A system and method for internally supporting a flexible envelope such as an airship is described, comprising a truss structure and supporting struts attached to a central support member. The internal structure may be foldable so as to allow the envelope to be collapsed when not in use.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A system of support for an airship comprising an airship having a front end and a tail end and further having an overall length from the said front end to said tail end; and further having a skin, said skin having an internal surface and an external surface, a fore section pr
What is claimed is: 1. A system of support for an airship comprising an airship having a front end and a tail end and further having an overall length from the said front end to said tail end; and further having a skin, said skin having an internal surface and an external surface, a fore section proximate said front end, a central section and an aft section proximate said tail end , said airship further having a central portion, a fore portion and an aft portion; a central member oriented generally fore and aft within said airship, said central member having a fore portion and an aft portion and a longitudinal axis, said central member running the said overall length of said airship; at least one central attachment point proximate to the said internal surface of said skin and which is affixed to said internal surface of said skin by at least one chosen from the group consisting of hingedly, slidingly and fixedly; at least one radially oriented strut having an inner end and an outer end, said inner end slidingly, hingedly and lockably attached to said central member and said outer end hingedly attached to said at least one central attachment point such that said inner end may be slid along said central member with said outer end held in fixed longitudinal position with respect to the said longitudinal axis of said central member while the radial position of said outer end is free to move during collapse or expansion thus allowing the said strut to change position with respect to said central member from parallel through perpendicular; at least one first guy having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said at least one first guy is attached by at least one chosen from the group consisting of hingedly, slidingly and fixedly to one chosen from the group consisting of said fore portion of said central member and said aft portion of said central member, and said second end of said at least one first guy is attached to said at least one central attachment point; whereby said central member, said at least one radial strut and said at least one guy are operative to support longitudinal compressive loads and longitudinal bending moments placed on said airship. 2. The system of claim 1 wherein said guy is lengthwise manually adjustable to permit manually adjusting the tension of said guy and collapsing said support system by lengthening said guy. 3. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one nose strut having a fore end and an aft end, and further comprising at least one fore attachment point proximate the said fore section of said skin and which is affixed to said internal surface of said skin by at least one chosen from the group consisting of hingedly, slidingly and fixedly; wherein said at least one nose strut is attached at said fore end to said at least one fore attachment point, and wherein said at least one nose strut is attached at said aft end to said central member at a location aft of said at least one fore attachment point by at least one selected from the group consisting of slidingly, hingedly and fixedly. 4. The system of claim 3 further comprising at least one fore tensioning member having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said at least one fore tensioning member is attached to said at least one fore attachment point, and said second end is attached by at least one selected from the group consisting of slidingly, hingedly and fixedly to said central member. 5. The system of claim 4 further comprising at least one aft tensioning member having a first end and a second end, and further comprising at least one aft attachment point proximate the said aft section of said skin and which is affixed to said internal surface of said skin by at least one chosen from the group consisting of hingedly, slidingly and fixedly; wherein said first end of said at least one aft tensioning member is attached to said aft attachment point, and said second end is attached to said central structural member by at least one selected from the group consisting of slidingly, hingedly and fixedly. 6. The system of claim 5 further comprising at least one tail strut having a fore end and an aft end wherein said at least one tail strut is attached at said aft end to said aft attachment point and wherein said fore end of said at least one tail strut is attached by at least one selected from the group consisting of slidingly, hingedly and fixedly to said central member in said aft portion and at a point fore of said aft attachment point and wherein at least one selected from the group consisting of said at least one aft tensioning member, said at least one tail strut, at least one fore tensioning member, at least one radially oriented strut and said at least one nose strut is lengthwise adjustable. 7. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one tail strut having a fore end and an aft end, and further comprising at least one aft attachment point proximate the said aft section of said skin and which is affixed to said internal surface of said skin by at least one chosen from the group consisting of hingedly, slidingly and fixedly; wherein said at least one tail strut is attached at said aft end to said aft attachment point and wherein said fore end of said at least one tail strut is attached by at least one selected from the group consisting of slidingly, hingedly and fixedly to said central member in said aft portion and at a point fore of said aft attachment point. 8. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one tail fin comprising a generally planar surface, said at least one tail fin further comprising an outer edge and further comprising a tail fin attachment point proximate said outer edge; and wherein said skin has an outer surface; and wherein said tail fin is oriented so that the said planar surface is generally parallel to the said central member and is attached to said external surface of said skin; and further comprising at least one tail strut , said at least one tail strut having a first end and a second end; and further comprising at least one aft attachment point located on said aft portion of said central member, wherein said at least one tail strut is attached at said first end to said at least one aft attachment point and extends beyond said aft attachment point and further penetrates the said skin and is attached at said second end to said tail fin attachment point to the said tail fin. 9. A method of support for an airship comprising: providing an airship, said airship having a front end, a tail end and an overall length from the said front end to the said tail end and a skin, said skin having an internal surface and an external surface , a fore section proximate said front end , a central section, and an aft section proximate said tail end, said airship further having a central portion, a fore portion and an aft portion; providing a central member oriented generally fore and aft within said airship, said central member having a central portion, a fore portion and an aft portion, and said central member running said length of said airship; providing at least one central attachment point proximate to the said internal surface of said skin and which central attachment point is affixed to said internal surface of said skin by at least one consisting of the group consisting of hingedly, slidingly and fixedly; providing at least one radial strut, said at least one radial strut having a near end and a far end and an inner end and an outer end, said inner end slidingly, hingedly and lockably attached to said central member and said outer end hingedly attached to said at least one central attachment point such that said inner end may be slid along said central member with said outer end held in fixed longitudinal position with respect to the said longitudinal axis of said central member while the radial position of said outer end is free to move during collapse or expansion thus allowing the said strut to change position with respect to said central member from parallel through perpendicular; providing at least one first guy, said at least one guy having a first end and a second end; attaching said first end of said at least one first guy by at least one selected from the group consisting of slidingly, hingedly and fixedly to at least one chosen from the group consisting of said fore portion of said central member and said aft portion of said central member, and attaching said second end to said at least one central attachment point; thereby supporting the skin of said airship; using said central member, said at least one radial strut and said at least one first guy to support longitudinal compressive loads and longitudinal bending moments placed on said airship. 10. The method of claim 9 further comprising providing at least one nose strut having a fore end and an aft end, and further providing at least one fore attachment point proximate the said fore section of said skin and which is affixed to said internal surface of said skin by at least one chosen from the group consisting of hingedly, slidingly and fixedly; attaching said fore end of said at least one nose strut to said at least one fore attachment point, and further attaching said aft end of said at least one nose strut to said central member at a location aft of said at least one fore attachment point by at least one selected from the group consisting of slidingly, hingedly and fixedly. 11. The method of claim 10 further comprising providing at least one fore tensioning member having a first end and a second end; attaching said first end of said at least one fore tensioning member to said at least one fore attachment point, and further attaching said second end of said at least one fore tensioning member to said central member at a location forward of said aft end of said at least one nose strut by at least one selected from the group consisting of slidingly, hingedly and fixedly. 12. The method of claim 10 further comprising: providing at least one fore tensioning member having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said at least one fore tensioning member is attached to said at least one fore attachment point, and attaching said second end of said fore tensioning member to said central member by at least one selected from the group consisting of slidingly, hingedly and fixedly, at a point so as to make said fore tensioning member generally perpendicular to said central member. 13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of providing at least one tail strut having a fore end and an aft end, and further providing comprising at least one aft attachment point proximate the said aft section of said skin and attached thereto by at least one selected from the group consisting of slidingly, hingedly and fixedly; attaching said aft end of said at least one tail strut to said aft attachment point and attaching said fore end of said at least one tail strut to said central member in said aft portion by at least one selected from the group consisting of slidingly, hingedly and fixedly, and at a point fore of said aft attachment point wherein at least one selected from the group consisting of said at least one aft tensioning member, said at least one fore tensioning member, said at least one first guy, said at least one nose strut, said at least one tail strut and said at least one radial strut is lengthwise manually adjustable to adjust the tension of said at least one guy and to permit collapsing said support system by lengthening said guy. 14. The method of claim 9 further comprising: providing at least one tail strut having a fore end and an aft end, and further providing comprising at least one aft attachment point proximate the said aft section of said skin and attached thereto by at least one selected from the group consisting of slidingly, hingedly and fixedly; attaching said aft end of said at least one tail strut to said aft attachment point and attaching said fore end of said at least one tail strut to said central member in said aft portion by at least one selected from the group consisting of slidingly, hingedly and fixedly, and at a point fore of said aft attachment point. 15. An airship having a front end and an aft end and having an overall length from the said airship front end to the said airship aft end and an internal support structure, comprising a skin, said skin having an internal surface and an external surface, said skin further having a central portion, a fore portion proximate said front end and an aft portion proximate said tail end; further comprising a central member oriented generally fore and aft within said airship, said central member having a fore portion, a central portion and an aft portion and running said length of said airship; further comprising a plurality of central attachment points proximate to the said central portion of said internal surface of said skin and which are affixed to said internal surface of said skin by at least one chosen from the group consisting of hingedly, slidingly and fixedly; further comprising a plurality of radially oriented struts each having a first end and a second end, and each attached at said first end lockably and slidingly to said central portion of said central member so as to allow said struts to lie along said central member so as to allow collapse of the support system along said central member, and said second end attached to at least one of said central attachment points; further comprising a plurality of first guys each having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of at least one of said plurality of first guys is attached to one chosen from the group consisting of said fore portion of said central member and said aft portion of said central member, by at least one selected from the group consisting of slidingly, hingedly and fixedly, and said second end of said plurality of first guys is attached to one of said plurality of central attachment points; whereby said central member, said at least one radial strut and said at least one guy are operative to support longitudinal compressive loads and longitudinal bending moments placed on said airship. 16. The airship of claim 15 further comprising a plurality of nose struts each having a fore end and an aft end, and further comprising plurality of fore attachment points proximate the said fore portion of said skin and which is affixed to said internal surface of said skin by at least one chosen from the group consisting of hingedly, slidingly and fixedly; wherein at least one of said plurality of nose struts is attached at said fore end to one of said plurality of fore attachment point, and wherein each of said plurality of nose struts is attached at said aft end to said central member by at least one selected from the group consisting of slidingly, hingedly and fixedly, at a location aft of said at least one fore attachment point. 17. The airship of claim 15 further comprising a plurality of tail struts each having a fore end and an aft end, and further comprising a plurality of aft attachment points proximate the said aft portion of said skin and which is affixed to said internal surface of said skin by at least one chosen from the group consisting of hingedly, slidingly and fixedly; wherein each of said plurality of tail struts is attached at said aft end to said at least one of said plurality of aft attachment points and wherein said fore end of each of said plurality of tail struts is attached to said central member by at least one selected from the group consisting of slidingly, hingedly and fixedly, at a point fore of said aft attachment point.
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