US 12,187,405 B1
Controlling lifting gas in inflatable structures
Alexander H. Slocum, Bow, NH (US); and Jonathan T. Slocum, Bow, NH (US)
Assigned to LTAG SYSTEMS LLC, Bow, NH (US)
Filed by LTAG SYSTEMS LLC, Bow, NH (US)
Filed on Jul. 3, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/346,683.
Application 17/233,781 is a division of application No. 17/014,593, filed on Sep. 8, 2020, granted, now 11,130,557, issued on Sep. 28, 2021.
Application 18/346,683 is a continuation of application No. 17/233,781, filed on Apr. 19, 2021, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/897,349, filed on Sep. 8, 2019.
Int. Cl. B64B 1/62 (2006.01); B64B 1/40 (2006.01); B64B 1/64 (2006.01); B64B 1/70 (2006.01)
CPC B64B 1/62 (2013.01) [B64B 1/40 (2013.01); B64B 1/64 (2013.01); B64B 1/70 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An aircraft comprising:
an inflatable structure defining a volume;
activated aluminum;
a reactor defining a chamber, an inlet region, and an outlet region, the inlet region and the outlet region in fluid communication with one another via the chamber, the activated aluminum disposed in the chamber, the inlet region releasably securable in fluid communication with a source of water from which water is flowable into the chamber, via the inlet region, under a pressure difference across the inlet region, and the activated aluminum reactive with water in the chamber to generate a hydrogen-containing lifting gas receivable into the volume of the inflatable structure via fluid communication between the volume and the outlet region of the reactor; and
an exhaust in fluid communication between the chamber of the reactor and the volume of the inflatable structure, wherein the chamber of the reactor and the exhaust are movable with the inflatable structure, in a direction away from the source of water, under buoyancy of lifting gas in the volume of the inflatable structure.