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US 9,174,738 B1Granted
Drag disk, small
AssigneeGoogle Inc.
InventorsKevin Roach, Richard Wayne DeVaul, Phillip Clarin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A payload drag structure having a drag disk comprised of a lightweight, flexible material, a tubular section positioned around a periphery of the drag disk, a flexible member positioned within the tubular section, a cross member having a plurality of aims attached about the periphery of the drag disk, wherein one or more arms of the cross member are adapted for attachment to a payload harness, wherein the payload harness is adapted for attachment to arms of the cross member, and wherein a payload may be secured within the payload harness.
Claims35
A payload drag structure comprising:
- a drag disk comprised of a flexible material;
- a tubular section positioned around a periphery of the drag disk;
- a flexible member positioned within the tubular section;
- a payload harness positioned beneath the drag disk;
- a cross member having a plurality of arms attached about the periphery of the drag disk and extending inwardly in a single plane, wherein one or more of the arms of the cross member are adapted for attachment to the payload harness;
- wherein the payload harness is adapted for attachment to arms of the cross member and is capable of securing a payload.
3 more elements
A balloon, comprising:
- a balloon envelope;
- a payload drag structure positioned beneath the balloon envelope, the payload drag structure comprising:
- a drag disk comprised of a lightweight, flexible material;
- a tubular section positioned around a periphery of the drag disk;
- a flexible member positioned within the tubular section;
- a cross member having a plurality of arms attached about the periphery of the drag disk and extending inwardly in a single plane;
- a payload harness extending below the drag disk;
- wherein the payload harness is adapted to secure a payload;
- a control system configured to initiate a process to cause the balloon envelope to no longer provide lift to the payload;
- and
- wherein the payload drag structure serves to slow the descent of the payload to the earth.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.