Levitating apparatus

• US 5,318,481 A
• Filed: 07/23/1993
• Issued: 06/07/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aerodium International Ltee.
• Original Assignee: Aerodium International Ltee.
• Inventors: St-Germain, Jean
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aubrey, Beth A.
• Application Number:
  US08/095,196
• Time in Patent Office: 319 Days
• Field of Search: 472/68, 472/80, 472/49, 472/131, 472/133, 104/80-82
• US Class Current: 472/68
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 5/12 Apparatus for raising or lowering persons
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 7/00 Simulating cosmonautic conditions, e.g. for conditioning crews

Abstract

A propeller is mounted within a shroud to produce an upwardly moving air flow to levitate human beings. The user wears an air inflatable suit and a harness. A couch is disposed just outside the shroud to support the user in prone position. A jib crane is positioned near the couch and shroud and carries a self-winding reel to which a strap is attached at one end, the other end of the strap carrying a hook which is attached to the harness at the back of the user. The jib crane lifts the user off the support through the strap and translates the same above the shroud within the air flow being suspended by the strap in prone position. When the user is levitated by the air flow, the reel automatically reels in the strap.

Claims

1. A levitation apparatus for air flotation of humans comprising shroud means having a vertical axis with a lower air inlet and an upper air outlet;

air blower means within said shroud means for propelling air upwardly through said shroud means and thus form an upwardly moving air flow above said shroud means;

support means outside said shroud means and said air flow for supporting a user;

harness means worn by said user;

crane means;

self-winding reel means carried by said crane means;

strap means attached to said reel means and to said harness means at the back of said user, said crane means operative to lift said user off said support means through said strap means and translate the same above said shroud means within said air flow, suspended by said strap means in prone position, said strap means automatically reeled in by said reel means upon levitation of said user by said air flow.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said support means includes a couch disposed adjacent said shroud means but outside the same adapted to support a user in prone position.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said harness means carries a first connector part which is located at the back of said user and substantially at the centre of gravity of the same when said harness is worn by said user.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said strap means include a strap having a second connector part at its free end which is releasably connectable with said first connector part, the other end of said strap being attached to said reel means.

5. A levitation apparatus as defined in claim 4, further including a strap guide means disposed below said reel means including a member defining a narrow flat passage through which said strap slidably moves, said part pivoted to said crane means about an axis laterally spaced from said passage whereby said member pivots about said axis as the number of turns of said strap on said reel means varies whereby said passage tends to orient itself in as close alignment as possible with the tangent of the outermost turn of said strap on said reel means.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said reel means includes a shaft carried by said crane means, a spool freely rotatable on said shaft, said strap attached at one end to said spool and a leaf spring attached to said shaft at one end and to said spool at the other end, said leaf spring coiled in a spiral.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 6, further including a strap guiding means carried by said crane adjacent said spool for guiding said strap around said spool while preventing twisting of said strap on said spool.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 7, further including a rotary coupling intermediate said strap outer end and said second connector part to allow said levitated user and said first and second connector parts to rotate with respect to said strap.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 7, further including bumper means fixed to said crane and disposed around said strap below said reel means and preventing the levitated user from contacting said reel means.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 9, further including a safety net fixed across the air outlet of said shroud means for supporting a user above said air blower means.

11. A levitation apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said crane means includes a mast, a telescopic lifting arm having a main section pivotally carried by the top of said mast for up and down movement and a telescopic section movable inward and outward of said main section, said self-winding reel means carried by the outer end of said telescopic section and further including first power means to actuate said blower means, second power means to raise and lower said lifting arm on said mast and third power means to extend and retract said telescopic section relative to said main section, said strap means fully unreeled and generally taut when attached to said harness means worn by a user in prone position on said couch and with said arm in lowered position and said telescopic section in retracted position, lifting of said lever and extension of said telescopic section causing said user to be lifted off said couch while in prone position and suspended in said air flow, said reel automatically reeling in said strap as said user is levitated by said air flow.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein said air blower means is an air propeller rotatably mounted within and co-axial with said shroud means for rotation about a vertical axis, said first power means including an internal combustion engine having a driving shaft connected to said propeller, said second power means including a first telescopic double-acting telescopic ram pivotally connected to said mast and to said main section of said arm and said third power means including a second double-acting hydraulic ram located within said main section and connected to the same at one end and to said telescopic section at the other end.

13. A levitation apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said shroud means is supported above ground through an open structure which communicates said air inlet with the atmosphere, said air outlet opening directly to the atmosphere.

14. A levitation apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said structure supports a platform above ground and said couch is mounted on said platform together with said mast, said internal combustion engine being located underneath said platform.

15. A levitation apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said reel means includes a shaft, a spool freely rotatable on said shaft, said spool including a cylindrical part on which said strap means is wound and two cup-shaped sides radially outwardly protruding from said cylindrical hub, each side including a peripheral cylindrical flange, a spirally coiled leaf spring located within each cup-shaped side, having an inner end secured to said shaft and an outer end secured to said peripheral flange and a cover fixed to said peripheral flange and closing the cavity in which each leaf spring is located.