Aeronautics and astronautics – Landing field arrangement – Mooring devices
Patent
1996-06-19
1998-07-07
Oberleitner, Robert J.
Aeronautics and astronautics
Landing field arrangement
Mooring devices
244115, 244 33, B64B 166
Patent
active
057756406
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a landing installation for landing a tethered balloon which is brought back to the ground by means of a return cable. It relates more particularly to an installation for enabling the gondola of a tethered balloon to be landed on a landing platform in a position where it is centered relative to the vertical outlet axis of the return cable.
In the present text, the term "balloon" designates a gas balloon constituted by a gastight envelope which contains a gas that is less dense than air and which, more particularly, is suitable for being held captive in a net; the net is also secured to a load frame, from which the gondola is suspended. The gondola enables passengers to embark on board the balloon.
A tethered balloon is a balloon connected to the ground. In a first known type of tethered balloon, the balloon is designed so as to be capable of being in equilibrium with the atmosphere at all times and it is connected to the ground by means of return cords. The function of the return cords is solely to oppose the drift effects of the wind by retaining the balloon in a space situated above a clear landing zone on the ground lying between attachment points for the return cords. Under such circumstances, the balloon rises in the air and returns to the ground with its own means; the gondola of the balloon lands within the landing zone wherever it is taken by the wind.
In a second known type of tethered balloon, the balloon is designed so that it always tends to rise in the air. Under such circumstances, it is brought down to the ground by means of a return cable that passes through the center of the gondola and that has one end connected to the load frame. The other end of the return cable is wound onto a winch system which is mounted in a depression in the ground. The sole purpose of the depression is to house the winch system. With this second type of tethered balloon, the gondola never lands on the ground, but remains suspended a few meters above the winch depression; passengers embark in the gondola by means of a gangway.
It will readily be understood that with a tethered balloon of the second type, it is difficult, and indeed dangerous, for the passengers to embark on board the gondola because of the great instability of the gondola, particularly in the presence of wind. In order to mitigate that drawback, a first object of the present invention is to propose an installation enabling the gondola of a tethered balloon of the second type to be landed on a landing platform on the ground.
When a tethered balloon of the second type is moving up or down, the balloon is observed to be deflected slightly because of the wind, so the return cable is no longer vertical. Consequently, assuming that it is desired to land the gondola of a tethered balloon of the second type on a landing platform that covers the depression containing the winch system, when the tethered balloon is brought back to the ground, the gondola reaches the platform off-center relative to the vertical outlet axis of the return cable. If the platform is plane, then the tethered balloon lands and remains in its off-center position. It should be observed that throughout the descent of the balloon, the gondola remains in a substantially horizontal position. If no special precautions are taken to recenter the gondola, it can happen that movements of the balloon, under the effect of wind and in particular when the wind direction reverses, put the suspension lines connecting the gondola to the load frame back under tension, thereby entraining the gondola. Such unwanted movements of the gondola when placed on the landing platform are prejudicial to proper embarkation or disembarkation of passengers who run the risk of being injured.
A second object of the present invention is therefore to propose a landing installation for a tethered balloon of the second type that enables the gondola of the tethered balloon to be landed in a position that is centered relative to the vertical outlet axis of the return cable.
These various obje
REFERENCES:
patent: 803573 (1905-11-01), Eubank
patent: 1396489 (1921-11-01), Williams
patent: 1829503 (1931-10-01), Carlotti
patent: 4126850 (1978-11-01), Randolph
patent: 4762295 (1988-08-01), Yon, Jr.
Giacomoni Jerome
Gobbi Matthieu
Dinh Tien
Oberleitner Robert J.
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