System for constructing balloon envelopes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9371123-B2
Application number	US-201414338756-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 23, 2014
Priority date	Dec 20, 2013
Publication date	Jun 21, 2016
Grant date	Jun 21, 2016

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.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

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.

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Roach Kevin
• Neri Jeffrey
• Fourie Daniel Henry

Classifications

• B29C65/4825

  Pressure sensitive adhesives · CPC title

• B29C66/1122

  Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints (B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence) · CPC title

• B29C66/3452

  Making complete joints by combining partial joints · CPC title

• B29L2022/022

  Balloons · CPC title

• B29C65/7441

  for making welds and cuts of other than simple rectilinear form · CPC title