Overboard venting inflation system and control valve therefor

An inflation system for inflating an inflatable evacuation slide carried in an uninflated condition within an aircraft fuselage, wing or fairing, said inflation system comprising:

• a control valve, a conduit, and an overboard venting means;
• said control valve comprising a valve body having an inlet port, a first chamber, a primary valve, a primary outlet port, an overpressure relief member, and a secondary outlet port;
• said inlet port being fluidically interconnected with said first chamber and adapted to receive a flow of pressurized fluid from a pressure source and deliver said flow of pressurized fluid to said first chamber;
• said primary valve being disposed in a fluid path between said first chamber and said primary outlet port, said primary valve opening in responsive to an external signal to permit a flow of pressurized fluid from said first chamber to said primary outlet port;
• said primary outlet port being in fluid communication with said inflatable device for delivering said flow of pressurized fluid to said inflatable evacuation slide;
• said secondary outlet port providing a fluid path from said first chamber to said conduit;
• said overpressure relief member being disposed in said fluid path from said first chamber to through said secondary outlet port, said overpressure relief member blocking fluid flow from said first chamber through said secondary outlet port, said overpressure relief member being moveable in response to fluid pressure in said first chamber exceeding a predetermined threshold to permit fluid flow through said secondary outlet port;
• said conduit comprising a tubular member in fluid communication with said secondary outlet port for conveying a fluid flow from said secondary outlet port to said overboard venting means, and
• said overboard venting means comprising an aperture passing through said aircraft fuselage.