Abstract: The present invention comprises an external airbag system for mounting on a vehicle (24) that deploys into the region above the bumper (38) to prevent or mitigate injuries that would have otherwise been caused by a person striking the grill (28) or hood area (26) of the vehicle. The airbag (20) is stored in a housing (40) mounted within the front bumper (38) of the vehicle. The airbag (20) is deployed upwardly through an opening (42) in the upper surface of the bumper (38) into the region between the upper surface of the bumper (38) and the front surface of the grill (28) and hood (26). The airbag (20) is generally T-shaped and includes a plurality of internal tethers (30,31) extending internally between the opposing inner surfaces (74) at regular intervals to cause the airbag (20) to be tufted.

Abstract: A dual stage hybrid inflation device includes a first stage gas source having a pressurized gas stored in a first stage pressure vessel and a second stage gas source having a pyrotechnic gas generator having a gas output directed into the first stage pressure vessel. The first stage pressure vessel is in fluid communication with an inflatable device such as an aircraft emergency evacuation slide via an externally actuated valve upstream of a pressure actuated valve such as a rupturable diaphragm. A control circuit provides a signal to the externally actuated valve to begin a flow of gases from first stage pressure vessel to a chamber on the upstream side of the burst diaphragm. The control circuit also sends a signal to the squib that initiates the pyrotechnic second stage gas source.

Abstract: A quick release fitting for securing seating or other equipment to a section of aircraft floor track channel comprises a lower jaw member, an upper jaw member and multiple T-shaped cam members nested between locating dowels extending from the lower surface of the lower jaw member. The locating dowels are disposed in a plurality of adjacent cutouts in the floor track channel to locate the lower jaw member, and with it the rest of the quick release fitting. As the cam members are rotated to engage the aircraft floor track channel, the camming action draws the upper and lower jaw members together to squeeze a flange attached to the piece of equipment between the beveled facing surfaces of the upper and lower jaw members. Use of multiple T-shaped cams engaging the floor track channel adjacent a plurality of adjacent cutouts allows for better distribution of load along the floor track channel and the use of beveled jaws to support the equipment allows for angular misalignment of adjacent floor track channels.

Abstract: A seatbelt airbag is formed of a flexible fabric seat belt tube the first end of which is attached to the floor of the vehicle and the second end of which is wound over a conventional seatbelt retractor. In the uninflated condition, the fabric tube forms a flat belt that passes in a conventional manner through a slotted eyelet in a tongue member that is engaged in a conventional floor-mounted seatbelt buckle to form a conventional 3-point restraint having a lap portion and a torso portion. An inflatable airbag member is disposed within the flexible fabric tube extending from the fixed end of the fabric tube to a location past the tongue fitting into the torso portion of the seatbelt. The airbag member is encased for part of its length within a reinforcing sleeve that extends part way into the torso section.

Abstract: An airbag (10) for mounting in the bumper (18) of a motor vehicle (12) is provided. The airbag can have an up-side-down “L” shape or a cylindrical shape. Further, multiple bags can be combined within one system. The airbag is configured to cover substantially the width of the vehicle upon deployment and also provide protection to the occupant of a struck vehicle (36) in the event the occupant is partially expelled from the struck vehicle in the direction of the bag. The airbag is combined with an inflation (23), collision sensor (34) and an electronic control unit (38) to form the airbag system.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an age-stabilized and/or strengthened ammonium nitrate propellant composition wherein the strengthening agent is selected from the group consisting of azodicarbonamide, dicyandiamide, oxamide and mixtures thereof and wherein the age-stabilizing agent is a molecular sieve having a pore size of 13 angstroms or less.

Abstract: A propellant composition including a fuel, an oxidizer, and a latex binder and method of making, wherein the method of making eliminates the need for the large amounts of volatile, flammable solvents that are typically associated with the traditional process.

Abstract: An inflatable evacuation slide is presented that includes an aerodynamic spoiler to kill the lift caused by air flowing laterally over the slide. The slide preferably comprises a fabric sliding surface stretched between two longitudinal main side members. The spoiler comprises a fabric panel, supported by a plurality of fabric gussets, that extends outward from each of the main side members. When the main side member of the slide is exposed to a lateral wind load, the spoiler creates a flow separation that kills the lift generated by the airflow. By killing the lift induced by the airflow over the top of the inflatable evacuation slide, zero or negative lift is generated by the airflow over the inflatable evacuation slide, which causes the slide to deploy downward firmly contacting the ground even in high wind conditions.

Abstract: A system for deploying an aircraft emergency evacuation slide or other inflatable device utilizes an inflation gas that is stored in a partially liquified state. The inflation gas includes a gaseous compound, preferably nitrous oxide, that is capable of undergoing an exothermic thermal decomposition, which gives off heat and produces a greater number moles of inflation gas than the number of moles of gas stored. The increase in moles of gas allows a greater inflation volume for a given weight of stored gas, while the exothermic decomposition produces additional heat that offsets, to some extent, the endothermic boiling and expansion of the liquified stored gas.

Abstract: A dual stage hybrid inflation device includes a pressure switch that prevents the second stage pyrotechnic gas generator from being initiated when the additional heat and gas would overpressurize the first stage pressure vessel. As the pressurized gas stored in the first stage pressure vessel escapes the first stage pressure vessel, the pressure in the first stage pressure vessel drops. If the pressure in the first stage pressure vessel drops below the threshold pressure of the pressure switch, the pressure switch closes allowing the voltage signal to reach the pyrotechnic gas generator thereby initiating the second stage gas source. In an alternative embodiment, the pressure transducer is replaced by a pressure transducer or a temperature transducer and timing circuit.

Abstract: A fire suppression system for a substantially enclosed area comprises: a plurality of solid propellant aerosol generators disposed about the enclosed area for exhausting a fire suppressant aerosol that is substantially void of an ozone depleting material into the enclosed area. Each aerosol generator including an ignition element for igniting the solid propellant thereof. Each ignition element of the aerosol generators being coupled to a fire control unit which is operative to ignite the solid propellant of at least one aerosol generator utilizing the ignition element thereof to exhaust fire suppressant aerosol into the enclosed area.

Abstract: An inflatable evacuation slide system (10) is selectively deployable in either a foreshortened or lengthened configuration. The foot end (50) of the escape slide (12) includes a compartment (92) containing an extensible slide portion (70) stored in an undeployed condition. The compartment is sealed by means of conventional speed lacing (92) held together by a single master loop (96). A pyrotechnic cable cutter (98) is attached to the master loop (96) to severe it at the appropriate time thereby releasing the extensible portion of the slide. A control circuit (100) determines whether to deploy the extensible portion based on input from a non-contacting electronic sensor (110) such as an inclinometer.

Abstract: An inflatable evacuation slide for emergency evacuation of an aircraft comprises a pair of main support tubes supporting a flexible sliding surface. The main support tubes taper from a widest point near the exit opening of the aircraft to a narrowest point at the foot end of the slide. This arrangement of main support tubes, together with the toe end transverse tube and the head end transverse tube, form a quasi-trapezoidal truss structure, which is inherently more stable than the rectangular slides of the prior art.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an age-stabilized and/or strengthened ammonium nitrate propellant composition wherein the strengthening agent is selected from the group consisting of azodicarbonamide, dicyandiamide, oxamide and mixtures thereof and wherein the age-stabilizing agent is a molecular sieve having a pore size of 13 angstroms or less.

Abstract: An aircraft life raft assembly for use as a deployable escape slide from an egress opening of an aircraft. The escape slide is a longitudinally extending structure with a center line that extends from the head end of the slide, adjacent the egress opening, to a toe end that is located adjacent the horizontally extending ground plane. Pressurizing means is operative to inflate the escape slide, which escape slide has panels or panel members of flexible material with an upper sliding surface that extends in the longitudinal direction. The escape slide has a portion of its length that is curvilinear in plan view, which curvilinear portion maybe close to the egress opening of the aircraft or anywhere along the length of the escape slide.

Abstract: An inflatable evacuation slide includes a feature for propelling disembarking passengers onto their feet at the toe end of the slide. In one embodiment, the slide comprises a fabric sliding surface stretched between two lateral side rail tubes. The lateral side rail tubes are supported by plurality of transverse tubes and transverse trusses such that the side rail tubes maintain the sliding surface in a taut condition suitable for use as a slide. The foot end of the tube includes a transverse tube having a reduced diameter and a lower surface that is suspended above the ground or other surface on which the foot end of the evacuation slide is resting. The suspended toe end transverse tube has a lower spring rate than a full-diameter transverse toe end tube. Therefore, the suspended toe end transverse tube provides the appropriate springiness for catapulting a sliding passenger onto his or her feet at the foot end of the slide notwithstanding the higher inflation pressure.

Abstract: An inflation system for inflating an inflatable evacuation slide includes an enclosure containing an uninflated, stored evacuation slide. The enclosure is sealed by means of a tightly fitting enclosure door that optionally includes a seal for excluding dirt and moisture. The system also includes a source of pressurized gas comprising a conventional pyrotechnic gas generator, stored pressurized gas, or hybrid inflator. The inflation system includes an overpressure relief vent, which vents inflation gas outside of the inflatable member in the event of an overpressure condition in the gas source. The overpressure relief vent includes a directional vent connected to a conduit. The conduit passes from the overpressure relief vent to an opening in the aircraft fuselage, which allows any vented gas to be safely directed away from the inflation system enclosure.

Abstract: A linear ignition fuze has a sheath, the inner surface of which has an irregular cross section such that the sheath is capable of forming a gas channel against a single strand core having a substantially circular (e.g. circular or elliptical) cross section. According to one embodiment of the invention, the sheath wall is of a non-uniform thickness having a cylindrical outer surface and a polygonal inner surface. The gap formed between the apexes of the polygonal inner surface and the substantially cylindrical core form the gas channels, while the contact between the side walls of the polygonal inner surface and the cylindrical core confine the core within the sheath.

Abstract: Low energy fuse for use in transmitting shock waves. The fuse consists of a hollow plastic tube fabricated of an ethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene terpolymer, with a coating of reactive powder on an inner wall of the tube. The terpolymer contains a third polymer which enhances adhesion of the powder to the tube, and in the disclosed embodiment, the third polymer is hexafluoroisobutylene.

Abstract: An inflatable belt system and method of operation for a vehicle occupant restraint in which a lap belt section or torso belt section or both have dual load bearing portions with an inner portion being inflatable. During inflation of the inner portion the other outer belt portion ruptures along a frangible line. The outer belt portion is a woven cylindrical member.