Aircraft capable of hovering and method for transporting a load suspended from such aircraft
There is described an aircraft configured to be able to hover, comprising a fuselage; and a support element adapted to support a load, made of elastically deformable material and constrained to said fuselage; the support element being movable in an operating position in which it is arranged at least partially outside said fuselage and supports said load; the aircraft comprises a sock surrounding the support element arranged in said operating position; the sock is configured to contain the elastic return of the support element, in case the support element arranged in said operating position is sheared off.
1. An aircraft comprising:
a fuselage; and
a support element adapted to support a load, made of elastically deformable material and constrained to said fuselage;
said support element being movable in at least one operating position in which it is arranged at least partially outside said fuselage and supports said load;
said aircraft further comprising a sock surrounding said support element, when said support element is arranged, in use, in said operating position;
said sock being configured to contain an elastic return of said support element, in case said support element arranged, in use, in at least one said operating position is sheared off;
characterized in that it comprises:
a winch operatively connected to said support element;
a box for housing said winch;
said winch being operable to move said support element between:
said at least one operating position, in which said support element extends outside said box and supports said load; and
a storage position, in which said support element is located inside said box;
said sock comprising at least:
a first ring fixed to said box;
a second ring fixed to one end of said support element arranged on a side of said load; and
at least a first flexible element interposed between said first and second rings, and having a first length when said support element is in said at least one operating position and a second length lower than said first length, when said support element is in the storage position.
2. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein said sock has in its operating position a first length greater than a second breaking length of said support element in the presence of a load parallel to a first extension axis (B) of said support element in said operating position; said breaking length being the sum of a nominal length of said support element in the absence of said load and of an elastic deformation due to said load that results in breaking of said support element.
3. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein said sock has a first breaking load lower than a second breaking load of said support element; said first breaking load being less than one fifth of said second breaking load.
4. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein said sock has a breaking section at one of its ends arranged on the side of said fuselage and opposite to said load.
5. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein said first ring is arranged inside said box at a first distance from said second ring, when said support element is in said storage position;
said first and second rings being arranged outside said box and at a second distance greater than said first distance, when said support element is in said operating position.
6. The aircraft according to claim 2 , wherein said flexible element is arranged:
in an extended configuration, in which the flexible element is stretched along said first extension axis (B) and extends outside said box, when said support element is in said at least one operating position; or
in a collapsed configuration, in which it is folded on itself transversely to said first extension axis (B), it is partially housed inside said box and has a length lower than the length in the extended configuration;
and/or wherein said flexible element is crossed by said support element and is configured so as to allow the access to said support element when arranged in said extended configuration.
7. The aircraft according to claim 6 , wherein said flexible element is shaped so as to define at least a pair of eyelets symmetrical with respect to said first extension axis (B), when said element support is in said storage position.
8. The aircraft according to claim 6 , further comprising at least a first and at least a second storage element interposed between the said first and second ring;
said first and second storage elements being axially spaced from each other when said support element is in said at least one operating position and being housed one inside the other when said support element is in said storage position;
said first flexible elements axially interposed between said first and second storage elements when said support element is in said at least one operating position being radially interposed between said first and second storage elements, when said support element is in said storage position.
9. The aircraft according to claim 8 , further comprising second flexible elements axially interposed between said first ring and said first storage element, when said support element in said at least one operating position;
said second flexible elements being radially interposed between said first storage element and said box, when said support element is in said storage position.
10. The aircraft according to claim 8 , wherein said first and second storage elements are tapered from said second ring towards said first ring;
said first storage element being interposed between said first ring and said second storage element;
said first and second storage elements each comprising a first surface and a second surface with axial ends opposite to each other;
said first surface having an extension greater than said second surface;
said first surface of said first storage element being greater than said first surface of said second storage element;
said second surface of said first storage element being greater than said second surface of said second storage element.
11. The aircraft according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a first module formed by a respective first storage element and by a respective said first flexible element;
a second module formed by a respective second storage element and by a respective said second flexible element;
said first and second modules being axially spaced from each other, and axially interposed between said first ring and said second ring, when said support element is in said at least one operating position;
said first and second modules being axially abutting against each other, when said support element is in said storage position.
12. The aircraft according to claim 4 , wherein said flexible element is made of fabric or plastic material.
13. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the aircraft comprises a helicopter or a convertiplane or a drone.