US3768588A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Structure to form a load-bearing air cushion for a vehicle
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-08-16
•
Granted: 1973-10-30
•
Expires: 1991-08-16
Abstract
Abstract An annular sealing assembly comprising an annular inflatable hanger on the underside of a load-bearing base and an annular sealing means on the underside of the hanger confines a loadsupporting air cushion that is continuously supplied with compressed air. The lower annular sealing means comprises a stack of resiliently deformable ring-shaped members with at least one flexible reinforcement ring incorporated therein to prevent radially outwardly ballooning of the annular sealing means and the annular sealing means is floatingly attached by a ring-shaped flexible member to a rigid ring-shaped plate on the underside of the hanger. Stability is promoted by supplying compressed air to the hanger continuously and continuously releasing air from the hanger. Noise is reduced by providing the underside of the annular sealing means with a flexible wear strip of lesser outside diameter than the annular sealing means.
Inventors
- 👤 J Vaughen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 01:59
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60V; B60V3/00; B60V3/02; B60V3/025
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 50
Claim 1
Independent Claim
250 words
A fluid cushion device comprising: base means to receive loads, at least one sealing assembly to confine a fluid cushion, said sealing assembly comprising an annular hanger projecting from the base means and annular structure below the hanger and cooperative therewith to enclose the fluid cushion, said hanger being made of flexible sheet material and being inflatable for vertical resilient deformability to yieldingly urge said annular structure away from the base means, said annular structure being of less radial dimension than the hanger and being positioned within an annular area defined by the hanger, the hanger when inflated having an outer annular flexible sheet wall extending from the base means radially inwardly to the annular structure to act under tension to oppose lateral displacement of the annular structure in one respect relative to the base means, and having an inner annular flexible sheet wall extending from the base means radially outwardly to the annular structure to oppose lateral displacement of the annular structure in the opposite respect relative to the base means to stabilize the annular structure relative to the base means without need for linking the annular structure directly to the base means; and means to inflate said hanger and to supply pressurized fluid to the fluid cushion, said annular structure including a rigid ring-shaped plate attached to the underside of the hanger, said annular structure further including resiliently deformable annular sealing means projecting downward from the ring-shaped plate to close proximity to the ground surface under the device.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
250 words
A fluid cushion device comprising: base means to receive loads, at least one sealing assembly to confine a fluid cushion, said sealing assembly comprising an annular hanger projecting from the base means and annular structure below the hanger and cooperative therewith to enclose the fluid cushion, said hanger being made of flexible sheet material and being inflatable for vertical resilient deformability to yieldingly urge said annular structure away from the base means, said annular structure being of less radial dimension than the hanger and being positioned within an annular area defined by the hanger, the hanger when inflated having an outer annular flexible sheet wall extending from the base means radially inwardly to the annular structure to act under tension to oppose lateral displacement of the annular structure in one respect relative to the base means, and having an inner annular flexible sheet wall extending from the base means radially outwardly to the annular structure to oppose lateral displacement of the annular structure in the opposite respect relative to the base means to stabilize the annular structure relative to the base means without need for linking the annular structure directly to the base means; and means to inflate said hanger and to supply pressurized fluid to the fluid cushion, said annular structure including a rigid ring-shaped plate attached to the underside of the hanger, said annular structure further including resiliently deformable annular sealing means projecting downward from the ring-shaped plate to close proximity to the ground surface under the device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
104 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 which includes: guard means fixedly mounted on the undersidE of the base to protect the inflatable hanger and to support the base when the hanger is deflated, said guard means including an outer circumferential flange extending under the hanger from the outer circumference thereof and an inner annular flange extending under the hanger from the inner circumference thereof, said two flanges straddling said annular sealing means and defining an annular opening to permit upward retraction of the annular sealing means when the hanger is deflated to cause the base to be supported by the guard means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A combination as set forth in claim 2 in which said ring-shaped plate overhangs both of said flanges to cooperate with the flanges to shield the inflatable hanger from below.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
86 words
A combination as set forth in claim 2 in which said guard means comprises: only a central circumferential portion of the rigid ring-shaped plate attached to the inflatable hanger so that progressive downward movement of the rigid ring-shaped plate relative to the base causes the inflatable hanger to peel away from the rigid ring-shaped plate as the rigid ring-shaped plate approaches its lower limit position and progressive upward movement of the rigid ring-shaped plate eventually causes the hanger to bulge downward from the rigid ring-shaped plate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
A combination as set forth in claim 2 in which said ring-shaped plate is of lesser radial dimension than the inflatable hanger and the guard means provides clearance adjacent both the outer circumferential edge and the inner circumferential edge of the ring-shaped plate for downward bulging of the inflatable hanger inside the guard means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
83 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which only a central circumferential portion of the rigid ring-shaped plate is attached to the inflatable hanger so that progressive downward movement of the rigid ring-shaped plate relative to the base causes the inflatable hanger to peel away from the rigid ring-shaped plate as the rigid ring-shaped plate approaches its lower limit position and progressive upward movement of the rigid ring-shaped plate eventually causes the hanger to bulge downward from the rigid ring-shaped plate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
79 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 which includes: means to supply compressed air to the hanger continuously for inflation thereof; and means to release air continuously from the hanger at a sufficiently reduced rate to keep the hanger inflated, whereby any tendency for the hanger to expand and contract for bouncing action is dampened because the rate of release of air from the hanger by said releasing means varies with the rate of contraction of the hanger.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A combination as set forth in claim 7 in which said means to release air from the hanger is an adjustable valve.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
A combination as set forth in claim 7 in which the means to supply air to the inflatable hanger comprises an adjustable pressure regulating valve operable to maintain a selected pressure in the hanger.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A combination as set forth in claim 9 in which said means to release air from the hanger is an adjustable valve.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
56 words
A combination as set forth in claim 7 in which the annular sealing means is inflatable and which includes means to supply compressed air continuously to the inflatable annular sealing means for inflation thereof and means to continuously release air from the inflatable annular sealing means at a rate to keep the annular sealing means inflated.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said annular sealing means is inflatable and which includes means to keep the annular sealing means inflated.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
53 words
A combination as set forth in claim 12 in which said means to keep the annular sealing means inflated comprises means to supply compressed air continuously to the annular sealing means and means to release air continuously from the annular sealing means at a rate to maintain inflation of the annular sealing means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
A combination as set forth in claim 13 in which the means to supply compressed air continuoUsly to the annular sealing means comprises an adjustable pressure regulating valve.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said annular sealing means is floatingly mounted on the underside of the rigid ring-shaped plate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
80 words
A combination as set forth in claim 15 in which a ring-shaped flexible sheet under the rigid ring-shaped plate is attached to the rigid ring-shaped plate adjacent at least one of the outer circumferential margin and the inner circumferential margin of the ring-shaped sheet, the intermediate circumferential portion of the ring-shaped sheet being free from attachment to the ring-shaped plate, the upper annular surface of the annular sealing means being bonded to the intermediate circumferential portion of the ring-shaped sheet.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
64 words
A combination as set forth in claim 16 in which the ring-shaped flexible sheet is attached to the ring-shaped plate both adjacent the outer circumferential margin of the ring-shaped sheet and the inner circumferential margin of the ring-shaped sheet, the intermediate circumferential portion of the ring-shaped sheet being slack to permit the annular sealing means to cant locally relative to the rigid ring-shaped plate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
54 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said annular sealing means comprises a stack of substantially ring-shaped resiliently deformable members; and in which at least one flexible ring-shaped sheet is interposed between two of said members to act under hoop tension to oppose radially outward ballooning of the annular sealing means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
A combination as set forth in claim 18 in which a resiliently flexible wear strip is removably attached to the underside of the lowest member of the stack.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
44 words
A combination as set forth in claim 19 in which a flexible abrasive-resistant wear strip is mounted on the underside of the stack; and in which a ring-shaped reinforcement sheet is interposed between the lowermost ring-shaped member of the stack and said wear strip.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
A combination as set forth in claim 18 in which the ring-shaped members of the stack include relatively thick members made of resiliently deformable cellular elastomer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
A combination as set forth in claim 21 which includes at least one ring-shaped sheet in hoop tension between two of the relatively thick members of the stack.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
55 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 which includes a wear strip of resilient abrasive-resistant material mounted on the underside of the annular sealing means, said wear strip being set back radially from the outer circumference of the annular sealing means to minimize noise created by the escaping of air under the wear strip.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
A combination as set forth in claim 23 in which the wear strip is made at least largely of elastomeric material.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
A combination as set forth in claim 24 in which the underside of the wear strip is coated with a low friction wear-resistant plastic.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
A combination as set forth in claim 23 in which said wear strip is constructed of felt-like fabric.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
A combination as set forth in claim 23 in which the wear strip is releasably mounted by pressure-sensitive adhesive.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
A combination as set forth in claim 23 in which the wear strip is chamfered along its outer circumferential edge.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
A combination as set forth in claim 23 in which the wear strip is chamfered along its inner circumferential edge.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
59 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which an upper annular portion of said annular sealing means is resiliently deformable and is substantially softer than the remainder of the annular sealing means to cause the annular sealing means to accommodate itself to a local rise in the ground surface primarily by compression of said upper annular portion.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
43 words
A combination as set forth in claim 30 in which an annular strip of resilient abrasion-resistant material is mounted on the underside of the annular sealing means, said wear strip being set back radially from the outer circumference of the annular seAling means.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
34 words
A combination as set forth in claim 30 in which said annular sealing means comprises a stack of substantially ring-shaped resilient deformable members, the uppermost of said ring-shaped members being made of cellular elastomer.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
25 words
A combination as set forth in claim 32 in which the ring-shaped members of the stack below the uppermost member are made of cellular elastomer.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
45 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which a central concentric annular portion of the envelope of the hanger is united with a corresponding ring-shaped sheet and the ring-shaped sheet in turn is bonded to the upper surface of the rigid ring-shaped plate.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
62 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which a cylindrical wall extends downward from the base means adjacent the inner periphery of the inflatable hanger and in which the inner peripheral edge of the envelope of the hanger is attached to said cylindrical wall at a level space below the base means to increase the effective volume of the envelope.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
41 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 which includes a chamber on the underside of the base means, said hanger surrounding the chamber and being in fluid communication with the chamber for air flow between the chamber and the hanger.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
56 words
A combination as set forth in claim 36 which includes a passage extending downward from the base means to supply air to the air cushion; in which said chamber is an annular chamber surrounding said passage; and in which said passage is in communication with said chamber to supply air to the hanger through the chamber.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
24 words
A combination as set forth in claim 37 in which the wall of said passage has a port for full communication with the chamber.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
17 words
A combination as set forth in claim 38 which includes an adjustable valve to control said port.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
61 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 which includes valve means to bleed air from the hanger to the atmosphere, said valve means being responsive to the pressure in the hanger to close when the pressure is relatively low and to open when the pressure is relatively high whereby the valve means is closed during initial inflation of the hanger.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
78 words
A combination as set forth in claim 40 in which said valve means comprises at least one port in the envelope of the hanger, said port being positioned adjacent the upper side of said rigid ring-shaped plate the port being so located that it lies against the plate to be closed by the plate when the envelope is partially inflated and the envelope peels away from the plate to open the port when the envelope approaches full inflation.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
80 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which a ring-shaped flexible sheet under the rigid ring-shaped plate is attached to the rigid ring-shaped plate both adjacent the outer circumferential margin of the ring-shaped sheet and adjacent the inner circumferential margin of the ring-shaped sheet, the intermediate circumferential portion of the ring-shaped sheet bieng slack to permit the annular sealing means to cant locally relative to the rigid ring-shaped plate, said ring-shaped flexible sheet being vented to the atmosphere.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
118 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said annular sealing means is made largely of resiliently deformable plastic material; in which a flexible ring-shaped sheet is interposed between the annular sealing means and the rigid ring-shaped plate to act under hoop tension to oppose rigidly outwardly ballooning of the annular sealing means; and in which a ring-shaped flexible sheet under the rigid ring-shaped plate is attached to the rigid ring-shaped plate adjacent both the outer circumferential margin of the ring-shaped sheet and the inner circumferential margin of the ring-shaped sheet, the intermediate circumferential portion of the ring-shaped sheet being slack to permit the annular sealing means to cant locally relative to the rigid ring-shaped plate.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
36 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the hanger is made of radial segments of woven fabric in which threads of the segments are parallel to the radial center lines of the segments.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
48 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the sheet material of the hanger comprises a blank of sheet material of the general configuration of a truncated cone, the circumferential edge of smallest diameter of the cone-shaped blank being the inner circumferential edge of the hanger.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
71 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which support means extends downward from the base means to support the base means on the ground surface when the hanger is deflated, the overall vertical dimension of the hanger and the annular sealing means being such that the annular sealing means is compressed against the floor surface when the base means is supported by the base means with the hanger deflated.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
48 words
A combination as set forth in claim 46 in which said support means is surrounded by the hanger and has grooves on its underside to permit radially outward air flow under the support means when air flow is initiated to create the air cushion inside the sealing assembly.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
36 words
A combination as set forth in claim 47 in which said support means is a chamber in communication with the interior of the hanger and in which air is supplied to the hanger through the chamber.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
74 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 which includes an outer guard means surrounding the inflatable hanger and an inner guard means surrounded by the inflatable hanger, the outer circumferential margin of the sheet wall of the hanger being clamped between the load bearing base and the outer guard means, the inner circumferential margin of the sheet wall of the hanger being clamped between the load bearing base and the inner guard means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-29 | 1977-04-30 | 1977-10-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-29 | 1981-04-30 | 1981-10-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-29 | 1985-04-30 | 1985-10-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |