Airship

Abstract

To provide an airship capable of reducing trouble required for designing and manufacturing an airframe when manufacturing airframes different in required loading capacity.SOLUTION: An airship is provided with an airframe 100 having a hull skeleton 50 and an outer skin 51 covering the hull skeleton 50. The hull skeleton 50 is provided with: a backbone structure 1 provided along a central line 14 extending in a back and forth direction of the airframe 100; and a plurality of air chamber units 2a, 2b provided in succession to each of left and right of the backbone structure 1. The plurality of air chamber units 2a, 2b include a pair of left and right end part units 2b provided for each of a front end part and a rear end part; and a plurality of units 2a between main sections provided left and right in the main section except the front end part and the rear end part in the back and forth direction. For all the units 2a between the main sections in the main sections, a unit integrating an outer shape and respective main constituent members is used.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a rigid airship or the like. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventional rigid airships typically have a cage-like hull frame made of lightweight aluminum alloys and composite materials, with ribs (frames) and stringers, and are reinforced with piano wire or other materials to give the hull strength. The hull is then covered with an outer skin to maintain its shape. Multiple gas bags are housed inside the skin to provide static lift.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a rigid airship that controls its elevation by varying the volume of buoyant gas stored in the air envelope using a ballonet. The airship's hull has a balloon-shaped air envelope formed by the hull skin, a rigid, generally flat bulkhead suspended from the underside of the air envelope by air envelope slings, a hollow, ship's-bottom-shaped pressurization chamber suspended from the bulkhead by pressurization chamber slings, and a gondola suspended from the underside of the pressurization chamber. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-233294 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the past, when airships with different required load capacities were manufactured, the designs of the airships were individually carried out. In other words, blueprints were created for each item. Then, the airships and airships were manufactured based on each blueprint. In the past, when airships with different required load capacities were manufactured, the design and manufacturing of the airships required a lot of work.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to realize an airship that can reduce the effort required for designing and manufacturing an airship when manufacturing airships with different required load capacities. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the first invention is an airship equipped with a fuselage having a hull skeleton and an outer skin covering the hull skeleton, wherein the hull skeleton has a spine structure arranged along a center line extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the fuselage, and a plurality of air chamber units arranged in succession on each of the left and right sides of the spine structure, and the plurality of air chamber units include end units arranged in pairs on the left and right at each of the front and rear ends, and main section units arranged in multiples on the left and right sides in the main section excluding the front and rear ends in the fore-and-aft direction, and all main section units in the main section use units with a unified external shape and each of their main components.

[0008] The second invention is the first invention, further comprising an electric fan mounting stand protruding from each end unit toward the side of the fuselage, and an electric fan mounted to the tip of the electric fan mounting stand, the electric fan being mounted on the electric fan mounting stand so as to be rotatable around a fan mounting rotation axis extending in the extension direction of the electric fan mounting stand.

[0009] The third invention is the second invention, wherein the fan mounting shaft has a forward angle of 5 to 10 degrees relative to the lateral line of the fuselage at the front of the fuselage, and a backward angle of 5 to 10 degrees relative to the lateral line of the fuselage at the rear of the fuselage.

[0010] The fourth invention is the first invention, in which two or more electric fans are provided on the sides of the aircraft as propulsion fans, and when the aircraft is cruising in level flight, the rotation axis of the blades of the propulsion fans is inclined with respect to the center line of the aircraft in the fore-and-aft direction, causing the electric fans to generate propulsion force that causes the aircraft to turn when viewed from above.

[0011] The fifth invention is the first invention, in which two or more electric fans are provided on the sides of the aircraft as propulsion fans, and the propulsion fans have multiple blades attached to the same shaft with adjustable attachment pitch, and the propulsion fans are configured so that the angle of each blade is adjustable relative to the plane of rotation of the multiple blades.

[0012] A sixth aspect of the present invention is the first aspect of the present invention, wherein a plurality of air chambers each equipped with a gas bag are provided, and the volume of helium gas in each air chamber can be adjusted independently. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] In the present invention, all main section units in the main section use units with a uniform external shape and each of their main components. Therefore, when designing an airframe with a different required load capacity (i.e., designing a new airframe), it is not necessary or possible to easily design the main components of the main section units. After determining the length of the spine structure and the number of main section units according to the required load capacity, the design of the airframe is completed by designing the spine structure, etc., and the airframe and airship can be manufactured. According to the present invention, an airship can be realized that can reduce the effort required for airframe design and manufacturing when manufacturing airframes with different required load capacities. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram from above showing a method of assembling each air chamber unit (module structure) of an airship according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective explanatory diagram showing a method of assembling each air chamber unit (module structure) of the airship according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the spinal structure according to the embodiment, in which six air chamber units are used on each side, FIG. 3A is a top view, FIG. 3B is a schematic cross-sectional view, and FIG. 3C is a front view. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the spinal structure according to the embodiment, in which eight air chamber units are used on each side, FIG. 4A is a top view, FIG. 4B is a schematic cross-sectional view, and FIG. 4C is a front view. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram using three views showing the components of the airship according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the direction in which the thrust axis is generated when the airship according to the embodiment is flying straight ahead, with FIG. 6A being a top view and FIG. 6B being a side view. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing that the airship according to the embodiment is capable of turning on the ground when flying straight ahead, with FIG. 7A being a top view and FIG. 7B being a side view. [Figure 8] 8A and 8B are diagrams showing the airship according to the embodiment in a hovering state, with FIG. 8A being a top view and FIG. 8B being a side view. [Figure 9] 9A and 9B are explanatory diagrams of the direction in which the thrust axis is generated when the airship according to the embodiment is in a hovering state and performing a ground rotation, with FIG. 9A being a top view and FIG. 9B being a side view. [Figure 10] FIG. 10A is an explanatory diagram of an example of a method for fixing blades that allows the blade pitch to be changed, and FIG. 10B is a perspective view of a blade assembly in which the blade pitch is variable. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is an explanatory diagram of the mechanism that changes the mounting angle of the pin on the motor shaft. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of the component configuration of the mechanism that enables pitch control. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of the assembled state of the mechanism that enables pitch control. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments are merely examples of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

[0016] This embodiment is an airship equipped with an airframe 100 having a hull skeleton 50 and an outer skin 51 covering the hull skeleton 50. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the hull skeleton 50 comprises a backbone structure 1 provided along a centerline extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the airframe 100, and a plurality of air chamber units 2a, 2b connected to the left and right sides of the backbone structure 1.

[0017] The spine structure 1 is the main mechanical structure located at the center of the width of the fuselage 100 and extending in the fore-and-aft direction (longitudinal direction) of the fuselage 100. Specifically, the spine structure 1 is a slender structure that extends from the front end to the rear end of the fuselage 100. The side of the spine structure 1 is a vertical plane that is parallel to the fore-and-aft direction of the fuselage 100. The spine structure 1 is integrally formed from the front end to the rear end using a composite material such as carbon fiber, or a light metal such as aluminum, magnesium, or titanium.

[0018] The air chamber units 2a and 2b are boxes with a monocoque structure. The inner side surfaces of the air chamber units 2a and 2b are arranged parallel to the side surfaces of the backbone structure 1, and the front and rear surfaces facing the other air chamber units 2a and 2b are arranged perpendicular to the inner side surfaces. The air chamber units 2a and 2b are made of composite materials or light metals such as aluminum, magnesium, or titanium.

[0019] In the hull skeleton 50, a plurality of air chamber units 2a, 2b are arranged continuously from the front end to the rear end on each of the left and right sides of the backbone structure 1. In the hull skeleton 50, a plurality of air chamber units 2a, 2b are provided symmetrically on the left and right sides of the backbone structure 1. Each of the air chamber units 2a, 2b is connected to the side of the backbone structure 1.

[0020] The hull frame 50 uses two types of air chamber units 2a, 2b: an air chamber unit 2a for the main section with standardized specifications, and an end air chamber unit 2b designed for the front or rear end of the fuselage 100. The "main section" is the section excluding the front and rear ends in the fore-and-aft direction (specifically, the section from the rear surface of the front-end air chamber unit 2b to the front surface of the rear-end air chamber unit 2b). Hereinafter, the "air chamber unit for the main section" will be simply referred to as the "main section unit," and the "end air chamber unit" will be referred to as the "end unit."

[0021] In the main section of the hull skeleton 50, multiple main section units 2a are lined up in succession. In the main section, the same number of main section units 2a are provided on both the left and right sides of the backbone structure 1. The main section unit 2a on the left side of the backbone structure 1 and the main section unit 2a on the right side of the backbone structure 1 are formed symmetrically.

[0022] All main section units 2a in the main section use units with a uniform external shape and each of their main constituent parts. "Major constituent parts" are parts that make up the outer periphery of each outer surface of the main section units 2a. Each of the main constituent parts has the same dimensions (all dimensions including length, width, thickness, etc.) and material. The same parts are used for the same main constituent parts in all main section units 2a. The main section units 2a can also be said to be modularized. The length dimension (front-to-back dimension), width dimension (left-to-right dimension), and height dimension are all the same among all main section units 2a.

[0023] The end units 2b are formed in a different shape from the main section units 2a. A pair of end units 2b are provided at each of the front and rear ends. At the front end of the hull skeleton 50, one end unit 2b is provided on each of the left and right sides of the backbone structure 1. At the rear end of the hull skeleton 50, one end unit 2b is provided on each of the left and right sides of the backbone structure 1. The end unit 2b on the left side of the backbone structure 1 and the end unit 2b on the right side of the backbone structure 1 are formed symmetrically. Furthermore, the end unit 2b at the front end and the end unit 2b at the rear end are formed symmetrically in the front-to-rear direction.

[0024] In this embodiment, all main section units 2a in the main section use units with a unified external shape and each of the main components. Therefore, when designing a new airship, there is no need to design the main components for the main section units 2a. After determining the length of the spine structure 1 and the number of main section units 2a according to the required load capacity, the design of the airframe 100 can be completed by designing the spine structure 1, and the airframe 100 and airship can then be manufactured.

[0025] In addition, in this embodiment, a truss structure is used for the spine structure 1. The spine structure 1 is composed of an assembly of basic units, each of which has a triangular framework 1a in a side view. The triangular frameworks 1a arranged in front and behind each other use units with a unified external shape and each of their main components. Therefore, when designing an airframe 100 with a large load capacity, i.e., an airframe 100 with a long overall length, structural calculation and design of the spine structure 1 are easy, and the overall length of the spine structure 1 can be easily changed depending on the required load capacity, making it possible to design and manufacture airships of various sizes at low cost.

[0026] 3A-C show a backbone structure 1 having six main section units 2a on each of the left and right sides of the backbone structure 1, and FIGS. 4A-C show a backbone structure 1 having eight main section units 2a on each of the left and right sides of the backbone structure 1. Note that air chambers 18 equipped with gas bags 3 are also formed within the triangular framework 1a that continues from front to back in the backbone structure 1. The airship is equipped with multiple modular air chambers 18 and a mechanism that can independently increase or decrease the volume of helium gas in each air chamber 18, thereby enabling control of the magnitude of static lift generated in each part of the airship 100.

[0027] 3C and 4C, a cockpit 9 and a space 10 that can be used as a cargo compartment or a passenger cabin are arranged (formed) in the spine structure 1. The space within the spine structure 1 is also provided with a helium gas compressor 4, a helium gas cylinder 5, a generator 11, a generator fuel tank 12, and a battery 13 with a current stabilizing function.

[0028] The gas bags 3 provided in each air chamber unit 2a, 2b and each air chamber 18 are connected to a gas compressor 4 arranged in the backbone structure 1, a valve system (not shown) that controls the flow rate and direction of the gas, and a cylinder 5 for helium gas using gas piping (not shown), and the valve system is configured to independently adjust the total molecular amount of helium gas in each gas bag 3.

[0029] Helium gas released from the cylinder 5 is filled into the gas bag 3. This increases the volume of the gas bag 3, thereby generating a large static lift. Furthermore, if the gas bag 3 expands more than necessary due to fluctuations in atmospheric pressure caused by changes in flight altitude, etc., the helium gas in the gas bag 3 is returned to the cylinder 5 using the gas compressor 4, reducing the total amount of gas molecules in the gas bag 3. As a result, the gas bag 3 is maintained at an appropriate volume. This eliminates the need for heavy loads such as ballast or ballast water, which previously had to be loaded in response to changes in payload weight. In this embodiment, the internal pressure of the gas bag 3 is adjusted to be equal to the atmospheric pressure outside the aircraft 100. Each air chamber 18 is provided with a communication port 19 for introducing outside air, as shown in FIGS. 3B-C and 4B-C. In this embodiment, flight is possible without excessive release of helium gas to the atmosphere. This eliminates the need for frequent helium gas replenishment, which was previously required.

[0030] As shown in Figure 5, the airframe 100 further includes an electric fan mounting base 7 that protrudes from each end unit 2b toward the side of the airframe 100, and an electric fan 6 attached to the tip of the electric fan mounting base 7. The electric fan mounting base 7 protrudes from each end unit 2b toward the side of the airframe 100. Each electric fan 6 is mounted on the electric fan mounting base 7 so as to be rotatable around a fan mounting rotation shaft 16 that extends in the extension direction of the electric fan mounting base 7. In the airship, the pilot can control the rotation angle of each electric fan 6 around the fan mounting rotation shaft 16. Note that Figures 5-9 omit illustration of the gas bag 3 and truss structure.

[0031] The electric fan 6 has multiple blades 8 attached to the same shaft. The pitch of the blades 8 of the electric fan 6 can be continuously changed between positive and negative angles around a pitch angle of zero degrees. This makes it possible to continuously vary the magnitude and direction of the thrust generated by the electric fan 6 without changing the orientation of the electric fan 6 or the direction of rotation of the prime mover.

[0032] Here, the pilot of the aircraft 100 can precisely control the attitude and speed of the aircraft 100 by adjusting the static lift by recovering helium gas in the cylinder or releasing it from the cylinder to change the volume of the gas bag 3, adjusting the motor output of the electric fan 6, the rotation angle of the electric fan 6 rotating around the fan mounting rotation shaft 16, and the pitch of the blades 8 attached to the electric fan 6, and by varying the magnitude and direction of the propulsive force (wind) generated by the electric fan 6 between forward and reverse.

[0033] As shown in Figures 6A-B, when the thrust axes 17 (lines coinciding with the axes of the rotation shafts of the blades 8) generated by the electric fans 6 arranged at the four corners of the airframe 100 are horizontal, each thrust axis 17 is not parallel to the center line 14 in the fore-and-aft direction of the airframe, but forms an angle greater than 0° with respect to the center line 14 in the fore-and-aft direction of the airframe. For example, the direction in which the electric fan mounting bracket 7 protrudes is set so that the thrust axes 17 form an angle greater than 0° with respect to the center line 14. In Figures 6-9, thrust from the electric fans 6 is generated in the direction in which the thrust axes 17 extend from the electric fans 6.

[0034] The fan mounting shaft 16 is attached at the front of the fuselage 100 at a forward sweep angle of 5 to 10 degrees relative to the lateral fuselage index line 15 (see FIG. 5), and at the rear of the fuselage 100 at a sweepback angle of 5 to 10 degrees relative to the lateral fuselage index line 15. The lateral fuselage index line 15 extends in the width direction of the fuselage 100. In this embodiment, two or more electric fans 6 are provided on the sides of the fuselage 100 as propulsion fans. When the fuselage 100 is cruising in level flight, the propulsion fans 6 generate thrust toward the rear of the fuselage 100, but the direction of the thrust axis 17 is not parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the fuselage 100, and the propulsion fans 6 always generate thrust that causes the fuselage 100 to turn.

[0035] Therefore, even during straight flight, it is possible to generate a larger moment around the yaw axis compared to the conventional propulsion fan arrangement that generates a propulsion axis 17 parallel to the center line 14 in the fore-and-aft direction of the aircraft, and by providing a slight difference in thrust between the left and right electric fans 6, the aircraft exhibits agile turning ability.

[0036] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 7A-B, if the electric fans 6 provided on the left and right sides are made to generate thrust in opposite directions by controlling the pitch of the blades 8, it becomes possible to perform a true turn, which is extremely effective in situations where precise attitude control of the aircraft 100 is required, such as during landing.

[0037] 8A-B show a state in which the propulsion axis 17 extends downward from the electric fans 6. From this state, turning on the ground is also possible by rotating each electric fan 6 around the fan mounting rotation shaft 16 and tilting the propulsion axis 17 as shown in Figures 9A-B.

[0038] An example of a mechanism that enables pitch control of the blades 8 is shown below. In this embodiment, the pilot can arbitrarily change the mounting pitch of the blades (propellers) 8 provided on the electric fan 6. On an airship, the angle of the blades 8 can be freely adjusted in either the positive or negative direction, with the angle being set to zero when the blades 8 have no angle with respect to the plane of rotation of the blades 8 (a state in which the blades are rotating but do not generate wind).

[0039] As shown in Figure 10, a small bevel gear 23 is fixed to the base of each blade 8, and the blades 8 are assembled by being sandwiched between an upper hub 20 and a lower hub 21. Each blade 8 is provided so that it can rotate freely in the pitch direction. By firmly fastening the upper hub 20 and lower hub 21 together using bolts 22, each blade 8 forms a blade assembly 24 that functions as a propeller.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 11 , the motor shaft 25 (hereinafter referred to as the "motor shaft") that rotates the blade 8 has a pipe-shaped through-hole and a spiral slit at its upper end. A push rod 26, which has a pin insertion hole at its lower end, is inserted into the through-hole of the motor shaft 25. The push rod 26 is free to rotate about the axis of the motor shaft 25 and slide in the axial direction. A pin 27 is inserted into a pin hole at the upper end of the push rod 26 through the spiral slit in the motor shaft 25. The pin 27 is fixed to the push rod 26 by tightening a lock bolt 28. As a result, when the push rod 26 moves axially within the motor shaft 25, the pin 27 can move only along the spiral slit in the motor shaft 25. Therefore, the angle of the pin 27 on the motor shaft 25 changes as the push rod 26 moves axially.

[0041] FIG. 12 shows an exploded perspective view of the component parts (assembly procedure). FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of the assembled state of the mechanism that enables pitch control (FIG. 13A is a side view, and FIG. 13B is an AA cross-sectional view). Note that FIG. 12 does not show the motor main body 29. The free bevel gear 32 has a hole formed therein so that it can fit onto the motor shaft 25, and is capable of rotating on the motor shaft 25 and sliding in the axial direction. The pin 27 shown in FIG. 12 is assembled to the push rod 26 through a slit formed in the shaft of the free bevel gear 32 and a spiral slit formed in the motor shaft 25, so that the torque generated by the motor main body 29 and transmitted from the motor shaft 25 is transmitted to the free bevel gear 32 via the pin 27.

[0042] The fixed bevel gear 31 is fixed to the motor shaft 25 by a method such as spline processing. A gear housing lower 30a is bolted to the fixed bevel gear 31, and an upper gear housing 30a is assembled to the fixed bevel gear 31 in a manner that encloses the blade assembly 24 and free bevel gear 32, thereby determining the axial position of the free bevel gear 32 on the motor shaft 25. At this time, the small bevel gear 23 assembled and fixed to the blade 8 is engaged with the fixed bevel gear 31 and the free bevel gear 32, and receives rotational torque in the same direction from the fixed bevel gear 31 and the free bevel gear 32, causing the blade assembly 24 to rotate together with the rotation of the motor body 29.

[0043] A release bearing 35 is attached to the lower end of the push rod 26, and the axial position of the push rod 26 relative to the motor shaft 25 can be freely changed by a fork 34, the angle of which is changed by a servo motor 33. As shown in Figure 11, a spiral slit is formed in the motor shaft 25, so that the angle of the pin 27 relative to the motor shaft 25 (angle as seen in the axial direction) changes as the push rod 26 moves in the axial direction. In other words, the free bevel gear 32 rotates relative to the fixed bevel gear 31 fixed to the motor shaft 25, and this action rotates the small bevel gear 23, which in turn rotates the blade 8, thereby changing the pitch.

[0044] [Effects of the embodiment] In this embodiment, all main section units 2a in the main section use units with a uniform external shape and each of their main components. Therefore, when designing an airframe with a different required load capacity (i.e., designing a new airframe), it is not necessary or possible to easily design the main components for the main section units 2a. After determining the length of the backbone structure 1 and the number of main section units 2a according to the required load capacity, the design of the airframe 100 is completed by designing the backbone structure 1, and the airframe 100 and airship can then be manufactured.

[0045] Conventional airships have multiple gas bladders inside the aircraft, which are filled with helium gas to generate static lift. In the case of rigid airships, if the gas bladders are filled with helium gas to maximize their volume in order to obtain maximum static lift near the ground, such as during takeoff, the gas bladders expand under atmospheric pressure at cruising altitudes. When the pressure inside the gas bladders reaches a maximum pressure that does not adversely affect the aircraft, a relief valve must be opened automatically or manually to release the helium gas. In other words, because gas is released only as needed during a single flight, helium gas must be replenished when taking off again after landing.

[0046] In addition, in conventional airships, it is desirable to distribute the weight of the equipment, cargo, and crew evenly throughout the aircraft to maintain balance. However, in reality, uneven distribution of load is unavoidable. Air is taken in and released from air bladders (ballonettes) at the front and rear of the aircraft, increasing or decreasing their volume, thereby creating uneven distribution of helium gas. This increases or decreases the static lift generated at the front and rear of the aircraft, thereby achieving balance. If this is still insufficient, ballast such as water pre-installed on board is released outside the aircraft to suppress uneven distribution of load acting on the aircraft. Furthermore, conventional airships require the release of ballast materials such as helium gas and water to adjust static buoyancy during flight. After landing at a destination, the airship must be replenished with helium gas and ballast materials in order to take off again. While the weight of ballast and other materials would be best avoided if possible, this unavoidable weight increase was inevitable in conventional systems.

[0047] Furthermore, the attitude control of conventional airships during flight is mainly performed using mechanisms that generate dynamic lift on the aircraft, such as the horizontal and vertical stabilizers attached to the aircraft, but when the aircraft's airspeed is zero or extremely slow, it is difficult to generate dynamic lift, so when attempting to descend at low speed, for example, the volume of the gas bags at the front of the aircraft is reduced in some way and the volume of the gas bags at the rear of the aircraft is increased to lower the nose, thereby assisting attitude changes by generating varying amounts of static lift depending on the part of the aircraft.As such, it has been difficult to control the attitude of an airship as agilely as a regular airplane, which flies at high speed and can generate and utilize large dynamic lift with its wings.

[0048] In addition, in conventional airships, an air bag called a ballonet is placed next to a helium gas bag to adjust static buoyancy and control attitude. Air is let in and out of the ballonet, compressing or releasing the gas bag containing helium gas to contract or expand it, changing its volume to adjust static buoyancy and control the altitude, height, and attitude of the airship. Therefore, in addition to the rigidity and strength of each part necessary for flight, the airship body may also require additional strength and shape to withstand pressure changes inside the airship.

[0049] Furthermore, due to the nature of airships, which obtain their basic lift through differences in the specific gravity of gases, their absolute volume is large, which often makes it difficult to obtain the high airspeed required to obtain dynamic lift using mechanisms such as wings. To solve this problem, proposals have been made to equip the aircraft with fans for attitude control in addition to the propulsion propellers, and to freely control the attitude by changing their direction, or to equip the aircraft with multiple fans that serve both as propulsion and attitude control, with their mounting angles freely adjustable relative to the aircraft, and to freely control the direction of the thrust generated by the fans to quickly change the aircraft's direction of travel and attitude. However, due to the nature of airships, which dislike the increase in weight due to the increase in additional equipment, very few proposals have actually been put into practice.

[0050] Looking at the proposals that have already been filed, there are many proposals to control the attitude of the aircraft by holding the fan's mounting angle relative to the aircraft on a rotating axis with several degrees of freedom, changing the direction of the fan itself by 180 degrees, or by reversing the direction of the fan's rotation to change the direction of the wind generated by the fan, but these are not desirable in actual operation.

[0051] For example, if you try to control the direction of thrust by rotating the entire fan significantly, the process of reversing the direction of thrust will result in thrust being applied in an unintended direction. To avoid this, you need to stop the rotation of the blades for a moment, which is not suitable for changing the direction of thrust at short intervals.

[0052] The same is true when trying to change the direction of thrust by rotating the fan's prime mover forward or backward: if the prime mover is an internal combustion engine, the direction of rotation is changed by switching gears, but a large, heavy gearbox increases the weight. Also, even if the prime mover is an electric motor, it is difficult to instantly reverse the direction of rotation, and it is not suitable for changing the direction of thrust in small increments.

[0053] To address these issues, in this embodiment, the volume (total number of molecules) of helium gas can be adjusted independently for each air chamber 18, and gas is supplied and recovered for each air chamber 18, thereby maintaining the gas bag 3 at an appropriate volume. This makes it possible to control the magnitude of static lift generated in each part of the aircraft 100. Also, there is no need for heavy items such as ballast or ballast water that must be loaded in accordance with changes in payload weight. Furthermore, flight is possible without releasing excessive helium gas into the atmosphere, eliminating the need for frequent refills of helium gas, which were previously required.

[0054] In addition, in this embodiment, the static lift is adjusted by recovering helium gas into a cylinder or releasing it from the cylinder to change the volume of the gas bag 3, and the motor output of the electric fan 6, the rotation angle of the electric fan 6 rotating around the fan mounting rotation shaft 16, and the pitch of the blades 8 attached to the electric fan 6 are adjusted, and the magnitude and direction of the propulsive force (wind) generated by the electric fan 6 can be changed between forward and reverse, thereby enabling precise control of the attitude and speed of the aircraft 100.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the direction of the propulsion axis 17 is not parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the aircraft 100, and the propulsion fans 6 generate a propulsion force that always turns the aircraft 100. Therefore, even during straight flight, it is possible to generate a larger moment about the yaw axis compared to a conventional propulsion fan arrangement in which the propulsion axis 17 is generated parallel to the longitudinal centerline 14 of the aircraft, and by providing a slight difference in thrust between the left and right electric fans 6, it is possible to achieve agile turning. Furthermore, if the electric fans 6 are allowed to generate thrust in opposite directions for the front and rear by controlling the pitch of the blades 8, true turning becomes possible, which is extremely effective in situations where precise attitude control of the aircraft 100 is required, such as during landing. [Industrial Applicability]

[0056] The present invention is applicable to rigid airships and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 1. Spinal structure 2a Air chamber unit, main section unit 2b Air chamber unit, end unit 3 Gas Bags 4 Gas Compressor 5 gas cylinders 6 Fans 7 Electric fan mounting bracket 8 blades 9. Cockpit 10 Space that can be used as cargo or passenger compartment 11. Generator 12 Generator fuel tank 13 Battery 14 Centerline of the aircraft in the longitudinal direction 15. Aircraft lateral track number 16 Fan mounting shaft 17 Propulsion axis 18 air chamber 19 Connecting port 20 Hub Upper 21 Hub Lower 22 volts 23 Small bevel gear 24 Blade Assembly 25 motor shaft 26 Push rod 27-pin 28 Rock Bolt 29 Motor body 30a Gear Housing Lower 30b Gear Housing Upper 31 Fixed bevel gear 32 Free bevel gear 33 Servo motor 34 Fork 35 Release bearing 50 Hull skeleton 51 Hull 100 aircraft

Claims

1. An airship having a fuselage having a hull skeleton and an outer skin covering the hull skeleton, the hull framework comprises a spine structure provided along a centerline extending in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft body, and a plurality of air chamber units provided successively on each of the left and right sides of the spine structure, the plurality of air chamber units include end section units provided in pairs on the left and right at each of the front end and rear end sections, and a plurality of main section units provided on the left and right in a main section excluding the front end and rear end sections in the front-to-rear direction, An airship in which all main section units in the main section use units with a unified external shape and each of the main components.

2. an electric fan mounting base protruding from each of the end units toward the side of the airframe; An electric fan attached to a tip end of the electric fan mounting base, 2. The airship according to claim 1, wherein said electric fan is rotatably mounted on said electric fan mounting base around a fan mounting rotation shaft extending in the extension direction of said electric fan mounting base.

3. 3. The airship of claim 2, wherein the fan mounting rotation shaft has a forward sweep angle of 5 to 10 degrees relative to a lateral line of the airframe at the front of the airframe and a backward sweep angle of 5 to 10 degrees relative to a lateral line of the airframe at the rear of the airframe.

4. Two or more electric fans are provided on the sides of the aircraft as propulsion fans, 2. The airship of claim 1, wherein, when the airship is cruising in horizontal flight, the rotation axis of the blades of the propulsion fan is inclined with respect to a center line in the fore-and-aft direction of the airship, so that the electric fan generates a propulsive force that causes the airship to turn in a top view.

5. Two or more electric fans are provided on the sides of the aircraft as propulsion fans, The propulsion fan has a plurality of blades attached to the same shaft and whose attachment pitch is changeable; 2. The airship according to claim 1, wherein the propulsion fan is configured such that the angle of each blade is adjustable relative to a plane of rotation of the plurality of blades.

6. 2. The airship according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of air chambers each equipped with a gas bag are provided, and the volume of helium gas in each of the air chambers can be independently adjusted.

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