BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE: Applicant hereby incorporates herein by reference, any and all U.S. patents, U.S. patent applications, and other documents and printed matter cited or referred to in this application.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates generally to ground effect vehicles and more particularly to such a vehicle wherein a ram air stream is induced forward of the vehicle's body.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

[0003] The following art defines the present state of this field:

[0004] Laufman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,401,766 describes an air-cushion vehicle that is a combination of a thin walled self-supporting shell with an open bottom forming an air-cushion chamber, said shell having an air intake opening at its forward end and having a cockpit opening; a cockpit structure suspended from the shell in the cockpit opening and being bonded to the shell to reinforce the adjacent portion of the shell; a fan mounted in the intake opening to force air into the air-cushion chamber; power means to actuate said fan to maintain air under pressure in the air-cushion chamber; and elongated means mounted on the lower periphery of the shell to serve as a bumper, said elongated means being made of foamed plastic to serve as float means to support the vehicle on water, said elongated means forming an upwardly tilted nose on the front end of the shell.

[0005] Troeng, U.S. Pat. No. 3,529,566 describes a catamaran-type vehicle that embodies an airplane-type wing-like member connecting, and at right angles to, plural pontoons and an inclined helicopter rotor forward of the wing-like member and adapted to blow an air stream under said connecting wing-like member. The rotor shaft is mounted for inclination laterally as well as forward and backward.

[0006] Hietanen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,215 describes a propeller driven vehicle, such as an air cushion hovercraft, comprising a hull, a teardrop shaped cabin mounted on the hull and a propeller arranged in front of the cabin. A gutter shaped obstructing plate is pivotally mounted to each sidewall of the cabin and is movable between a horizontal and vertical position. When the obstructing plate is moved from its horizontal position to obstruct the airflow from the propeller around the sidewall of the cabin, a pressure differential is created on the cabin, which is effective in steering the vehicle.

[0007] Howell et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,012 describes a vehicle utilizing a pair of counter rotating lift fans driven by an air cooled internal combustion engine providing compressed air into a plenum under a shell moving the vehicle away from the surface upon which it is resting with the gas escape velocity evenly distributed around a peripheral skirt. A separate forward thrust fan driven directly by a rotating pedestal mounted engine provides the forward propulsion. An aileron is rotatably mounted directly behind the thrust fan and provides controlled response to the pitch direction of the vehicle by changing the angle of the airflow discharge. The vehicle contains a pair of movable keels for operation on the water and side wings to extend the effective surface of the craft.

[0008] Rice et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,540 describes a ground effect flying craft utilizing a pressure cavity for low speed support on a static air cushion. The cavity is bounded by a streamlined aft body, a fore body, and side plates, which allow for low drag and high lift at cruise speed on a dynamic air cushion. Static lift pressure and dynamic thrust are provided by a fixed dual-purpose propulsor. Flows diverting devices or auxiliary power units are not needed for transition from static lift to dynamic flight.

[0009] Nazarov, WO 99/33690 describes a Wing-In-Ground-Effect vehicles (WIGs, also called Ekranoplans). Specifically, a WIG vehicle capable of starting and landing on unprepared terrain or water surfaces. This vehicle incorporates new lift increasing features, namely a system using ducted lift fans suctioning air from the wing upper surfaces and creating a multi-chamber air cushion under the fuselage and wings of the vehicle. Each lift fan will be powered by a turbine actuated by high-pressure combustion gases diverted from the main power units. The WIG's flight control system distributes power between the lift fans and the forward propulsion units, though valves in the high-pressure gas conducts leading to turbines powering the lift fans or the forward propulsion units. Starting with 100% of the power directed to the lift fans for hovering, the available power is gradually transferred to the forward propulsion units. As the speed increases, an increasing amount of lift is generated dynamically until the Wing-In-Ground effect is enough to carry the vehicle on its own and 100% of the power is available for forward thrust. The lift fans are mounted in the fuselage-wing junctions and suspended passenger or freight modules can be fastened to the wing end plates.

[0010] The prior art teaches pitch controlled ground effect vehicles, air cushion vehicles, such with take-off aid, such with static air cushions for low speeds, and a boat with rotor above a wing of a catamaran; but does not teach a ground effect vehicle with forward mounted and tilting power plant. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.

[0012] A ground effect vehicle apparatus comprising a vehicle body of integral and contiguous construction including a medial portion having an aerodynamic upper surface, and a pair of spaced apart laterally positioned portions separated by the medial portion. Lower extremities of the laterally positioned portions extend downwardly below the medial portion to restrain air flow between them as it moves toward the rear of the body. Forward extremities of the laterally positioned portions extend forward of the medial portion to, again, restrain air flow from moving laterally. Power plants are mounted within the medial portion and support aircraft type propellers positioned forward of the medial portion of the body. The propellers are mechanized for moving over an arcuate vertical range, such that their force vectors are directable between the horizontal and approximately 45 degrees above the horizontal. In this manner, the propeller forces ram air below and to the rear of the medial portion of the vehicle body thereby developing cushion effect lift and forward thrust. Also, the propellers are rotated laterally to the left or right so as to develop left or right turning vectors, and this is accomplished by rotation of the power plant.

[0013] A primary objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method of use of such apparatus that provides advantages not taught by the prior art.

[0014] Another objective is to provide such an invention capable of being drawn in a forward direction over a firm surface by forward mounted propellers.

[0015] A further objective is to provide such an invention capable of gliding on a cushion of air.

[0016] A still further objective is to provide such an invention capable of developing forced lift below and above the craft.

[0017] A still further objective is to develop turning forces by canting and rotating propellers of the craft.

[0018] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.