Vehicles that catch falling objects

Abstract

Vehicles that capture falling objects are a plurality of air cushion units, each configured to generate a thrust force for driving the vehicle and a lift force for lifting the vehicle; a connecting structure arranged to connect the air cushion units to each other; a receptacle positioned to receive the falling object, the receptacle being coupled to the connecting structure.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle for capturing falling objects, and in particular to a vehicle for capturing spacecraft after atmospheric re-entry. [Background technology]

[0002] Recently, there has been interest in manufacturing processes in space (for example, in Earth's orbit). Manufacturing in such an environment offers several advantages, including access to a vacuum with pressures orders of magnitude lower than the artificial vacuum available on Earth, and temperatures approaching absolute zero. With regard to crystal growth, the microgravity found in orbit makes it possible to form larger crystals with near-perfect shapes.

[0003] Manufacturing products in orbit raises the question of how to safely return them to Earth. An early solution proposed as part of the United States Air Force's CORONA satellite program involved a reconnaissance satellite dropping a film canister from orbit and capturing it mid-air. The capsule deployed a parachute, and the line was captured by a towed system. While effective, this required highly skilled pilots and posed a significant risk to the aircraft in the event of a collision with the capsule.

[0004] Recently, SpaceX® demonstrated a ship capable of capturing objects falling from space. Because the ship is held in a fixed location, the object must be independently maneuvered to its location using guidance equipment added to the object. The inclusion of such guidance equipment significantly increases costs. Furthermore, conventional manned ships have limited maneuverability, and crew safety risks must be considered.

[0005] U.S. Patent No. US8498756 describes a reusable spaceflight launch system for precision landing of reusable spaceflight hardware. It includes a lightweight aerodynamic device, such as a parachute, mounted on the flight hardware and one or more translating ground vehicles, such as hovercraft, that include active speed, heading, and directional control. The ground vehicles maneuver into position below the descending flight hardware, match their speed and direction, and capture the flight hardware. The ground vehicles have propulsion, command, guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) capabilities, as well as cushioning and support hardware for landing the spaceflight hardware. The ground vehicle's propulsion system allows for longitudinal and lateral maneuverability independent of physical heading. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention relates to an optimal configuration for a vehicle for capturing objects falling from the air or outer space. The vehicle is particularly configured for capturing spacecraft, such as satellites, re-entering the atmosphere from orbit, but may also be used to capture other objects (such as launch vehicle fairings or stages) or air-dropped cargo (such as aid and supplies). Such applications require a balance between speed, maneuverability, durability, capture capability, and shock transmission to the landing object. High top speed, maneuverability, and endurance are required to enable tracking of the rapidly evolving path of the fallen object toward its landing site. For falling objects with low terminal velocities (such as parachutes), sudden wind gusts can cause sudden changes in direction. For objects re-entering the atmosphere, these paths can evolve over tens of kilometers in a matter of minutes, in a direction that is not well known in advance. Therefore, the vehicle must be able to change direction responsively by having short braking distances, high linear and rotational accelerations, and a small turning radius. This capability reduces the need for active guidance and control of the falling object, thereby further simplifying its design, a significant advantage when applied to space technologies with high per-kg launch costs. To be operationally useful, the capture vehicle must be able to operate in a variety of weather and sea conditions, especially those in which unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and conventional ships struggle to maintain position or change direction.

[0007] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle for capturing a falling object, comprising: a plurality of air cushion units, each configured to generate a thrust force for driving the vehicle and a lift force for lifting the vehicle; a connecting structure arranged to connect the air cushion units to each other; a receptacle positioned to receive the falling object, the receptacle being coupled to the connecting structure.

[0008] The connecting structure may include a perimeter structure having a polygonal shape with n sides, the polygonal structure including n perimeter rods each corresponding to a side of the polygonal shape, where n is a natural number greater than or equal to 3.

[0009] The polygonal shape may be a regular polygonal shape, and / or the polygonal shape may be a hexagonal shape and the perimeter structure may include six perimeter rods.

[0010] The linking structure may further include a plurality of leg rods, each leg rod having a proximal end coupled to the surrounding structure and a distal end coupled to a respective air cushion unit.

[0011] Each leg rod may include a first section with a proximal end and a second section with a distal end; the second section extends perpendicular to the plane defined by each air cushion unit, and the first section is inclined relative to the first section (second section).

[0012] The plurality of leg rods may include n pairs of leg rods, where n is a natural number greater than or equal to 3, and each pair of leg rods has proximal ends joined to each other by a portion of the surrounding structure.

[0013] The proximal ends of the leg rods may be coupled to the surrounding structure via hinge joints.

[0014] The coupling structure may further include a support structure arranged to support the receptacle, optionally arranged to provide tension to the receptacle.

[0015] The support structure may include a plurality of receiver support rods arranged to support the receivers; each receiver support rod has a proximal end coupled to the surrounding structure and a distal end coupled to the receiver.

[0016] Each receiver support rod may extend from the surrounding structure at an angle relative to a plane defined by the surrounding structure.

[0017] The receiver may include a perimeter cable extending around the circumference of the receiver between the distal ends of the receiver support rods, the perimeter cable being arranged to provide tension to the receiver.

[0018] The receiver may include a plurality of radial cables, each extending between two opposing receiver support rods.

[0019] The vehicle further comprises a plurality of central radial rods, each having a distal end coupled to the surrounding structure and a central end coupled to a central coupling at the center of the linkage structure.

[0020] Each central radial rod may extend from the surrounding structure at an angle to the plane of the surrounding structure, and / or the central radial rods may be under compression.

[0021] The receptacle may include one or more nets or sheets.

[0022] The receptacle may have a polygonal shape with n sides, where n is a natural number greater than or equal to 3.

[0023] The polygonal shape may be a regular polygonal shape and / or the polygonal shape may be a hexagonal shape.

[0024] Each of the plurality of air cushion units may be independently controllable or may be controllable in pairs or groups, and may include a power source configured to provide power to the air cushion units.

[0025] Each of the plurality of air cushion units may include a first fan arranged to generate thrust and a second fan arranged to provide lift.

[0026] Each of the plurality of air cushion units may have a center of mass that substantially coincides with a geometric center of the air cushion unit.

[0027] Each of the plurality of air cushion units may include a controller configured to control the air cushion unit and a transceiver.

[0028] The vehicle may further include a master controller having a transceiver and configured to communicate with and control the controllers of the air cushion units.

[0029] The master controller transceiver may further be arranged to receive signals from external electronic equipment.

[0030] One of the controllers may act as a master controller.

[0031] The vehicle may further include a solar power generation system configured to generate electrical power for the plurality of air cushion units.

[0032] The vehicle may comprise n air cushion units, where n is a natural number greater than or equal to 3, and optionally n is equal to 12.

[0033] According to an additional aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle for capturing a falling object, comprising: a plurality of pairs of air cushion units; a frame arranged to interconnect the air cushion units; and a receptacle arranged to receive a falling object, the receptacle being coupled to the frame; the two air cushion units of each pair being spatially fixed relative to each other; the air cushion units of each pair being arranged to rotate about an axis lying in a plane; the plurality of planes being substantially coincident or parallel; and each air cushion unit being configured to generate a propulsive force for driving the vehicle and a lift force for lifting the vehicle.

[0034] The vehicle of the present invention offers a good balance between the conflicting requirements of durability, speed, payload, and maneuverability. Unlike conventional watercraft, the vehicle's high thrust-to-weight ratio allows it to change direction quickly with a tight turning radius, and its lift / skin friction control allows for variable braking distances. While helicopters and UAVs have these capabilities, the vehicle of the present invention has a significantly improved failure mode—in the event of a critical problem, the vehicle can stop but remain afloat. This also allows it to remain at sea for extended periods in optimal capture locations, consuming little energy during this time. The vehicle of the present invention utilizes a hovercraft with top speeds and safe failure modes comparable to high-performance boats, maneuverability comparable to aircraft, and durability and cost comparable to UAVs. Additionally, because the vehicle's moving parts (and associated noise) are above the water surface, the environmental impact on marine life is reduced compared to conventional watercraft.

[0035] The use of multiple identical hovercraft / air cushion units, rather than a single large hovercushion, means that the vehicle of the present invention is more resilient to failures, since the vehicle can remain afloat and operational even if multiple hovercrafts fail. Furthermore, the use of multiple identical hovercrafts means that the vehicle of the present invention is more suitable for parallel manufacturing and is less expensive. Additionally, the wide distribution of hovercrafts allows for the use of fixed thrust fans with distributed control for steering. This can be compared to the steering systems used with ducted fans in many hovercraft configurations. Steering systems create an additional mechanism that can fail and have limited angles in the achievable thrust vector. Additionally, the use of multiple identical hovercrafts improves the responsiveness and maneuverability of the vehicle. Other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are highlighted herein. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0036] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0037] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective schematic diagram of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2A] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a frame of the vehicle shown in FIG. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B is a plan view of the frame shown in FIG. 2A. [Figure 2C] FIG. 2B is a side view of the frame shown in FIG. 2A. [Figure 3] 2B is a side view of the perimeter rod of the frame shown in FIG. 2A coupled to the perimeter coupling. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a front view of the perimeter coupling shown in FIG. 3 coupled to a leg coupling. [Figure 5A] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an air cushion unit that constitutes a part of the vehicle of FIG. 1. [Figure 5B] FIG. 5B is an exploded perspective view of the air cushion unit shown in FIG. 5A. [Figure 5C] FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional side view of the air cushion unit shown in FIG. 5A. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle arranged to capture a falling object, such as a satellite (not shown).

[0039] The vehicle 1 comprises a plurality of independently controllable air cushion units (or hovercraft) 100, which are connected by a connecting structure / frame 200. The vehicle 1 also includes a receiver 300 arranged to receive a falling object. In this example, twelve air cushion units 100 are provided. The air cushion units 100 generate lift to allow the vehicle to rise above a surface (e.g., the surface of water or the ground) and also generate propulsion to drive the vehicle horizontally. The air cushion units 100 are shown in simplified form in Figure 1 and in detail in Figures 5A to 5C, which are described in more detail below.

[0040] The frame 200 is comprised of a number of elongated rods joined together by couplings. In this embodiment, each rod is comprised of a carbon fiber tube with a plastic cap secured to each end. The caps may be secured to the ends of each rod using glue or other adhesives. Carbon fiber is used because of its high strength-to-mass ratio, but other suitable materials may be used, such as metals or plastics, e.g., aluminum, plastic, titanium alloys, fiberglass, or marine steel. The rod caps are inserted into the couplings and attached to them using bolts. The couplings may be made of any suitable lightweight material, such as plastic or metal, e.g., aluminum alloys, marine steel, titanium alloys, ABS plastic, or acetal. In this example, the couplings are made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

[0041] Receiver 300 defines a "catch area" for a falling object. Receiver 300 includes an energy-absorbing surface arranged to deform upon impact with an object, thereby providing a "soft landing" for the object. In this embodiment, receiver 300 includes net 310. This net is made of heavy-duty, nylon-coated 304 stainless steel cable rope. Other heavy-duty nets made of plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) may be used. In other embodiments, the receiver may include multiple nets connected together. In some embodiments, the receiver includes a sheet or multiple sheets connected together.

[0042] In this embodiment, receptacle 300 has a regular hexagonal shape and a width of approximately 6 m. In other embodiments, receptacles having other regular polygonal shapes may be used, such as receptacles having a triangular, rectangular, or octagonal shape. The regular polygonal shape of receptacle 300 evenly distributes the force of an object's impact and reduces the variability in impact shock depending on where the object lands within receptacle 300. However, this is not intended to be limiting. In some embodiments, receptacles having an irregular polygonal shape, such as a rectangle, may be used.

[0043] The receptacle 300 is tensioned. As explained below, the tension of the receptacle 300 may be adjusted to an optimum value for the size and mass of the object to be captured. A relatively low tension reduces the impulse of landing on smaller objects (which can be important for capturing fragile objects), while a relatively high tension reduces deformation of the receptacle 300, allowing for the capture of larger objects. The receptacle 300 may be imprinted with markers, such as lines, that visually indicate the tension when the net is stretched. In this embodiment, the net 310 is imprinted with a series of concentric hexagonal markers L. When the net 310 is stretched, the hexagonal markers move outward toward the periphery of the net 310.

[0044] 2A-2C show the structure of frame 200 in more detail, with net 310 removed. Frame 200 includes intermediate perimeter structure 210, which in this embodiment has a regular hexagonal shape, matching the hexagonal shape of receptacle 300 but smaller in size. In other embodiments, other polygonal shaped structures may be used, such as triangular, rectangular, rhombic, pentagonal, octagonal, or decagonal. Furthermore, while this embodiment uses a perimeter structure with a regular polygonal shape, this is not intended to be limiting. In some embodiments, polygonal structures with irregular polygonal shapes may be used. Furthermore, in other embodiments, the shape of frame 200 may differ from the shape of receptacle 300.

[0045] The hexagonal perimeter structure 210 is planar and includes six elongated perimeter rods 211, individually designated 211-1 through 211-6 in FIG. 2B. The perimeter rods 211-1 through 211-6 are each the same length, and each perimeter rod 211 forms a side of the regular hexagonal structure 210. The perimeter rods 211-1 through 211-6 are interconnected by six perimeter couplings 212, individually designated 212-1 through 212-6 in FIG. 2B. The six perimeter couplings 212 are located at the vertices of the hexagonal perimeter structure 210. FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of the perimeter rod 211, each end of which is coupled to a perimeter coupling 212. In use, the perimeter rod 211-1 is under tension.

[0046] 2A , the frame 200 further includes twelve elongated leg rods 221. The twelve elongated leg rods 221 are coupled to the surrounding structure 210 and extend downward from the surrounding structure 210. The leg rods 221 provide clearance between the surrounding structure 210 and the surface (water surface) on which the vehicle travels. The surrounding structure 210 and the leg rods 221 form part of a connecting structure that connects the air cushion units. Each leg rod 221 has an upper first end coupled to a leg coupling 222 and a lower second end coupled to a respective one of the air cushion units.

[0047] In this embodiment, the twelve leg rods 221 are grouped into six pairs of leg rods 221. The leg rods 221 of each pair of leg rods 221 have their first ends, or upper ends, coupled to the same leg coupling 222 and their second ends, or lower ends, coupled to respective air cushion units. Thus, in this embodiment, the air cushion units are further grouped into pairs, such that the two air cushion units of each pair are spatially fixed relative to each other, and each of the six pairs of air cushion units is rotatable about six respective axes lying in the plane of the hexagonal surrounding structure 210.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 2A , one leg rod 221 of each pair extends outward from the hexagonal surrounding structure 210 such that the connected hovercraft is positioned beyond the hexagonal structure 210, and the other leg rod 221 extends inward such that the connected hovercraft is positioned inside the hexagonal structure 210. Arranging the leg rod pairs in this manner provides greater stability to the vehicle compared to using multiple single leg rods. In this example, the angle between the two leg rods of each pair is 90 degrees. In other embodiments, the angle between the two leg rods of each pair may be any angle between 60 degrees and 120 degrees, such as 70 degrees, 80 degrees, 100 degrees, or 110 degrees.

[0049] 2C and 4, each leg coupling 222 is coupled to a corresponding peripheral coupling 212 of the hexagonal structure via a hinge joint H. Each hinge joint H allows each corresponding pair of leg rods 221 to rotate within a plane that is perpendicular to and radial to the peripheral structure 210. In other words, as can be seen in FIG. 2B, the combination of a pair of leg rods 221 and a leg coupling 222 lies on a plane that includes the center of the peripheral structure 210. The rotation range of each hinge joint is limited to 20 degrees because if the hinge joint rotates significantly beyond this value, the air cushion unit will generate lift in an undesirable direction, which may affect the stability of the vehicle. Furthermore, the rotation range is limited to prevent the thrust propeller (i.e., the vertical fan 150) from hitting the carbon fiber tubes of the frame 200. In combination, the hinge joint allows the vehicle to ride through waves while keeping the air cushion unit flush with the water, thereby maintaining bag pressure and lift, allowing the vehicle to operate in seas with even more adverse conditions than would be considered for a conventional watercraft.

[0050] 2C, in this embodiment, each leg rod 221 includes a first section 221a connected to the leg coupling 222 and a second section 221b connected to each air cushion unit. The second section 221b extends vertically upward from the air cushion unit, and the first section 221a forms an angle of approximately 140 degrees with the first section (second section). In some embodiments, the angle between the first and second sections may be any angle between 110 and 160 degrees. By including the second section 221b in the leg rod 221, clearance is provided between the angled first section 221a and components (e.g., fans) within the upper portion of the air cushion unit.

[0051] The linkage structure / frame 200 further includes a plurality of elongated receptacle support rods 230 coupled to the hexagonal perimeter structure 210. The support rods 230 are positioned to suspend the net 310 above the surface of the water on which the vehicle travels and above the remainder of the frame 200. In this embodiment, the support rods 230 stretch the net 310 so that the net 310 is under tension. In some embodiments, the support rods may be omitted. The receptacle may be coupled directly to the polygonal structure.

[0052] In this embodiment, there are six elongated receptacle support rods 230, two of which, receptacle support rods 230-4 and 230-6, are shown in Figure 2C. The receptacle support rods 230 together support the net 310. Each receptacle support rod 230 has a lower end, a proximal end coupled to a respective peripheral coupling 212 of the hexagonal structure 210, and an upper end, a distal end coupled to an apex of the net 310. In this embodiment, the receptacle support rods 230 have the same length.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 2C , each receiver support rod 230 extends upward from the hexagonal perimeter structure 210 and outward at a specific angle relative to the plane defined by the hexagonal structure 210. Using the same angle for all receiver support rods 230 helps to uniformly deform the net 310 and frame 200 during object capture and reduces stress concentrations on the receiver support rods 230 and perimeter couplings 212. In this example, the angle is 145 degrees. In some embodiments, the angle may range from 90 degrees to 160 degrees, e.g., 100 degrees, 110 degrees, 120 degrees, 130 degrees, 140 degrees, or 150 degrees. Increasing this angle increases the capture area of ​​the receiver 300, but can also increase the moment experienced by the receiver support rods 230.

[0054] 2A, receiver 300 includes a perimeter cable 312 that is threaded through holes in the distal ends of receiver support rods 230 and extends around the perimeter of net 310. Net 310 is attached to perimeter cable 312 using clips (not shown), such as carabiners. Perimeter cable 312 stretches the sides of net 310, causing the sides of net 310 to be under tension. In some embodiments, the perimeter cable may be omitted.

[0055] Additionally, in this embodiment, the receiver 300 includes a plurality of radial cables 311 that extend across the net 310 between pairs of opposing receiver support rods 230. The radial cables 311 help support the net 310 and may be used to provide tension to the net 310. The net is attached to the radial cables 311 using clips, such as carabiners.

[0056] 2A and 2C, the frame 200 further includes six elongated central radial rods 241. Two of these, central radial rods 241-4 and 241-6, are shown in FIG. 2C. Each central radial rod 241 has a distal end coupled to a respective peripheral coupling 212 of the hexagonal peripheral structure 210 and a central end coupled to a central coupling 242 at the center of the hexagonal peripheral structure 210. The radial rods 241 strengthen the overall structure of the vehicle 1. In this embodiment, the central radial rods 241 and the peripheral couplings 212 are under compression, thereby biasing these components toward one another.

[0057] 2C, each central radial rod 241 extends upward from hexagonal structure 210 at an angle relative to the plane defined by hexagonal structure 210. This angle is generally shallow, reducing the height of central coupling 242 and the central portion of central radial rod 241 above the plane defined by hexagonal structure 210, thereby reducing the risk of a falling object striking radial rod 241 if caught by net 310. In this embodiment, the angle is 12 degrees. In other embodiments, the angle may be any angle between 5 degrees and 30 degrees, such as 10 degrees, 15 degrees, 20 degrees, or 25 degrees.

[0058] 2A, each radial cable 311 is positioned directly above a corresponding radial rod 241. In use, if an object strikes one of the radial cables 311, the radial cable will sag under the weight of the object, preventing the object from striking the underlying central radial rod 241. The object will then be deflected into the segment of the net 310 between two adjacent radial cables 311.

[0059] 5A-5C are diagrams of an individual air cushion unit / hovercraft 100. The air cushion unit includes a hull 110, a descending skirt 120, a controller 130, a power supply 140, a vertical fan 150, and a horizontal fan 160. Each of these components is described below.

[0060] The flexible skirt 120 extends around the periphery of the hull 110 and descends downward from the periphery of the hull 110. In this embodiment, the skirt 120 is a circular bag skirt. Circular skirts are advantageous because they have no preferred thrust direction, allowing for fast spot turns and eliminating differential wind loads. In other embodiments, hydrodynamically shaped skirts or individual hulls may be used. Such an arrangement reduces drag in the primary thrust direction at the expense of reduced turn speed. Bag skirts are simple to construct because they are a single continuous volume. In other embodiments, finger skirts may be used. Finger skirts have segmented volumes and are more difficult to manufacture than bag skirts, but they can perform better in the event of a flat tire or on rough terrain.

[0061] The controller 130 is arranged to control the operation of the air cushion unit. In particular, the controller 130 is arranged to control the operation of the vertical fan 150 and the horizontal fan 160. The power supply 140 is arranged to provide power to the electrical components of the air cushion unit, such as the local controller 130 and the fans 150, 160.

[0062] The use of a controller 130 and power supply 140 for each air cushion unit provides several advantages over a vehicle with a single central controller and a single central power supply. First, it provides redundancy because if either the local controller or the local power supply fails, the other air cushion units remain operational. The use of a more compact local controller and local power supply for each air cushion unit lowers the center of mass of the air cushion unit, more evenly distributing the mass throughout the vehicle. The lower center of mass improves vehicle stability, allowing it to operate in high winds that could flip a conventional hovercraft over. Finally, providing a local power supply for each air cushion unit improves heat dissipation compared to using a single central power supply.

[0063] The controller 130 of the air cushion unit 100 includes a transceiver that can wirelessly communicate with (and optionally with each other) a master controller that is configured to set the thrust and lift of each air cushion unit 100 according to a motion control algorithm. In this embodiment, the controller 130 communicates with the master controller using a controller area network (CAN) bus. Each local controller is equipped with a CAN board that decodes signals for itself and then transmits the signals forward. All 12 air cushion units are connected by cables. When an air cushion unit receives input from the master, it executes the command and passes it on to the next air cushion unit. In other embodiments, the air cushion units may communicate wirelessly.

[0064] The master controller is connected to a master radio that is configured to receive control signals via line-of-sight radio control and / or satellite modem, allowing the vehicle to be remotely operated. One controller 130 of the air cushion units 100 may function as the master controller, while the other controllers 130 may be active as slaves.

[0065] In some embodiments, the local power source is a rechargeable battery. In this embodiment, the local power source 140 is a rechargeable lithium polymer battery. In this embodiment, the battery has a capacity of 30 Ah at 22.2 V, or approximately 666 Whr. If the vehicle is to be left at a station for an extended period of time, a solar array (which may be a photovoltaic system) can be added to the vehicle 1, e.g., frame 200, to charge the battery between operations and extend the operating range of the vehicle. In other embodiments, an internal combustion engine or a hydrogen fuel cell may be used as the power source, which also increases operating time and range.

[0066] The vertical fans 150 are arranged to provide thrust. In this embodiment, the vertical fans 150 are fixed-position fans arranged to provide thrust in only one direction. Steering of the vehicle is achieved by varying the thrust power of the multiple vertical fans 150, for example, by varying the thrust power of the vertical fans 150 on one side of the vehicle relative to the thrust power of the vertical fans 150 on the other side of the vehicle. Thus, by independently controlling all of the vertical fans 150, it is possible to rotate the vehicle with a tight turning radius. In another embodiment, fans arranged to provide reversible thrust may be used. Alternatively, a rudder or turning assembly may be used to direct the airflow from the vertical fans. While such an arrangement increases the overall complexity of the vehicle, it improves the maneuverability of the vehicle and provides a tighter turning radius.

[0067] The horizontal fans 160 are positioned to provide lift. In use, the horizontal fans together provide lift such that the vehicle hovers approximately 2 to 3 cm above the surface (e.g., sea level). The lift generated by the horizontal fans is preferably sufficient to prevent the vehicle from sinking into the sea if an object strikes the receiver 300. The horizontal fans 160 may also be used to further tighten the vehicle's turning circle by reducing power to the horizontal fan 160 on that side of the vehicle. This causes the air cushion unit on that side to come into contact with the water, thereby generating greater drag. The friction between the air cushion unit and the water creates a "water braking" effect, which can be utilized by the air cushion units on the left and right sides of the vehicle to achieve tighter turns.

[0068] Preferably, the components of the air cushion unit 100 are arranged around the periphery of the air cushion unit 100 so that the masses of the components are cancelled out, i.e. so that the center of mass of the air cushion unit 100 substantially coincides with the geometric center of the air cushion unit 100. This minimizes the net turning moment of the vehicle 1.

[0069] Although the invention has been described with reference to one or more preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that various changes or modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

[0070] For example, the capture vehicle described above includes 12 air cushion units / hovercraft. In other embodiments, more or less than 12 air cushion units may be used. For example, the capture vehicle may include multiple pairs of two (6, 8, 10, 14, 16, 18, 20) air cushion units.

[0071] The air cushion units of the capturing vehicle described above are grouped in linked pairs. In other embodiments, the air cushion units may be grouped in triplets or quadruplets. The capturing vehicle may include more or less than 12 air cushion units, so the capturing vehicle may include multiple sets of three (6, 9, 15, 18, 21, 24) or multiple sets of four (8, 16, 20, 24, 28) air cushion units.

[0072] The illustrated capturing vehicle includes a hexagonal intermediate perimeter structure 210. In other embodiments, the perimeter structure may be a polygonal shape other than a hexagon. For example, a circular structure may be used instead of a polygonal structure. Such a circular structure may be formed from a single circular perimeter member or may include multiple arc-shaped perimeter members joined by appropriate perimeter couplings.

[0073] In the capturing vehicle described above, the rotation range of each hinge joint H is limited to 20 degrees. In other embodiments, the rotation range may be greater or less than 20 degrees. For example, the rotation range may be 15 degrees, 16 degrees, 17 degrees, 18 degrees, 19 degrees, 21 degrees, 22 degrees, 23 degrees, 24 degrees, or 25 degrees. Furthermore, the rotation range of the hinge joints H may be symmetric (i.e., equally rotatable in both directions from the rest position) or asymmetric.

[0074] In the case of the capturing vehicle described above, net 310 is attached to perimeter cable 312 using clips. In other embodiments, net 310 may be threaded through mesh within net 310, or through specially formed openings in net 310. In other embodiments, net 310 may be attached to perimeter cable 312 using other attachment means, such as crimps, cable ties, straps, etc.

Claims

1. A vehicle for capturing a falling object, comprising: a plurality of air cushion units, each configured to generate a thrust force for driving the vehicle and a lift force for lifting the vehicle; a connecting structure arranged to connect the air cushion units to each other; a receptacle positioned to receive the falling object, the receptacle being coupled to the connecting structure.

2. 2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the connecting structure includes a perimeter structure having a polygonal shape with n sides, the polygonal structure including n perimeter rods each corresponding to a side of the polygonal shape, where n is a natural number greater than or equal to 3.

3. 3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the polygonal shape is a regular polygonal shape and / or the polygonal shape is a hexagonal shape and the perimeter structure includes six perimeter rods.

4. 3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the connecting structure further includes a plurality of leg rods, each leg rod having a proximal end coupled to the surrounding structure and a distal end coupled to a respective air cushion unit.

5. each leg rod including a first section with said proximal end and a second section with said distal end; 5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the second section extends perpendicularly from a plane defined by each air cushion unit, and the first section is inclined relative to the first section.

6. 5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the plurality of leg rods includes n pairs of leg rods, n being a natural number greater than or equal to 3, and wherein the leg rods of each pair have proximal ends connected to each other at a portion of the surrounding structure.

7. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the proximal ends of the leg rods are coupled to the surrounding structure via hinge joints.

8. 8. A vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the coupling structure further comprises a support structure arranged to support the receptacle, optionally the support structure arranged to apply tension to the receptacle.

9. the support structure includes a plurality of receiver support rods arranged to support the receiver; 9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein each receiver support rod has a proximal end coupled to a surrounding structure and a distal end coupled to the receiver.

10. 10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein each receiver support rod extends from the surrounding structure at an angle relative to a plane defined by the surrounding structure.

11. 10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the receiver includes a perimeter cable extending around the perimeter of the receiver between the distal ends of the receiver support rods, the perimeter cable being positioned to provide tension to the receiver.

12. 10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the receiver includes a plurality of radial cables, each radial cable extending between two opposing receiver support rods.

13. 8. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of central radial rods, each central radial rod having a distal end coupled to a surrounding structure and a central end coupled to a central coupling at the center of the linkage structure.

14. 14. A vehicle as claimed in claim 13, wherein each central radial rod extends from the surrounding structure at an angle to the plane of the surrounding structure and / or the central radial rods are under compression.

15. 8. A vehicle according to any preceding claim, wherein the receptacle comprises one or more nets.

16. 8. A vehicle according to any preceding claim, wherein the receptacle comprises one or more sheets.

17. 8. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle has a polygonal shape with n sides, where n is a natural number greater than or equal to 3.

18. 18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the polygonal shape is a regular polygonal shape and / or the polygonal shape is a hexagonal shape.

19. 8. A vehicle according to any preceding claim, wherein each of the plurality of air cushion units includes a power source configured to provide power to the air cushion unit.

20. 8. A vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein each of the plurality of air cushion units includes a first fan arranged to generate thrust and a second fan arranged to provide lift.

21. 8. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of air cushion units has a centre of mass that substantially coincides with a geometric centre of the air cushion unit.

22. 8. A vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein each of the plurality of air cushion units includes a controller configured to control the air cushion unit and a transceiver.

23. 23. The vehicle of claim 22, further comprising a master controller having a transceiver, the master controller configured to communicate with and control the controllers of the air cushion units.

24. 24. The vehicle of claim 23, wherein the transceiver of the master controller is further arranged to receive signals from external electronic equipment.

25. 24. The vehicle of claim 23, wherein one of the controllers functions as the master controller.

26. 8. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a solar power generation system configured to generate electrical power for a plurality of said air cushion units.

27. 8. A vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising n air cushion units, n being a natural number greater than or equal to 3, and optionally n being equal to 12.

28. A vehicle for capturing a falling object, comprising: a plurality of pairs of air cushion units; a frame arranged to interconnect the air cushion units; a receptacle positioned to receive the falling object, the receptacle coupled to the frame; the two air cushion units of each pair are spatially fixed relative to each other; the air cushion units of each pair are arranged to rotate about an axis lying in a plane; the planes are substantially coincident or parallel; Each air cushion unit is configured to generate a thrust force for driving the vehicle and a lift force for lifting the vehicle. Vehicle.

29. 29. The vehicle of claim 28, wherein there are 12 air cushion units, including 6 pairs of air cushion units.

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