Dirigible balloon rigidified by helium tanks
AssigneeAerospace Adour Technology
InventorMarc Senepart
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A variable-lift device using a helium to fly. The device comprises a balloon (1) composed of an outer flexible envelope (3) supported by a rigid structure. The rigid structure comprises a plurality of hollow toruses (4) of inside volume that acts as a tank for storing helium under pressure.
Claims6
1 A variable-lift device using a gas that is lighter than air, the device comprising an outer envelope supported by a more rigid structure, the device being characterized in that said structure comprises a hollow beam having an inside volume that acts as a tank for storing said gas.
2 A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said hollow beam is covered in a cloth that is leakproof relative to said gas and that thermally insulates the inside volume of the hollow beam.
3 A device according to either preceding claim, characterized in that said hollow beam is a hollow torus.
4 A device according to claim 3, characterized in that said hollow torus comprises at least two assembled-together torus portions.
5 A device according to claim 3, characterized in that said structure comprises at least two hollow toruses having inside volumes in communication.
6 A device according to claim 3 or claim 5, characterized in that said structure comprises at least two hollow toruses having inside volumes that are not in communication.