Self-propelled airship hull repair system

US8800628B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Lockheed Martin Corporation · US

Inventors

• John P. Morehead · Santa Clarita, US
• Nicholas Piini · Palmdale, US
• Kyle Alfred Hofstatter · Santa Clarita, US
• Eric Younge · Portola Valley, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 23, 2012
• Grant date: Aug 12, 2014
• Expiry date: Jun 15, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G05D1/0227
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An airship hull repair system. The system includes a drive subsystem configured to move the system across an airship hull, a damage detecting subsystem configured to detect damage to the airship hull, a hull repair subsystem configured to repair the detected damage to the airship hull, and a magnetic coupling. The drive subsystem, the damage detecting subsystem, and the hull repair subsystem are included in an interior piece of the system configured to move on an interior of the airship hull and an exterior piece of the system configured to move on an exterior of the airship hull. The magnetic coupling couples the interior piece and the exterior piece to move together.