Passenger transport system propelled by a space launcher, having a seat with variable inclination based on the load factor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12528601-B2
Application number	US-202218552079-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2022
Priority date	Mar 23, 2021
Publication date	Jan 20, 2026
Grant date	Jan 20, 2026

Abstract

A transport system intended to be installed on a space launcher comprises: an aircraft which comprises propulsion means configured to propel the aircraft in a direction of flight, and at least one seat intended to receive a passenger which is movable in rotation about an axis perpendicular to the direction of flight of the aircraft, an acceleration sensor being installed on each at least one seat to measure the acceleration of each at least one seat; a passenger interface for each at least one seat which comprises a screen intended to display images to the passenger installed on said at least one seat, the screen being coupled to said at least one seat so to remain fixed relative to said at least one seat; a control unit which is connected to the acceleration sensor and to said at least one seat.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A vehicle comprising at least one seat intended to receive a passenger, said seat or each of said seats being movable in rotation about an axis perpendicular to the direction of movement of the vehicle and including:
an acceleration sensor to measure the acceleration of each at least one seat, a passenger interface comprising a screen intended to display images to the passenger installed on said seat, the screen being coupled to the seat with which it is associated so as to remain in a fixed position relative to said seat, and a control unit which is connected to the acceleration sensor and to the associated seat, the control unit being configured, on the one hand, to calculate a load factor experienced by the passenger installed on the corresponding seat from the acceleration of said seat and, on the other hand, to monitor the rotation of said seat during the operation of the transport system in order to maintain the position of the seat fixed relative to the load factor experienced by the passenger throughout the flight, the screen being configured to cover the entire field of vision of the passenger installed on the seat.

2 . The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one seat is fixedly mounted in a rotating cabin along the axis installed in the vehicle.

3 . The vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the rotating cabin is installed in a chamber which is fixed in the vehicle, the rotating cabin being mounted in rotation along the axis in said chamber.

4 . The vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein the chamber comprises two openings intended to allow the passage of the passenger, a first opening forming a main opening for the installation and the departure of the passenger, a second opening forming an emergency exit, the first opening having a larger size than the second opening.

5 . The vehicle according t claim 2 , wherein the rotating cabin comprises a radiation shielding coating.

6 . The vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein the radiation shielding coating is made of polyethylene.

7 . The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to maintain the speed of rotation of the seat below a predefined threshold speed.

8 . The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the passenger interface comprises an audio speaker.

9 . An assembly comprising a space launcher and a vehicle installed on said space launcher, the vehicle comprising at least one seat intended to receive a passenger, said seat or each of said seats being movable in rotation about an axis perpendicular to the direction of movement of the vehicle and including:
an acceleration sensor to measure the acceleration of each at least one seat, a passenger interface comprising a screen intended to display images to the passenger installed on said seat, the screen being coupled to the seat with which it is associated so as to remain in a fixed position relative to said seat, and a control unit which is connected to the acceleration sensor and to the associated seat, the control unit being configured, on the one hand, to calculate a load factor experienced by the passenger installed on the corresponding seat from the acceleration of said seat and, on the other hand, to monitor the rotation of said seat during the operation of the transport system in order to maintain the position of the seat fixed relative to the load factor experienced by the passenger throughout the flight, the screen being configured to cover the entire field of vision of the passenger installed on the seat.

Assignees

• Arianegroup Sas

Inventors

• Prampolini Marco
• Dutheil Jean-Philippe
• Boue Yoan

Classifications

• B64G1/543

  protecting the crew in manned spacecraft · CPC title

• B64G1/60 Primary

  Crew or passenger accommodations · CPC title

• B64G1/002

  Launch systems · CPC title

• B64G1/46 Primary

  Arrangements or adaptations of devices for control of environment or living conditions · CPC title

• B64G1/14

  Space shuttles {(reusable launch rockets B64G1/006)} · CPC title