Surface assembly
AssigneeNuclear Energy Components Limited
InventorVincent Middleton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A surface assembly and related method of constructing a surface assembly are used as part of a landing platform. The surface assembly includes a modular structure having an upper surface with a plurality of discrete elements. Each discrete element has a body of metal material defining at least one anchor aperture for receiving a hook or like anchor device for anchoring a helicopter or other powered light aircraft to the surface assembly. The surface assembly is configured to define an array of the plurality of discrete elements in which at least two of the anchor apertures are provided side-by-side. The body of each discrete element has a periphery, and each anchor aperture of the array is inboard of the periphery of a respective body of a discrete element in the array.
Claims15
A helicopter anchoring grid, the anchoring grid having an upper surface defined by a modular structure formed from a plurality of discrete steel elements of the same shape and configuration,
- wherein each discrete steel element has a periphery which is tessellated with the periphery of one or more other discrete steel elements of said plurality of discrete steel elements, wherein no substantial gaps or overlapping regions are formed between the tessellated discrete steel elements in the modular structure,
- wherein each discrete steel element has at least one anchor aperture inboard of the periphery for receiving a hook or anchor device for anchoring a helicopter to the grid;
- wherein the anchoring grid comprises a plurality of steel link members and a plurality of steel stanchions;
- wherein each one of the plurality of steel link members is provided below the upper surface and collocates at least two adjacent discrete steel elements of said plurality of discrete steel elements in tessellation with one another;
- wherein each steel stanchion engages an underside of a respective one of the plurality of steel link members and spaces the respective one of the plurality of steel link members and at least two adjacent discrete steel elements above a ground surface, and wherein each steel stanchion locks the respective one of the plurality of steel link members and at least two adjacent discrete steel elements together.
A method of constructing a helicopter anchoring grid, comprising:
- providing a plurality of discrete steel elements of a same shape and configuration, each discrete steel element having a periphery and at least one anchor aperture inboard of the periphery;
- and tessellating the periphery of each discrete steel element with the periphery of one or more other discrete steel elements of said plurality of discrete elements to form a modular structure which defines an upper surface in which no substantial gaps or overlapping regions are formed between the tessellated discrete steel elements in the modular structure;
- the method including a step of providing a plurality of steel link members, wherein each one of the plurality of steel link members is provided below the upper surface and collocates at least two adjacent discrete steel elements of said plurality of discrete steel elements in tessellation with one another;
- the method including a step of providing a plurality of steel stanchions, wherein each steel stanchion engages an underside of a respective one of the plurality of steel link members and spaces the respective one of the plurality of steel link members and at least two adjacent discrete steel elements above a ground surface, and wherein each steel stanchion locks the respective one of the plurality of steel link members and at least two adjacent discrete steel elements together.
A helicopter anchoring grid, the anchoring grid having an upper surface defined by a modular structure formed from a plurality of discrete steel elements of the same shape and configuration,
- wherein each discrete steel element has a periphery which is tessellated with the periphery of one or more other discrete steel elements of said plurality of discrete steel elements, wherein no substantial gaps or overlapping regions are formed between the tessellated discrete steel elements in the modular structure,
- wherein each discrete steel element has at least one anchor aperture inboard of the periphery for receiving a hook or anchor device for anchoring a helicopter to the grid;
- wherein the anchoring grid comprises a plurality of steel link members and a plurality of steel stanchions;
- wherein each one of the plurality of steel link members is provided below the upper surface and collocates at least two adjacent discrete steel elements of said plurality of discrete steel elements in tessellation with one another;
- wherein each steel stanchion engages an underside of a respective one of the plurality of steel link members and spaces the respective one of the plurality of steel link members and at least two adjacent discrete steel elements above a ground surface, and wherein each steel stanchion locks the respective one of the plurality of steel link members and at least two adjacent discrete steel elements together;
- wherein each of the plurality of discrete steel elements comprises a body of stainless and/or maraging steel;
- wherein the at least one anchor aperture of each discrete steel element comprises a diameter in a range of 2 cm to 10 cm;
- wherein a sum of areas defined by the at least one anchor aperture of the plurality of discrete steel elements is in a range of 30% to 70% of a total area of the helicopter anchoring grid in plan view;
- and
- wherein each anchor aperture has a centre and wherein a distance from the centre to a centre of each adjacent anchor aperture of the anchoring grid is in a range of 2.6 cm to 13.0 cm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.