The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 11, 1987
Filed:
Aug. 26, 1985
Jerome Kirsch, Dix Hills, NY (US);
M Alan Kopsco, Wantagh, NY (US);
Edward Markow, Oakdale, NY (US);
Michael Sturm, N. Massapequa, NY (US);
Grumman Aerospace Corporation, Bethpage, NY (US);
Abstract
A transient air and surface contact vehicle for transporting a person has a fuselage structure for carrying a person. A vehicle support extends from the structure and abuts a surface and thereby supports the vehicle at a predetermined distance above the surface. A buoyancy control device mounted on the structure and on the vehicle support provides for the buoyancy required to keep the vehicle afloat while stationary and at low speeds. At high speed the dynamic pressures generated at the bottom of the struts provide the supporting forces. A power source is mounted on the structure for moving the vehicle along the surface at the predetermined distance above the surface. A position control mounted on the structure produces a positive pitching moment to cause the vehicle to become airborne, a negative pitching moment to maintain the vehicle in surface-following contact with the surface and both moments to control the altitude of the vehicle when it is airborne. It is the pre-determined negative pitching moment that enables stable 'open loop' pitch performance in the presence of high speeds and irregular surfaces.