Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an enclosure for transporting people to and from high- altitudes.

The invention has been developed primarily for use in the high-altitude, space tourism and space experience industries and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular field of use.

Background of the Invention

Space tourism is an industry where paying customers are given the opportunity to travel to extreme altitudes, typically above 60,000 feet. This form of tourism has only recently emerged and is still very limited and expensive; however, the potential demand for this experience is significant.

Typically, private companies in the space tourism industry have designed and constructed new vehicles to launch people to and from high altitudes. The most common form of technology used to provide the necessary lift for such vehicles to reach these altitudes is rocketry. However, rocketry is expensive and there are associated safety issues. Also in the period of prelaunch, passengers who wish to travel in these vehicles must undergo extensive training programs and meet stringent health requirements before being accepted to board these vehicles. Furthermore, vehicles that do not reach altitudes to become orbital only provide a limited time aloft.

To open up the potential demand and increase the market size for space tourism, it would be beneficial to be able to travel to high-altitudes without prelaunch activities, at an affordable price using a safe and reliable technology, and to remain at altitudes for longer periods of time.

The present invention seeks to provide an enclosure for transporting people to and from high- altitudes which will overcome or substantially ameliorate at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provide an alternative. It is to be understood that, if any prior art information is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an enclosure for transporting people to and from high-altitudes, comprising: a body adapted for housing the people having a top portion; and

a drag inducing structure extending upwardly from the top portion such that in use, during descent, the drag inducing structure creates drag causing it to trail behind the body such that the enclosure is maintained in a substantially upright orientation.

Advantageously, the body houses the people safely from the outside environment during transportation to and from the high-altitudes, where the people would otherwise be exposed to low air pressure, extreme temperature ranges and potentially harmful forces.

Advantageously, the body provides an environment where the people may freely roam and move around during transportation to and from high-altitudes.

Advantageously, the drag inducing structure extends upwards causing drag to be formed behind the body maintaining the substantially upright orientation of the enclosure and providing the people housed in the body to be transported in a comfortable natural orientation during descent.

Advantageously, the drag inducing structure retards the enclosure during descent by producing drag, causing stabilisation and a significant reduction in the terminal velocity of the enclosure.

Preferably, the drag inducing structure comprises one or more fins adapted to reduce rotation of the enclosure during descent in use.

Advantageously, the one or more fins reduce rotation of the enclosure allowing the people housed in the body to be transported comfortably, without disorientating spinning, tumbling or excessive centrifugal forces during descent.

Preferably, the drag inducing structure further comprises one or more drag portions and wherein the one or more fins extend upwardly from the top portion of the body and the one or more drag portions are located above and connected to the one or more fins. Advantageously, the drag portion is located above the one or more fins allowing the one or more fins, during descent, to act on the more laminar airflow with a lower Reynolds number found before the drag portion compared to the more turbulent airflow having a higher Reynolds number found after the drag portion. This allows the fins to function better in terms of reducing rotation of the enclosure during descent in use.

Advantageously, the one or more fins connect the body and the drag portion together without the need for additional structures to provide this connection, simplifying the overall design. Preferably, the periphery of the one or more drag portions is greater than the periphery of the body.

Advantageously, the one or more drag portions are able to act on the laminar air flow passing the body during descent, without the body causing a large low pressure wake engulfing the one or more drag portions.

Preferably, the one or more drag portions is a substantially symmetrical annular drag portion.

Advantageously, the annular drag portion provides an evenly distributed drag force during descent, to keep the enclosure orientated upright while lowering the terminal velocity of the enclosure.

Preferably, the drag portion has a substantially symmetrical aerofoil cross-section.

Advantageously, the symmetrical aerofoil cross-section provides sufficient drag for orientational stability whilst minimising drag turbulence at the trailing edge, creating less buffeting forces and/or vibrational forces on the enclosure and providing a comfortable experience for the people housed in the body.

Advantageously, the symmetrical aerofoil cross-section allows the airflow to flow evenly across the one or more drag portions without creating additional lateral or rotational forces that may result from an uneven flow.

Preferably, a chord line of the aerofoil cross-section is substantially vertical in use.

Advantageously, the vertical orientation minimises lateral sideways movement of the enclosure during descent, allowing the enclosure to descend substantially in a straight path. Advantageously, the vertical orientation provides the optimal angle of attack to allow an even mainly laminar airflow around the symmetrical aerofoil cross-section in use.

Preferably, the body further comprises a central support structure adapted to increase the rigidity and strength of the body. Advantageously, the central support structure increases the rigidity and strength of the body which is needed to protect against large forces the people may encounter such as, but not limited to, the sudden increase of drag forces due to the deployment of parachutes, a hard landing and the pressure difference with the outside environment.

Preferably, the enclosure further comprises a detachable nose cone being aerodynamic in shape.

Advantageously, the nose may detach from the body when not desired or when the nose needs to be replaced.

Advantageously, the nose cone is aerodynamic in shape to minimise the formation of drag at the bottom of the enclosure and to provide substantially laminar airflow to the rest of the enclosure.

Preferably, the top portion comprises one or more attachment points adapted to allow releasable attachment of a lifting means to the enclosure.

Advantageously, the lifting means can be attached to the enclosure at the one or more attachment points depending on the connection required.

Advantageously, the enclosure can be released from the lifting means when desired.

Preferably, the enclosure further comprises a retractable landing gear adapted to maintain the enclosure in an upright orientation on the ground.

Advantageously, the retractable landing gear may retract into a compartment when not in use or when not desired, such as but not limited to, during descent when the landing gear does not provide the aerodynamic properties required. Conversely, the landing gear may extend when desired, such as but not limited to, during the landing stage.

Advantageously, the retractable landing gear provides a stable and in some cases movable stand for the enclosure while on the ground.

Preferably, the retractable landing gear comprises three or more legs, each having an individual suspension mechanism.

Advantageously, the individual suspension mechanism allows the enclosure to absorb the impact of the landing of the enclosure and also the weight of the enclosure when grounded. Advantageously, the combination of the three or more legs and the individual suspension mechanism allow the enclosure to land or stand on uneven terrain yet still maintain stability of the enclosure. Preferably, the body further comprises a bottom portion and one or more hatches located in the bottom portion being adapted to allow ingress and egress of the people into or out of the body.

Advantageously, the one or more hatches allow the people to ingress and egress.

Advantageously, the one or more hatches are located in the bottom portion of the enclosure allowing felicitous ingress or egress into or out of the body.

Preferably, the body is substantially ellipsoidal in shape and comprises a substantially flat top wall, a substantially flat bottom wall and a conforming curved side wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall and terminating beyond the top wall.

Advantageously, the body is substantially ellipsoidal in shape providing an aerodynamic and strong shape.

Advantageously, the flat top wall and the flat bottom wall provide a stable platform for attachment of additional equipment or structures.

Advantageously, the flat bottom wall provides a level floor for the people housed in the body in use.

Preferably, the conforming curved side wall has one or more window portions adapted to provide a view outside the body.

Advantageously, the one or more windows provide a means of viewing outside of the enclosure during ascent and descent.

Preferably, the top portion of the body further comprises one or more parachute storage areas and one or more parachute attachment regions.

Advantageously, the parachute storage areas provide areas in which one or more parachutes may be stored before deployment.

Preferably, the body is adapted to be pressurised.

Advantageously, the body is able to be pressurised to provide suitable atmospheric conditions for the people housed therein when at high altitudes.

Preferably, the enclosure further comprises a control means and a compressor unit operably connected to the control means such that the body can be pressurised by the compressor unit by operation of the control means.

Advantageously, the compressor unit is able to pressurise the body. Advantageously, the control means is able to automatically operate the compressor unit or upon manual input.

Preferably, the control means is adapted to control the level of pressurisation of the body to more than one pressure.

Advantageously, the body is able to be pressurised at different levels depending on the altitude of the enclosure. Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an aircraft for transporting people to high-altitudes, comprising: the enclosure as described in any one of the above paragraphs;

one or more parachutes adapted for releasable attachment to the top portion of the enclosure; and

a lifting means releasably attached to the enclosure.

Advantageously, the one or more parachutes provide a safe means to descend from the high- altitudes by creating a substantially lowered terminal velocity for the enclosure before landing.

Advantageously, the one or more parachutes are releasably attached which allows the parachutes to be detached when not desired or for replacement.

Advantageously, the lifting means provides a method to transport the enclosure to high- altitudes.

Preferably, the lifting means is one or more lighter-than-air gas balloons. Brief Description of the Drawings

Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of an enclosure for an aircraft for transporting people to and from high-altitudes in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectioned top view of the enclosure of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a top view of the enclosure of Fig. 1. Detailed Description of Specific Embodiments

It should be noted in the following description that like or the same reference numerals in different embodiments denote the same or similar features.

According to a first embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an aircraft 5 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, for transporting people 1000 to high-altitudes. The aircraft 5 comprises an enclosure 10, three parachutes (not shown) and a lighter-than-air gas balloon (not shown).

The enclosure 10 comprises a body 20 adapted for housing the people 1000 and having a top portion 30, a bottom portion 40 and a retractable landing gear 50 adapted to maintain the enclosure 10 in an upright orientation on the ground. The enclosure 10 further comprises a drag inducing structure 60 connected to and extending upwardly from the top portion 30 such that in use, during descent, the drag inducing structure 60 creates drag causing it to trail behind the body 20 such that the enclosure 10 is maintained in a substantially upright orientation.

The drag inducing structure 60 further comprises four fins 70 adapted to reduce rotation of the enclosure 10 during descent. The fins 70 extend upwardly from the top portion 30 of the body 20. The drag inducing structure 60 further comprises a drag portion 80 located above and connected to the fins 70. In other embodiments, one or more fins 70 may be provided. It will also be appreciated that the drag portion 80 is not limited to a single drag portion 80 but may be one or more drag portions 80.

In the preferred embodiment, each of the four fins 70 has two generally opposing sides 90 and a substantially symmetrical aerofoil cross-section, which has a vertical chord line; a leading edge 100 orientated downwards and a trailing edge 105 orientated upwards. The fins 70 have the same shape and size, such that each fin 70 has the same aerodynamic properties. The symmetrical aerofoil cross-section and its vertical orientation provide an optimal angle of attack allowing for an even airflow around the aerofoil during descent minimising the creation of any lateral or rotational forces. Furthermore, the symmetrical aerofoil cross- section minimises drag turbulence at the trailing edge 105, creating less buffeting and/or vibrational forces on the enclosure 10. The fins 70 are orientated radially outwardly at an upwardly inclined angle with the two opposing sides 90 being substantially vertical, and the fins 70 being equally spaced apart. It will be appreciated that the fins 70 may comprise structural fillets located around the join to the top portion 30 to reduce stress concentration and interference drag.

In other embodiments, it will be appreciated that the fins 70 may be constructed in any shape or size which still act to reduce the rotation of the enclosure 10 during descent and that rigidly connect the drag portion 80 to the body 20. It will also be appreciated that the fins 70 do not need to be the same shape and size.

In other embodiments, the fins 70 can take any orientation which still acts to reduce rotation of the enclosure 10 and rigidly connect the drag portion 80 to the body 20.

In the preferred embodiment, the drag portion 80 is connected to a top end surface 120 of each of the fins 70. In other embodiments, the connection between the fins 70 and the drag portion 80 may employ fillets to reduce stress concentration and interference drag. It will also be appreciated that the drag portion 80 may be connected to the fins 70 in other manners.

In other embodiments, the fins 70 and the drag portion 80 may be separated, having the drag portion 80 and the fins 70 individually connected to the body 20, and still keeping the aerodynamic properties to maintain a substantially upright orientation and reduce rotation. It will be appreciated that other structures may be introduced to connect the drag portion 80 to the body 20, such as but not limited to, trusses. It will also be appreciated that the drag portion 80 is not limited to being above the fins 70 as long as it and the fins 70 can still act to reduce rotation and maintain the upright orientation of the enclosure 10.

In the preferred embodiment, the periphery of the drag portion 80 is greater than the periphery of the body 20, such that the low pressure wake produced by the body 20 during descent, will not engulf the drag portion 80 allowing it to act on a substantially laminar airflow.

In other embodiments, the periphery of the drag portion 80 may be the same or smaller than the periphery of the body 20 if the drag portion 80 is located at a greater vertical distance from the body 20, such that during descent, the low pressure wake produced by the body 20 does not significantly affect the drag portion's 80 ability to act on the airflow.

In the preferred embodiment, the drag portion 80 is substantially symmetrical and annular in form, having a circular ring shape which is orientated substantially horizontal. This allows the drag portion 80 to create an evenly distributed drag force around the centre of the circle. It will be appreciated that the drag portion 80 may take the form of a different shape so long as an evenly distributed drag force is produced around the vertical axis of the enclosure 10. The drag portion 80 has a substantially symmetrical aerofoil cross-section, which has a substantially vertical chord line; a leading edge 130 orientated downwards and a trailing edge 140 orientated upwards. The symmetrical aerofoil cross-section and its vertical orientation provides an optimal angle of attack allowing for an even airflow around the aerofoil during descent minimising the creation of any lateral or rotational forces and ensuring the enclosure 10 descends in a substantially straight path. Furthermore, the symmetrical aerofoil cross- section minimises drag turbulence at the trailing edge 140, creating less buffeting and/or vibrational forces on the enclosure 10.

In other embodiments, the cross-section of the drag portion 80 may take another form so long as the required drag is produced and any lateral or rotational forces are minimised.

In another embodiment, additional one or more fins may be connected to the enclosure 10 to reduce rotational movement of the enclosure 10. Preferably, the additional one or more fins are connected to the body 20 on the bottom portion 40 extending radially outwards having a symmetrical aerofoil cross-section. It will be appreciated that the additional one or more fins may be connected to other regions of the enclosure 10, such as but not limited to the drag portion 80 and the top portion 30. It will also be appreciated that the additional one or more fins are not limited to the symmetrical aerofoil cross-section and may take on any suitable shape.

In other embodiments, the enclosure 10 may have controllable ailerons such that during descent the ailerons can control the rotational and directional orientation of the enclosure 10. Preferably, the ailerons are incorporated into the drag inducing structure 60. It will be appreciated that the ailerons may be incorporated into any suitable region of the enclosure 10.

In another embodiment, the enclosure 10 has one or more controllable thrusters to provide directional and/or rotational thrusts during descent in use. The controllable thrusters are of a type that can operate at high-altitudes.

In the preferred embodiment, the drag inducing structure 60 is constructed from a composite material that is strong and rigid enough to withstand the forces and temperatures it may encounter during usage. Preferably, the material used is a carbon fibre composite. It will be appreciated that the material used in the construction of the drag inducing structure 60 is not limited to a carbon fibre composite but may be any suitable light-weight engineering material. As mentioned previously, the drag inducing structure 60 extends upwardly from the top portion 30 such that in use, during descent, it creates drag causing it to trail behind the body 20 such that the enclosure 10 is maintained in a substantially upright orientation. The drag inducing structure 60 provides a number of other advantages, including:

1. It extends upwards causing drag to be formed behind the body 20 maintaining the substantially upright orientation of the enclosure 10 and thus allowing the people 1000 housed in the body 20 to be transported in a comfortable natural orientation during descent.

2. The drag inducing structure 60 retards the enclosure 10 during descent by producing drag, causing stabilisation and a significant reduction in the terminal velocity of the enclosure 10.

3. The one or more fins 70 reduce rotation of the enclosure 10, allowing the people 1000 housed in the body 20 to be transported comfortably, without disorientating spinning, tumbling or excessive centrifugal forces during descent.

4. The drag portion 80 is located above the one or more fins 70 allowing the one or more fins 70, during descent, to act on the more laminar airflow with a lower Reynolds number found before the drag portion 80 compared to the more turbulent airflow having a higher Reynolds number found after the drag portion 80. This allows the fins 70 to function better in terms of reducing rotation of the enclosure 10 during descent.

5. The one or more fins 70 connect the body 20 and the drag portion 80 together without the need for additional structures to provide this connection, simplifying the overall design.

6. The drag portions 80 are able to act on the laminar air flow passing the body 20 during descent.

7. The annular drag portion 80 provides an evenly distributed drag force during descent, to keep the enclosure 10 orientated upright.

8. The symmetrical aerofoil cross-section provides sufficient drag for orientational stability whilst minimising drag turbulence at the trailing edge 140, creating less buffeting forces and/or vibrational forces on the enclosure 10 and providing a comfortable experience for the people 1000 housed in the body 20. 9. The symmetrical aerofoil cross-section allows the airflow to flow evenly across the one or more drag portions 80 without creating additional lateral or rotational forces that may result from an uneven flow.

10. The vertical orientation minimises lateral sideways movement of the enclosure 10 during descent, allowing the enclosure 10 to descend substantially in a straight path.

11. The vertical orientation provides the optimal angle of attack to allow an even mainly laminar airflow around the symmetrical aerofoil cross-section in use.

In the preferred embodiment, the body 20 is substantially ellipsoidal in shape and comprises a substantially flat top wall 150, a substantially flat bottom wall 160 and a conforming curved side wall 170. The curved side wall 170 extends upwardly from the bottom wall 160 and terminates beyond the top wall 150, creating a peripheral outer rim 171 of the top portion 30. In other embodiments, the body 20 is constructed using any shape that minimises drag.

In the preferred embodiment, the body 20 has a substantially enclosed room 180 to provide an environment in which people 1000 may be housed. The enclosed room 180 is defined by top wall 150, the bottom wall 160 and the curved side wall 170. In other embodiments, the body 20 has one or more substantially enclosed rooms 180 for the separation of the people 1000 or the storage of required equipment, such as but not limited to, personal luggage, life support systems, emergency equipment, food and water. It will also be appreciated that the substantially enclosed room 180 may be constructed to house a different payload or a combination of different payloads.

In the preferred embodiment, the body 20 further comprises a central support structure 190 adapted to increase the rigidity and strength of the body 20. The central support structure 190 is located within the enclosed room 180 at the body's 20 centre. The central support structure 190 extends vertically upwardly from the bottom wall 160 to the top wall 150. Preferably, the central support 190 is a column structure that is constructed from a unitary piece of material to create a rigid and strong support for the enclosure 10.

In other embodiments, the central support structure 190 is a truss structure that comprises a plurality of truss members.

In the preferred embodiment, the top wall 150 has a curved bottom surface 200. The curved bottom surface 200 having a greater thickness from where it connects to the side wall 170 and gradually tapering to the central support structure 190 in such a way as to evenly distribute forces to and from the central support structure 190. The enclosure 10 further comprises a detachable nose cone 210 being aerodynamic in shape and attached to the bottom wall 160. The nose cone 210 is substantially hollow, providing a compartment for the retractable landing gears 50 to be stored when retracted. The nose cone 210 is aerodynamic in shape to minimise the drag and provide laminar airflow over the rest of the enclosure 10. The nose cone 210 is detached during the last stage of descent to allow the retractable landing gear 50 to extend for landing.

In other embodiments, the nose cone 210 is permanently attached to the enclosure 10 and comprises one or more nose hatches that can controllably open or retract to allow the retractable landing gear 50 to extend and retract back into the nose cone 210.

In the preferred embodiment, the retractable landing gear 50 comprises five legs 215, each having an individual suspension mechanism 216. The legs 215 are attached to the bottom wall 160 and when the landing gear 50 is extended, the legs 215 are orientated radially outwards at a downwardly inclined angle and each of the legs 215 are evenly spaced apart. When the landing gear 50 is extended, the legs 215 provide a stable stand for the enclosure 10 while on the ground. The individual suspension mechanisms 216 are constructed to absorb the impact of the landing of the enclosure 10 and to support the weight of the enclosure 10 when grounded. The fact that each suspension mechanism 216 is independent allows the enclosure 10 to land or stand on uneven terrain. Each of the legs 215 also has an individual castor wheel 217 to allow the enclosure 10 to be movable on the ground.

In other embodiments, there are three or more legs 215. In other embodiments, the legs 215 are orientated in different arrangements to still provide stability and a landing capability to the enclosure 10. In other embodiments, the individual castor wheels 217 of each leg 215 are replaced by landing skids.

In another embodiment, there are no legs and the landing gear instead comprises one or more inflatable cushions. These cushions are inflated during the landing stage when the nose cone is detached to provide a comfortable landing, as most of the impact is absorbed by the cushions. The cushions also attach to the bottom wall and are stored between the nose cone and the bottom wall when deflated. The cushions may be configured to allow the enclosure to land on water.

In the preferred embodiment, the body 20 further comprises two hatches 218 located in the bottom wall 160 of the bottom portion 40 being adapted to allow ingress and egress of the people 1000 into or out of the body 20. The hatches 218 are accessible when the nose cone 210 is detached and the legs 215 extended. The hatches 218 are constructed with a large enough surface area to allow the ingress and egress of an average person. The hatches 218 are able to securely close, sealing off the enclosed room 180 from the outside environment. In other embodiments, there are one or more hatches 218. In other embodiments, the hatches 218 may be located in the top portion 30.

In the preferred embodiment, the top portion 30 comprises an attachment point 220 adapted to allow releasable attachment of the lighter-than-air gas balloon to the enclosure 10. The attachment point 220 is constructed to hold and support the entire weight of the enclosure 10, including the people 1000 housed inside. The gas balloon is released by centrally, remotely controlling actuation of the attachment point 220.

In other embodiments, there are one or more attachment points. The one or more attachment points being dispersed evenly on the top portion 30 to keep the enclosure 10 upright during ascent to high altitudes while attached to the gas balloon. Preferably, the one or more attachment points are constructed to release the gas balloon simultaneously to provide a smooth detachment.

The lighter-than-air gas balloon is a Helium gas balloon. As Helium gas is lighter than the surrounding air, lift is provided to transport the enclosure 10 to high altitudes. In other embodiments, there is more than one gas balloon (e.g. 2, 3, 4 or 20 gas balloons). In other embodiments, the gas balloon is filled with another lighter-than air gas (e.g. Hydrogen).

In this embodiment, the top portion 30 of the body 20 further comprises three parachute storage areas 225 and three attachment regions 226. The parachute storage areas 225 are defined by the outer rim 171 of the top portion 30 and a top surface of the top wall 150. The parachute storage areas 225 are constructed to hold the parachutes before deployment. The attachment regions 226 are constructed to be connected to the parachutes and be able to withstand the forces during the deployment of the parachutes.

The parachutes are constructed to significantly reduce the terminal velocity of the enclosure 10 during descent. The parachutes are designed for simultaneous deployment. The parachutes are able to release from the attachment regions 226 after usage. In other embodiments, there are one or more parachutes (2, 3, 4 or 10 parachutes). In other embodiments, the parachutes may be individually deployed.

In this embodiment, the conforming curved side wall 170 has seven window portions 230 adapted to provide a view outside the body 20. The window portions 230 are arranged evenly around the curved side wall 170 to provide a three hundred and sixty degree panoramic view of outside the body 20. The window portions 230 are constructed from a polycarbonate material and are thus strong yet transparent. It will be appreciated that the window portions 230 are not limited to being constructed from a polycarbonate material but may be constructed from any material that provides substantial transparency with minimal visual distortion and the strength to add to the structural integrity of the body 20. It will also be appreciated that the window portion 230 may take any shape and size, and each window portions 230 may be different in shape and size. In other embodiments, there are one or more window portions 230.

The body 20 further comprises window frames 240 to provide structural support for the body 20 weakened by the window portions 230 and to hold the window portions 230 in place. The window frames 240 surround respective window portions 230.

The body 20 further comprises seven structural supports 250 to further strengthen the curved side wall 170. The structural supports 250 are located between each of the window portions 230 and extend upwardly from the bottom surface 160, terminating at the top surface 150.

In this embodiment, the enclosed room 180 further comprises seven seats 260 which are attached to the bottom surface 160. The seats 260 are arranged evenly spaced around the central support structure 190 facing outwards. The seats 260 are ergonomically designed such that the people 1000 are comfortable during ascent and descent of the enclosure 10. The seats 260 also allow the people 1000 to be securely harnessed onto the seat 260 such that the people 1000 will be safe during ascent and descent of the enclosure 10. In other embodiments, there are one or more seats 260 (e.g. 12, 20 or 50 seats).

In another embodiment, the seats 260 are arranged anywhere inside the enclosed room 180 and facing in any direction. It will also be appreciated that the seats 260 are not limited to being attached to the bottom wall 160 and may be attached anywhere (e.g. to the central support structure 190).

In the preferred embodiment, the enclosed room 180 further comprises seven vertical handrails 270 and one horizontal handrail 280. The horizontal hand rail 280 is annular in shape and is attached to the curved bottom surface 200 of the top wall 150, around the central support structure 190. The vertical handrails 270 are located evenly spaced around the curved side wall 170 in front of the structural supports 250. The vertical handrails 270 extend upwardly from the bottom wall 160 to substantially near the curved bottom surface 200 of the top wall 150, across the curved bottom surface 200 to substantially near the central support structure 190, downwardly along the central support structure 190, and terminating at the bottom wall 160 around the central support structure 190. Each of the vertical handrails 270 and the horizontal handrail 280 are connected together where the vertical handrails 270 extend across the curved bottom surface 200, providing support for the vertical handrails 270. Both the vertical hand rails 270 and the horizontal handrail 280 are constructed to provide a structure to support the people 1000 as they walk or float (during freefall) around the enclosed room 180. It will be appreciated that the vertical handrail 270 and horizontal handrail 280 may be placed anywhere within the enclosed room 180 which allow the people 1000 to comfortably support themselves. In other embodiments there are one or more vertical handrails 270 and one or more horizontal handrails 280.

In the preferred embodiment, the body 20 further comprises a compartment 290 adapted to contain seven gas cylinders 1010. The compartment 290 is located around the central support structure 190, behind the seats 260 and comprises a shielding cover 300 constructed to provide protection for the gas cylinders 1010. The compartment 290 is defined by the shielding cover 300, the central support structure 190 and the bottom wall 160. The shielding cover 300 is removable and has apertures (not shown) to provide access to the gas cylinders 1010 while protected by the shielding cover 300. The compartment 290 also has recessed fittings (not shown) constructed to hold each of the gas cylinders 1010 in place during use.

In other embodiments, the compartment 290 is adapted to contain one or more gas cylinders 1010. In other embodiments, the compartment 290 is located anywhere within the enclosed room 180 of the body 20.

In this preferred embodiment, the body 20 and the nose cone 210 are constructed from a carbon composite material. It is appreciated that the body 20 and the nose cone 210 are not limited to being constructed from a carbon composite material, but may be constructed from another engineering material that is rigid, strong and lightweight.

The body 20 is adapted to be pressurised such that a suitable atmospheric condition can be provided for the people 1000 housed therein. The body 20 is able to be hermetically sealed during use and is constructed to be structurally rigid and strong to withstand the forces arising from the difference in pressure between within (internal pressure) and outside (external pressure) the body 20. The enclosure 10 further comprises a control means and a compressor unit operably connected to the control means such that the body 20 can be pressurised by the compressor unit by operation of the control means. The compressor unit is able to pump compressed air into the body 20 to increase the pressure within the body 20. In this embodiment, the control means is adapted to control the level of pressurisation of the body 20 and comprises a microcontroller and pressure sensors located and operable to measure the internal and external pressures. The pressure sensors are coupled to the microcontroller and are further operable to send the microcontroller measurements of the pressures. The microcontroller is programmed to compare the internal pressure with a selected pressure and activate the compressor unit accordingly. For example, if the internal pressure is lower than the selected pressure, the microcontroller activates the compressor unit to increase the internal pressure. It will be appreciated that the selected pressure may either be set before use or manually adjusted during use by a person 1000 housed within the body 20. The selected pressure may also be adjusted automatically in accordance with the altitude of the enclosure 10 (which can be determined in accordance with the external pressure).

In other embodiments, the control means is a switch or dial that allows the people 1000 housed within the body 20 to manually turn on or adjust the compressor unit.

The aircraft 5 provides a number of advantages, including:

1. The body 20 houses the people 1000 safely from the outside environment during transportation to and from high-altitudes, where the people 1000 would otherwise be exposed to low air pressure, extreme temperature ranges and potentially harmful forces.

2. The body 20 provides an environment where the people 1000 may freely move around during transportation to and from high-altitudes.

3. The central support structure 190 increases the rigidity and strength of the body 20 to protect against the large forces the people 1000 may encounter such as, but not limited to, the sudden increase of drag forces due to the deployment of parachutes, a hard landing and the pressure difference with the outside environment.

4. The nose 210 may detach from the body 20 when not desired or when the nose 210 needs to be replaced. The nose cone 210 is aerodynamic in shape to minimise the formation of drag at the bottom of the enclosure 10 and to provide substantially laminar airflow to the rest of the enclosure 10.

The gas balloon or other lifting means can be attached to the enclosure 10 at the one or more attachment points 220 depending on the connection required.

The enclosure 10 can be released from the gas balloon when desired.

The retractable landing gear 50 may retract into a compartment when not in use or when not desired, such as but not limited to, during descent when the landing gear 50 does not provide the aerodynamic properties required. Conversely, the landing gear 50 may extend when desired, such as but not limited to, during the landing stage. The retractable landing gear 50 provides a stable and in some cases movable stand for the enclosure 10 while on the ground.

The individual suspension mechanism 216 of each leg 215 allows the enclosure 10 to absorb the impact of the landing of the enclosure 10 and also the weight of the enclosure 10 when grounded.

The combination of the three or more legs 215 and the individual suspension mechanism 216 allow the enclosure 10 to land or stand on uneven terrain yet still maintain stability of the enclosure 10.

The one or more hatches 218 allow the people 1000 to ingress and egress.

The one or more hatches 218 are located in the bottom portion 40 of the enclosure 10 allowing felicitous ingress or egress into or out of the body 20.

The body 20 is substantially ellipsoidal in shape providing an aerodynamic and strong shape.

The flat top wall 150 and the flat bottom wall 160 provide a stable platform for attachment of additional equipment or structures.

The flat bottom wall 160 provides a level floor for the people 1000 housed in the body 20 in use.

The one or more window portions 230 provide a means of viewing outside of the enclosure 10 during ascent and descent.

The parachute storage areas 225 provide areas in which one or more parachutes may be stored before deployment.

The one or more parachutes provide a safe means to descend from the high-altitudes by creating a substantially lowered terminal velocity for the enclosure 10 before landing. 20. The one or more parachutes are releasably attached which allows the parachutes to be detached when not desired or for replacement.

21. The gas balloon provides a method to transport the enclosure 10 to high-altitudes.

Interpretation

Descent:

In this specification the word descent refers to free-fall or near free-fall unless the context suggests otherwise.

Embodiments:

Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but may. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.

Similarly it should be appreciated that in the above description of example embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the Detailed Description of Specific Embodiments are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description of Specific Embodiments, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.

Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include some but not other features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention, and form different embodiments, as would be understood by those in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

Specific Details

In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description.

Terminology

In describing the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar technical purpose. Terms such as "forward", "rearward", "radially", "peripherally", "upwardly", "downwardly", and the like are used as words of convenience to provide reference points and are not to be construed as limiting terms.

Different Instances of Objects

As used herein, unless otherwise specified the use of the ordinal adjectives "first", "second", "third", etc., to describe a common object, merely indicate that different instances of like objects are being referred to, and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner.

Comprising and Including

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" are used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Any one of the terms: including or which includes or that includes as used herein is also an open term that also means including at least the elements/features that follow the term, but not excluding others. Thus, including is synonymous with and means comprising.

Scope of Invention Thus, while there has been described what are believed to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the invention. For example, any formulas given above are merely representative of procedures that may be used. Functionality may be added or deleted from the block diagrams and operations may be interchanged among functional blocks. Steps may be added or deleted to methods described within the scope of the present invention.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

Industrial Applicability

It is apparent from the above, that the arrangements described are applicable to the high altitude, space tourism and space experience industries.