EP0148849A1 - Landing, parking and take-off installation for helicopters and other air vehicles requiring similar conditions - Google Patents

Abstract

A facility that can be erected above ground, on ground, or underground for landing, parking, and taking off helicopters and other aerial vehicles requiring similar conditions. It has at the top two landing platforms (1) and (1'), comprising two large hoists surmounted by their machinery represented generally at (6) and (6'). These two large hoists serve the platforms below designed as parking areas (7) and (7') and as take-off areas (8) and (8'). All of the platforms are supported by peripheral structures (9) and (9'), the latter determining internal volumes for the various habitable functional destinations. These peripheral structures, around two central bearing cores (11) and (11'), supporting the platforms can be replaced by an external peripheral structure over the entire perimeter of the installation, partly represented at (16) and (16'). In the latter case, the landing platforms (1) and (1') also become take-off platforms, those below being exclusively reserved for parking helicopters and other aerial vehicles requiring similar conditions. Among the many applications presented by the invention, the most immediate is that of a large capacity helipad above the ground, on the ground or underground, which has the advantage, according to the three cases, of a low footprint on the ground surface.

Description

 LANDING, PARKING AND TAKE-OFF INSTALLATION FOR HELICOPTERS AND OTHER AIR VEHICLES REQUIRING SIMILAR CONDITIONS.

The invention relates to a landing, parking, take-off installation for helicopters and other air vehicles requiring similar conditions, characterized by a very large capacity for a very limited surface area grip. In particular, the invention aims to provide an installation in which access to the parking area, helicopters and other air vehicles requiring similar conditions, can be done without having to have unnecessarily large maneuvering and taxiing areas. . To this end, the installation according to the invention is equipped with two large independent and juxtaposed freight elevators which can move vertically along an infrastructure bringing together several juxtaposed and superimposed platforms, the latter being able to be erected from the level from the ground or above the ground. While each of these platforms constitutes a parking and take-off area, for one or more helicopters or other air vehicles requiring similar conditions, the last two platforms located at the top constitute the landing areas of said vehicles. .

A feature of the invention lies in the fact that any landing, being carried out on one of the two platforms at the top, is systematically located in the opposite direction from one of the parking platforms below themselves served by one of the two large lifts receiving the helicopters once their blades are folded manually or automatically. It should be noted that this installation, systematically presenting a reversal of the landing vis-à-vis the parking lot, has the major advantage of allowing simple and direct access by manual rolling or towed by a small tractor to bring the vehicles on their parking area, blades folded for helicopters, initially and on their take-off area, blades deployed for helicopters, in a second step.

The variant that constitutes the installation of the underground installation has other advantages of this invention which will emerge in the final description of this landing, parking and take-off installation for helicopters and other air vehicles requiring similar conditions. according to the invention.

This description is given by way of example only and does not limit the invention. The reference notations refer to the appended figures.

FIG. 1 is a front plunging view, the cut lines of which indicate the non-limitation in height of

1 * landing, parking and take-off installation for helicopters and other air vehicles requiring similar conditions according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a plunging profile view, the sectional lines of which indicate the non-limitation in height of the landing, parking and take-off installation for helicopters and other air vehicles requiring similar conditions according to the invention.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a set of two platforms connected by the two large freight elevators and a pedestrian walkway, this set being located at any level but below the two landing platforms from the top of the installation according to the invention.

FIG. 2 represents in general by the reference (2 ') one of the two small independent elevators of the installation, this being surmounted by its machinery represented in general by the reference (3' ). These two small freight elevators arranged symmetrically, as shown in Figure 1 generally by the references (2) and (2 '), are each intended for the transport of a container whose full capacity can reach a load of '' about one ton of fuel for helicopters and other air vehicles.

Indeed, in the case where a helicopter or other aerial vehicle, after landing on one of the two platforms of the summit, these represented in FIG. 1 by the general references (1) and (1 ′), n not consider leave quickly and must therefore use the parking areas on the lower platforms, the latter shown in Figure 2 by the references

(7) and (7 '), it must be considered that there is an absolute necessity, for safety reasons, to siphon the tanks of helicopters and other aerial vehicles in a container.

This container is then towed by a small tractor towards one of the two small freight elevators, one of which is represented in FIG. 2 in general by the reference (2 ') Then, this container is lowered by the one of the two small semi-internal freight elevators along one of the two walls opposite the installation, these represented in FIG. 1 by the references (15) and (15 ′). Then this container arrived in the basement is stored in this place, constituting a fuel replenishment reserve, shown in Figures 1 and 2 generally by the references (17) and (17 ').

It is only after this fuel containerization operation that the helicopter, once its blades folded manually or automatically, is towed towards one of the two large freight elevators, these represented in FIG. 2 d 'generally by the references (5) and (5') surmounted by the locations of their respective machineries shown in Figures 1 and 2 generally by the references (6) and (6 '). It is therefore one of these two large freight elevators which will descend the helicopter, or any other aerial vehicle in the opposite direction from the platform where the landing took place, on one of the areas of the platforms. parking forms located below represented in FIG. 2 by the references (7) and (7 ′).

In Figure 1 is shown generally by the reference (14) the receiving infrastructure containing the machinery of the two large freight elevators.

On the landing platforms, represented in FIG. 1 by the references (1) and (1 ′), the passengers have the possibility, as soon as the helicopter and other air vehicles are immobilized upon landing, of go towards the opening giving onto the pedestrian bridge represented in figure 2 by the reference (4) and then in using this footbridge, connected to that below by one of the two spiral descending stairs shown in Figure 3 generally by the references (12) and (12 '), pedestrians can go to one two central cores carrying the installation, represented in FIG. 3 by the references (11) and (11 '), in which for each of them a door is fitted, represented in FIG. 3 by the references (13) and (13 '). These doors give access to the pedestrian elevators inside each of the carrying cores of the installation to allow pedestrians an immediate relationship with all of the levels made for the installation according to the invention. Each of the platforms is supported by a peripheral structure, represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 by the references (9) and (9 '), around a central load-bearing core represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 by the references (11 ) and (11 ').

The internal volume determined by the peripheral structures represented in FIG. 1 by the references (9) and (9 '), depending on whether one removes, inside said volume, a greater or lesser number of partition walls , can be used for various habitable functional destinations.

This installation presents from the exit of the two large freight elevators, represented in FIG. 3 by the references (5) and (5 ′), parking platforms whose circular principle around a central core (11) and (11 '), authorizes the manual rolling or towing maneuver by a small tractor bringing the helicopters, blades folded over their parking area as shown in Figure 2 by the references (7) and (7').

The take-off area, necessary for taxiing for the positioning of the helicopters and for the deployment of their blades, is represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 by the references (8) and (8 ′) for each of the superimposed platforms.

The take-off area, represented in general in FIG. 2 by the reference (8 '), is wider and larger than the parking area as shown in Figure 2 by references (7) and (7 ').

The parking areas, represented in FIG. 2 by the references (7) and (7 ′), provide an excess parking area for a helicopter, blades folded back and thus allows easy access possibilities for maintenance and long-term repairs, both around the vehicle and in its upper part thanks to the margin of free space provided by the inclination of the peripheral structure, the latter shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in general by the references (9) and (9 '), supporting the upper platform. The interventions necessary for maintenance or repairs in the lower part of the vehicle are made easy by removing the hatches which constitute the floor of the parking areas, represented in FIG. 2 generally by the

(7) and (7 '), these parking areas being located above the roof of the peripheral structure, represented in FIG. 2 generally by the reference (9'). This amounts to saying that the repairer uses the recess shown in FIG. 2 in general by the reference (10), this recess therefore being inserted between the roof of the peripheral support structure, represented in FIG. 2 by the reference (9 ') and the floor constituting the parking area, represented in FIG. 2 generally by the references (7) and (7'). This peripheral recess, around the two central bearing cores represented in FIG. 1 by the references (11) and (11 '), also has the utility of considerably damping the noise and the vibrations during the taxiing maneuvers for takeoff.

The invention of this installation also makes it possible to use the take-off platforms, represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 in general by the references

(8) and (8 '), which always remain available even if a vehicle must stay very long for repair reasons on one of the two parking areas shown in Figure 2 by the reference (7) thereby leaving the 'other parking and driving surface, represented in figure 2 by the reference (7'), available for another vehicle wishing to take off on the take-off area, the latter represented in FIG. 2 generally by the reference (8 ′).

In the case where the installation is entirely carried out in the basement, only the last two platforms at the top of the installation remain integrated into the surface of the ground and are used for landing but also for take-off depending on whether the one or the other of these two surfaces, represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 generally by the references (1) and (1 ′), remains alternately usable.

Therefore all the platforms in the basement no longer integrating take-off areas, as we have previously described, therefore becomes an exclusively parking and maintenance installation in which the helicopters, blades folded for rolling maneuvers, adopt the same circular principle around a central carrying core, the latter represented in FIG. 3 by the references (11) and (11 '). All the platforms in the basement can be used over the entire height of the installation thanks to the two large freight elevators, represented in FIGS. 2 and 3 by the references (5) and (5 ′), these serving all the juxtaposed and superimposed platforms, one bringing the desired level of underground for parking, the helicopter with folded blades and other aerial and alternating vehicles, the other receiving the said vehicles for the ascent surface on one of the two take-off platforms at the top of the installation, the latter represented in FIG. 1 by the references (1) and (1 ').

When the installation is designed underground, as we have just described, the peripheral structures, around a central core, supporting the platforms, represented in FIG. 1 by the references (9) and (9 ' ), are replaced by an external peripheral structure of the installation. This external peripheral structure is partly represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 by the references (16) and (16 '). This external peripheral structure produced around the entire periphery of the installation, like the represents FIG. 3 by the references (16) and (16 ′), therefore ensures, in the case of an installation of the installation in the basement, the external vertical support of the circular platforms around the central load-bearing cores, the latter represented in FIG. 3 by the references (11) and (11 ').

When the installation is erected above the ground or on the ground with an external peripheral structure, represented in part in FIGS. 1 and 2 by the references (16) and (16 ′), only the last two platforms of the summit for landing are also used, alternately, for takeoff, these represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 by the references (1) and (1 ′). In this case, as described above for an underground installation, the lower platforms supported over their entire periphery by an external peripheral structure, represented in FIG. 3 by the references (16) and ( 16 '), are exclusively reserved for parking helicopters and other air vehicles requiring similar conditions.

From the description which has just been given, both for installation in the basement, on the ground or above the ground, it will be noted that in these three cases it allows, in addition to its multiple installation function for the landing, parking and take-off, to accommodate a large number of helicopters and other air vehicles requiring similar conditions and this for a space requirement on the very restricted ground surface of the installation according to the invention. It will also be noted that the installation, when carried out on the ground or above the ground, in these two cases, inside the peripheral structures supporting the platforms and around the two load-bearing central cores, volumes at various habitable functional destinations completing in an integrated manner, in said installation, the landing, parking and take-off functions of the installation according to the invention.

It is obvious that the installation can receive modifications in particular as regards the constitution and the number of elements which intervene in its realization. tion without departing from the scope of the invention.

This invention can be used as an installation in the business districts of cities, thus allowing a direct connection from airports - as an above-ground installation used to decongest cities from road networks and other traditional modes of transport - as an installation for a large-capacity heliport above the ground, on the ground or in the basement, presenting in these three cases the advantage of a small footprint on the ground surface - as a prestigious installation as part of a universal exhibition or of Olympic games or other temporary events or permanent necessities - as an installation integrating various public services: fire safety, air traffic control, urban police, maritime police, medical emergencies, various offices, accommodation, etc. - as an installation integrating community services : gatherings for conferences or tele-audio-meetings, equipment and t various materials for storing or exchanging foodstuffs and various products associated with extra-community exchanges by helicopter or airborne transport - as an installation integrating leisure activities such as: hotels, restaurants, cultural events, various entertainment, etc. - such as installation integrating dwellings associated with an infrastructure of tertiary and secondary activities in regions with little or no road network access - as an installation, adapted to individual means of air travel and made available to the community or squadrons of helicotaxis, air taxis, freeing the ground while contributing to the elimination of congestion on the surface and maintenance of millions of kilometers of roads and highways, millions of road signs as well as a very large number of bridges and tunnels and other traditional additional congestion - such as installation exclusively in the basement, preserving the inhabitants and the diversity of goods from extreme cold, sandstorms or even breaths caused by the explosions of various bombs with radioactive or bacteriological fallout; all this becoming operational thanks to extra-community relations via the air provided by the association of air-taxis and air-taxis hermetic and pressurized and washable externally, on the ground surface, between each installation movement in installation as many links of communications for inter-complements of various services necessary over the entire extent of a territory - as an installation superimposed on support legs above bodies of water to establish communications while freeing up cities or too dense agglomerations on the edge of large aquatic areas - as an installation superimposed on support legs above sea level for oil camps or other types of operations or production, aquacultures, etc. - as an installation superimposed on large support feet above forests, savannahs and other natural spaces, thus saving the environment, thanks to its small footprint - as an installation superimposed on small load-bearing feet making it possible to free the inhabitants and the various goods, from the said installation, floods or aquatic areas in certain regions of the world - as repetitive installations throughout the extent of a country or a continent wishing to free the soil to save large areas for agriculture, livestock, natural ecological reserves and the exploitation of natural energies from biomass, solar, solar water and wind, as it could be envisaged in the case of a radical solution for a new development of living space, in developing countries or in industrialized countries wishing to multiply this installation according to the 'invention.

Claims

1. Landing, parking and take-off installation for helicopters and other air vehicles requiring similar conditions in accordance with FIGS. 1 and 2 and 3, characterized in that it has two or more sets of two juxtaposed platforms superimposed , Figures 1 and 2 in (1) and (1 ') or on the entire periphery in (8) and (8') and in (7) and (7 '), served by two large freight elevators, Figures 1 and 2 and 3 in (5) and (5 '), which may contain helicopters, folded blades, and other aerial vehicles, thus allowing the entire installation to receive, either above the ground, on the ground or in basement, a variable number of helicopters and other aerial vehicles for a limited surface area.

2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the landing platforms, Figures 1 and 2 in (1) and (1 '), parking Figure 2 in (7) and (7') and takeoff Figures 1 and 2 in (8) and (8 '), in the case of an above ground or on the ground, are supported by a peripheral structure, Figures 1 and 2 in (9) and (9' ) around a central load-bearing core, Figures 1 and 2 and 3 in (11) and (11 ').

3. Installation according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the peripheral structures, Figures 1 and 2 in (9) and (9 '), supporting the platforms, Figures 1 and 2 over the entire periphery in ( 8) and (8 ') and in (7) and (7'), in the case of a construction above the ground or on the ground, determine usable internal volumes, FIGS. 1 and 2 in (9) and (9 '), for various habitable functional destinations such as by way of nonlimiting example: fire safety services, air traffic control, police, medical emergencies, offices, housing ...

4. Installation according to claim 3 and all of the preceding claims, characterized in that the internal volumes usable for various habitable functional destinations, Figures 1 and 2 in (9) and (9 '), can also be used in the case of a realization in the basement, in which case they can assume, among other examples, an associated body security service of my implicit in a material security service for helicopters and other aerial vehicles whose parking is ensured underground on the platforms, Figures 1 and 2 over the entire periphery in (8) and (8 ') and in (7 ) and (7 '), all of this having the consequence of giving the whole of the present invention an underground and autonomous functional space protected against certain categories of international military aggressions or aggressions of natural elements: the extreme cold, the sandstorms, etc.

5. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the assembly of the last two platforms of the summit, FIGS. 1 and 2 in (1) and (1 '), constitute landing platforms. in all cases of use of the invention above the ground, on the ground or in the basement.

6. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that all of the takeoff platforms, Figures 1 and 2 in (8) and (8 '), being located below the platforms landing, Figures 1 and 2 in (1) and (1 '), allow, when using the installation above the ground or on the ground, to distribute and differentiate spatially, in a more radical way, landing and take-off spaces and thus improve, even in a simultaneous manner, the frequency of take-offs and landings.

7. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the peripheral structures, Figures 1 and 2 in (9) and (9 '), around the two central bearing cores, Figures 1 and 3 in (11) and (11 '), supporting the platforms, Figures 1 and 2 over the entire periphery at (1) and (1') and at (8) and (8 ') and at (7) and (7'), can be replaced by an external peripheral supporting structure around the entire periphery, Figures 1 and 2 and 3 in (16) and (16 '), either above the ground, on the ground or in the basement, which requires in these three cases that all of the last two summit platforms, Figures 1 and 2 in (1) and (1 '), used for landing, are also used for take-off, the ascent of helicopters tères and other aerial vehicles, parked on the platforms, figures 1 and 2 on the whole periphery in (8) and (8 ') and in (7) and (7'), whose ascent is ensured by two large climbs -loads Figures 1 and 2 and 3 in (5) and (5 '), implies that the platforms below, Figures 1 and 2 over the entire periphery in (8) and (8') and (7) and (7 '), are only used for parking.

8. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the landing on one of the last two summit platforms, Figures 1 and 2 in (1) and (1 '), must be carried out preferably in the opposite direction to the platform below, the latter intended for parking, FIG. 2 in (7) and (7 ′), this for reasons of simple and direct rolling therefore not requiring surfaces unnecessarily large for maneuvers.

9. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the parking areas, Figure 2 in (7) and (7 '), each have an excess space for maintenance and repairs around the helicopters, blades folded, and other air vehicles.

10. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that two small montecharges, FIGS. 1 and 2 and 3 in (2) and (2 '), intended more particularly for transporting fuel in containers, serve the assembly platforms from the top, Figures 1 and 2 in (1) and (1 '), to the basement, Figure 1 and 2 in (17) and (17'), this for safety reasons and various storage.

11. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of the sets of two juxtaposed platforms, FIGS. 1 and 2 over the entire periphery at (8) and (8 ′) and at (7) and ( 7 '), are connected by a pedestrian walkway, Figures 2 and 3 in (4), inserted between the two large freight elevators, Figures 2 and 3 in (5) and (5').

12. Installation according to claim 11 and all of the preceding claims, characterized in that spiral staircases, Figure 3 in (12) and (12 '), connect all the pedestrian walkways, Figures 2 and 3 in (4), at all levels.

13. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the landing, parking and take-off platforms, FIGS. 1 and 2 in (1) and (1 ') and in (7) and ( 7 ') and in (8) and (8'), are constituted by a double plank whose recess is shown over the entire periphery of FIG. 2 in (10), this recess possibly possibly comprising the various crd (pipes and various networks) which therefore allows immediate intervention in the event of a fire, this by using liquids or solids which may be included in the crd and considering that the current state of the art makes it possible to envisage spillage or the instantaneous projection, both above and below said peripheral recess, Figure 2 in (10).

14. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the external configuration which results from all of the various constituent elements of the present invention, represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 and 3, make it possible to eliminate in major part of the well-known phenomenon of fire chimney in the event of a fire, the latter propagating by upward suction by licking the vertical external walls of traditional IGHs (tall buildings), this thanks to the external configuration of the present invention presenting superimposed as a multitude of fire-resistant platforms, Figures 1 and 2 over the entire periphery in (8) and (8 ') and in (7) and (7'), thus making it possible to considerably delay the spread of the fire from one level to another and thereby leaving the necessary time for takeoff maneuvers of helicopters and other aerial vehicles.

15. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the taxiing possibilities, helicopters and other air vehicles, around the two central carrier cores, Figures 1 and 2 and 3 in (11) and (11 ') , associated with the interchange between two juxtaposed platforms provided by the two large freight elevators, Figures 1 and 2 and 3 in (5) and (5 '), allow the four cardinal points, depending on the pressure and depression of the wind, the takeoff orientation in (8) or (8 ') of Figures 1 and 2.