System for constructing balloon envelopes

• US 9,371,123 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2014
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aerostar International
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Roach, Kevin, Neri, Jeffrey, Fourie, Daniel Henry
• Primary Examiner(s): KOCH, GEORGE R
• Application Number:
  US14/338,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20150174817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 156/251, 156/269, 156/271, 244/30, 244/31
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/18 using heated tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/226 characterised by the cross-section of said heated wire, resistive ribbon, resistive band or resistive strip, e.g. being triangular
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/30 Electrical means B29C65/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4825 Pressure sensitive adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/50 using adhesive tape , e.g. thermoplastic tape; using threads or the like B29C65/3444 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/743 using the same tool for both joining and severing, said tool being monobloc or formed by several parts mounted together and forming a monobloc B29C65/2046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7441 for making welds and cuts of other than simple rectilinear form
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/749 Removing scrap deburring welded articles B29C37/04
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7802 Positioning the parts to be joined, e.g. aligning, indexing or centring
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7847 using vacuum to hold at least one of the parts to be joined vacuum work holders in general B25B11/005
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/0044 using a separating sheet, e.g. fixed on the joining tool
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/133 Fin-type joints, the parts to be joined being flexible the parts to be joined being rigid B29C66/1312
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/244 said joint lines being non-straight, e.g. forming non-closed contours
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/2442 in the form of a single arc of circle
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/3452 Making complete joints by combining partial joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/43 Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles B29C66/45 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/474 said single elements being substantially non-flat
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73921 characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8122 : characterised by the composition of the material constituting the pressing elements, e.g. constituting the welding jaws or clamps
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81417 : being V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81427 : comprising a single ridge, e.g. for making a weakening line; comprising a single tooth
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8322 : Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/836 : Moving relative to and tangentially to the parts to be joined, e.g. transversely to the displacement of the parts to be joined, e.g. using a X-Y table B29C66/65 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/86533 : by rails
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/9672 : involving special data inputs, e.g. involving barcodes, RFID tags
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2011/00 : Use of rubber derived from chloroprene as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 : PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/003 : PET, i.e. poylethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2623/06 : PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2827/18 : PTFE, i.e. polytetrafluorethene, e.g. ePTFE, i.e. expanded polytetrafluorethene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2909/08 : Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2022/022 : Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3076 : Aircrafts blades, propellers B29L2031/08
• CPC Class Codes: B64B 1/58 : Arrangements or construction of gas-bags; Filling arrangements

Abstract

An assembly for use during manufacture of a balloon envelope that includes a table having first and second levels, an indicator disposed on the first level and a sealing component. The first level is arranged to receive a first sheet portion of material. The indicator is arranged along a lengthwise axis of the table to indicate a position for attaching a tendon to the first sheet portion. The second level is arranged to receive assembled gore portions of the envelope comprising the first sheet portion, the tendon and a second sheet portion material. The sealing component is configured to move along the table and to apply a heat seal to bond together the first and second sheet portions disposed thereon in order to form at least part of a gore portion of the envelope, such that the tendon is arranged proximate to a centerline of the gore.

Claims

1. An assembly for manufacturing a balloon envelope, the assembly comprising:

a table component having first and second levels, a curved heat sealing surface and an indicator disposed on the first level, the first level being arranged to receive a first sheet portion of material, the indicator being arranged along a lengthwise axis of the table component to indicate a position for attaching a tendon to the first sheet portion, and the second level being arranged to receive assembled gore portions of the balloon envelope comprising at least the first sheet portion, the tendon and a second sheet portion of material, at least a portion of the indicator being arranged closer to the second level than the curved heat sealing surface; and

a sealing component, the sealing component being configured to move along the table component and to apply a heat seal to bond the first sheet portion to the second sheet portion of the material disposed at the curved heat sealing surface in order to form at least part of a gore portion of the balloon envelope, such that the tendon is arranged proximate to a centerline of the gore portion that runs along a longitudinal length of the gore portion between two seams.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sealing component is further configured to cut the first and second sheet portions at an edge of each sheet.

3. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a track being arranged along the lengthwise axis of the table component, wherein the sealing component is configured to move along the track in order to heat seal the first and second sheet portions together.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the table component includes a covering material that allows the first sheet portion to slide across the first level.

5. The assembly of claim 4, further comprising an airflow unit, the airflow unit, when activated, causing an amount of airflow to temporarily hold the first sheet portion in place relative to the first level of the table component.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the covering material is configured to allow airflow from the airflow unit to reach the first sheet portion disposed on the first level of the table component.

7. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a feeding track attached to the first level of the table component, the feeding track being arranged to guide a given tendon lengthwise within the indicator disposed on the first level.

8. A system, comprising:

a balloon having a balloon envelope; and

an assembly for use during manufacture of the balloon envelope, the assembly comprising;

a table component having first and second levels, a curved heat sealing surface, and an indicator disposed on the first level, the first level being arranged to receive a first sheet portion of material, the indicator being arranged along a lengthwise axis of the table component to indicate a position for attaching a tendon to the first sheet portion, and the second level being arranged to receive assembled gore portions of the balloon envelope comprising at least the first sheet portion, the tendon and a second sheet portion of material, at least a portion of the indicator being arranged closer to the second level than the curved heat sealing surface; and

a sealing component, the sealing component being configured to move along the table component and to apply a heat seal to bond the first sheet portion to the second sheet portion of the material disposed at the curved heat sealing surface in order to form at least part of a gore portion of the balloon envelope, such that the tendon is arranged proximate to a centerline of the gore portion that runs along a longitudinal length of the gore portion between two seams.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a track being arranged along the lengthwise axis of the table component, wherein the sealing component is configured to move along the track in order to heat seal the first and second sheet portions together.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the sealing component is further configured to cut the first and second sheet portions at an edge of each sheet.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the table component includes a covering material that allows the first sheet portion to slide across the first level.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising an airflow unit, the airflow unit, when activated, causing an amount of airflow to temporarily hold the first sheet portion in place relative to the first level of the table component.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the covering material is configured to allow airflow from the airflow unit to reach the first sheet portion disposed on the first level of the table component.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising a feeding track attached to the first level of the table component, the feeding track being arranged to guide a given tendon lengthwise within the indicator disposed on the first level.

15. A method of manufacturing a balloon envelope, the method comprising:

arranging a first sheet portion of material across a table having first and second levels, a curved heat sealing surface, and an indicator disposed on the first level, the first level being arranged to receive a first sheet portion of material, the indicator being arranged along a lengthwise axis of the table to indicate a position for attaching a tendon to the first sheet portion, and the second level being arranged to receive assembled gore portions of the balloon envelope comprising at least the first sheet portion, the tendon and a second sheet portion of material, at least a portion of the indicator being arranged closer to the second level than the curved heat sealing surface;

securing the first sheet portion to the first level of the table;

adhering a tube portion having the tendon disposed therein to the first sheet portion such that the tube portion is aligned with the indicator;

positioning the second sheet portion of the material over the first sheet and tube portions arranged on the table; and

joining the first and second sheet portions together at the curved heat sealing surface, using a heat sealing device, the joined first and second sheet portions forming at least part of the gore portion of the balloon envelope such that the tendon in the tube portion is arranged proximate to a centerline of the gore portion that runs along a longitudinal length of the gore portion between two seams.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

stacking the gore portion of the balloon envelope onto the second level of the table; and

arranging a third sheet portion of material across the first level of the table to create an additional gore portion of the balloon envelope.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the heat sealing device is further configured to cut the first and second sheet portions along an edge of each sheet.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the table includes a covering material that allows the first sheet portion to slide across the first level of the table.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the table includes an airflow unit, the airflow unit, when activated, causing an amount of airflow to temporarily hold the first sheet portion in place relative to the first level of the table.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the covering material is configured to allow airflow from the airflow unit to reach the first sheet portion disposed on the first level of the table.