Patent WO-2023135521-A1 (WO)
Title: Aerial apparatus with several successive aeronautical configurations and flight method
Inventor: SOTTILE ALESSANDRO
IPC: B64B1/46
Filed: 2023-01-10
Abstract: Aerial apparatus (10) with several successive aeronautical configurations, wherein, considered in ascending flight attitude, it comprises: • - a motorized paraglider (11), including a spacecraft (11.1) and a non-pressurized sail (11.2), connected to said spacecraft by means of a plurality of ropes (11.3), arranged vertically above said spacecraft (11.1), including a fixed stem (11.4) protruding externally from the top of said sail (11.2) and enclosed in a respective tubular casing (11.5), comprising a plurality of eyelets (11.6) in the top part; • - two stratospheric sounding balloons (12, 13), containing hydrogen and with respective latex wrapping (12.1, 13.1), vertically above said sail (11.2) of the motorized paraglider (11.1) and arranged vertically one above the another, wherein one of said two sounding balloons, hereinafter referred to as the primary sounding balloon (12), has a diameter, volume of hydrogen contained and thickness of the casing greater than the corresponding sizes of the other sounding balloon, hereinafter referred to as a secondary sounding balloon (13), wherein said secondary sounding balloon (13) is above said primary sounding balloon (12); • - first mechanical cable connection means (14) arranged between said primary sounding balloon (12) and said secondary sounding balloon (13), second mechanical cable connection means (15) arranged between said primary sounding balloon (12) and suspension means (16) of said sail (11.2) of the motorized paraglider (11.1) with respect to said primary sounding balloon (12) wherein said suspension means (16) comprise: • - first coupling means (16.1) of said plurality of eyelets (11.6) of said casing (11.5) of said sail (11.2); • - second coupling means (16.2) of said stem (11.4) of said sail (11.2), which include separable mechanical connection means (16.3), configured to retain said stem (11.4) in a first operative arrangement and to release said stem (11.4) in a second operative arrangement; • - parachute means (17) constrained with respect to said second mechanical cable connection means (15); wherein: • - said two sounding balloons (12, 13) exert, in combination with each other, an aerostatic thrust sufficient to cause the ascent of said aerial apparatus (10) from the ground into the atmosphere, if said aerial apparatus (10) is not restrained by constraints; • - each of said two sounding balloons (12, 13) is not suitable for exerting, on its own, an aerostatic thrust sufficient to cause the ascent of said aerial apparatus (10); • - the hydrogen gas pressure existing in said primary sounding balloon (12) and the thickness of the casing (12.1) of said primary sounding balloon (12) are selected so as to cause the primary sounding balloon (12) to explode when it reaches an altitude of at least 42,000 meters above sea level (a.s.L); • - the hydrogen gas pressure existing in said secondary sounding balloon (13) and the thickness of the casing (13.1) of said secondary sounding balloon (13) are selected so as to cause the secondary sounding balloon (13) to explode when it reaches an altitude of about 40,000 meters above sea level (a.s.L).