Airship with a controlled variable profile
AssigneeVoliris
InventorAlain Bernard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to an airship comprising a flexible envelope having at least one adjustment region provided with two longitudinal adjustment elements mounted in opposition and mobile in relation to each other between a maximum distancing position and a minimum distancing position, the two longitudinal adjustment elements being connected to each other by a group comprising a plurality of cables crossing the inner space of the envelope, each of the cables cooperating with a plurality or tightening points provided along each longitudinal element. The cables are connected to at least one tightening module that can exert a tightening or loosening action on the cables and thereby bring the longitudinal adjustment elements closer together or move them further away.
Claims13
An airship having a flexible envelope defining an inner space capable of being filled with a lifting gas, the envelope having at least one adjustment region provided with a first longitudinal adjustment element fastened on a first side of the envelope and a second longitudinal adjustment element fastened on the other side of the envelope, both adjustment elements being mounted in opposition and mobile in relation to each other between a maximum distancing position and a minimum distancing position, the two longitudinal adjustment elements being connected to each other by an assembly comprising a plurality of cables crossing the inner space, each of the cables cooperating in a sliding manner with a plurality of tightening points provided along each longitudinal element, the cables being connected to a winch capable of exerting a tightening or loosening action on the cables in order to bring the longitudinal adjustment elements closer together or move them further apart,
- wherein the winch is mounted in a floating manner and comprises a motor including a torque effect coupled with at least one reducer coupled to a plurality of wheels enabling the assembly's cables to be wound or unwound, multiple tensile forces of the assembly's cables and the reduction rate of the reducer or reducers being provided so as to enable the torque effect induced by the motor to be offset in order to maintain the assembly's balance in the cables' plane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.