Hybrid lift air vehicle

• US 8,167,236 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2007
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shell Technology Ventures Fund 1 BV (Kenda Capital B.V.)
• Original Assignee: Shell Technology Ventures Fund 1 BV (Kenda Capital B.V.)
• Inventors: Jess, Peter E.
• Primary Examiner(s): PRICE JR, RICHARD THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US12/439,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20100012771A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,709 Days
• Field of Search: 452/24, 452/25, 452 29- 31
• US Class Current: 244/29
• CPC Class Codes: B64B 1/36 Arrangement of jet reaction apparatus for propulsion or directional control
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 19/00 Hoisting, lifting, hauling or pushing, not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A hybrid lift air vehicle for lifting and transporting a payload to a delivery location, which comprises a helium or other lighter-than-air gas filled envelope mounted on an airframe. Variable and reversible vertical thrusters are positioned on the airframe, and at least two variable and reversible lateral thrusters are mounted on the envelope or mounted on truss arms attached and extending out from the airframe, wherein, when the vehicle is connected to the payload for transport, the helium or other lighter-than-air gas supports or substantially supports the weight of the vehicle and the vertical thrusters are then continuously engaged to support the weight of the payload and to provide lift to the payload, wherein the lateral thrusters are then engaged to effect lateral movement of the vehicle to the delivery location, whereby, once at the delivery location, the lift provided by the variable and reversible vertical thrusters is reduced or reversed so as to allow the air vehicle to descend and the payload to again engage the ground surface, and where necessary, the variable and reversible vertical thrusters may be reversed to facilitate the unloading of the payload from the vehicle, the vehicle continuing to be kept aloft, once unloaded, by the helium or other lighter than air gas. In this manner, the vehicle utilizes the helium or lighter than air gas to offset or substantially offset the weight of the vehicle, the vertical thrusters providing the power to lift the payload.

Claims

1. A hybrid lift air vehicle for lifting and transporting a payload above a ground surface to a delivery location, the air vehicle comprising:

a. envelope means for containing a lighter-than-air gas and having substantially fixed dimensions and a substantially spherical shape when inflated;

b. an airframe, an upper surface of the airframe being adapted to receive and securely mount the envelope means thereon;

c. a plurality of variable vertical thrusters mounted in engagement with the airframe; and

d. at least two variable lateral thrusters, the variable lateral thrusters being mounted in engagement with the air vehicle;

wherein, when the air vehicle is connected to the payload for transport, the lighter-than-air gas in the envelope means substantially supports and offsets the weight of the air vehicle, the plurality of variable vertical thrusters being engagable to generate lift and to raise and keep aloft the weight of the payload, and once aloft, the variable lateral thrusters being engagable to effect lateral movement of the air vehicle to the delivery location, whereupon, once the air vehicle is at the delivery location, the lift of the plurality of variable vertical thrusters may be reduced to lower the air vehicle until the payload again engages the ground surface for unloading of the payload from the air vehicle.

2. The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of variable vertical thrusters are reversible.

3. The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least two variable lateral thrusters are reversible.

4. The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein each variable vertical thruster is mounted to the airframe by a truss arm having proximal end securely engaged with the airframe and having a distal end to which the variable vertical thruster is mounted.

5. The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein each variable lateral thruster is mounted on the envelope means.

6. The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein each variable lateral thruster is mounted to the airframe by a truss arm having proximal end securely engaged with the airframe and having a distal end to which the variable lateral thruster is mounted.

7. The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein each of the at least two variable lateral thrusters allow the vehicle to rotate about a substantially vertical axis of the vehicle.

8. The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the airframe has a concave depression therein which is adapted to receive and securely mount the envelope means to the upper surface of the airframe.

9. The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein a retaining ring is mounted onto the upper surface of the airframe, the envelope means being received and mounted on the retaining ring.

10. The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least two variable lateral thrusters, when used in conjunction with one another to thrust in a same direction, selectively propels the air vehicle in a forward direction or a backward direction.

11. The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein the lighter-than-air gas in the envelope means is helium.

12. The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein the envelope means has an outer surface and the lighter-than-air gas in the envelope means is heated helium to inhibit icing or snow accumulation on the outer surface of the envelope means.

13. The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein the variable vertical thrusters comprise a variable pitch propeller driven by a gas turbine engine.

14. The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein the variable vertical thrusters comprise a variable rotor driven by a gas turbine engine.

15. The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein the variable lateral thrusters comprise a variable pitch propeller driven by a gas turbine engine.

16. The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein the variable lateral thrusters comprise a variable rotor driven by a gas turbine engine.

18. A method for lifting and transporting a payload utilizing the air vehicle of claim 1, the method comprising the steps of:

a. utilizing the lighter-than-air gas to substantially support and offset the weight of the air vehicle off the ground surface, and utilizing the vertical thrusters to lift the air vehicle and payload;

b. utilizing the variable lateral thrusters to position the air vehicle above the payload on the ground surface;

c. attaching the payload to the air vehicle;

d. continuously engaging the plurality of variable vertical thrusters to raise and keep aloft the air vehicle and the payload;

e. engaging the at least two variable lateral thrusters to effect lateral movement of the air vehicle to the delivery location; and

f. reducing the lift of the plurality of variable vertical thrusters, once at the delivery location, so as to cause the air vehicle to descend and enable the payload to again engage the ground surface; and

g. disengaging the payload from the air vehicle.

19. The air vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a payload attachment means for connecting the payload to the airframe.

20. The air vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a payload attachment means for releasably connecting the payload to the airframe.

17. A hybrid lift air vehicle for lifting and transporting a payload above a ground surface to a delivery location, the air vehicle comprising:

a. envelope means for containing a lighter-than-air gas and having substantially fixed dimensions and a substantially spherical shape when inflated;

b. an airframe, an upper surface of the airframe being adapted for receiving and mounting of the spherical envelope means thereon;

c. a plurality of mounting brackets integrally connected to the airframe;

d. a plurality of securing cables, wherein a first end of each of the cables is secured to a mounting bracket on the airframe, the cables extending vertically over a top portion of the envelope means, and a second end of each of the cables is secured to an opposite mounting bracket on a directly opposite side of the airframe, so as to maintain engagement of the envelope means to the airframe;

e. a plurality of truss arms integrally connected to the airframe, and wherein each of the truss arms extends outwardly from the outer surface of the airframe;

f. a plurality of variable vertical thrusters, each mounted on a distal end of a corresponding one of the plurality of truss arms; and

g. at least two variable lateral thrusters, the variable lateral thrusters being mounted in engagement with the air vehicle;

wherein, when the air vehicle is connected to the payload for transport, the lighter-than-air gas substantially supports and offsets the weight of the air vehicle and the plurality of variable vertical thrusters are engagable to lift and keep aloft the air vehicle and payload, wherein the at least two variable lateral thrusters are engagable to effect lateral movement of the air vehicle to the delivery location, whereby, once at the delivery location, the lift of the plurality of variable vertical thrusters is reduced to lower the air vehicle and the payload to the ground surface for unloading of the payload from the air vehicle.