and form a first chamber by rotating from an initial position proximate the base to an upright position over the first side,
- wherein the first canopy support arm and the second canopy support arm are further configured to support the canopy and form a second chamber by rotating from an initial position proximate the base to an orthogonal position over the second side,
- wherein, in response to the rotating from an initial position proximate the base to the orthogonal position, a first return force is generated to return the first canopy support arm to the initial position and a second return force is generated to return the second canopy support arm to the initial position,
- wherein the first canopy support arm comprises a first tip and the second canopy support arm comprises a second tip, wherein the first canopy support arm configured to couple to the second canopy support arm forming an arched structure over at least one of the first side or the second side, wherein the first tip overlaps the second tip, wherein the first return force opposes the second return force.
6 more elements
A life raft comprising:
- a base comprising a first border tube and a second border tube, wherein the first border tube circumscribes a first side of the base and the second border tube circumscribes a second side of the base;
- an arch structure extending over at least one of the first side of the base or the second side of the base;
- and
- a canopy coupled to the arch structure and configured to extend across the at least one of the first side of the base or the second side of the base, wherein the canopy configured to extend across the first side of the base forms a first chamber defined between the first side of the base, the arch structure extending over the first side of the base and the canopy, and wherein the canopy configured to extend across the second side of the base forms a second chamber defined between the second side of the base, the arch structure extending over the second side of the base and the canopy,
- wherein the arch structure comprises a first canopy support arm having a first tip and a second canopy support arm having a second tip, wherein the first canopy support arm is coupled to the second canopy support arm forming the arch structure,
- wherein the first tip overlaps the second tip and wherein an opposition between a first return force at the first tip and a second return force at the second tip stabilizes the arch structure.
3 more elements
A method of using a life raft comprising a reversible canopy system, the method comprising:
- inflating the life raft;
- inflating a first canopy support arm and a second canopy support arm in response to inflating the life raft;
- rotating the first canopy support arm and the second canopy support arm relatively orthogonal with respect to a base of the life raft and;
- in response to the rotating the first canopy support arm and the second canopy support arm relatively orthogonal with respect to the base of the life raft, generating a first return force and a second return force;
- coupling the first canopy support arm and the second canopy support arm and, in response, forming an arched structure over a side of the base of the life raft disposed above an obstruction wherein a tip of the first canopy support arm overlaps a tip of the second canopy support arm, wherein the first return force and the second return force are in opposition;
- and
- configuring a chamber defined between a canopy over the arched structure and the side of the base of the life raft disposed above the obstruction to function as a passenger compartment.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.