Aircraft with oxygen supply and method of supplying oxygen thereto
OwnerRichard R. Venselinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Oxygen is discharged from a source of supply into the cabin of an airplane under the control of an oxygen sensing device to maintain the supply of oxygen in each volume of air at a comfortable level but without increasing the pressure of the atmosphere in the plane above the pressure of the atmosphere at the altitude at which the plane is flying. Expressed in other terms, as the plane ascends to altitudes above a preset level, the partial pressure of oxygen is maintained at a preset comfortable level while the absolute pressure in the cabin decreases with the decrease in pressure of the atmosphere outside the plane and remains at a level above the preset height. This eliminates pressurizing the cabin or the need for breathing masks.
Claims12
The combination, with an airplane having an unpressurized cabin such that the pressure within the cabin corresponds to the pressure of the atmosphere surrounding the plane at any altitude at which the airplane is flying, of means in the cabin of the plane for monitoring the oxygen content of the atmosphere within the cabin, a source of oxygen supply aboard the airplane, and means responsive only to said monitoring means for releasing oxygen from the supply source into the cabin when the oxygen content for any cause falls below a predetermined partial pressure and terminating the release of oxygen from said source when said partial pressure of oxygen is restored.
The combination as defined in claim 2 wherein the cabin has a fuselage which tapers rearwardly from a place of maximum diameter and the rear portion is at least partially sealed against loss of cabin atmosphere through such rearwardly tapering portion when the plane is moving through the air, the forward portion of the cabin being closed, but not sealed, so that atmospheric pressure inside the cabin may equalize with that outside the cabin.
In an aircraft having a draft-free unpressurized cabin when in flight at any altitude at which the plane is flying whereby the cabin pressure is at all times equal to the ambient pressure with means for supplying the oxygen requirements of the occupants of the cabin during flight, comprising:
- a. an oxygen supply source;
- b. means arranged to conduct oxygen from the supply source and discharge it directly into the cabin atmosphere;
- c. means for constantly monitoring the oxygen content of the cabin atmosphere at all times during flight;
- and
- d. means controlled by said monitoring means for maintaining a selected partial pressure of oxygen in the cabin at all elevations through which the aircraft navigates above a preselected altitude without regard to the increase or decrease in the total pressure of the atmosphere inside or outside the cabin.
The combination with an aircraft having a cabin, the forward end of which is open to ingress and egress of ambient air but which is closed at the sides and rear against the uncontrolled flow of air either in or out during flight, therefore the cabin pressure and ambient pressure are at all times practically equal, comprising
- a. a source of oxygen supply in the aircraft;
- b. means for delivering oxygen from said supply source directly into the cabin atmosphere;
- c. means for monitoring the oxygen content of the cabin atmosphere at all times;
- and
- d. means for regulating the release of oxygen from said source into the cabin to maintain the partial pressure of oxygen in the cabin atmosphere constant at all elevations at which the aircraft flies above a preselected elevation.
The method of supplying oxygen to the unpressurized cabin of an airplane in flight, where the cabin pressure and ambient pressure are at all times practically equal, to provide adequate oxygen for the occupants of the cabin at all altitudes to which the plane flies which comprises monitoring the partial pressure of the oxygen in the cabin and releasing oxygen from a supply source aboard the airplane directly into the cabin to maintain a preselected partial pressure of oxygen in the cabin atmosphere above a preselected minimum at all altitudes where the oxygen in the ambient air is below said preselected partial pressure.
The method wherein an existing airplane which has heretofore been constructed and which has an unpressurized cabin for use at elevations where an oxygen supply from a source aboard the plane is mandatory or required, which comprises:
- a. sealing the cabin of the plane at the rear of the cabin and forwardly around the fuselage of the plane, at least as far as loss of cabin air is likely to occur by the suction created outside the plane when it is in flight, to provide a cabin enclosure normally open in flight only in the direction of flight of the airplane, therefore the cabin pressure and ambient pressure are at all times practically equal;
- and
- b. providing an oxygen sensor in the enclosure to monitor the oxygen content of the air in the enclosure, placing a source of oxygen gas aboard the airplane with means for delivering oxygen gas from said source into the enclosure, and utilizing the oxygen sensor to maintain a preselected partial pressure of oxygen in the enclosure to some preselected partial pressure when the airplane is at or above a predetermined altitude.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.