Lighting balloon
AssigneeLeelium Balloons Limited
InventorsRawdon John Hayne, Robert William Jeffs
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lighting balloon is filled with a buoyant gas, such as helium, and carries a light source. To enable the balloon to withstand the rigours of field application and to be rapidly deployable, the light source may be installed in a cage and/or the ballon may be aerodynamically shaped or provided with stabilising fins; this may enable external lighting to be provided by a lighting a balloon for practical application where static lighting was previously required.
Claims62
Apparatus for mounting a lighting bulb within the envelope of a buoyant balloon, the apparatus comprising a cage, the cage having means for mounting a bulb within the cage, and suspension means for suspending the cage within the balloon.
Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the suspension means comprises elongate, flexible members.
Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising means for attaching the suspension means to the balloon envelope.
Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the balloon is elongate.
Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cage is elongate.
Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the bulb is elongate.
Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the suspension members are mounted at spaced apart locations along an axis of elongation of the cage.
Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the suspension members are at spaced apart locations about the circumference of the cage.
Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cage is attached to the balloon by at least four attachment points, preferably by at least six spaced apart attachment points.
Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cage defines a substantially cylindrical bulb receiving region.
Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the cage comprises a pair of substantially circular end members maintained spaced apart by at least one elongate longitudinal member.
Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a substantially solid or continuous cage.
Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising means for mounting a filter to colour the output of the bulb.
Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cage is shaped so that, upon placing the cage on a flat surface, no part of the bulb can contact the surface in any orientation of the cage.
Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cage is arranged to accommodate a discharge bulb, wherein voltage booster means for boosting voltage supplied from a power supply to a voltage sufficient to ignite the discharge are provided with the cage.
Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the cage is formed substantially from a composite material having a melting point of about 200 degrees centigrade or more.
Apparatus according to any preceding claim further comprising said balloon envelope.
A lighting balloon comprising a bulb-mounting cage pre-secured within a balloon envelope by means of suspension members.
Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the balloon is inflated and the cage is suspended therein.
A kit comprising a bulb-mounting cage having means for suspending the cage within a balloon, preferably according to any preceding claim, a bulb, a balloon envelope and a supply of buoyant gas.
Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein two or more cages each containing a light source are provided within a single elongate balloon spaced apart along the axis of the balloon.
Lighting apparatus comprising a lighting balloon containing a discharge lamp and a power supply connectable to the balloon by means of a power cable, the power supply having means for applying starting power to start the discharge lamp and for supplying sustained power to power the lamp to maintain the discharge, the balloon containing voltage booster means for boosting the voltage supplied to the lamp when said starting power is applied.
Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the bulb has an power rating of at least 1 kilowatt.
A method comprising installing a bulb in a cage and attaching the cage within the envelope of a balloon to be suspended therein when the balloon is filled with a buoyant gas.
Apparatus for providing external lighting at an exposed external location comprising:
- a balloon envelope for containing a quantity of buoyant gas sufficient to provide lift to the apparatus;
- a light source;
- means for supplying power to the light source;
- means for suspending the light source from the balloon envelope;
- means for attaching the balloon envelope to a tether;
- wherein the balloon envelope is configured to resist deflection by wind when attached to the tether.
Use of a tethered buoyant balloon carrying a light source to provide external lighting at an exposed location.
A method of lighting an external location subject to exposure to a wind of greater than 5 km/h, the method comprising comprising deploying a buoyant balloon carrying a light source at the location, the balloon having a shape selected to provide stability in wind, the method further comprising supplying power to the light source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.