Hybrid lighter-than-air vehicle

摘要

The present invention is a variable geometry lighter-than-air (LTA) aircraft that is adapted to morph its shape from a symmetric cross-section buoyant craft to an asymmetric lifting body and even to a symmetric zero lift configuration. The basic structure is a semi rigid airship with movable longerons. Movement of the longerons adjusts the camber of the upper and/or lower surfaces to achieve varying shapes of the lifting-body. This transformation changes both the lift and drag characteristics of the craft to alter the flight characteristics. The transformation may be accomplished while the craft is airborne and does not require any ground support equipment.

主权项

1. An aircraft comprising:
a flexible envelope that encloses a base structure, a pair of upper longeron rods and a pair of lower longeron rods with each longeron rod pivotally connected to the base structure, and a pair of envelope expansion arms; each upper longeron rod in the pair of upper longeron rods further including a curved shape extending between a fore end and an aft end with a vertex at the local maximum of the curved shape, wherein the curved shape extends away from a lateral axis of the aircraft to support the flexible envelope; each upper longeron rod in the pair of upper longeron rods further including being in communication with an upper translation assembly, the upper translation assembly adapted to pivot the upper longeron rod, thereby moving the vertex of the upper longeron rod towards or away from the lateral axis of the aircraft to alter a thickness of the aircraft; each lower longeron rod in the pair of lower longeron rods further including a curved shape extending between a fore end and an aft end with a vertex at a local maximum of the curved shape, wherein the curved shape extends away from the lateral axis of the aircraft to support the flexible envelope; each lower longeron rod in the pair of lower longeron rods further including being in communication with a lower translation assembly, the lower translation assembly adapted to pivot the lower longeron rod, thereby moving the vertex of the lower longeron rod towards or away from the lateral axis of the aircraft to alter the thickness of the aircraft; and the pair of envelope expansion arms including a first envelope expansion arm located at least partially on a starboard side of the aircraft and a second envelope expansion arm located at least partially on a port side of the aircraft.