Hybrid lighter-than-air vehicle
AssigneeHyalta Aeronautics, Inc.
InventorScott R. Kempshall
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is a variable geometry aircraft that is capable of morphing its shape from a symmetric cross-section buoyant craft to an asymmetric lifting body and even to a symmetric zero lift configuration. The aircraft may include variable span, length, and camber. The variability of the structure and the flexible envelope allows the aircraft to adjust its aspect ratio along with the camber of the upper and/or lower surfaces to achieve varying shapes. This transformation changes both the lift and drag characteristics of the craft and may be accomplished while the craft is airborne.
Claims20
An aircraft comprising:
- a convertible design having a lighter-than-air configuration and a heavier-than-air configuration;
- a flexible envelope in communication with a base structure, wherein the flexible envelope has a leading edge and a trailing edge creating a chord line;
- a span extending from a port side wingtip to a starboard side wingtip;
- the lighter-than-air configuration including the aircraft having a span that is less than the span of the aircraft when in the heavier-than-air configuration;
- and
- both the lighter-than-air configuration and heavier-than-air configuration including the aircraft having a span that is greater than or equal to a length of the chord line.
An aircraft comprising:
- a convertible design having a lighter-than-air configuration and a heavier-than-air configuration;
- a flexible envelope enclosing a base structure, wherein the flexible envelope has a leading edge and a trailing edge creating a chord line;
- one or more translation assemblies in operable communication with and configured to move an upper longeron, a lower longeron, or both the upper and lower longerons, whereby movement of the upper longeron, the lower longeron, or both longerons alters a cross-sectional shape of the aircraft;
- a span extending from a port side wingtip to a starboard side wingtip;
- the lighter-than-air configuration including the aircraft having a span that is less than the span of the aircraft when in the heavier-than-air configuration;
- and
- both the lighter-than-air configuration and heavier-than-air configuration including the aircraft having a span that is greater than or equal to a length of the chord line.
An aircraft comprising:
- a convertible design having a lighter-than-air configuration and a heavier-than-air configuration;
- a flexible envelope in communication with a base structure, wherein the flexible envelope has a leading edge and a trailing edge creating a chord line;
- a span extending from a port side wingtip to a starboard side wingtip;
- the lighter-than-air configuration including the aircraft having a span that is less than the span of the aircraft when in the heavier-than-air configuration;
- and
- the base structure configured to adjust in length thereby altering a straight-line distance between a front end and a rear end of the aircraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.