Push-out bubble window for rotary aircraft
AssigneeBell Helicopter Textron Inc.
InventorsMatthew John Hill, William David Tohlen, Bobby Howard Mosier, Lynn Francis Eschete
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a window panel having a bubble form. The window panel is a push-out window that permits emergency egress from an aircraft, such as a rotorcraft. The bubble form is designed and selected such that the window panel will remain secured in a window frame of the aircraft at a level cruising speed of 120 knots true air speed. In embodiments, the window panel remains secured in the window frame at 120 ktas and a sideslip of at least 6 degrees.
Claims20
A rotorcraft comprising:
- a window frame on a side panel of the rotorcraft;
- a window comprising a transparent bubble form, the window secured to the window frame by a gasket;
- wherein
- the gasket comprises a first receiving portion that envelopes an inner side and an outer side of the window frame and a second receiving portion that envelopes an inner side and an outer side of the window.
An apparatus comprising:
- a window panel comprising a bubble form;
- and
- an airframe panel comprising an opening, the window panel being removably secured in the opening of the airframe panel by a gasket.
An emergency egress system for a rotorcraft, the emergency egress system comprising:
- a window panel comprising a bubble form;
- a gasket to secure the window in a window frame of an aircraft exterior panel, the gasket configured to permit the window panel to be pushed out of the aircraft exterior panel by a force in the range of 40 to 55 pound-force (lbf) at static equilibrium and secure the window panel in the aircraft exterior panel at a level cruising speed of 120 knots true airspeed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.