Apparatus to lift and fill a balloon
AssigneeX Development LLC
InventorDaniel Ratner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Aspects of the disclosure relate to filling and lifting high altitude balloons. For instance, one example system for lifting and filling a balloon having a balloon envelope includes an apparatus for use with the balloon envelope. The apparatus includes a load line, a fill tube having a hollow portion nested within the load line and a termination member attached to the fill tube and load line. The load line is configured to lift the balloon envelope during inflation. The fill tube extends through the load line and is configured to allow lift gas to pass through the hollow portion. The termination member is configured to mate with an opening in the balloon envelope so that lift gas can pass through the hollow portion of the fill tube and into the opening in the balloon envelope.
Claims20
A method of filling a balloon envelope with lift gas, the method comprising:
- connecting a filling apparatus to an apex of the balloon envelope, the filling apparatus including a load line and a fill tube nested within the load line, and wherein connecting the filling apparatus includes attaching the fill tube to a fill port of the balloon envelope, and the fill port leading to an opening in the balloon envelope;
- filling the balloon envelope with lift gas by sending lift gas through fill tube and into the fill port and the balloon envelope in order to fill the balloon from the apex;
- and
- while filling the balloon envelope with lift gas, using the load line to lift the balloon envelope.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.