Ground effect craft
AssigneePierceCraft IP Ltd.
InventorRichard David PIERCE
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ground effect craft having a ground effect wing, a plurality of sponsons, and a control system is disclosed. The ground effect wing may include a fore ground effect wing and an aft ground effect wing. The ground effect wing may generate a stabilizing moment on at least one sponson to stabilize the around effect craft. The plurality of sponsons may be dynamically coupled to the body. The plurality of sponsons may be dynamically coupled to each other. The dynamic coupling may permit the sponsons to move relatively independent of the body and each other, thereby stabilizing the ground effect craft. The ground effect craft may include a stabilizing wing.
Claims20
A ground effect craft comprising:
- a first sponson;
- a second sponson;
- a body;
- a first control system configured to dynamically couple the body to the first sponson and the second sponson, wherein the first control system solely controls free movement of the body with respect to the first sponson and the second sponson;
- and
- a second control system configured to dynamically couple the first sponson to the second sponson, the second control system configured to at least partially isolate movement of the first sponson relative to the second sponson.
A ground effect craft comprising:
- a plurality of sponsons, wherein a first sponson in the plurality of sponsons is dynamically coupled to a second sponson in the plurality of sponsons such that movement of the first sponson is at least partially isolated relative to the second sponson;
- a body dynamically coupled to the plurality of sponsons via a plurality of control links;
- and
- a first aerodynamic lift surface wherein the first aerodynamic lift surface is at least partially isolated in movement from the first sponson and the second sponson.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.