US 10,293,913 B1Granted

Termination assembly for use with balloon envelopes

AssigneeLoon LLC

InventorsKevin Roach, Daniel Henry Fourie

Life of this patent

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Abstract

The present disclosure provides an apparatus for use on a balloon having a balloon envelope. The apparatus includes a frame body comprising first and second members, an adjustable arm attached to the first member and a circular heating element disposed on a surface of the second member. The adjustable arm may be configured to cause the first member to move in a direction with respect to the surface the second member. The surface of the second member may be arranged to receive a termination plate and a portion of a balloon envelope. By moving the adjustable arm between first and second positions with respect to the surface of the second member, the termination plate and the portion of a balloon envelope are pressed together. In this regard, the circular heating element, when activated, is configured to cause the termination plate to heat bond with the portion of the balloon envelope.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a balloon having a balloon envelope;
a plurality of tendons attached to the balloon envelope;
a termination assembly comprising:
a plate structure with a heat seal, the heat seal being between the plate structure and the balloon envelope, the plate structure having:
a first portion with a top surface and a bottom surface oriented opposite of the top surface of the first portion, the bottom surface of the first portion being arranged on and attached to the top surface of a second portion;
and
the second portion having a bottom surface oriented opposite of the top surface of the second portion, the bottom surface of the second portion being oriented towards an interior of the balloon envelope;
and
a load ring arranged on and attached to the top surface of the first portion and each tendon of the plurality of tendons, the load ring being configured to support a load of lift gas disposed within the balloon envelope;
and
a circular heat sealer configured to activate the heat seal by pressing and heating the plate structure and the balloon envelope together to create a circular heat seal,
wherein the plate structure is configured to form the heat seal as an airtight seal, and
herein the load ring is positioned internal to the plate structure with respect to the heat seal.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/633,369Filed 27 Feb 2015 · division
Priority: 25 Jul 2014
Granted: 21 May 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification15 codes

B64B 1/58
Lighter-than-air aircraft: arrangements or construction of gas-bags; Filling arrangements
B29C 65/22
Using heated tools: heated wire resistive ribbon, resistive band or resistive strip
B29C 66/1122
Single lapped joints: single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints
B29C 66/24221
Being circular, oval or elliptical: being circular