Multifunctional balloon membrane

• US 10,059,421 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2015
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Space Data Corporation
• Original Assignee: Space Data Corporation
• Inventors: Knoblach, Gerald Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Davis, Richard G
• Application Number:
  US14/983,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20160185435A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64B 1/40 Balloons B64B1/58 takes precedence; toy balloons A63H27/10
• CPC Class Codes: B64B 1/58 Arrangements or construction of gas-bags; Filling arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64B 1/62 Controlling gas pressure, heating, cooling, or discharging gas
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/08 Adaptations of balloons, missiles, or aircraft for meteorological purposes; Radiosondes transmission of measurements G01D; transmitting circuits H04B; balloons in general B64B; aeroplanes in general B64D; missiles in general F42B15/00

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a lighter-than-air (LTA) device and method of making the same. In an embodiment, the LTA device may include a membrane having a flexible substrate and an active material disposed thereon, wherein the active material is configured to controllably change the surface area of at least a portion of the substrate when an electrical stimulus is applied to the active material.

Claims

1. A lighter-than-air (LTA) device comprising a balloon comprising an outer enclosure and an active surface enclosure located inside the outer enclosure, the active surface enclosure being made of a material comprising:

a flexible substrate; and

an active material disposed on at least a portion of the flexible substrate, wherein the active material deforms mechanically on application of electrical stimulus across the active material, wherein disposal of the active material on the portion controllably changes the surface area of at least the portion of the flexible substrate when an electrical stimulus is applied to the active material.

2. The LTA device of claim 1, wherein the active material comprises one or more layers of graphene, a shape memory alloy, a high thermal expansion coefficient material, a piezoelectric material, an electroactive polymer, or any combination thereof.

3. The LTA device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the balloon further comprises a photovoltaic material disposed thereon.

4. The LTA device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the balloon further comprises a conductive material disposed thereon.

5. The LTA device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the balloon further comprises a device that stores electrical energy disposed thereon.

6. The LTA device of claim 5, wherein the device comprises a capacitor.

7. The LTA device of claim 5, wherein the device comprises an electrochemical cell.

8. The LTA device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the balloon further comprises an antenna disposed thereon.

9. The LTA device of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the balloon is colored in a first color and a second portion of the balloon is colored in a second color having a heat absorption coefficient different from the first color.

10. The balloon of claim 1, wherein the active surface enclosure is filled with a first gaseous material and the region between the outer enclosure and the active surface enclosure is filled with a second gaseous material, wherein the first gaseous material is lighter than air.