Patent Publication Number: US-2009236475-A1

Title: Lift chamber

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/038,086 filed Mar. 20, 2008. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is directed toward a lifting chamber for an aircraft and more particularly to a sealed chamber that creates lift by airflow. 
     Lifting devices, such as a wing or helicopter propeller, are well known in the art, and rely upon movement to create sufficient airflow to lift an aircraft off the ground. Alternatively, a Harrier jet has blowers that provide airflow in a downward direction. While serving a purpose, conventional lifting devices leave room for improvement. Conventional aircraft require space and substantial movement to create lift, while the Harrier jet is unstable. Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a lifting device that improves upon these deficiencies. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A lift device having a generally cylindrical chamber formed by a top wall, a bottom wall, an outer wall and an inner wall. A plurality of lift members are mounted to the interior of a chamber wall and at least one fan is mounted within the chamber and an engine operatively connected to at lease one fan. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevation view of the lift chamber. 
         FIG. 2  is a top sectional view of the lift chamber. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the figures, the lifting device  10  has a generally cylindrical chamber formed by a top wall  14 , a bottom wall  16 , an outer wall  18  and an inner wall  20 . Disposed within the chamber are a plurality of lift members  22  or wings that are mounted to the interior of the chamber walls in any conventional manner. In an alternative embodiment, the lift members are pivotally mounted to the chamber walls and operatively connected to a controller  24  for selected movement by an operator. 
     Also mounted within the chamber  12  is at least one, and preferably four fans  26 . The fans  26  are operatively connected to an engine  28  such that when activated, the fans  26  generate airflow through the sealed chamber  12  and over the lift members  22 . 
     In an alternative embodiment one or more grids  30  are positioned proximate to the fans  26  to break up and deflect air flow over the lift members  22  to avoid turbulence. Liquid, gas, or solid particles can be added to the chamber  12  to thicken the air. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the top wall  14  of chamber  12  is mounted to the bottom of a device such as an airplane, a submarine, spacecraft or the like. Alternatively, any portion of chamber  12  is mounted by any means to any device in any position. 
     In operation, the engine  28  is activated which in turn activates the fans  26 . As the rotational drive speed of the engine  28  increases so does the rotational speed of the fans  26  which creates airflow within the sealed chamber  12 . As sufficient airflow is created and crosses the lift members  22 , sufficient force is created to lift the device and any object attached thereto. The device can be used with a variety of objects such as a submarine, airplane, or space craft. The device, unlike conventional lift devices is capable of re-entry into the atmosphere at slow and controlled speeds.