Umbrella valves to inflate bladder in balloon envelope

A balloon comprising:

• a balloon envelope;
• a bladder positioned within the balloon envelope;
• a plate having a port;
• a housing secured to the plate;
• an impeller positioned within the housing;
• wherein the port provides a passageway from an inside of the housing to an inside of the bladder within the balloon envelope;
• wherein a passive valve having a periphery is positioned over the port;
• a control system that is configured, upon receiving a signal to increase the amount of air within the bladder within the balloon envelope, to cause the impeller to operate to cause the passive valve to move from a first, closed position where a seal is provided by the engagement of the periphery of the passive valve and a periphery of the port to a second, open position where the periphery of the passive valve is disengaged from the periphery of the port by the force of air moved toward the port by the impeller to open the passageway between the housing and the bladder within the balloon envelope and to allow air to be forced into the bladder within the balloon envelope.

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• operating a control system for a balloon comprised of a balloon envelope, a bladder positioned within the balloon envelope, a plate having a port, a housing secured to the plate, an impeller positioned within the housing, where the port provides a passageway from an inside of the housing to an inside of the bladder, where a passive valve having a periphery is positioned over the port;
• receiving a signal to increase the amount of air within the bladder within the balloon envelope;
• and
• causing the impeller to operate, thereby causing the passive valve to move from a first, closed position where a seal is provided by the engagement of the periphery of the passive valve and a periphery of the port to a second, open position where the periphery of the passive valve is disengaged from the periphery of the port by the force of air moved toward the port by the impeller to open the passageway between the housing and the bladder within the balloon envelope and to allow air to be forced into the bladder within the balloon envelope.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

• operating a control system for a balloon comprised of a a balloon envelope, a bladder positioned within the balloon envelope, a plate having a port, a housing secured to the plate, an impeller positioned within the housing, where the port provides a passageway from an inside of the housing to an inside of the bladder, where a passive valve having a periphery is positioned over the port;
• receiving a signal to increase the amount of air within the bladder within the balloon envelope;
• and
• causing the impeller to operate to force air towards the port, thereby causing the passive valve to move from a first, closed position where a seal is provided by the engagement of the periphery of the passive valve and a periphery of the port to a second, open position where the periphery of the passive valve is disengaged from the periphery of the port by the force of air moved toward the port by the impeller to open the passageway between the housing and the bladder within the balloon envelope and to allow air to be forced into the bladder within the balloon envelope.