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:
Mar. 06, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 21, 1999
David B. Eichstedt, Lancaster, CA (US);
John P. Morehead, Santa Clarita, CA (US);
John B. Kalisz, Newhall, CA (US);
Lockheed Martin Corporation, Palmdale, CA (US);
Abstract
The invention is a non-ridged, semi-buoyant vehicle. In detail, the invention includes a pressure stabilized gasbag having front and rear ends and an aerodynamic shape capable of producing lift, and longitudinal, vertical and horizontal axis, the tail end of the gasbag extending outward along the horizontal axis from each side of the longitudinal axis toward said front end at an acute angle to the horizontal axis. A horizontal tail surface is mounted outboard of the rear end of the gasbag, having a trailing edge extending outward along the horizontal axis from each side of the longitudinal axis toward the front end at the acute angle to the horizontal axis. A horizontal ridged beam is mounted outboard of the rear end of the gasbag that extends outward along the horizontal axis from each side of the longitudinal axis toward the front end at the acute angle to the horizontal axis with the horizontal tail surface mounted to the beam. The preferred acute angle is approximately 20 degrees. The gasbag further includes a plurality of vertical catenary curtains attached between the top and bottom surfaces of the gasbag. A vertical extending flexible bean is attached to each of catenary curtains. These straps have top and bottom ends extending out of the top and bottom surfaces, respectively, of said gasbag. Top and bottom attachment fittings are mounted by a first end to the top and bottom ends, respectively, of the ridged beam and by their second ends to the top and bottom ends, respectively, of the flexible straps.