Inflatable aircraft

Abstract

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.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an inflatable flying object.

Background Art

[0002] There is an inflatable flying object which is a structure that fills a hollow member with a gas (air or other gas) and floats in the air. Among them, Patent Document 1 discloses an inflatable kite having a hollow main tube that defines the leading edge shape and a hollow sub-tube that intersects the direction in which the main tube extends, and a gas such as air is enclosed in these tubes. Also disclosed here is a pressure regulating device that adjusts the pressure relationship between the two air chambers of the sub-tube.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In an inflatable flying object, the shape is maintained by the pressure difference between the inside and the outside. Therefore, in an environment where the external air pressure fluctuates, it is necessary to adjust the internal pressure to maintain the shape. In particular, when an inflatable flying object in the sky descends toward the ground, the external air pressure fluctuates greatly, so it is necessary to increase the internal pressure of the flying object. However, since the speed of this pressure increase depends on the performance of the pressure regulating device, the descent speed is affected by the performance of the pressure regulating device. Also, if a high-performance pressure regulating device is used to improve the performance, the weight of the pressure regulating device increases, which is not preferable.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an inflatable flying object that can perform more efficient pressure regulation.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention discloses an inflatable aircraft comprising 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, wherein 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 altitude information obtained from the altitude sensor, and the internal pressure obtained from the pressure sensor.

[0007] In inflatable aircraft, the pressure regulating device may also include a pressure accumulation device.

[0008] In inflatable aircraft, the pressure regulating device may be mechanically controlled. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this disclosure, since the pressure can be set according to the altitude when regulating pressure, the amount of adjustment (amount of gas for adjustment) can be reduced, and the pressure regulating time can be reduced. As a result, even with the same pressure regulating device, it is possible to descend the inflatable aircraft faster than with conventional devices. In addition, the pressure regulating device may be made lighter, which would allow for a lighter inflatable aircraft. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the inflatable kite 10. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a plan view of the inflatable kite 10. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the pressure regulating device 18. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the controller 30. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the set pressure. [Figure 6] Figure 6 illustrates the flow of the pressure regulation control S10. [Figure 7]Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the inflatable aircraft 50. [Figure 8] Figure 8 illustrates one example of another morphological example. [Figure 9] Figure 9 illustrates another example of a different form. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] In the following, as one example of an inflatable aircraft, we will describe an inflatable kite that floats in the air using the principle of a kite. This disclosure can also be applied to other inflatable aircraft, such as closed balloons and inflatable deployable wings.

[0012] 1. Morphological Example 1 1.1. Structure Figures 1 to 3 illustrate the configuration of the inflatable kite 10 according to Example 1. Figure 1 is an external perspective view of the inflatable kite 10, Figure 2 is a plan view of the inflatable kite 10 (viewed from the direction of arrow A in Figure 1), and Figure 3 is a cross-section BB of the inflatable kite 10, conceptually representing the configuration of the pressure regulating device 18. Each figure also shows the directions of the three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. Note that the x-direction is sometimes called the width direction, the y-direction the depth direction, and the z-direction the thickness direction.

[0013] As can be seen from these figures, the inflatable kite 10 in this embodiment is composed of a main tube 12, a sub-tube 14, a sheet 16, and a pressure regulating device 18. Such an inflatable kite 10 is connected to the ground by a tether (not shown) and is held in a floating state in the air according to the principle of a kite, as is well known. The following describes each component.

[0014] 1.1.1. Main Tube The main tube 12 is a hollow cylindrical member that forms a major part of the framework of the inflatable kite 10 and is arranged to define the leading edge of the inflatable kite 10. The hollow interior is filled with a gas such as air or another gas (e.g., He), and it functions as a framework by expanding.

[0015] In this embodiment, the main tube 12 has an arcuately curved shape as a whole in a plan view (viewpoint of FIG. 2, a view of the x-y plane). That is, it has a shape such that it becomes the trailing edge side in the y direction as it progresses in the x direction from the center in the x direction. However, although the main tube 12 in this embodiment has an overall arcuate shape, the direction of its extension changes in a broken line shape, and it extends straight at the same position in the y direction within a predetermined range in the x direction from the center in the x direction (straight portion 12a). Also, in this embodiment, the main tube 12 is tapered so that the cross-sectional area becomes smaller toward both ends in the direction of its extension. However, it is not limited to this, and the main tube 12 may be smoothly curved in a curved shape, or may be configured such that the cross-sectional area is maintained toward both ends in the direction of its extension.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the hollow shape of the main tube 12 is circular. However, this is also not limited, and it may be elliptical or polygonal.

[0017] Also, the material forming the main tube 12 is not particularly limited, but it is preferably one having strength and lightness. In this embodiment, a material in which a fabric is impregnated with a resin is used. The fibers forming the fabric can be, for example, carbon fibers. Examples of the resin include thermosetting resins that are cured by heat, such as epoxy resins, unsaturated polyester resins, etc., which contain, for example, amine-based or anhydride-based curing accelerators and rubber-based reinforcing agents.

[0018] 1.1.2. Sub-tube The sub-tube 14 is an auxiliary hollow cylindrical member that forms the skeleton of the inflatable kite 10. The sub-tube 14 can be provided as needed, and may not be provided if unnecessary. The sub-tube 14 also functions as a skeleton when it inflates by filling the hollow interior with air or other gases (such as He).

[0019] In this embodiment, the sub-tube 14 is formed to extend from the rear edge side surface of the main tube 12 toward the rear edge side. In this embodiment, two sub-tubes 14 are arranged at a predetermined distance apart in the x direction, and the ends of the front edges of both are connected to the straight section 12a. The main tube 12 and the sub-tubes 14 may be in communication internally or may be separated. In addition, in this embodiment, the sub-tube 14 is configured to taper so that its cross-sectional area decreases from the front edge side toward the rear edge side. However, it is not limited to this, and it may be configured so that the cross-sectional area is maintained in the direction in which it extends. In this configuration, two sub-tubes 14 are provided, but this is not the only option; there may be one, or three or more.

[0020] In this embodiment, the hollow shape of the sub-tube 14 is described as circular, but it is not limited to this and may be elliptical or polygonal. Furthermore, the material forming the sub-tube 14 can be considered the same as that used for the main tube 12.

[0021] 1.1.3. Sheet Sheet 16 is a sheet-like member positioned to fill and span the area surrounded by the arch-shaped main tube 12. In this embodiment, a sub-tube 14 is positioned in this area, so sheet 16 is positioned to span both the main tube 12 and the sub-tube 14. The inflatable kite 10 floats in the air as sheet 16 catches the air in mid-air. The materials and thickness of the sheet are not particularly limited, and publicly known materials can be used.

[0022] 1.1.4. Pressure Regulating Device The pressure regulating device 18 is a device that fills the inside of the main tube 12 and sub-tube 14 with gas to adjust their internal pressure. In this embodiment, the pressure regulating device 18 is located on the upper surface (upper side in the z direction) of the sheet 16 between the two sub-tubes 14, but it is not limited to this and may be located in other positions. From the viewpoint of the weight balance of the inflatable kite 10, it is preferable that the pressure regulating device 18 is located in one of the central positions in the x direction (width direction). In this configuration, the pressure regulating device 18 includes a pressure regulator 20, a pressure sensor 22, an altitude sensor 24, and a controller 30. Each component will be described below.

[0023] [Pressure Regulator] The pressure regulator 20 is a device that adjusts the pressure inside the main tube 12 and inside the sub-tube 14 (or not applicable if the sub-tube 14 is not present). Therefore, the pressure regulator 20 may consist of a main body 20a and piping 20b extending from the main body 20a to the inside of the main tube 12 and, if necessary, the inside of the sub-tube 14. That is, as shown by the straight arrows in Figure 3, the pressure regulator 20 can fill the main tube 12 and the sub-tube 14 with gas through the piping 20b by the action of the main body 20a. Conversely, the pressure regulator 20 may also be configured to discharge gas to the outside from the inside of the main tube 12 and, if necessary, from the inside of the sub-tube 14 through the piping 20b. If a sub-tube 14 is provided, in an configuration where the inside of the main tube 12 and the inside of the sub-tube 14 are in communication, it is sufficient for the piping 20b to be arranged only inside the main tube 12. However, in a configuration where the inside of the main tube 12 and the inside of the sub-tube 14 are not in communication, it is preferable that a separate piping 20b is also arranged inside the sub-tube 14.

[0024] The specific configuration of the main body 20a of the pressure regulator 20 is not particularly limited, but in this configuration, an air pressure pump is used. An air pressure pump is a device that can take in air using electricity. Hereafter, it may be referred to as a "pressure regulating pump" for convenience.

[0025] Furthermore, in this configuration, the main body 20a of the pressure regulator 20 is electrically connected to the controller 30, and its operation is controlled by receiving command signals from the controller 30. The specific control will be explained later.

[0026] [Pressure sensor] The pressure sensor 22 is a sensor that measures the pressure inside the main tube 12. If a sub-tube 14 is provided, in the configuration where the inside of the main tube 12 and the inside of the sub-tube 14 are in communication, it is sufficient for the pressure sensor 22 to be placed only inside the main tube 12. However, in the configuration where the inside of the main tube 12 and the inside of the sub-tube 14 are not in communication, it is preferable for the pressure sensor 22 to be placed inside the sub-tube 14 as well. The pressure sensor 22 is electrically connected to the controller 30, and the pressure measurement results obtained from the pressure sensor 22 can be transmitted to the controller 30 as a signal. The specific form of the pressure sensor is not particularly limited, and any type of sensor is acceptable, such as differential pressure measuring type, absolute pressure measuring type, electrical type, mechanical type, etc.

[0027] [Advanced Sensor] The altitude sensor 24 is a sensor that measures the altitude reached by the inflatable kite 10. Since the altitude sensor 24 obtains the corresponding altitude by measuring atmospheric pressure, the altitude sensor 24 can be installed in the open air, that is, on the outer surface of the main tube 12 or sub-tube 14, or on the surface of the sheet 16, etc. The altitude sensor 24 is electrically connected to the controller 30, and the altitude measurement results obtained by the altitude sensor 24 can be transmitted to the controller 30 as a signal. The specific form of the altitude sensor is not particularly limited, and electrical, mechanical, etc., can be used. The measurement system may be external to the system, such as GPS, or the measurement may be completed within the system, such as a barometric altimeter.

[0028] [Controller] The controller 30 is a controller that controls the pressure regulation of the inflatable kite 10 in this embodiment. More specifically, in this embodiment, it is a controller that acquires at least the pressure value from the pressure sensor 22 and the altitude from the altitude sensor 24, and controls the operation of the pressure regulator 20. However, it does not have to be a controller solely for that purpose, and it may also have other functions for controlling the inflatable kite 10. The configuration of the controller 30 is not particularly limited, but it can typically be configured as a computer. Figure 4 conceptually shows an example of the configuration of a computer 30 as the controller 30.

[0029] The computer 30 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 31 which is a processor, RAM (Random Access Memory) 32 which functions as a work area, ROM (Read-Only Memory) 33 as a storage medium, a receiving unit 34 which is an interface for receiving information into the computer 30 whether wired or wireless, and an output unit 35 which is an interface for sending information from the computer 30 to the outside whether wired or wireless. The receiving unit 34 is electrically connected to a pressure sensor 22 and an altitude sensor 24, allowing pressure values ​​and altitude to be acquired as electrical signals. The output unit 35 is electrically connected to a pressure regulator 20, allowing the operation of the pressure regulator 20 to be controlled.

[0030] Computer 30 stores a computer program that executes each process for pressure regulation control performed in the inflatable kite 10 of this embodiment, with each process defined as a specific command. In computer 30, the CPU 31, RAM 32, and ROM 33, which are hardware resources, work together with the computer program. Specifically, the CPU 31 performs its function by executing the computer program recorded in ROM 33 in RAM 32, which functions as a work area, based on pressure information and altitude information acquired via the receiving unit 34. The information acquired or generated by the CPU 31 is stored in RAM 32. Then, based on the obtained results, it transmits commands to the pressure regulator 20 via the output unit 35 as needed. The specific details of the control will be explained next.

[0031] 1.2. Control by a controller (pressure regulation control) In the inflatable kite of this disclosure, the internal pressure of the main tube and, if necessary, the sub-tube is adjusted by taking altitude information into consideration and setting the pressure according to the altitude. In this embodiment, such adjustment is performed by control of the controller 30.

[0032] 1.2.1. Set pressure Before explaining the specific control, we will explain the relationship between altitude and the set pressure used in the calculation of the set pressure used in the control. This is conceptually shown in Figure 5. In Figure 5, the horizontal axis represents altitude (e.g., 0 to 5000m) and the vertical axis represents the set pressure of the internal pressure of the main tube and sub-tube (e.g., 0 to 30kPa), and the relationship between these is shown. Figure 5 shows three examples of the relationship: Example 1 is drawn with a solid line, representing a straight line; Example 2 is drawn with a dotted line, representing an upward-curving curve; and Example 3 is drawn with a dashed line, representing a downward-curving curve. These are examples and the relationship is not limited to these, but in all cases, the set pressure differs depending on the altitude, and the set pressure decreases as the altitude decreases.

[0033] For example, in the case of a linear relationship as in Example 1, the set pressure can be obtained by so-called proportional calculation. Specifically, it can be obtained as shown in Equation 1 below. As shown in Figure 5, when a high altitude is H, the set pressure at that altitude is PH, and the set pressure at altitude 0 is P0, the set pressure PN at a certain altitude N is given by Equation (1) below. PN = {(PH - P0) / H}·N + P0 (1)

[0034] The relationship between the set pressure and altitude described above can be obtained in advance through experiments or other means, and by saving this relationship as a formula or map in the ROM 33 of the controller 30 as a database, this relationship can be used in control.

[0035] Conventionally, the internal pressure of inflatable structures was controlled to remain constant regardless of altitude (dashed line in Figure 5, "Conventional"). As a result, even when altitude decreased due to descent and the internal pressure of the inflatable structure did not need to be that high, the pressure was still adjusted to maintain a constant value. This required more gas filling than necessary, necessitating improved filling machine performance to speed up the filling process. In contrast, this disclosure eliminates this problem and increases the degree of freedom with respect to altitude. More details are explained below.

[0036] 1.2.2. Control Examples Next, we will explain an example of control that applies the relationship between altitude and set pressure described above. Figure 6 shows the flow of pressure regulation control S10. The following describes each process included in pressure regulation control S10. As described above, each of these processes is executed by the controller 30 collecting information from each device, performing calculations based on the program stored in the controller 30, and controlling each device based on the results.

[0037] [Altitude information acquisition] In the altitude information acquisition process S11, the altitude (N in Figure 5) is measured by the altitude sensor 24, and this information is acquired by the controller 30.

[0038] [Calculate set pressure] In the setting pressure calculation process S12, the controller 30 calculates the setting pressure (PN in Figure 5) based on the relationship between the setting pressure and altitude, using the altitude (N) obtained in the altitude information acquisition process S11. This provides the internal pressure of the main tube 12 and sub-tube 14 of the inflatable kite 10 that should be set at that altitude.

[0039] [Internal pressure acquisition] In the internal pressure acquisition process S13, the internal pressure PI of the main tube 12 and sub-tube 14 of the inflatable kite 10 is measured by the pressure sensor 22, and this information is acquired by the controller 30.

[0040] [judgement] In the determination process S14, the controller 30 calculates the relationship between the set pressure (PN) and the internal pressure (PI). More specifically, the controller 30 calculates whether the set pressure (PN) is greater than the internal pressure (PI) (PN > PI). If the answer is yes, the process proceeds to the pressure increase process S15 by the pressure regulator. On the other hand, if the answer is no, the current state is maintained (maintenance process S16), the process returns to the advanced information acquisition process S11, and the pressure regulation control S10 is repeated.

[0041] [Pressure increase due to pressure regulator] In the pressure increase process S15 by the pressure regulator, the controller 30 operates the pressure regulator 20 to send gas into the main tube 12 and sub-tube 14 of the inflatable kite 10, increasing the internal pressure of the main tube 12 and sub-tube 14 to compensate for the pressure deficiency. The increase in internal pressure can be determined by the relationship between the amount of gas supplied and the increase in internal pressure, which has been determined in advance based on the difference between the set pressure and the internal pressure obtained in the determination process S14. Alternatively, the amount of gas supplied can be determined from this relationship. In this case, the relationship between the amount of gas supplied and the increase in internal pressure is stored in a database using relational equations or maps and used in the controller 30. Alternatively, the internal pressure increase may be controlled by supplying gas to the main tube 12 and sub-tube 14 using the pressure regulator 20 while measuring the internal pressure with the pressure sensor 22, and continuing to supply gas with the pressure regulator 20 until the measured result exceeds the set pressure.

[0042] Afterward, the process returns to S11, the process of acquiring advanced information, and each step is repeated.

[0043] 2. Morphological Example 2 Figure 7 shows a diagram illustrating Embodiment Example 2. Figure 7 is a diagram from the same viewpoint as Figure 3. The inflatable kite 50 according to Embodiment 2 is similar to the inflatable kite 10 described above in terms of basic concepts and control. The inflatable kite 50 of Embodiment Example 2 differs from the inflatable kite 10 in that it is equipped with a pressure regulator 60 instead of a pressure regulator 20. Therefore, the pressure regulator 60 will be described here. Other components are given the same reference numerals as the inflatable kite 10 and their descriptions are omitted.

[0044] The pressure regulator 60 is also a device that adjusts the pressure inside the main tube 12 and inside the sub-tube 14 (not applicable if the sub-tube 14 is not provided). In this embodiment, the pressure regulator 60 may include a pressure accumulation member 61, a solenoid valve 62, and piping 20b extending from the solenoid valve 62 to the inside of the main tube 12 and, if necessary, the inside of the sub-tube 14.

[0045] The pressure accumulator 61 can be made up of a so-called high-pressure tank, in which the gas to be sent to the main tube 12 and sub-tube 14 is sealed under high pressure. The pressure accumulator 61 has a solenoid valve 62 at its gas outlet, which allows and regulates the outflow of gas from the pressure accumulator 61. The opening and closing of the solenoid valve 62 is electrically connected to, for example, the output section 35 of the controller 30, and the solenoid valve 62 opens and closes according to commands from the controller 30. In other words, as shown by the straight arrow in Figure 7, when the solenoid valve 62 opens in the pressure regulator 60, high-pressure gas can be supplied from the pressure accumulator 61 through the piping 20b to fill the main tube 12 and sub-tube 14. The opening and closing of the solenoid valve 62 corresponds to the operation of the pressure regulator 20 described above, enabling pressure regulation control.

[0046] According to this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the disclosure described later, it is possible to pressurize in response to sudden descents such as downbursts.

[0047] 3. Other examples Another possible form of control is to use mechanical sensors. One example is detecting the tension of the main tube 12 and the sub-tube 14. The pressure inside the main tube 12 and the sub-tube 14 is reflected in the tension of the surface of the main tube 12 and the sub-tube 14, so by detecting this tension, the internal pressure of the main tube 12 and the sub-tube 14 can be obtained. To this end, for example, as schematically shown in Figure 8, the tip of the plate 80 is biased by the spring 81 to press against the surface of the main tube 12. When the pressure inside the main tube 12 is high relative to the outside air, the rear end of the plate 80 is not in contact with the switch 82, as shown in Figure 8. However, when the pressure inside the main tube 12 is low relative to the outside air, the tip of the plate 80 moves to press against the main tube 12, as indicated by arrow C in Figure 8, and the rear end moves in the opposite direction to contact the switch 82, thereby operating the switch 82. This switch 82 is a switch that operates the controller, pressure regulating pump, pressure regulating valve, etc., as described above, thereby enabling pressure regulation.

[0048] Another example is a cylinder 84 equipped with a piston 85 that moves in response to a pressure difference, as schematically shown in Figure 9. In this cylinder 84, one side of the space D is filled with fluid or contains an elastic member to maintain the ground pressure, while the other side of the space E communicates with the inside of the main tube 12 and is configured to reflect the pressure inside the main tube 12. When the pressure inside the main tube 12 is high relative to the outside air, the piston 85 is maintained in a predetermined position as shown in Figure 9, and the terminal 86 is not in contact with the switch 87. However, when the pressure inside the main tube 12 is low relative to the outside air, the piston moves as indicated by the arrow F in Figure 9, causing the terminal 86 to contact the switch 87 and operate the switch 87. This switch 87 is a switch that operates the controller, pressure regulating pump, pressure regulating valve, etc., as described above, thereby enabling pressure regulation.

[0049] According to this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the disclosure described later, it is possible to reduce electrical control that may cause performance degradation at low temperatures, and to perform stable control.

[0050] 4. Effects, etc. According to the inflatable aircraft of this disclosure, the internal pressure is adjusted while considering the relationship between altitude and the internal pressure of the inflatable aircraft. Therefore, even when the altitude changes significantly during the descent of the inflatable aircraft, the shape of the inflatable aircraft can be appropriately maintained with a relatively small amount of gas filling to achieve the appropriate internal pressure corresponding to that altitude. Conventional methods of maintaining shape by keeping internal pressure constant require large amounts of gas filling during significant altitude changes, such as during descent, and the time required for gas filling makes efficient pressure adjustment necessary for efficient flight impossible. In contrast, the inflatable aircraft of this disclosure can descend at the same speed as conventional aircraft even with a lighter pressure regulating pump (a pressure regulating pump with lower gas delivery performance), or it can shorten the descent time with the same pressure regulating pump as conventional aircraft. Since the internal pressure of the inflatable aircraft decreases as altitude decreases, the pressure regulating time can be reduced by reducing the amount of adjustment, making it possible to descend the inflatable aircraft more quickly. In addition, since the pressure regulating device can be made lighter, the weight of the inflatable aircraft can be reduced (improving responsiveness to control and increasing the maximum altitude).

[0051] 4.1. Test Example 1 In Test Example 1, the amount of air taken in was measured for three different scenarios when an inflatable kite was lowered from an altitude of 5000m to 0m. • Test Example 1-1: The internal pressure of the main tube and sub-tube was adjusted to maintain a gauge pressure of 25 kPa. • Test Example 1-2: The internal pressure of the main tube and sub-tube was adjusted to maintain a gauge pressure of 15 kPa. • Test Example 1-3: The internal pressure of the main tube and sub-tube was adjusted according to the pressure adjustment control S10 described above, taking into account altitude and internal pressure. The set pressure was set at an altitude of 5000m (H in Figure 5) with a gauge pressure of 25kPa (PH in Figure 5), and at an altitude of 0m with a gauge pressure of 15kPa (P0 in Figure 5), and the relationship between these was shown by a straight line (Example 1 in Figure 5).

[0052] The results are shown in Table 1.

[0053] [Table 1]

[0054] Here, "appropriate amount of material" refers to the amount of air that must be held inside in order to maintain the shape of the inflatable kite designed on the ground. Since air pressure and temperature fluctuate with altitude, it is difficult to define a consistent standard. Therefore, the appropriate state for maintaining the shape is defined for each altitude based on the amount of material of the air held inside. According to this, by adjusting the pressure as described in this disclosure (Test Examples 1-3), the difference in the appropriate amount of material can be kept small, which means that the amount of air supplied to the inflatable kite can be kept to a minimum.

[0055] 4.2. Test Example 2 In Test Example 2, the time required to lower an inflatable kite from an altitude of 5000m to 0m was compared. In Test Example 2-1, a pressure regulating pump A weighing 70g was used, and in Test Example 2-2, a pressure regulating pump B weighing 90g was used. For each pressure regulating pump, the pressure regulation was controlled as follows.

[0056] [Test Example 2-1] • Test Example 2-1A: The internal pressure of the main tube and sub-tube was adjusted to maintain a gauge pressure of 25 kPa. • Test Example 2-1B: The internal pressure of the main tube and sub-tube was adjusted to maintain a gauge pressure of 15 kPa. • Test Example 2-1C: The internal pressure of the main tube and sub-tube was adjusted according to the pressure adjustment control S10 described above, taking into account altitude and internal pressure. The set pressure was set at an altitude of 5000m (H in Figure 5) with a gauge pressure of 25kPa (PH in Figure 5), and at an altitude of 0m with a gauge pressure of 15kPa (P0 in Figure 5), and the relationship between these two points was shown by a straight line (Example 1 in Figure 5).

[0057] [Test Example 2-2] • Test Example 2-2A: The internal pressure of the main tube and sub-tube was adjusted to maintain a gauge pressure of 25 kPa. • Test Example 2-2B: The internal pressure of the main tube and sub-tube was adjusted to maintain a gauge pressure of 15 kPa. • Test Example 2-2C: The internal pressure of the main tube and sub-tube was adjusted according to the pressure adjustment control S10 described above, taking into account altitude and internal pressure. The set pressure was set at an altitude of 5000m (H in Figure 5) with a gauge pressure of 25kPa (PH in Figure 5), and at an altitude of 0m with a gauge pressure of 15kPa (P0 in Figure 5), and the relationship between these two points was shown by a straight line (Example 1 in Figure 5).

[0058] The results are shown in Table 2.

[0059] [Table 2]

[0060] As can be seen from the results, the time until the descent is completed can be shortened with any of the pressure regulating pumps using the pressure regulating control of this disclosure (Test Examples 2-1C and 2-2C). Furthermore, as can be seen by comparing Test Example 2-1C with Test Examples 2-1C and 2-2C, the pressure regulating control of this disclosure allows the application of lighter pressure regulating pumps.

[0061] 4.3. Others The inflatable aircraft described herein can be used as a high-altitude platform for purposes such as wind power generation, solar power generation, communication relay, weather observation, and experimental bases in the air. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0062] 10...Inflatable kite, 12...Main tube, 14...Sub-tube, 16...Sheet, 18...Pressure regulator, 20...Pressure regulator, 22...Pressure sensor, 24...Altitude sensor, 30...Controller

Claims

1. It is an inflatable flying vehicle, A pressure regulating device for adjusting the internal pressure of the inflatable aircraft, A pressure sensor that acquires information on the internal pressure of the inflatable aircraft, Equipped with an altitude sensor that acquires altitude information, The pressure regulating device is The pressure adjustment is characterized by filling 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. Inflatable flying vehicle.

2. The inflatable aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the pressure regulating device includes a pressure accumulator.

3. The inflatable aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the pressure regulating device is mechanically controlled.

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