Superpressure balloon envelope cage structure and rigging technique
AssigneeGoogle Inc.
InventorsKevin Roach, Pamela Desrochers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A balloon apparatus is provided having (1) a cage structure that includes (a) a plurality of vertical tendons, where each of the vertical tendons includes a first end and second end, where the first ends of the vertical tendons are all connected to one another and where the second ends of the vertical tendons are all connected to one another and (b) one or more horizontal tendons, where each horizontal tendon is attached to each of the vertical tendons at a corresponding level of the cage structure and (2) a balloon envelope, where the balloon envelop is arranged inside the cage structure and inflatable within the cage structure.
Claims11
A balloon apparatus comprising:
- a cage structure comprising:
- (a) a plurality of vertical tendons, wherein each of the vertical tendons comprises a fiber cable with a first end and a second end, wherein the first ends of the vertical tendons are all connected to one another and wherein the second ends of the vertical tendons are all connected to one another;
- and
- (b) one or more horizontal tendons, wherein each horizontal tendon comprises a braided rope that is tied to an opening within each of the vertical tendons at a corresponding level of the cage structure;
- and
- a balloon envelope, wherein the balloon envelope is arranged inside the cage structure and inflatable within the cage structure.
A method comprising:
- connecting a first end of each of a plurality of vertical tendons to one another, wherein each of the vertical tendons comprises a fiber cable;
- connecting a second end of each of the vertical tendons to one another;
- attaching one or more horizontal tendons to each of the vertical tendons, wherein each horizontal tendon comprises a braided rope that is tied to an opening within each of the vertical tendons at a corresponding height of the vertical tendons;
- and
- inflating a balloon envelope inside the connected vertical and horizontal tendons.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.