19results about "Non-rigid airships" patented technology

A system enabling safe manned and unmanned operations at extremely high altitudes (above 70,000 feet). The system utilizes a balloon launch system and parachute and / or parafoil recovery.

The invention relates to an aircraft (2) comprising a wing (4) and means (6, 30) for propelling the aircraft (2); the wing (4) having a flexible, airtight envelope (18) designed to contain air; the flexible envelope (18) being configured such that, when it contains air in a nominal inflation state, the aerodynamic profile of the flexible envelope (18) alone generates the lift of the wing (4). The aircraft (2) may be a piloted aircraft of the airplane type or an unpiloted aircraft of the drone type. Abstract figure: Fig. 1

The embodiment of the invention provides an aerostat, an aerostat air operation control system and a wind power generation device, and the aerostat comprises an aerostat body which is in a streamline design, and the two ends of the aerostat body form a large head end and a small head end respectively; the steering part is arranged below the floating body, and the floating body can rotate around the steering part along with the change of the wind direction; the lifting force adjusting part is arranged above the floating body, the position of the lifting force adjusting part changes along with the change of the wind direction, and the lifting force adjusting part always has upward pulling force on the floating body. The lifting force adjusting part can adjust the pulling force on the floating body in real time according to the change of the wind force and direction, so that the floating body is always kept at a stable height and posture, meanwhile, the steering part enables the floating body to flexibly cope with the change of the wind direction, and the floating body is prevented from shaking or inclining due to the sudden change of the wind direction.

To provide an inflatable aircraft that can regulate pressure more efficiently. [Solution] An inflatable aircraft comprises a pressure regulating device for adjusting the internal pressure of the inflatable aircraft, a pressure sensor for acquiring information on the internal pressure of the inflatable aircraft, and an altitude sensor for acquiring altitude information. The pressure regulating device adjusts the pressure to fill the internal pressure deficit according to the difference between a set pressure, which is set to decrease as the altitude decreases based on the altitude information obtained from the altitude sensor, and the internal pressure obtained from the pressure sensor.

An altitude movement device comprising of a ballonet within an outer envelope with the ballonet configured to control buoyancy and an apparent wind generating device combined with the altitude movement device to generate an apparent wind to propel the vehicle laterally with respect to the direction of the jet stream.

The invention relates to an aircraft (2) comprising a wing (4) and means (6, 30) for propelling the aircraft (2); the wing (4) comprising an airtight flexible envelope (18) intended to contain air; the flexible envelope (18) being configured such that, when it contains air in a nominal inflation state, the aerodynamic profile of the flexible envelope (18) is sufficient on its own to generate the lift of the wing (4). The aircraft (2) may be a piloted aircraft of the aeroplane type or an unpiloted aircraft of the drone type.

A variable-volume aerostat, consisting of a flat gas envelope, joined to guide aerostat bodies. The flat gas envelope is typically deployed by rotation of cylindrical guide airships, or rollers suspended beneath guide aerostats. In its stowed configuration, the flat gas envelope is rolled, uninflated and relatively compact. As the invention ascends to high altitude, lifting gas expands out of the guide aerostats into the unrolling flat gas envelope. When fully deployed, the flat gas envelope is self-supporting, and has a horizontal surface area up-to 100 times larger than that of the guide aerostats. This is a major advantage in potential applications, including targeted Solar Radiation Management (SRM), and airborne solar power generation.

Aerostat (100) comprising a first balloon (10a) and a second balloon (10b) extending in a longitudinal direction (X), a connecting structure (30) configured to maintain the first and second balloons relative to each other, a tail assembly (40), and at least one first steerable propulsion device (35). The shape of the aerostat is configured so that the aerostat has a lift-to-drag ratio (Fi) greater than 2. The first and second balloons (10a, 10b) contain a volume of gas such that the static lift (F1) is strictly greater than 50% of the total lift. The first propulsion device (35) is configured so that the vertical propulsion lift (F2) can be strictly greater than 50% of the effective weight Pe of the aerostat (100) in the vertical propulsion position of the first propulsion device (35). Figure for the summary: FIGURE 6

An airfoil includes an inner gas cell adapted for holding a first gas that is lighter than oxygen, an outer gas barrier substantially completely encompassing and enveloping the inner gas cell and defining a protective barrier layer adapted for holding a second gas that is inert, at least one gas sensor disposed within the protective barrier layer adapted to detect presence of the first gas, and at least one pressure sensor disposed within the protective barrier layer adapted to measure pressure of the second gas within the outer gas barrier.

The present invention relates to a rocket stage (1) for a multi-stage space launch vehicle (3), including a main engine (5) and configured for stage separation from the remainder of the space launch vehicle (3) for returning the rocket stage (1) to the Earth's surface, the rocket stage (1) comprising an inflatable hull (7) for holding lift gas from a pressure tank (9), an expansion unit (11), a propulsion and steering unit (13) for providing thrust and attitude control to the rocket stage (1), and a control unit (15) configured to initiate expansion of the hull (7) after stage separation by controlling the expansion unit (11) and to control the propulsion and steering unit (13) to steer the rocket stage (1) to a pre-determined landing point on the Earth's surface.

The invention relates to the technical field of aerostats, and discloses an aerostat with a double-cabin structure. The aerostat comprises a buoyancy cabin, a pressure-bearing cabin and a connecting structure, wherein the buoyancy cabin and the pressure-bearing cabin are respectively formed by mutually independent bag bodies and have no shared wall surface. The buoyancy cabin is used for containing lifting gas, a bag body of the buoyancy cabin comprises a gas blocking layer, and the gas blocking layer is made of an EVOH composite film. The pressure-bearing cabin is of a pressure-resistant structure and used for containing air, a bag body of the pressure-bearing cabin comprises a force-bearing layer, the force-bearing layer is made of UHMWPE fabric, and the pressure-bearing cabin can bear gauge pressure not lower than 5 kPa. Different materials are adopted to form the bag body structures of the buoyancy cabin and the pressure-bearing cabin respectively, the pressure-bearing capacity of the pressure-bearing cabin is improved while the airtight performance of the buoyancy cabin is guaranteed, therefore, effective adjustment of the overall density of the aerostat is achieved under the condition of the small size, and the aerostat has the advantages of being simple in structure and low in cost.

This invention discloses a distributed, jettisonable stratospheric airship capable of in-flight refueling, comprising an airship body and a distributed gas tank-type storage compartment. The distributed gas tank-type storage compartment includes a cabin fixed to the bottom of the airship body, with an internal gas supply pipe and several gas tanks. One end of the gas supply pipe is connected to the airship body, and the other end has several docking joints. The gas supply pipe and the gas tanks are detachably connected via these joints. A pressure relief valve is installed on the gas supply pipe, and a valve is installed at the outlet end of each gas tank. Several through holes are provided at the bottom of the cabin, each corresponding to one of the gas tanks. A controller is installed on the airship body, connected to the cabin's control interface via a detachable connector. The controller controls the release and jettisoning of the gas tanks. This invention increases the airship's endurance and reduces maintenance costs by refueling in the air using gas tanks; using the gas tanks as counterweights increases the airship's payload capacity.

An altitude movement device comprising of a ballonet within an outer envelope with the ballonet configured to control buoyancy and an apparent wind generating device combined with the altitude movement device to generate an apparent wind to propel the vehicle laterally with respect to the direction of the jet stream.

Disclosed is a communications system comprising at least one vehicle 4, which, in use, is maintained at a substantially constant position at an altitude of between 15km & 22km, and which comprises a c

The invention belongs to the technical field of aircrafts, and particularly relates to an integrated propelling device and an aerostat. The aerostat comprises a bag body, the integrated propelling device comprises a propelling assembly and a rudder, and the propelling assembly is connected with the bag body; the propelling assembly comprises a mounting part, a driving part and a propeller, and the driving part is arranged on the mounting part and connected with the propeller to drive the propeller to rotate; the rudder comprises a control surface, the propeller faces the control surface, and the rudder is connected with the mounting piece. The integrated propelling device is provided with a propelling assembly and a rudder, the propelling assembly comprises a mounting part, a driving part and a propeller, the driving part is arranged on the mounting part and connected with the propeller to drive the propeller to rotate, the rudder comprises a control surface, the propeller is arranged facing the control surface, and the rudder is connected with the mounting part. Due to the fact that the propelling assembly and the rudder are integrated, when the bag body is repaired or maintained, only the propelling assembly needs to be detached from the bag body, and the detaching efficiency of the aerostat is improved.

Devices, such as aerodynamic kites used in kiteboarding (also known as kitesurfing), handheld aerodynamic wings used in wing foiling and wing surfing, and paddles used in paddleboarding, for generating a force for powering a user on an appropriately configured vehicle, such as a kiteboard, kitesurfing foilboard, hydrofoil board, surfboard, wing board, wing foil board, stand up paddleboard, stand up paddleboard with hydrofoil, roller skates, rollerblades, skateboards, snowboards, skis, or ice skates, to traverse across a body of water, sand, earth, paved area, snow, or ice, are provided with a thrust generating device (e.g., an electric ducted fan system) to assist in generating said force.

The system according to this embodiment aims to calculate the optimal launch window and orbit insertion parameters, taking into account weather conditions and rocket characteristics, and to plan the launch order and timing of multiple small satellites. [Solution] The system according to the embodiment comprises a weather forecasting unit, a characteristics analysis unit, an orbit calculation unit, and a planning unit. The weather forecasting unit predicts weather conditions. The characteristics analysis unit analyzes the characteristics of the rocket and payload based on the weather conditions predicted by the weather forecasting unit. The orbit calculation unit calculates the optimal launch window and orbit insertion parameters based on the characteristics analyzed by the characteristics analysis unit. The planning unit plans the launch order and timing of multiple small satellites based on the launch window and orbit insertion parameters calculated by the orbit calculation unit.

Dirigible aerostat (1) comprising an envelope (2) delimiting an interior space (3) of variable volume capable of being filled by a lifting gas, a gondola carrying at least one propulsion unit, a system (6) for varying the volume by clamping, comprising a plurality of sail adjustment cables (7). FIGURE 3