US 2020/0047005 A1Published application

Method of using an aircraft emergency slide container as an installation tool for deinstallation and installation of aircraft emergency slides

AssigneeBill Thomas Associates, Inc.

InventorsJose Ordonez, Neil Waldron

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Methods are disclosed for replacing expired or unserviceable aircraft emergency slides (“slides”) in an aircraft. The disclosed methods utilize containers that are configured to securely retain both unserviceable slides and serviceable slides at different times in different configurations as installation tools. The container can be placed on an aircraft through the main door of the aircraft, and are further configured to be easily transported within the aircraft from a staging area of the aircraft to a slide installation and removal point at either the main door or an emergency exit door of the aircraft. The containers can be aligned with the installation and removal point to facilitate replacing an unserviceable slide with a new, serviceable slide. The disclosed methods and containers improve personnel safety concerning lifting and handling of the slides, which are heavy. The containers and methods disclosed herein further facilitate positioning of the slides near installation and removal points and properly orienting the slides, while reducing awkward handling situations for personnel.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A method of replacing an unserviceable aircraft emergency slide using an aircraft emergency slide container which is shipped in a first or shipping configuration of an at least two configurations and converts to a second or installation configuration in a second of an at least two configurations to exchange the unserviceable aircraft emergency slide for a serviceable emergency slide on an aircraft, comprising:

moving the aircraft emergency slide container in the first configuration onto an aircraft to a staging area, wherein in the first configuration of the at least two configurations a first of an at least two container portions is releasably attached to a second of an at least two container portions and the second container portion of the at least two container portions retains the serviceable emergency slide therein;
converting the aircraft emergency slide container from the first configuration to the second configuration, wherein the first of the at least two container portions is detached from the second of the at least two container portions with the serviceable aircraft emergency slide retained in the second container portion of the at least two container portions;
moving the first of the at least two container portions to an installation point having the unserviceable aircraft emergency slide and aligning the first of the at least two container portions with the unserviceable emergency slide at the installation point;
securing the unserviceable aircraft emergency slide in the first of the at least two container portions;
removing the unserviceable aircraft emergency slide from the installation point and retaining the unserviceable aircraft emergency slide within the first container portion of an at least two container portions;
returning the first portion of the at least two container portions, which retains the unserviceable aircraft emergency slide, to the staging area;
moving the second of the at least two container portions, which retains the serviceable aircraft emergency slide, to the installation point;
aligning the second of the at least two container portions with the installation point;
removing the serviceable slide from the from the second of the at least two container portions;
installing the serviceable aircraft emergency slide at the installation point;
returning the second of the at least two container portions to the staging area;
attaching the second of the at least two container portions to the first of the at least two container portions to return the container to the first configuration;
and
removing the container in the first configuration from the aircraft.

11 more elements

A method of servicing an unserviceable aircraft emergency slide, comprising:

transporting to a service area in or at an aircraft a container in a shipping configuration with an at least two members detachably coupled to one another;
separating the container into a separated configuration at the service area wherein a first member of the at least two members of the container is separated from a second member of the at least two members of the container;
retaining in the second member of the at least two members of the container a serviceable aircraft emergency slide with emergency slide retention members;
moving the first of the at least two members to an installation point with an unserviceable aircraft emergency slide;
engaging the unserviceable aircraft emergency slide with the second of the at least two container members;
removing the engaged unserviceable aircraft emergency slide from the installation point such that unserviceable aircraft emergency slide is within the second of the at least two container members;
moving the second of the at least two container members with the serviceable emergency slide to the installation point;
releasing and installing the serviceable emergency slide from said second container member;
and
reattaching said first and second container members of the at least two container members into the transport configuration.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/422,959Filed 24 May 2019
Priority: 15 Mar 2013
Published: 13 Feb 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

A62B 1/20
Devices for lowering persons from buildings or the like: by making use of sliding-ropes, sliding-poles or chutes, e.g. hoses, pipes,…
B64D 25/14
Ejecting or escaping means: inflatable escape chutes
B65D 85/64
Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials: for bulky articles
Y10T 29/4973
With disassembling: replacing of defective part

Family

Application61/800,473Us provisional application · filed 15 Mar 2013
Application14/214,597Division · filed 14 Mar 2014
Application16/422,959Division
US 10,799,725 B2Related patent
US 11,697,034 B2Related patent
US 2015/0076021 A1Published application
US 2020/0047005 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.