Double check valve between separable inflatable units

Claim 2

In combination: a first inflatable unit; a second inflatable unit in fluid communication with said first inflatable unit; means operably associated with said first inflatable unit to inflate said first and second inflatable units, said second inflatable unit inflated through the fluid communication from said first inflatable unit; first check valve means operably associated with said first inflatable unit in the fluid communication with said second inflatable unit; second check valve meanS operably associated with said second inflatable unit in the fluid communication with said first inflatable unit; means to operably connect said first and second check valve means in the fluid communication between said first and second inflatable units, said second check valve means including means to maintain said first check valve means in an open position; and means to quickly disconnect said second check valve means from said first check valve means and disconnect the fluid communication between said first and second inflatable units, said first check valve means maintaining inflation of said first inflatable unit and said second check valve means maintaining inflation of said second inflatable unit.

Claim 3

In combination: a first inflatable unit comprising an inflatable ramp disposed on an elevated egress; a second inflatable unit in fluid communication with said first inflatable unit, said second inflatable unit comprising an inflatable evacuation slide and raft extending from the elevated egress to a surface below the egress; means operably associated with said first inflatable unit to inflate said first and second inflatable units said second inflatable unit inflated through the fluid communication from said first inflatable unit; first check valve means operably associated with said first inflatable unit in the fluid communication with said second inflatable unit; second check valve means operably associated with said second inflatable unit in the fluid communication with said first inflatable unit; means to operably connect said first and second check valve means in the fluid communication between said first and second inflatable units, said second check valve means including means to maintain said first check valve means in an open position; and means to quickly disconnect said second check valve means from said first check valve means and disconnect the fluid communication between said first and second inflatable units, said first check valve means maintaining inflation of said first inflatable unit and said second check valve means maintaining inflation of said second inflatable unit.

Claim 4

In combination: a first inflatable unit comprising an inflatable ramp disposed on an elevated egress; a second inflatable unit in fluid communication with said first inflatable unit, said second inflatable unit comprising an inflatable evacuation slide and raft extending from the elevated egress to a surface below the egress; means operably associated with said first inflatable unit to inflate said first and second inflatable units said second inflatable unit inflated through the fluid communication from said first inflatable unit; first check valve means operably associated with said first inflatable unit in the fluid communication with said second inflatable unit; second check valve means operably associated with said second inflatable unit in the fluid communication with said first inflatable unit; means to operably connect said first and second check valve means in the fluid communication between said first and second inflatable units, said second check valve means including means to maintain said first check valve means in an open position; and means to quickly disconnect said second check valve means from said first check valve means and disconnect the fluid communication between said first and second inflatable units, said first check valve means maintaining inflation of said first inflatable unit and said second check valve means maintaining inflation of said second inflatable unit.

Claim 5

In combination: a first inflatable unit; a second inflatable unit in fluid communication with said first inflatable unit; means operably associated with said first inflatable unit to inflate said first and second inflatable units, said second inflatable unit inflated through the fluid communication from said first inflatable unit; first check valve means operably associated with said first inflatable unit in the fluid communication with said second inflatable unit, said first check valve means comprising a generally cyclindrical housing, a flapper valve seat and a pair of flappers pivotably disposed in said housing to contact the valve seat in a closed position and pivot inwardly in an open position; second check valve means operably associated with said second inflatable unit in the fluid communication with said first inflatable unit, said second check valve means comprising a generally cylindrical housing including a flapper valve seat, a pair of flappers pivotably disposed in said housing to contact the valve seat in a closed position and pivot inwardly in an open position; means to operably connect said first and second check valve means in the fluid communication between said first and second inflatable units, said second check valve means including a fork extending outward from the pivot of the second check valve flappers to hold the first check valve flappers away from the first check valve seat to maintain said first check valve means in an open position; and means to quickly disconnect said second check valve means from said first check valve means and disconnect the fluid communication between said first and second inflatable units, said first check valve means maintaining inflation of said first inflatable unit and said second check valve means maintaining inflation of said second inflaTable unit.

Claim 6

In combination: a first inflatable unit; a second inflatable unit in fluid communication with said first inflatable unit; means operably associated with said first inflatable unit to inflate said first and second inflatable units, said second inflatable unit inflated through the fluid communication from said first inflatable unit; first check valve means operably associated with said first inflatable unit in the fluid communication with said second inflatable unit, said first check valve means comprising a generally cyclindrical housing, a flapper valve seat and a pair of flappers pivotably disposed in said housing to contact the valve seat in a closed position and pivot inwardly in an open position; second check valve means operably associated with said second inflatable unit in the fluid communication with said first inflatable unit, said second check valve means comprising a generally cylindrical housing including a flapper valve seat, a pair of flappers pivotably disposed in said housing to contact the valve seat in a closed position and pivot inwardly in an open position; means to operably connect said first and second check valve means in the fluid communication between said first and second inflatable units, said second check valve means including a fork extending outward from the pivot of the second check valve flappers to hold the first check valve flappers away from the first check valve seat to maintain said first check valve means in an open position; and means to quickly disconnect said second check valve means from said first check valve means and disconnect the fluid communication between said first and second inflatable units, said first check valve means maintaining inflation of said first inflatable unit and said second check valve means maintaining inflation of said second inflaTable unit.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 3 and, in addition, biasing means disposed between the fork and the second check valve flappers to bias the second check valve flappers towards the valve seat when said second check valve means is disconnected from said first check valve means.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 4 wherein said first check valve housing includes a shaped flange, said second check valve housing includes a shaped flange mating to the shaped flange of said first check valve housing, and said means to operably connect said first and second check valve means is a quick disconnect coupler.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 5 wherein said quick disconnect coupler includes a core half, a latch half, and a pull cable assembly operably associated therewith.

Claim 10

A double check valve disposed between an inflatable ramp disposed at an elevated egress and a separable inflatable evacuation slide and raft in fluid communication therewith extending from the inflatable ramp to a surface below the elevated egress, comprising: a first check valve operably associated with said inflatable ramp; a second check valve operably associated with said inflatable evacuation slide and raft; means to operably connect said first check valve to said second check valve, said second check valve including means to maintain said first check valve in an open position when said first and second check valves are operably connected; and means to quickly disconnect said first check valve from said second valve when the inflatable slide and raft is separated from the inflatable ramp.

Claim 11

A double check valve disposed between an inflatable ramp disposed at an elevated egress and a separable inflatable evacuation slide and raft in fluid communication therewith extending from the inflatable ramp to a surface below the elevated egress, comprising: a first check valve operably associated with said inflatable ramp; a second check valve operably associated with said inflatable evacuation slide and raft; means to operably connect said first check valve to said second check valve, said second check valve including means to maintain said first check valve in an open position when said first and second check valves are operably connected; and means to quickly disconnect said first check valve from said second valve when the inflatable slide and raft is separated from the inflatable ramp.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 7 wherein said first check valve means comprise a generally cylindrical housing, a flapper valve seat and a pair of flappers pivotably disposed in said housing to contact the valve seat in a closed position and pivot inwardly in an open position, and said second check valve means comprise a generally cylindrical housing including a flapper valve seat, a pair of flappers pivotably disposed in said housing to contact the valve seat in a closed position and pivot inwardly in an open position, and a fork extending outward from the pivot of the second check valve flappers to hold the first check valve flappers away from the first check valve seat.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 8 and, in addition, biasing means disposed between the fork and the second check valve flappers to bias the second check valve flappers towards the valve seat when second check valve means is disconnected from said first check valve means.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 9 wherein said first check valve housing includes a shaped flange, said second check valve housing includes a shaped flange mating to the shaped flange of said first check valve housing, and said means to operably connect said first and second check valve means is a quick disconnect coupler.

Claim 15

A double check valve disposed between an inflatable ramp disposed at an elevated egress and a separable inflatable evacuation slide and raft in fluid communication therewith extending from the inflatable ramp to a surface below the elevated egress, comprising: means operably associated with said inflatable ramp to inflate said ramp and said slide and raft, said slide and raft inflated through the fluid communication from said ramp; first check valve means operably associated with said ramp in the fluid communication with said slide and raft; second check valve means operably associated with said slide and raft in the fluid communication with said ramp; means to operably connect said first and second check valve means in the fluid communication between said ramp and said slide and raft, said second check valve means including means to maintain said first check vlave means in an open position; and means to quickly disconnect said second check valve means from said first check valve means and disconnect the fluid communication between said ramp and said slide and raft, said first check valve means maintaining inflatiOn of said ramp and said second check valve means maintaining inflation of said slide and raft.

Claim 16

A double check valve disposed between an inflatable ramp disposed at an elevated egress and a separable inflatable evacuation slide and raft in fluid communication therewith extending from the inflatable ramp to a surface below the elevated egress, comprising: means operably associated with said inflatable ramp to inflate said ramp and said slide and raft, said slide and raft inflated through the fluid communication from said ramp; first check valve means operably associated with said ramp in the fluid communication with said slide and raft; second check valve means operably associated with said slide and raft in the fluid communication with said ramp; means to operably connect said first and second check valve means in the fluid communication between said ramp and said slide and raft, said second check valve means including means to maintain said first check vlave means in an open position; and means to quickly disconnect said second check valve means from said first check valve means and disconnect the fluid communication between said ramp and said slide and raft, said first check valve means maintaining inflatiOn of said ramp and said second check valve means maintaining inflation of said slide and raft.

Claim 17

The combination of claim 11 wherein said first check valve means comprise a generally cylindrical housing, a flapper valve seat and a pair of flappers pivotably disposed in said housing to contact the valve seat in a closed position and pivot inwardly in an open position, and said second check valve means comprise a generally cylindrical housing including a flapper valve seat, a pair of flappers pivotably disposed in said housing to contact the valve seat in a closed position and pivot inwardly in an open position, and a fork extending outward from the pivot of the second check valve flappers to hold the first check valve flappers away from the first check valve seat.

Claim 18

The combination of claim 12 and, in addition, biasing means disposed between the fork and the second check valve flappers to bias the second check valve flappers towards the valve seat when said second check valve means is disconnected from said check valve means.

Claim 19

The combination of claim 13 wherein said first check valve housing includes a shaped flange, said second check valve housing includes a shaped flange mating to the shaped flange of said first check valve housing, and said means to operably connect said first and second check valve means is a quick disconnect coupler.