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US 9,745,042 B2Granted
Airship including aerodynamic, floatation, and deployable structures
OwnerJohn Goeletinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An airship is provided. The airship includes a hull configured to contain a gas, at least one propulsion assembly coupled to the hull and including a propulsion device, and at least one aerodynamic component including a plurality of fairing structures including one or more slats, wherein the at least one aerodynamic component is associated with the hull and is configured to direct airflow around the airship.
Claims15
An airship comprising;
- a hull configured to contain a gas;
- at least one propulsion assembly coupled to the hull and including a propulsion device;
- and
- at least two floatation structures configured to support the airship during a water landing, wherein:
- the at least two floatation structures comprises a pair of outboard pontoons and a pair of main pontoons;
- and
- the at least two floatation structures each comprise deployable pontoon housed inside the hull and configured to be extendable outside of the hull,
- at least two support members connected to the hull and extending away from each other and the hull,
- wherein each of the at least two support members is attached at one end to the hull and at a second end to an end portion of one of the pair of outboard pontoons or one of the pair of main pontoons to provide buoyancy to the hull when the floatation structure is in water;
- and
- an empennage assembly including a pair of horizontal stabilizing members that constitute two support members of the at least two support members.
8 more elements
An airship comprising:
- a hull configured to contain a gas and including an enlarged lower portion;
- at least one propulsion assembly coupled to the hull and including a propulsion device;
- and
- at least two support members connected to the hull and extending away from each other and the hull;
- at least one floatation structure configured to support the airship during a water landing, wherein:
- the at least one floatation structure includes the enlarged lower portion of the hull,
- the enlarged lower portion of the hull is formed of a first material configured to provide buoyancy to the hull when the hull is in water, and
- the enlarged lower portion of the hull is hollow or filled with a second material configured to provide buoyancy to the hull when the hull is in water;
- the at least one floatation structure further includes a pair of main pontoons and a pair of outboard pontoons connected to the hull by the at least two support members, wherein each of the at least two support members is attached at one end to the hull and at a second end to an end portion of one of the pair of outboard pontoons to provide buoyancy to the hull when the floatation structure is in water;
- wherein each of the main pontoons and the outboard pontoons comprise a deployable pontoon housed inside the hull and configured to be extendable outside of the hull;
- and
- an empennage assembly operatively connected to a support structure of the hull and including a pair of horizontal stabilizing members, wherein the horizontal stabilizing members of the empennage assembly constitute two support members of the at least two support members.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.