Abstract:
A pressurized actuator system for independent deployment of at least two inflatable structures having a first primary section adapted for deployment of a primary inflatable structure and second section for deployment of a secondary inflatable structure and an auxiliary source of pressurized fluid for operating said device. A control assembly for controlling a flow of pressurized fluid from the auxiliary source of pressurized into the second system is provided. Thus, the system assures independent deployment of the primary and secondary inflatable structures.

Description:
This Application is a continuation-in-part Application for patent application Ser. No. 11/002,859 filed Dec. 2, 2004 of U.S. Pat. No. 7,434,600 filed Dec. 2, 2004. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to the deployment of inflatable structures, and more particularly to a pressurized actuator system that utilizes pneumatic or hydraulic force for initiating the reliable rapid deployment of inflatable structures. 
   Certain types of aircraft, such as commercial fixed wing aircraft and rotorcraft such as for example, helicopters, are required by the regulatory agencies to carry inflatable flotation devices for passenger safety in the event of an emergency situation over water. Fixed wing commercial aircraft, for example, typically include one or more inflatable slides that are normally stored uninflated in a container mounted on the interior of the aircraft door or immediately adjacent thereto. 
   In military applications, inflatable life rafts and their inflation systems are sometimes located in external compartments of the aircraft in order to maximize space in the fuselage for transporting equipment, supplies and personnel. Multiple life rafts and their inflation systems may be located in the external compartments. In the prior art the inflation system for each life raft includes a container of pressurized gas with an inflation valve that can be actuated from a remote location, such as the cockpit, by mechanical means which may be in the form of a cable and pulley system routed through the aircraft. When a pull handle or similar device associated with the system is activated, the valve is opened and the pressurized gas is discharged from the container and into the life raft causing its rapid inflation. Some of such inflation systems employ a secondary applied force for discharging a secondary pressurized fluid to indirectly activate the primary inflating system. An example of such systems has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,644,596. It should be noted however that such prior art deployment systems are typically adapted for deployment of a single inflatable structure and not necessarily concentrated on controlled and/or independent deployment of emergency evacuation floats and associated life rafts. 
   Mechanical inflation systems for rotorcrafts have also been employed in order to enable the rotorcraft to land on water in an emergency situation, such as when the rotorcraft loses power. Such systems provide passengers with extra crucial time to escape before the rotorcraft sinks. The inflation system typically includes multiple emergency flotation devices mounted to the rotorcraft landing gear, a container of pressurized gas for each flotation device, an inflation valve associated with the pressurized container, and a mechanical system routed through the helicopter for actuating the inflation valves. Thus, great care must be taken to ensure that the cables are properly sized, sufficiently taut, lubricated, and in good working order so that the flotation devices may be simultaneously deployed. 
   Although other systems or mechanisms can be used for deploying the flotation devices and life rafts, they have their own disadvantages. By way of example, an electrical system might employ a solenoid valve that is actuated upon supplying a voltage. Likewise, a pyrotechnic mechanism uses an explosive charge inside the valve for its activation. However, when an emergency landing situation occurs due to a loss of rotorcraft power, the emergency flotation devices may not be deployed since there may not be enough electrical current to actuate the solenoid valve or set off the explosive charge. 
   For the rotorcrafts such as helicopters that fly missions over water it is required to carry emergency primary inflatable devices such as floats and secondary inflatable devices, life rafts for example, to allow passengers to egress after a water ditching or landing. Typically, the inflatable floats are mounted to the skids or fuselage of the rotorcraft and are designed to keep the aircraft afloat on the water. The inflatable rafts can be stowed inside the cabin or mounted to the fuselage exterior. Prior to the water landing, the pilot activates the inflatable floats by pulling a handle, lever or similar activation means. Before exiting the rotorcraft, the crew must locate and remove the inflatable rafts. After exiting the aircraft, the inflatable rafts are inflated using another activation device. 
   When mounted externally, it is advantageous to remotely activate such inflatables. Along with remote mounting comes a possibility of inadvertent deployment of the life rafts either during flight or during ground maintenance. If the raft inflates in flight, it may become entangled in the main or tail rotors and cause the pilot to lose control of the rotorcraft ending in loss of life. On the other hand, inadvertently, activation of the inflatable could cause serious injury to unsuspecting maintenance personnel. 
   Thus, there is a long felt need for a deployment system having an inherent safety feature, so that the secondary inflatable or the life raft can be activated only after the primary inflatable or float has been deployed. There is further need for the deployment system eliminating the chance of the life raft being inadvertently deployed either in-flight or during ground maintenance operations. It would be further desirous to provide an actuator system that ensures the independent and controlled deployment of the flotation devices and life rafts. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   One aspect of the present invention provides a pressurized actuator system for deploying at least one inflatable structure. The system includes a primary source of pressurized fluid adapted for deploying an inflatable structure, a primary valve operatively associated with the primary container, a pressure-responsive primary transducer operative to open the primary valve, and a secondary source of pressurized fluid adapted for operating the primary transducer to thereby open the primary valve and deploy the at least one inflatable structure. 
   Another aspect of the present invention provides a pressurized actuator system for simultaneously deploying a plurality of inflatable structures. The system includes a plurality of primary sources of pressurized fluid adapted for deploying a plurality of inflatable structures, a plurality of primary valves that are operatively associated with different primary sources of pressurized fluid, a plurality of pressure-responsive primary transducers operative to open their respective primary valves, and a secondary source of pressurized fluid adapted for simultaneously operating the primary transducers to thereby open the primary valves and simultaneously deploy the plurality of inflatable structures. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The foregoing summary as well as the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be best understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements throughout the drawings, and wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a rotorcraft employing the pressurized actuator system of the present invention with a pair of flotation devices in an undeployed state; 
       FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the rotorcraft of  FIG. 1  with the flotation devices in the undeployed state; 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic view of the pressurized actuator system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of a manual actuator portion of the pressurized actuator system of  FIG. 3  in an actuated position; 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of a deployment portion of the pressurized actuator system of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic view of a pressurized actuator system in accordance with further embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of a deployment portion of the pressurized actuator system of  FIG. 6 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the rotorcraft employing the pressurized actuator system of the present invention with the pair of flotation devices in a deployed state; 
       FIG. 9  is a side elevational view of the rotorcraft of  FIG. 8  with the pair of flotation devices in the deployed state; 
       FIG. 10  is a view of the rotorcraft showing the floatation device and the life raft; and 
       FIG. 11  is a schematic view of the pressurized actuator system in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   It is noted that the drawings are intended to depict only typical embodiments of the invention and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope thereof. It is further noted that the drawings are not necessarily to scale. The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   With additional reference to  FIG. 4 , the actuator portion  30  preferably includes a base member  36 , a secondary pressurized fluid source  38  mounted to the base member, and a secondary actuator in the form of an actuator arm or lever  40  movably or pivotally mounted to the base structure for accessing the pressurized fluid source. 
   In one embodiment of the invention, the base structure  36  has oppositely extending upper flanges  48  (only one shown) that abut with oppositely extending lower flanges  49  (only one shown) of a lower bracket portion  46  for mounting the base member  36  to a support  42  (shown in phantom line) of a rotorcraft control arm  44  (also shown in phantom line). A threaded fastener or bolt  50  extends through each of the lower and upper flanges and a threaded nut  52  secures the base structure  36  to the lower bracket portion  46  to thereby securely mount the base member onto the support  42 . With the base structure  36  mounted near the control arm  44 , a user can quickly access the arm  40  for deploying the inflatable flotation devices  24 ,  26  in the event of an emergency where quick response time may be crucial. The extra leverage provided by the control arm  44  permits a user to squeeze the actuator arm  40 , thereby facilitating actuation of the actuator portion  30 . It will be understood, however, that the base structure  36  can be mounted at other locations and/or with different mounting means arrangement utilizing any conventional type of fasteners or bracket arrangements, welding, and so on. 
   The secondary pressurized fluid source  38  preferably comprises a secondary container  54  with a neck portion  56  that is mounted in a bore  58  of the base structure  36  through well-known mounting means (not shown), such as cooperating threads, welding, brackets, and so on. A cap  60  (shown in hidden line) is positioned in the neck portion  56  for sealing the contents of the container  54 . Preferably, the container  54  is charged with a compressed fluid, such as CO2, to approximately 900 psi at room temperature, or Nitrogen to approximately 1500 psi. However, it will be understood that virtually any fluid that is capable of storing energy can be used for this purpose, such as regular air, helium, hydraulic fluid, and so on. It will be further understood that the particular pressure in the container  54  can greatly vary depending on the type of fluid used and the forces required to activate one or more of the deployment portions  32 A,  32 B and inflatable flotation devices and life rafts associated therewith. 
   A puncture shaft  62  is mounted for sliding movement in the bore  58  and includes a tip  64  that extends toward the cap  60 . The tip  64  is adapted to puncture the cap  60  when the actuator arm  40  is pressed toward the control arm  44 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . A compression spring  66  is mounted between the base structure  36  and the shaft  62  for normally biasing the tip  64  away from the cap  60 . A plurality of O-rings  68  are positioned around the shaft within the bore  58  for guiding the movement of the shaft and sealing the bore  58  after the cap  60  has been pierced. It will be understood that more or less O-rings may be provided. It should be also clear that utilization of any other conventional sealing arrangement is within the scope of the invention. 
   The actuator lever or arm  40  is pivotally connected to the base structure  36  through a pivot pin  70 . A removable safety pin  72  locks the actuator arm or lever  40  against movement with respect to the base member  36  to prevent inadvertent actuation of the actuator system  12  while the rotorcraft is grounded. A shear pin or rivet  74  is located in the base member  36  to prevent inadvertent movement of the actuator lever or arm  40  during flight. With this arrangement, the shear pin  74  must be broken before the system can be activated. Preferably, the geometry of the actuator lever and shear pin are arranged so that a force of approximately 15 to 20 pounds applied to the actuator lever is required to shear the pin and move the lever. In this manner, inadvertent deployment of the flotation devices is prevented during rotorcraft operation. It will be understood that the shear pin  74  and/or the actuator lever  40  can be arranged to accommodate greater or lesser applied forces. It will be appreciated that other safety means can be used for preventing inadvertent actuation of the actuator system  12 , such as springs, pistons, and so on, connected between the actuator lever  40  and control arm  44  or other structure. 
   With reference now to  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the deployment portions  32 A and  32 B are preferably identical in construction and each preferably includes a base member  76 , a primary pressurized fluid source  78  with a primary valve  80  mounted to the base member  76 , a pressure-responsive primary transducer  82  connected to the base member  76  and the primary valve  80 , and a deployment conduit  84  fluidly connected to the primary fluid source  78  and one of the flotation devices  24 ,  26 . 
   As best shown in  FIG. 5 , the primary pressurized fluid source  78  preferably comprises a primary container  86  with a neck portion  88  that mounts the primary valve  80 . The primary valve  80  is of conventional construction and includes a primary nozzle  90  connected to the deployment conduit  84  for discharging fluid under pressure from the primary container  86  to one of the flotation devices  24 ,  26 . A pressure gauge  92  is provided on the primary valve  80  for displaying the fluid pressure inside the primary container  86 . The primary valve  80  also includes a fill port  94  for charging the primary container  86  with fluid and a primary valve actuator  96  that can be manipulated for opening the primary valve  80  and discharging the pressurized fluid from the primary container  86  into the flotation device through the primary nozzle  90 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , the primary transducer  82  is preferably a linear actuator and includes a hollow cylinder  98  mounted to the base member  76  and a piston  100  slidably mounted in the cylinder  98 . The piston  100  has a head  102  that is positioned in the cylinder and a shaft  104  that extends from the head  102  and out of the cylinder. A link arm  106  is connected between the shaft  104  and the primary valve actuator  96  ( FIG. 5 ) for opening the primary valve when the piston  100  moves in the cylinder  98 . Preferably, the link arm is in the form of a lanyard, cable or other flexible member. 
   In one embodiment of the invention, the tubing system  34  includes a first tubing section  110  connected to both a second tubing section  112  and a third tubing section  114  through a T-connector  116 . The first tubing section  110  is connected to the base member  36  of the actuator portion  30  and is in fluid communication with a second bore  118  formed in the base member  36 , which is in turn in fluid communication with the first bore  58 . The second tubing section  112  extends between the T-connector  116  and the cylinder  98  of the primary transducer  82  of the deployment portion  32 A. Likewise, the third tubing section  114  extends between the T-connector  116  and the cylinder  98  of the primary transducer  82  of the deployment portion  32 B. The tubing system  34  can be constructed of rigid, semi-flexible or flexible material, such as metal, plastic or elastomers or combinations thereof. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the tubing sections  110 ,  112  and  114  are constructed of a Teflon™ material with a polyester overbraid to protect the tubing from damage. Stainless steel fittings may be used to connect the tubing sections to the rest of the system. It will be understood that the materials for the tubing sections and the fittings can greatly vary and utilization of any conventional material is within the scope of the invention. 
   In use, the inflatable flotation devices and life rafts are initially stored in a compressed undeployed condition, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , and in phantom line in  FIG. 5 . As best illustrated in  FIG. 3 , in this position, the lever or arm  40  is in the fully forward position and the secondary container  54  is undisturbed. Accordingly, in this initial condition the fluid pressure in the tubing system  34  is minimal and little or no pulling force is exerted on the link arm  106  and on the primary valve actuator  96 , as best illustrated in  FIG. 5 . When the lever arm  40  is pulled toward the control arm  44  with sufficient force to break the shear pin  74  ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ), either manually by a pilot or other person or automatically through well-known mechanisms, the puncture shaft  62  is forced forward until the puncture tip  64  pierces the cap  60  of the secondary container  54 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , when the lever arm is released, the spring  66  will force it back to the forward position and fluid under pressure will be discharged into the first, second and third tubing sections  110 ,  112  and  114 , respectively. With the outlet  115  of each tubing section  112  and  114  positioned forward of the piston head  102 , the piston is forced rearwardly into the cylinder to thereby pull the shaft  104  and link arm  106  associated therewith sufficient force to activate the primary valve actuator  96  ( FIG. 5 ). A vent hole  120  is provided in each cylinder  98  rearwardly of the piston head  102  for facilitating piston movement. Eventually, the forward end of the link arm  106  breaks free of the primary valve actuator  96  and the pressurized fluid from the primary container  86  is discharged into its respective inflatable flotation device  24 ,  26  through the primary nozzle  90  to thereby inflate the inflatable devices, as shown in  FIGS. 5 ,  8  and  9 . 
   The pressure required to force the pistons  100  rearwardly and activate the primary valve actuators  96  will depend on the type of primary container and valve used, as well as the size and configuration of the primary transducer  82 . By way of example, a force of approximately 20-30 lbs may be required to activate the primary valve actuators  96  of the deployment portion of  32 A. For a primary container having a diameter of about 0.75 inch, an applied pressure of about 75 psi should be sufficient. It will be understood that the ranges of pull forces for opening the valves of the primary and secondary cylinders are given by way of example only, and may vary greatly depending on the size of the cylinders, the type of valves used, the size of the structure(s) to be inflated, the presence or absence of a vacuum force, as well as other factors. 
   Turning now to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , a pressurized actuator system  120  in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention is illustrated. The actuator system  120  is similar in construction to the actuator system  12  previously described, with the exception that the flexible link arm  106  is replaced with a solid link arm  117  and the outlet  115  of each tubing section  112  and  114  is positioned on the cylinder  98  rearward of the piston head  102 . When the secondary source of pressurized fluid or the secondary container  54  is activated, as previously described, the piston  100  is forced forwardly out of the cylinder to thereby push the link arm  117  with sufficient force to activate the primary valve actuator  96  ( FIG. 7 ). The primary valve actuator  96  may be of the well known type that releases fluid under pressure when punctured or otherwise breached. Thus, a puncturing instrument (not shown) may be associated with the primary valve actuator  96  and responsive to forward movement of the link arm  117 . As best illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the vent hole  121  is provided in each cylinder  98  forwardly of the piston head  102  for facilitating piston movement. 
   One of the unique advantages of the above-described actuator systems is that on inflatable flotation devices and a respective life raft can be independently and contemporaneously deployed without increasing the actuation force that must be applied to the actuator or arm lever  40 . This arrangement allows the tubing system  34  to be mounted anywhere throughout the aircraft. In the present system the difference in the lengths of the tubing sections  112  and  114  will not affect the deployment of the inflatable flotation device  24 ,  26  and the respective life raft. 
   In addition, only a manual or automatic secondary pull force of approximately 15 to 20 pounds is needed to break the shear pin and move the actuator lever  40  in the direction to puncture the cap  60  of the secondary container  54  to generate the primary pull force needed on the link arms  106  or  117  to actuate the primary valves  80  and inflate the flotation devices  24  and  26  as well as the respective life rafts. In this manner the system of the Invention provides an inherent safety feature which provides deployment of the secondary inflatable unit such as a life raft only after the primary inflatable unit such as inflatable float has been deployed. Thereby, a possibility of deploying the life raft either in-flight or during ground maintenance operations has been eliminated. Thus, pilots or other personnel and/or automatic triggering means can activate the actuator system  12  with minimal effort, resulting in an actuator system that is easier to use and more reliable in operation. Moreover, the actuator systems of the present invention is more beneficial compared to the known solutions since the systems of the invention substantially reduce or eliminate damage to adjacent components as often occurs in the prior art mechanical arrangements. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 10 and 11  a rotorcraft or helicopter  10 ′ employing a pressurized actuator system in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The rotorcraft  10  includes a main body  14 ′ with a cockpit  16 ′, a landing structure  18 ′ having a first landing skid  20 ′ and a second landing skid  22 ′ which extend along a longitudinal axis of the rotorcraft and are in contact with the ground when not in flight. The inflatable flotation devices  24 ′ and life rafts  27 ′ are associated with the respective landing skids. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 11 , similar to the above discussed arrangements this embodiment of the pressurized actuator system consists of the tubing system  34 ′ which includes a main tubing section  110 ′ which is connected to a primary tubing section  112 ′ and a secondary tubing section  114 ′ through a diverting member or T-shaped connector  116 ′. The main tubing section  110 ′ is associated with the activating mechanism consisting of the arm  40 ′, secondary container  54 ′, etc. in a manner discussed hereinabove. Significantly, in this embodiment a single activating mechanism is utilized for deployment of the primary inflatables or floats as well as the secondary inflatables or the life rafts. The primary tubing section  112 ′ extends between the diverting member or T-shaped connector  116 ′ and the cylinder  98 ′ of the primary transducer  82 ′ associated with the deployment mechanism of the primary inflatables or floats. In a similar manner, the secondary tubing section  114 ′ extends between the T-connector  116 ′ and the control valve assembly  150 ′ which is in turn connected with the cylinder of the transducer adapted for deployment of the secondary inflatable or life raft. 
   The control or secondary valve assembly  150 ′ typically consists of a check valve  152 ′ positioned up stream of an accumulation chamber or accumulation device  154 ′ and a controlling device or release valve  156 ′ positioned down-stream of the accumulation chamber. The check valve  152 ′ is provided to assure a unidirectional flow of the pressurized fluid or pressurized CO 2  gas within the secondary tubing section  114 ′. In this manner, the stream of pressurized fluid upon entering the secondary tubing section  114 ′ and the accumulation device or chamber  154  through the check valve  152 ′ does not return to the portions of the tubing network disposed upstream of the control valve assembly  150 ′. The accumulation device  154 ′ can be in the form of accumulation chamber, valve having a substantial internal space or any other conventional arrangement capable of receiving and accumulating the pressurized fluid passing through the upstream area of the secondary tubing section  114 ′. It is an essential requirement for the accumulation device  154 ′ to collect and accumulate a predetermined volume of pressurized fluid, so as to store enough energy in the system for activation of the life raft air cylinder. The controlling device or release valve  156 ′ is adopted to control further movement of the pressurized gas within the secondary tubing section, downstream of the accumulation device  154 ′, so as to be ultimately directed to the respective cylinders for activation of the life raft. The controlling device or valve  156 ′ can be of any conventional construction and can be activated manually, electrically or by any other conventional means. For example, the device  156 ′ can be in the form of a safety pin provided at a downstream portion of the accumulation device  154 ′. 
   In use, upon landing, the inflatable flotation devices, such as floats and life rafts, are initially stored in a compressed undeployed condition. The lever or arm  40 ′ of the activating mechanism is initially in the fully forward position and the secondary container  54 ′ is undisturbed. When the lever arm  40 ′ is pulled by a pilot toward the control arm  44 ′, the puncture shaft  62 ′ is forced forward so as to pierce the secondary container  54 ′ causing discharge fluid under pressure into the main, primary and secondary tubing sections  110 ′,  112 ′ and  114 ′, respectively. As the pressurized fluid flows through the diverting member  116 ′ or any other arrangement capable of performing similar function, it branches off, so that a portion thereof is directed to the primary tubing section  112 ′ and ultimately to activate the primary inflatables. The remaining portion of the pressurized fluid flow is directed to the secondary tubing section  114 ′. Upon passing through the check valve  152 ′ the pressurized fluid enters the accumulation device  154 ′ for accumulation and storage. It remains there until a later time when a pilot is ready for deployment of the secondary inflatable through activation of the controlling device  156 ′. During the initial stages of the deployment the accumulation device  154 ′ is in a closed position and is isolated from the down stream area of the secondary tubing  114 ′. At that stage of operation, the pressurized fluid can not penetrate to the primary valves of the secondary inflatable. Such accumulated pressurized fluid is not released into the downstream portion of the secondary tubing  114 ′ until an additional operation is performed by a pilot by activating the controlling device  156 ′. In this manner the pressurized fluid, which is stored and accumulated in the accumulation device or chamber  154 ′, is released into the downstream portion of the secondary pneumatic tubing network. In the secondary inflatable pneumatic circuit, the downstream outlet  115 ′ of the secondary tubing section  114 ′ is properly positioned with respect to the piston head  102 ′, so that the piston is forced within the cylinder  98 ′ to thereby pull the shaft  104 ′ and other arms and members associated with the secondary transducer  85 ′ with sufficient force. In this manner, the secondary valve is activated to thereby inflate the respective secondary inflatable device such as a life raft. 
   The system of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIGS. 10 and 11  allows to utilize the same activating or trigger mechanism for deployment of the primary and secondary inflatable devices. This minimizes a possibility of the pilot error and prevents undesirable simultaneous deployment of the primary and secondary inflatables. Furthermore, it also prevents deployment of the secondary inflatable prior to the deployment of the primary inflatable. An essential feature of the invention is that during landing the downstream region of the accumulation device  154 ′ is initially closed. Thus, the pressurized fluid can not penetrate into the area of the secondary tubing network  114 ′ below the secondary valve arrangement  150 ′ until a further procedural step is carried out by the pilot. This means that the secondary inflatable can not be deployed until the controlling device  156 ′ is activated. By providing a single trigger or activating mechanism and the secondary valve assembly  150 ′ the system of the invention adds an important safety feature to the deployment procedure. Thus, in the system of the invention the secondary inflatable or life raft is deployed only after the floats or primary inflatable have been activated. Thus, the deployment system of the invention minimizes the human error possibility and prevents the ability of the pilot to pull the wrong lever causing premature, undesirable deployment of the secondary inflatable. 
   It will be understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. For example, although the deployment of inflatable devices has been described for use with rotorcrafts, it will be understood that the deployment system of the present invention can be used for other aircraft, as well as other movable or stationary structures. The system of the invention can be utilized in many applications where controlled deployment of multiple inflatable devices is required. It will be further understood that the inflatable devices adapted for use with pressurized actuator system of the invention can be in the form of emergency evacuation devices such as slides and rafts, as well as swimming pools, temporary shelters, or any other inflatable structures. Furthermore, it should be clear that the actuator system of the invention is applicable for actuation of practically any type of inflatable structures remotely positioned from an operator.