Magnetic ballast dispenser
AssigneeWorld View Enterprises Inc.
InventorsTimothy James Basta, Daniel Lee Robinson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ballast dispenser system and method for flight vehicles, such as high altitude lighter than air vehicles. The system passively retains ballast without power and deploys ballast in response to applying power. An electro-permanent magnet passively retains ballast within the dispenser. Application of power to a coil produces an opposing magnetic field that reduces the overall strength of a net magnetic field acting on the ballast. Lateral positional control of the electro-permanent magnet provides calibration and control of the retaining magnetic field strength. A collapsible silo may hold ballast prior to dispensing ballast and collapse upon landing for minimizing damage.
Claims20
A ballast dispenser for a lighter-than-air high altitude balloon system, the ballast dispenser comprising:
- a silo containing magnetic ballast material;
- a dispensing tube positioned to receive the magnetic ballast material from the silo;
- an electro-permanent magnet positioned entirely lateral to one side of the dispensing tube, wherein the electro-permanent magnet passively exerts a magnetic field on the magnetic ballast material in the dispensing tube to retain the magnetic ballast material within the dispensing tube;
- and
- an adjustment knob coupled to the electro-permanent magnet and operable to adjust a lateral distance between the electro-permanent magnet and the dispensing tube.
A method of adjusting a position of an electro-permanent magnet of a magnetic ballast dispenser, the method comprising:
- retracting an adjustment knob from a magnet housing of the electro-permanent magnet, the electro-permanent magnet being positioned entirely lateral to one side of a dispensing tube positioned to receive magnetic ballast material from a silo;
- and
- rotating the adjustment knob to adjust a lateral distance between the electro-permanent magnet and the dispensing tube so as to adjust a strength of a magnetic field exerted by the electro-permanent magnet on the magnetic ballast material in the dispensing tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.