Abstract:
An aircraft, comprising a body; a structure providing flying of the aircraft; and a structure for preventing or at least reducing chances of crash of the aircraft in the event of malfunction, the preventing and reducing structure include a structure for preventing a direct hit of the body of the aircraft against a surface.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to aircrafts. It is known that aircrafts experience problems, malfunctions, etc. and sometimes crash with concomitant loss of life of their passengers.  
           [0002]    It is known to provide some means for at least reducing impact against the ground, as disclosed for example in our patent application Ser. No. 10/054,191. Some means are also disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,131,852, 5,944,282, 5,899,414, 6,042,051, 4,923,145, 5,356,097, 5,921,503, 576,778. It is believed that the existing aircrafts can be further improved to increase a probability of preventing or at least reducing the impact during the crash.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an aircraft which is a further improvement of the existing aircrafts.  
           [0004]    In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in an aircraft which has a body; means providing flying of the aircraft; and means for preventing or at least reducing chances of crash of the aircraft in the event of malfunction, said preventing and reducing means include a means for preventing a direct hit of the body of the aircraft against a surface.  
           [0005]    The means for preventing a direct impact of the aircraft against the surface can be formed in accordance with the present invention as means creating a pressure under the aircraft, as explosive means, as a plurality of small explosive means, as a multi-part additional bottom, as an additional bottom provided with legs, as a plurality of bottoms moveable relative to one another, and also has an extendable and retractable helicopter-type propeller.  
           [0006]    The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a view showing an aircraft in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a view showing the aircraft in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is a view showing the aircraft in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a view showing an aircraft in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 is a view showing an aircraft in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 6 is a view showing an aircraft in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 7 is a view showing an aircraft in accordance with a seventh embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0014]    An aircraft in accordance with the present invention, formed for example as an airplane has a body which is identified as a whole reference numeral  1 . It is also provided with means for flying the aircraft, which are not shown since they are well known in the art, for example has corresponding engines.  
         [0015]    In accordance with the present invention, the aircraft is provided with means for at least reducing impact against the ground or preventing at least partially a crash of the aircraft against the ground. The preventing means in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention are formed in different ways.  
         [0016]    The impact preventing or reducing means shown in FIG. 1 include means for creating a pressure or a pressure wave under the body. In the embodiment of FIG. 1 they include a plurality of nozzles  5  located under the body  1  and operated for expelling a medium creating a pressure wave, for example air, oxygen, etc. Of course, in addition to the nozzles there is a source for expelling the medium under pressure, for example a compressor, etc. The medium  6  under the body of the aircraft creates a pressure wave which reduces the free fall of the aircraft. In addition, dampening elements or impact absorbing of various types can be located between the main body  1  of the aircraft and an additional bottom which is identified with reference numeral  1 ′. The additional bottom  1 ′ in a normal position can be coextensive with the bottom of the body  1 , and also it can be introduced into a recess provided in the lower bottom of the body  1 . The dampening or absorbing elements can be hydraulic, pneumatic, rubber-like, etc. In addition, an air cushion  4  is located under the bottom of the body  1  or between the bottom of the body  1  and the additional bottom  1 ′. Therefore, a multi-stage process is provided. First, the pressure wave of the medium  6  reduces the speed of free fall of the aircraft, then the additional bottom  1  moves upwardly during impact against the ground slower because of the dampening elements  3 , and finally the air cushion  4  further reduces the impact. In addition, a parachute  2  can be attached to the aircraft at the top.  
         [0017]    In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the aircraft  1  is also provided with dampening or absorbing element  3 , the air cushion  4  and the parachute  2 . In addition, an explosive element  7  can be located in the aircraft and during the fall thrown downwardly so as to explode and to create an explosive wave  8 . The explosive wave  8  also reduces the speed of fall of the aircraft, while additional elements  2 ,  3 ,  4  assist in reducing the force of the impact.  
         [0018]    In the embodiment showing FIG. 3, the aircraft has the body  1 , the parachute  2 , a plurality of absorbing or dampening elements  3 , and possibly an air cushion  4 . The means for at least reducing impact against the ground includes a plurality of small explosive charges which can be stored initially in the aircraft and then expelled from the aircraft under the bottom  1 ′ to explode and to provide a plurality of sources of explosive waves, so as to reduce the speed of falling of the aircraft on the ground.  
         [0019]    In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the aircraft that has a body  1  and is provided with a parachute  2 , a plurality of dampening or absorbing elements  3  and an air cushion  4 . In addition, under the additional bottom  1 ′ a plurality of elements  10  can be provided. The elements  10  can be formed as telescopical cylinders, hollow rectangles etc., which can be telescopically connected to one another so as to be folded together in an inoperative position and to be unfolded to reduce the impact of the aircraft against ground. A plurality of additional dampening or amortizing elements  11  can be provided between the elements  10 . As a result, during impact of the aircraft against the ground the elements or steps  10  are subjected to impact  1  and are successively destroyed or to fold one after the other, with overcoming a resistance of the absorbers  11 .  
         [0020]    In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the aircraft has a body  1 , parachute  2 , a plurality of dampening or amortizing elements C and air cushion  4 . In addition, it has a plurality of legs  12  located under the bottom of the aircraft or more particularly under the additional bottom  1 ′.  
         [0021]    In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the aircraft has a body  1 , a parachute  2  and a plurality of additional bottoms  1 ′,  1 ″,  1 ′″. The additional bottoms  1 ′,  1 ′,  1 ′″ in a normal position are folded together and stored either immediately under the main bottom of the body  1  or in a recess formed inside the body  1 . A plurality of dampening or absorbing elements  3 ′ are located between the additional bottoms  1 ′,  1 ″,  1 ′″. In a dangerous situation, the additional bottoms are unfolded so as to be spaced from one another, for example pivoted relative to one another so that first the lower most additional bottom  1 ′ is subjected to an impact, and then subsequent additional bottoms, with dampening action of the dampening or absorbing elements  3 ′. An air cushion  4  can be also provided between the additional bottoms and the main bottom.  
         [0022]    In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the aircraft having a body  1  is provided with additional means which convert it actually into a helicopter. In particular, it is provided with an impeller or a plurality of wings arranged on a shaft  14  and rotatable by a motor  17 . In a normal situation the wings  13  are folded to occupy less space and the wings  13 , together with the motor  17  and the shaft  14  are withdrawn Into a recess  15  in the body  1  of the aircraft. In the event of a danger of a crash, a corresponding switch is turned on and the shaft  14  with the wings  13  is displaced outwardly of the body  1 , the wings  13  are unfolded, and the impeller with the plurality of wings start rotating so as to actually convert the aircraft  1  into a helicopter. Thereby, the crash is prevented.  
         [0023]    It will be understood that each of the constructions described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types differing from the types described above.  
         [0024]    While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.  
         [0025]    Without further analysis the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.