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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7364114 | Aircraft The present invention concerns an aircraft having a plurality of lifting and thrust rotors, with an electric motor and an inverter for each motor. In order to provide an aircraft having a greater payload, connecting bars are provided between the motors. In that resp... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7210549 | Air board An air board including a platform upon which an operator of the vehicle can be supported; and a support arrangement for providing an air flow for supporting the platform above a surface, wherein the direction of movement of the air board is at least partially contro... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7204672 | Multi-modal forced vortex device A multi-modal forced vortex device is described having a top plate and a side wall creating a partially enclosed volume. The top plate includes one or more adjustable fluid openings to permit, or restrict, fluid flow into and out of the partially enclosed volume. Ro... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7055638 | Virtual airdam and method for a vehicle An air curtain (jet flow) replaces the conventional air-diverting baffle on the underside of a vehicle's front engine compartment to reduce drag and increase volumetric air flow for cooling. ... | 06/06/2006 |
| 6591928 | Hovercraft The invention relates to a hovercraft, comprising at least one fan for producing an air cushion, and at least one thrust unit, which acts on the top surface (4) of the craft and which is used to propel it and/or to control its direction. Both the fan and ... | 07/15/2003 |
| 6567731 | System and method incorporating feedforward for motor vehicle chassis control A control system for a plurality of motor vehicle chassis subsystems comprises a reference model, a state estimator, a feedforward controller, and a feedback controller. The reference model computes desired states of the chassis subsystems. The state esti... | 05/20/2003 |
| 6411872 | Vehicle controlling apparatus To secure normal operation and then restart a microprocessor (CPU) when a CPU built into an on-vehicle electronic apparatus runs away. A number of on-vehicle loads driven from a CPU, a watchdog timer for monitoring the CPU to reset and restart it on occur... | 06/25/2002 |
| 6230836 | Aerodynamic automobile An automobile having a chassis and an outer cladding in the form of an airfoil with the top roof wall forming the pressure surface and the bottom wall the forming the suction surface with the front of the automobile acting as a leading edge and in the rea... | 05/15/2001 |
| 6216599 | Ground effect transport system A transportation system has an air cushion vehicle in a U-shaped or W-shaped channel in the ground. The channel provides support and directional stability for the air cushion vehicle during transit along its length. This system assures high speed overland... | 04/17/2001 |
| 5697468 | Spoiler system for ground effect vehicles A ground effect vehicle wherein a flap coupled to a spoiler is provided on the wings in order to break lift when the craft starts to leave ground effect travel in order to avoid flight out of ground effect.... | 12/16/1997 |
| 5655616 | Hovercraft and process of regulating air cushion The surface effect vehicle comprises a plurality of lift fans for generating an air cushion, each of the fans having a drive with a motor and a regulating circuit with sensors and actuators for acting on the air cushion, each of the drives having an assoc... | 08/12/1997 |
| 5454440 | Sidewall air cushion vehicle A sidewall air cushion vehicle or side effect ship (SES) includes a pair of parallel body members which are connected to each other by a rigid structure above the water surface, a flexible bow skirt in the front of the vehicle and a flexible stern skirt i... | 10/03/1995 |
| 5307893 | Air cushion vehicle having volute side thrusters An air cushion vehicle having improved maneuverability is produced by providing air discharge vents for diverting at least a portion of the pressurizing cushion air from the side of the volute housing opposite that to which the vehicle is being turned, an... | 05/03/1994 |
| 5195602 | Stabilized air cushion vehicle An air cushion vehicle has a substantially-endless downward and inward directed rigid primary nozzle supplied with air under pressure for producing an air curtain that creates and confines a central primary air cushion beneath the vehicle which mainly sup... | 03/23/1993 |
| 5096012 | Direction and lift control for hovercraft A hovercraft includes a hull having a plurality of diffusion apertures and air skirt for providing a supporting air cushion. An engine drives a propeller which produces an airflow. A movable elevator dynamically divides the propeller airflow between lift ... | 03/17/1992 |
| 5082079 | Passively stable hovering system A flight system capable of passively stable hover comprises an apparatus defining a vertical axis, and including multiple upright ducts spaced about the axis; fluid momentum generators in the ducts to effect flow of fluid downwardly in the ducts; and flui... | 01/21/1992 |
| 4843991 | Surface effect transport vehicle including improved lift means A surface effect transport vehicle is provided having a structure supported by a cushion of pressurized air generated from a blower. The propulsive source of the vehicle is independent from the power source of the blower. The propulsion source includes at... | 07/04/1989 |
| 4813508 | Modular independent air cushion suspension system A new air cushion support system for air cushion vehicles is composed of a plurality of annular peripheral jet units or modules distributed in an array in a common plane. Each peripheral jet module develops a separate air cushion or air bubble under the m... | 03/21/1989 |
| 4607715 | Proportional pneumatic control system for aircushions A controller operative to adjust the supply of compressed air to aircushions, in response to changes in load, includes a pneumatically-driven pressure regulator and damped means to accumulate or vent control pressure in response to a sensed distance betwe... | 08/26/1986 |
| 4529054 | Fluid flow control systems A fluid flow control system for connecting a source of pressurized fluid with a region of varying pressure, comprises a fluid supply duct having an inlet end connectable to the pressure source end and an outlet end connectable to the region of varying pre... | 07/16/1985 |
| 4518054 | Air cushion vehicle provided with a lift system with automatic transversal air distribution An air cushion vehicle is provided with a lift system including a flexible keel. The vehicle has a rigid body which is supported on an air cushion. The air cushion is divided into two longitudinal semichambers by a flexible keel and is further defined by ... | 05/21/1985 |
| 4433745 | Air cushion vehicle An apparatus is provided for effecting rapid changes in the geometry of a flexible wall structure forming at least a part of the cushion seal on an air cushion vehicle. The apparatus comprises one or more inflatable members co-operating with the flexible ... | 02/28/1984 |
| 4363372 | Gas-cushion vehicles A gas-cushion vehicle is provided with a system for reducing dynamic variations in cushion gas pressure. The system comprises a gas-flow outlet connection between a space occupied by cushion gas and the atmosphere. A flexible wall member of inflatable for... | 12/14/1982 |
| 4228753 | Fluidic controlled diffusers for turbopumps An arrangement for controlling the apparent curvature of diffuser vanes of turbine fan to reduce stalling of the vanes and increase efficiency of the fan output over a wider range of flow demand. Sensors responsive to pressure on opposite sides of the van... | 10/21/1980 |
| 4204603 | High-capacity crane with counter-weight device A high capacity crane comprises a structure which is rotatable about a vertical axis on a corner frame supported on the ground and which supports a jib for raising a load and a counter-jib from which is suspended a counter-weight, the counter-weight being... | 05/27/1980 |
| 4131174 | Heave alleviation and control device for a surface effect ship A heave alleviation and control device for a surface effect ship having a central plenum chamber pressurized from a source of pressure interconnected to a stern seal plenum chamber by a duct. The duct contains a first valve positioned between the inlet fr... | 12/26/1978 |
| 4071207 | Vertical take-off aircraft A wingless vertical take-off aircraft having multiple ducted propeller rotors with controllable pitch blades symmetrically mounted in the forward and the rear portions and on both sides of the aircraft with the ducts angled downwardly at an acute angle to... | 01/31/1978 |
| 3968852 | Stabilizing means for air cushion vehicles An air cushion vehicle is provided with at least one stabilizing device comprising first and second members formed from endless bands of flexible impermeable material attached at first edges to the underside of the vehicle so as to extend downwardly there... | 07/13/1976 |
