A DEVICE FOR PROVIDING A SIGNAL INDICATING WHETHER A DEPLOYED EVACUATION SLIDE OF AN AIRCRAFT IS READY FOR USE

摘要

The present invention relates to a device for providing a signal indicating whether a deployed evacuation slide (102) of an aircraft (100) is ready for use. The device comprises a tilt sensor (4) adapted to measure a tilt angle of the device about a predetermined axis (8) with respect to a reference plane (9), and to provide a tilt sensor measurement signal (10), at least one inertial sensor (5) adapted to detect an acceleration of the device and to provide an inertial sensor measurement signal (13), a slide signal input terminal (14) for receiving a slide signal indicative of deployment of an evacuation slide (102) and of a deployment length thereof, a tilt angle signal output terminal (15) at which a tilt angle signal is provided, a slide status output terminal (16), and a control unit (6). The control unit (6) is adapted to determine, based on the detected acceleration, a moment in time when the device is at rest with respect to earth and to then set the orientation of the reference plane (9) to a predetermined orientation. The control unit (6) stores aircraft specific data depending on the position of a door of the aircraft (100) with respect to ground. The control unit (6) is adapted to determine, at least for a predetermined minimum time period following an indication of deployment of an evacuation slide (102) and on the basis of a tilt angle derived from the received tilt sensor measurement signal (10), a slide length derived from the received slide signal and the aircraft specific data, if the slide length is large enough for the evacuation slide (102) to be ready for use at the tilt angle, and to generate based on the result of the determination a slide status signal (17), which is provided at the slide status output terminal (16).