Lighter-than-air aircraft with air cushion landing gear means
US7040572B2 · kind B2 · utility
28Cited by
41References
20Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 5, 2002 |
| Grant date | May 9, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 5, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB64B2201/00
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A lighter-than-air aircraft (1) having a gas-filled hull (2) and a pair of spaced apart landing gear units (11, 12) on the underside of the hull arranged on opposite sides of a longitudinally extending central vertical plane of the hull. Each landing gear unit (11, 12) comprises bag skirt means (5–7, 5′–7′), means for supplying air to and removing air from the bag skirt means and actuating means operable to move the bag skirt means between an operative configuration for containing one or more air cushions and an inoperative configuration.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.