Back to results
US 11,780,552 B2Granted
Aerospace balloon system and method of operation
AssigneeSpace Perspective Inc.
InventorTaber MacCallum
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A balloon system, preferably including a balloon and a payload. A balloon, preferably including a plurality of gores, a plurality of load members, and an apex fitting. A method of balloon system operation, preferably including deflating a balloon, and optionally including operating the balloon system in flight and/or landing the balloon system.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a balloon comprising first balloon portion and a second balloon portion;
- and
- an apex fitting comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the apex fitting connected to an apex end of the first balloon portion;
- wherein, in a partially-inflated configuration of the system:
- the second balloon portion is mechanically connected to the first balloon portion via the second portion of the apex fitting and the apex fitting maintains a tension between the first and second balloon portions;
- wherein the apex fitting is operable to transition the system from the partially-inflated configuration to a deflated configuration by:
- mechanically disconnecting the first portion of the apex fitting from the second portion of the apex fitting to release the tension.
4 more elements
A balloon system comprising:
- a plurality of gores;
- a plurality of load members connecting the plurality of gores, the plurality comprising a first set of load members and a second set of load members;
- and
- an apex fitting comprising:
- a first apex member attached to the first set of load members proximal an apex end;
- and
- a second apex member attached to the second set of load members;
- wherein, in a first configuration of the balloon system:
- the first apex member is mechanically connected to the second apex member, thereby mechanically coupling the first set of load members to the second set of load members;
- wherein the apex fitting is operable to transition the balloon system from the first configuration to a second configuration by:
- detaching the first apex member from the second apex member to mechanically decouple the first and second sets of load members.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.