High-altitude balloon and method and apparatus for making it
US4877205A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 28, 1987 |
| Grant date | Oct 31, 1989 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 28, 2007 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T156/1054
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A high-altitude balloon having prestrained gores made from an asymmetrical gore pattern. The invention includes the balloon, the method of assembling the balloon, and a table specially designed to implement the method. The method can be used to assemble balloons of varying shapes and sizes, within a determinable range of ratios of gore width to gore length. The method involves cutting and sealing edges of a pair of flexible plastic sheets along a straight edge of a table, then inverting the seam so formed until it is aligned with a curved index line on the surface of the table. The curved index line is longer than the seam created along the straight edge so stretching is required during inverting. Successsively cutting, joining and inverting pairs of sheets in this manner produces a balloon with a plurality of symmetrical gores that give the balloon a predetermined shape when inflated.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.