GB2306426A

GB2306426A - Convertible vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2306426A
Application number: GB9521443A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ghazala Shaheen Jamil Malik
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-10-19
Filing date: 1995-10-19
Publication date: 1997-05-07
Also published as: GB9521443D0

Abstract

Vehicles such as cars, boats motorbikes, snow mobiles, and buses are variously adaptable to achieve conversion into a flying machine. Propulsion, communication and control arrangements are described as well as parachute or air bag systems for emergency landings. Control systems may be automatic.

Description

AIR TRAVEL S SYSTEM The car represents the ultimate in personal transport. mobility and the second largest personal investment for most. However when the car is used beyond a certain distance it is particularln inconvenient with regard to the stress caused by driving. Such journeys as for commuters on a daily basis are heavy on personal health. The use of the car in general is detrimental to the environment. Car technology has improved to such a degree that it is in truth wasted on our roads. The power and the speed cannot be used to the advantage of the owner due to the physical restrictions of road design. speeds and the like.

()n longer journeys the car is suitable with regard to the time of travel and flexibility but unsuitable with regard to the time taken, and personal toll in health and stress. Where a person has to attend a meeting at the other end the stress of a long journey is particularly unwelcome. In such cases people resort to air or train travel but the problem here is the lack of personal mobility at the other end. Most resolve the situation by a car hire. This however is uneconomical since a perfectly viable car is left standing at home. Further train and air travel lock the individual to the operators timetable with the loss of personal convenience and flexibility.

Where a water crossing is involved there is inevitably a long journey to the sea port. The sea journey itself slow. Sometimes the actual water crossing is very short but the journey to the crossing point never the less long and hazardous. The solution is expensive bridges or tunnels with continuous maintenance costs. In mountaneous areas the journey is executed on a slow winding roads. at times with speed as low as :3Okmh.

Technology in all areas has now reached a level where the advantages of a personal car can be combined with the speed and effeciency of air travel. The present invention discloses a system which uses a car for air travel. Systems to date have addressed the potential of using a land.

water vehicle for air travel purely for training. recreational purpose. The invention disclosed herein is designed to revolutionise the process of personal travel. The invention further discloses a means which uses the current car technology on the roads t.o ensure immediate applicability and efficient use of the current state of the art. The technique involves a car being connected to an .kir Travel Unit (ATU) or an air propulsion system.

In an embodiment the car is driven into an ATU. a plane. the car wheels are locked into a gearing system to drive the air propulsion system of the ATU.

Xn embodiment of a car. vehicle. boat and the like with a power system means with means for quick efficient disengagement from the normal vehicle propulsion systems (wheels. fans) and connection to the air propulsion system of the ATU.

The advantage in the above two cases is the absence for the ATU to have an independent engine system to run the air propulsion system thus making the ATU lighter An embodiment of a car. vehicle clash board display system to serve as a cockpit control system for the ATU in addition to the normal use.

In an embodiment the ATU with an in depen dent air propulsion system. for use in an emergency. with small. old cars.vehicles. models or those with ineffecient engine or other s!-stems. kn embodiment of the ATU or similar system designed to test the various vehicle systems for suitability and efficiency of operation with an ATU. Nn embodiment of the ATU with a separate cockpit seat/position for a pilot. The ATU system controlled by a eomputerlsed control unit or a plurality of such units to ensure a fail safe control system.The control units resident in the NTI i. in the car or dispersed in botch The control system with means of full or partial control over the operation of the car and the various car systems. Suhc as the engine system, gear system. brake system. fuel system, all car systems in general. The control system with means for selection of destinations. route. speed.

stops, journey data in general. with means of automatic take off and land. With means of full automatic control for the duration of the journey.

The control system with means to permit the driver to acquire direct pilot control related to his/her skill. Control transfer geared for a novice/beginner. skilled/experienced and expert/master. Such a system for the additional use of pilot.navagational. air skills training.

With means to execute enjoyable sequences for fun automatically or under request. The control system with means to abort. prevent dangerous manoeuvres while under direct pilot control.

The ATU control system in communication with a communication control network consisting of ground stations and or satellite stations and or base stations and or radar systems and or other air control unit systems. The network system entirely or partly new, or existing network and communication system or systems consisting of satellites. ground stations. radar systems reprogrammed to operate for this invention.

An embodiment of the ATU design to land, take off on the ground. An embodiment of the ATU design to land, take off on snow. An embodiment of the ATU design to ensure ability to float.

land. take off on water. An embodiment of the ATU designed for a combination of ground situations land and or water and or snow and the like.

An embodiment of the ATU design with automatic parachute system(s) and or an air bag system(s) for controlled. soft and safe emergency landing. An embodiment of the ATU design with means for the system to upright itself in an abnormal land and or water and or snow landing. An embodiment of the ATU design with means for the system to upright itself by means, amongst others, of air. gas bags operated manually. automatically. An embodiment of the AIR TRAR!EL UNIT system to transmit emergency requests automatically. manual. with means incorporating the black box aircraft system. An embodiment of the AIR TRAVEL UNIT system to record. receive. transmit pictures. images in fixed or live mode.

A control system with a recording means to record the execution of a journey in it's entirely or in part only. take off/ landing. ground/air manouvres. actions and the like for subsequent automatic execution.

An embodiment of a car. vehicle. boat or a vehicle in general designed with the specific: intention of use with an ATU. such a design incorporating light materials. effecient aerodynamic concepts.

effecient engine. gear. brake. radar. communication. fuel. dash board. fire control. air conditioning systems. all car systems in general.

An embodiment of the ATU consisting of combinations and permutations of embodiments disclosed herein with variations obvious to persons skilled in the various arts.

?although the invention is designed with a car in mind in principle it is not restricted to such alone. The design can be altered in various ways to accommodate larger road vehicles and or others such as boats. snowmobiles. motor bikes. trucks. buses and the like.

No limitation is implied upon the design of the ATU and its components since to a person skilled in the art of aerodynamics many variations are possible.

No limitation is implied upon the materials used for the assembly of the ATU and its components since to a person skilled in the art of material technology many options will be obvious.

No limitation is implied upon the design of mechanical aspects of the ATU and it's components since to a person skilled in the art of mechanical engineering many options will be obvious.

No limitation is implied upon the means of connecting the vehicles power system to the ATU's air propulsion system since to a person skilled in the relevant art many options will be obvious.

No limitation is implied upon the control system for the ATU and it's components since to a person skilled in the art of control engineering many options will be obvious.

No limitation is implied upon the means for loading driving a vehicle onto. into. for connection with the ATU since to a person skilled in the relevant art many options will be obvious.

No limitation is implied upon the means for fixing, locking the vehicle to the ATU since to a person skilled in the relevant art many options will be obvious.

figures: 1. An ATU with wings under the vehicle.

2. An ATU with wings above the vehicle.

3. Typical figures of ATU design for operation on land.

4. Typical figures of ATU design for operation on water.

5. Typical figures of ATU design for operation on snow.

(i. Typical figures of ATU design for operation on land and water and snow.

An at ATU with propulsion system under the wings.

8. An ATU with propulsion system above the wings.

9. An ATU with under wings and above wings air propulsion system attached to a car.

10. An ATU with under wings and under wings air propulsion system attached to a car.

11. An ATU with above wings and above wings air propulsion system attached to a car.

12. An ATU with above wings and under wings air propulsion system attached to a car.

1:3. An ATU with under wings and above wings air propulsion system attached to a boat.

14. An ATU with under wings and under wings air propulsion system attached to a boat.

15. An ATU with above wings and above wings air propulsion system attached to a boat.

16. An ATU with above wings and under wings air propulsion system attached to a boat.

Claims

Claims

1. An air travel system for use with a variety of vehicles such as cars, boats, motor bikes, snow mobiles. buses and the like, characterised by physically flying with the attached vehicle.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 characterised by the physical attachment. fixing of the vehicle with the air travel unit.

3. A system as claimed in any preceding claim where a vehicles is driven.manovered into.onto an Air travel unit and the vehicles propulsion means wheels.engine are locked into a gearing. power system of the air travel unit to power. drive the air propulsion system of the air travel unit.

4. An embodiment of a car, vehicle, boat and the like with a power system means with means for quick. efficient disengagement from the normal propulsion systems wheels. fans and connection to the air propulsion system of the AIR TRAVEL UNIT as claimed in any preceding claim.

An An embodiment of a vehicle. car, mtor bile, snowmbile. boat and the like designed with the specfic intention of use with an AIR TRAVEL UNIT, as claimed in the preceding claims, such a design incorporating light materials. effecient aerodynamic concepts, effecient engine. gear, brake. radar, communication, fuel, dash board. fire control. air conditioning systems. all systems in general.

G. An embodiment of a vehciles dash board. control. display system with means to serve as a cockpit control system for the AIR TRAVEL UNIT when attached to an air travel unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in addition to the normal use.

7. An embodiment of the AIR TRAVEL UNIT as claimed in any preceding claim with an independent air propulsion system.

8. An embodiment of the AIR TRAVEL UNIT as claimed in any preceding claim designed to test the various systems of the attached vehicle for suitability and effeciency of operation with an AIR TRAVEL UNIT.

9. An embodiment of the AIR TRAVEL UNIT as claimed in any preceding claim with a separate cockpit seat/position for a pilot.

10. An embodiment of the AIR TRAVEL UNIT as claimed in any preceding claim with a computerised control system. unit or a plurality of such units.systems.

11. An embodiment of the AIR TRAVEL UNIT as claimed in any preceding claim with a computerised control system(s) resident in the AIR TRAVEL UNIT. in the attached vehicle or in both.

12. The control systems as claimed in the preceding claims with means of full control of the operation of the attached vehicle and its systems. the engine system. gear system. brake system. fuel system. all neccessary systems.

1:3. The control system as claimed in the preceding claims with means for selection of destinations. route. speed. stops. journey data in general. with means f automatic take off.

land. with means of full automatic control for the duration of the journey.

14. The control system as claimed in the preceding claims with means to permit the driver to acquire direct pilot control such control transfer on variable scale from minimal to maximum.

15. The control system as claimed in the preceding claims with means to abort. prevent dangerous manoeuvres while under direct pilot control.

16. The control system as claimed in the preceding claims with means to execute enjoyable sequences for fun. automatically or under request.

17. A control system as claimed in the preceding claims with a recording means to record the execution of a journey in it's entirity or in part only. for subsequent automatic execution.

18. The AIR TRMiEL UNIT control system as claimed in the preceding claims in communication with a communication control network consisting of ground stations and or satellite stations and or base stations and or radar systems and or other air travel unit control system(s).

19. The network communication and control system(s) as claimed in the preceding claims entirely or partly new. such communication and control systems consisting of satellites.

ground stations. radar systems prorammed. reprogrammed to operate for this invention.

20. An embodiment of the AIR TRAVEL UNIT as claimed in the preceding claims designed to land. take off for a variety or combination of ground situations . land and or water and or snow and the like.

21. An embodiment of the AIR TRAVEL UNIT as claimed in the preceding claims with automatic parachute systems and or an air bag system(s) for controlled. soft and safe emergency landing.

22. An embodiment of the AIR TRAVEL UNIT as claimed in the preceding claims with means for the system to upright itself in an abnormal land and or water and or snow landing.

2:3. An embodiment of the AIR TRAVEL UNIT as claimed in the preceding claims with means for the system to upright itself by means. amongst others. of air. gas bags operated manually and or automatically.

24. An embodiment of the AIR TRAVEL UNIT as claimed in the preceding claims with means for the system to transmit emergency data. information. requests automatically. manually.

with means incorporating the black box aircraft system.

25. An embodiment of the AIR TRAVEL UNIT as claimed in the preceding claims with means for the system to record. receive. transmit pictures. images in fixed or live mode.

26. An embodiment of the AIR TRAVEL UNIT as claimed in the preceding claims consisting of combinations and permutations of embodiments disclosed herein with variations obvious to persons skilled in the various arts.

27. An air travel system substantially as descnbed. with reference to the drawings.