Balloon envelope manufacturing device, method for manufacturing a balloon envelope

Abstract

Balloon envelope manufacturing device (100) for the automated production of a balloon envelope (1) with a programmable shape from three or more superimposed layers of film (2), wherein the layers of film (2) have a weldable and a non-weldable side and wherein the film layers (2) can be arranged on top of each other such that at least one intermediate film layer (26) is folded with its weldable side facing outwards, with at least one welding head (3), with displacement means (4), for relocating the welding head (3) and the film layers (2), wherein the balloon envelope manufacturing device (100) has a control device (5) for controlling the transfer means (4) and wherein, by means of the transfer means (4), various sequences of movements of the film layers (2) and the welding head (3) relative to each other can be carried out to produce differently shaped balloon envelopes (1), wherein the shape of the balloon envelope (1) can be freely determined with the aid of the control device (5), wherein the transfer means (4) - comprise a first linear guide (L1) to guide a back-and-forth movement of the welding head (3) at least nearly perpendicular to the film plane (21), - a second linear guide (L2), for guiding a displacement of the welding head (3) parallel to the film plane (21) and - for displacing the film layers (2) a motor-driven propulsion roller (8) which is arranged so that it displaces the film layers (2) only in exactly one direction (R3) of two directions exactly one of the three spatial directions (x, y, z), wherein the device comprises at least two welding heads (3) which are movable relative to each other, wherein the device has two separating heads (17) and the device has displacement means for displacing the separating heads (17), wherein the length (LV) of the balloon envelope manufacturing device (100) is shorter than the length (LB) of the balloon envelopes (1) that can be produced with the balloon envelope manufacturing device (100).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a balloon envelope manufacturing device for producing a balloon envelope from three or more superimposed film layers and a method for producing a balloon envelope.

[0002] Balloon envelopes made from film layers and featuring a welded seam are already known, for example from DE 20 2018 104 836 U1. DE 19 53 409 A shows the production of a stratospheric balloon from very thin plastic films. In this process, film edges are overlapped and continuously welded. DE 10 2018 121 364 A1 describes a plastic spot welding process for producing overlap seams in glass-fiber-reinforced plastics. JP H06-278 695 A shows the production of an airship envelope by stacking folded, one-sidedly weldable films on top of each other, without explaining how the welding is carried out according to the specified geometry. DE 19919474 A1 shows a balloon envelope with good thermal insulation for hot air balloons, wherein the balloon envelope has an inner envelope and an outer envelope which are connected to each other at their edges.In one variant, the two shells are connected to each other over the entire surface by means of spot welds and the cushion-like chambers are filled with air.

[0003] The disadvantage of devices and methods for producing such balloon envelopes is that they are often either inflexible with regard to changing the shape of the balloon envelope and / or that they require a lot of manual work and are therefore time-consuming and costly.

[0004] The invention has for its object to provide a balloon envelope manufacturing device and a method for manufacturing a balloon envelope which are improved with regard to at least one of the disadvantages mentioned.

[0005] This object is achieved by the balloon envelope manufacturing device set out in claim 1 and the method set out in claim 7.

[0006] The balloon envelope manufacturing device according to the invention is suitable for the automated production of a balloon envelope from three or more superimposed film layers. The balloon envelope manufacturing device is also referred to as the device for short in this document. The device has at least one welding head. The device also has displacement means for displacing the welding head and / or the film layers. The displacement means are preferably automatically controllable. The device has a control device for the preferably automatic control of the displacement means. By means of the displacement means, various sequences of movements of the film layers and the welding head relative to one another can be carried out to produce differently shaped balloon envelopes.

[0007] In this way, the device can enable the automated production of individually shaped balloon envelopes. A programmable balloon envelope shape is achieved. Individual balloon envelopes shaped according to individual customer requirements can be produced in high quality at low production costs, with a weld seam that, unlike manual production, is highly reliably gas-tight and resilient.

[0008] The balloon envelope manufacturing device is suitable for the automated production of a balloon envelope from three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or more superimposed film layers. Preferably, the displacement means are configured to be automatically controlled. The automatic control may comprise open-loop and / or closed-loop control. The device is preferably configured to displace the film layers and / or the welding head such that the film layers and / or the welding head can perform different sequences of movements relative to one another, such that differently shaped balloon envelopes can be produced using the different sequences of movements.

[0009] The time required to produce a balloon envelope can be reduced compared to manual production. Preferably, the time required to produce exactly one balloon envelope using the device is at most 120 minutes and / or at least 1 minute or 5 minutes, depending on the shape and size.

[0010] During the sequence of relative movements of the film layers and the welding head, the individual film layers preferably do not move relative to each other. Preferably, the film layers can be welded together by the welding head.

[0011] The device can have a frame. The displacement means preferably displace the film layers and / or the welding head and / or any cutting head of the device relative to the frame. Unless otherwise indicated by the context, the term "displacement" in the context of this document refers in particular to a change in position relative to the frame, and the term "movement" refers in particular to a change in position of elements, such as film layers and / or the welding head and / or any cutting head, relative to one another. A sequence of movements of the film layers and the welding head relative to one another preferably comprises movements in two directions running parallel to the film plane, which may be perpendicular to one another, and more preferably in all three spatial directions.

[0012] In the context of this document, the term "film plane" refers in particular to the plane in which the film layers extend in the region of the device in which the film layers can be welded together by the device or in which one of the film layers comes into contact with the welding head. In a conceivable embodiment in which the film layers in this region are not flat but curved, the term "film plane" refers in particular to the tangential plane to this region.

[0013] The sequence of movements of the film layers and the welding head relative to each other is carried out by displacing the film layers and the welding head. This involves displacing the welding head in a direction perpendicular to the film plane and in a direction parallel to the film plane. Furthermore, the film layers are displaced in another direction parallel to the film plane, in particular perpendicular to the direction of displacement of the welding head parallel to the film plane.

[0014] The sequence of movements of film layers and welding head relative to one another preferably comprises, among other things, movements in two mutually perpendicular directions which do not change the distance between film layers and welding head. Preferably, the same welding head can perform different sequences of movements relative to the film layers. The sequence of movements of film layers and welding head relative to one another preferably comprises a series of individual movements in different directions. Preferably, the device is designed such that the shape of the balloon envelope results from the configuration of the sequence of movements of film layers and welding head relative to one another. This shaping relative movement of film layers and welding head relative to one another allows great freedom in selecting the desired shape of the balloon envelope.

[0015] The shape of the balloon envelope can be freely determined using the control device. Preferably, the shape of the balloon envelope can be freely determined by selecting, specifying, or programming a sequence of movements of film layers and welding head relative to one another. With regard to this free determination of a shape by means of automatically controllable displacement means, the device preferably resembles a plotter and can preferably be described as plotter-like. Preferably, the shape of the balloon envelope is therefore not predetermined, for example, by the shape of the welding head. Preferably, only the automatic control needs to be changed to produce differently shaped balloon envelopes. Converting the device from one balloon envelope shape to another preferably takes place without replacing or adapting a physical part of the device, e.g., the welding head.Preferably, the sequence of movements of film layers and the welding head relative to one another is defined exclusively by digitally stored or storable and editable balloon envelope shape data. A change in the sequence can preferably be achieved solely by changing the balloon envelope shape data.

[0016] Preferably, the device is configured such that the welding head can weld the film layers together along a weld seam, preferably by contact between the welding head and one of the film layers and / or by pressing all film layers together by the welding head.

[0017] In this publication, the term "welding" or "fusion" refers to the almost permanent joining of film layers using heat and / or pressure. This joining can be achieved using welding consumables, but is preferably carried out without welding consumables.

[0018] Preferably, the shape of the weld seam is defined by the design of the sequence of movements of film layers and welding head relative to each other.

[0019] Preferably, the displacement means are controllable such that the welding head—in particular as viewed from the film layer reference system—moves along a preferably at least partially curved path relative to the film layers. The path preferably runs parallel to the film plane and more preferably defines the shape of the weld seam. In other words, the displacement means are preferably automatically controllable such that the welding head—as viewed from the film layer reference system—follows a path on the film layers or travels along this path. The path is preferably a virtual path, preferably defined by balloon envelope shape data, which is stored in particular digitally. Preferably, the shape and position of the path on the film layers and thus the shape of the balloon envelope are changeable or programmable by changing the automatic control.Preferably, the shape of the balloon envelope is determined or can be influenced by the shape and position of the web on the foil layers.

[0020] If the sequences of movements of film layers and welding head relative to each other comprise a plurality of back and forth movements caused by a back and forth displacement of the welding head, then the device can allow a particularly reliable production of balloon envelopes.

[0021] Preferably, the displacement means comprise at least one motor. The at least one motor can be, for example, a stepper motor and / or a servo motor.

[0022] The relocation means include at least one guide.

[0023] The guide comprises a first linear guide, e.g., a cylindrical portion of the welding head and a guide bushing, for guiding the reciprocating movement of the welding head.

[0024] The guide comprises a second linear guide, e.g., a guide carriage, for guiding the movement of the sealing head parallel to the film plane. The sealing head can be arranged on the guide carriage. The first linear guide can be arranged on the second linear guide.

[0025] The back and forth movement preferably comprises a film contact phase in which the welding head is in contact with one of the film layers and preferably exerts a pressing force on the film layers that presses the film layers together, and a film release phase in which the welding head is not in contact with the film layers or in which the force exerted by the welding head on the film layers is less than the pressing force. The film contact phase can also be referred to as a welding process. The back and forth movement can, particularly in the film release phase, be superimposed by a further movement of the film layers and the welding head relative to one another, approximately parallel to the film plane, and / or a step-by-step movement of the film layers and the welding head relative to one another, approximately parallel to the film plane, can occur between two back and forth movements. The back and forth movement preferably runs in a straight line.The reciprocating movement is at least nearly perpendicular to the film plane. Preferably, the reciprocating movement is so rapid that the sum of a film contact phase and a film release phase is shorter than 2 seconds, 1 second, or 0.5 seconds. Preferably, the sum of a film contact phase and a film release phase is longer than 1 / 100 of a second, 1 / 1000 of a second, or 1 / 20,000 of a second.

[0026] During the film contact phase, the movement of the film layers relative to the welding head can involve a movement of the film layers relative to the welding head in a direction in or parallel to the film plane. Thus, the welding head can slide or roll along one of the film layers during welding. This can enable particularly rapid production of balloon envelopes.

[0027] Preferably, however, the movement of the film layers relative to the welding head during the film contact phase exclusively comprises a back and forth movement, or there is no movement of the film layers relative to the welding head at all during the film contact phase. It has been shown that a particularly reproducible and resilient weld seam can be produced in this way, compared to a device in which the welding head slides or rolls along one of the film layers during welding. By avoiding this sliding or rolling along, the risk of the film layers becoming creasing or damaged is also avoided. Surprisingly, it has been shown that acceptable production times for a balloon envelope can still be achieved using the device, depending on the type and size of the balloon envelope, preferably less than 120 minutes, 30 minutes, 10 minutes, or 5 minutes.

[0028] The balloon envelope manufacturing device preferably comprises a film welding device, preferably designed as a spot welding device, for producing preferably overlapping weld points. The film welding device preferably comprises the welding head. The welding head can be stamp-like and stamp the weld points—preferably overlapping—into the film layers.

[0029] If the weld spots have a circular outline, a consistent seam thickness can be achieved without any additional measures, even when the direction of the welding head's relative movement to the film layers changes. The seam thickness can at least approximately correspond to the diameter of a weld spot.

[0030] The welding head preferably has a film contact surface. The film contact surface can preferably also be referred to as a welding surface. The shape and size of a welding spot preferably corresponds at least largely to the shape and size of the film contact surface. The film contact surface is preferably flat. The film contact surface preferably has an outer contour which it fills at least almost completely. The film contact surface is therefore preferably not ring-shaped and more preferably has no inner contour. The film contact surface is preferably compact and not elongated. The ratio of the smallest outer dimension to the largest outer dimension is preferably greater than 0.3 or 0.5 or 0.7. The largest outer dimension of the film contact surface is preferably less than 10 cm or 5 cm or 1 cm and / or greater than 1 mm. In a preferred embodiment, the welding surface has a circular contour with a diameter between 1 mm and 1 cm.Preferably, an outer dimension of the film contact surface corresponds to the weld seam thickness.

[0031] The welding head can be cylindrical. The welding surface can then be one of the two circular intersection surfaces of the cylinder.

[0032] Preferably, the welding head is frustoconical and the welding surface is more preferably the top surface of the frustoconical.

[0033] Preferably, the balloon envelope manufacturing device is designed such that the welding points overlap to produce a sealing seam.

[0034] The device can be an ultrasonic welding device. The welding head can then transmit mechanical vibrations to the film layers, generating frictional heat there.

[0035] Preferably, the device is not an ultrasonic welding device. Preferably, the highest frequency of movement of the film layers and the welding head relative to each other is below 100 Hz or 10 Hz. Preferably, the welding head is a heat conduction welding head, meaning it can transfer heat to the film layers by conduction.

[0036] The device preferably has a heating element for heating the welding head, preferably above the melting temperature of a component of the film layers, e.g., to more than 100 degrees Celsius and / or less than 350 degrees Celsius. The control device can comprise a regulating device for regulating the welding head temperature, which can interact with a temperature sensor of the welding head.

[0037] The film layers have a weldable and a non-weldable side. This makes it possible, as preferred, for the device to not weld all of the mutually facing sides of the individual film layers or not every film layer to every other film layer when there are more than two film layers. More than two film layers can be arranged on top of one another in such a way that the at least one intermediate film layer is folded, with its weldable side facing outwards. Preferably, the individual film layers each comprise plastic and / or metal. All film layers can each comprise a plurality of layers bonded to one another over their entire surface. Preferably, all film layers each comprise two layers of different plastic material and / or a metal layer, e.g., aluminum.All film layers can each comprise a middle layer of polyamide, with an outer layer made of metal, in particular aluminum, and an opposite outer weldable layer, e.g. made of a thermoplastic, such as polyethylene. The metal layer can increase the gas tightness and improve the one-sided weldability of the film layers. Preferably, the film layers are not elastic or only slightly elastic. Preferably, the tensile strain at break according to ISO 527-1 2019 of the individual film layers is less than 500%, 250%, or 100%. Preferably, the individual film layers stretch by less than 50%, 10%, or 5% at the operating pressure of the balloon envelope. In this way, particularly with the aid of a metal coating, particularly good gas tightness, e.g., helium tightness, can be achieved. The unfolded width of a film layer is preferably greater than 20 cm and less than 5 m or 2 m.All unfolded film layers can have the same length and / or width. All folded film layers can have the same length and / or width.

[0038] Preferably, the displacement means for displacing the film layers are configured to displace a variable number of film layers (according to the invention, at least 3, preferably at least 4 film layers), of which a variable number (preferably at least 2) can be folded. If the sequence of movements of film layers and welding head is carried out relative to one another while the film layers are not displaced, then film holding means are preferably provided for holding a variable number of film layers (at least 2 or at least 3, preferably at least 4 film layers), of which a variable number (preferably at least 2) can be folded.

[0039] The control device preferably has a data input for the balloon envelope shape data. The control device is preferably configured to control the displacement means using the balloon envelope shape data. In the preferred embodiment, the control device comprises a data processing device configured to process the balloon envelope shape data into a sequence of control commands for the displacement means. The control device can comprise a regulating device. The control device can comprise a microcontroller. The control device can comprise a physical computing platform, e.g., the registered trademark Arduino. Controlling the displacement means preferably comprises controlling or regulating the feed, i.e., the distance of movement of film layers and welding head relative to one another between two welding processes.Further preferably, controlling the displacement means comprises controlling or regulating the contact pressure of the welding head on the film layers during the welding process. Further preferably, controlling the displacement means comprises controlling or regulating the duration of a welding process. Preferably, the control device is configured to control or regulate the temperature of the welding head.

[0040] The displacement means comprise a motor-driven feed roller for displacing the film layers. The film layers can be rolled onto the feed roller. In one embodiment, a sensor is arranged on the feed roller to determine the thickness of the film layers rolled onto the feed roller. Alternatively, the device can comprise a counter-roller that forms a feed roller gap with the feed roller through which the film layers can be pulled. In this embodiment, the welding head is preferably displaced in a direction parallel to the film plane, perpendicular to the displacement of the film layers caused by the feed roller.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment, the device comprises a film feed, with the aid of which at least two film layers can be arranged one above the other. The film feed preferably comprises two feed rollers forming a feed roller gap. The feed rollers can be motor-driven. Preferably, the feed rollers are not driven. The device preferably comprises at least one film unwinding device for unwinding film for one film layer from a film roll and for preparing the film for the film feed. The film roll can have a width that can be between 50 cm and 2 m and can be approximately 1 m. The film unwinding device is preferably suitable for unwinding film from at least two or three or four or five or more film rolls.

[0042] Preferably, the film unwinding device and / or the film feeder are configured such that the at least two superimposed film layers are arranged such that the edges of the film layers run at least largely parallel to one another and preferably at least partially congruent with one another. This is preferably achieved by aligning the film roll holders of the film unwinding device parallel to one another and arranging them with the same edges.

[0043] The device comprises at least two welding heads that are movable relative to one another. This allows for accelerated production of the balloon envelope. Furthermore, the film displacement means are configured to displace the film layers in exactly one of two directions, e.g., by the feed roller only rolling up the film layers during production of the balloon envelope, but not unrolling them. Preferably, the welding heads can perform relative movements to the film layers independently of one another or, particularly with regard to movements parallel to the film plane, mirror-symmetrically to one another. Each of the two welding heads can be arranged on a guide carriage, and the two guide carriages can share a guide rail.

[0044] The length of the device is shorter than the length of the balloon envelopes that can be produced with the device. Particularly preferably, the length of the balloon envelopes that can be produced with the device is not or not rigidly limited by the device, unlike, for example, in manual production which requires a work table, and more preferably is greater than the length of the device. For example, balloon envelopes 10 m long and longer can be produced with the device. The maximum length can be limited, for example, by a maximum tolerable diameter of the propulsion roller to approximately 20 m or 30 m, or by the maximum length of film available on film rolls. The length of the device can be shorter than 1 or 1.5 m. The space required by the device can therefore be less than 1 or 2 square meters.

[0045] Thanks to the device's control and / or regulation system, the quality of the balloon envelope's weld seam can be so high that, compared to, for example, a manual balloon envelope production, the number of superimposed film layers and thus the possible diameter of the balloon envelope can be increased. For example, the device can be suitable for producing a balloon envelope from three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or more superimposed film layers. Depending on the film material, the number of superimposed film layers can be limited, for example, to fewer than 20 film layers, due to a decrease in the quality of the weld seam beyond a certain number.

[0046] Preferably, the device is suitable for producing a balloon envelope having a volume of more than 1, 5 or 10 cubic meters and preferably less than 100 cubic meters.

[0047] According to the invention, the device comprises two cutting heads. This allows several advantages to be achieved. Firstly, a preferably automatic cutting or melting of the superfluous areas of the film layers along the weld seam can be achieved. Furthermore, this can simplify any manual cutting off of film layer areas adjacent to the outside of the weld seam. The device has displacement means for displacing the cutting head. The displacement means for displacing the cutting head are preferably automatically controllable. Preferably, by means of the displacement means for displacing the cutting head and / or the displacement means for displacing the film layers, different sequences of movements of the cutting head and the film layers relative to one another can be carried out for differently shaped balloon envelopes.Particularly preferably, the film layers are moved relative to the welding head in three directions, which are preferably perpendicular to one another, i.e. in all three spatial directions. The cutting head can comprise a blade-shaped region for cutting. The cutting head can comprise a cutting roller for cutting. The cutting head can be unheated. Preferably, the cutting head has a tip for cutting. Preferably, the cutting head, preferably the tip, is heated, particularly preferably to a temperature above the melting temperature of a component of the individual film layers, e.g. to more than 100 degrees Celsius and / or less than 350 degrees Celsius. The cutting head can then also be referred to as a melting cutting head. The cutting head can, for example, be needle-shaped or conical. Preferably, a cutting head is assigned to each welding head.The movements of the separating head (in at least two, preferably three dimensions) relative to the film layers preferably comprise a back and forth movement of the separating head, in particular brought about by a back and forth displacement of the separating head, with a film contact phase or film separation phase in which the separating head is in contact with the film layers and a film release phase in which the separating head is not in contact with the film layers. Preferably, the back and forth movement of the separating head is at least almost perpendicular to the film plane. The device can have a plurality of separation operating modes. In one separation operating mode, the movement of the separating head relative to the film layers in the film contact phase of the movement of the separating head can comprise a movement of the separating head relative to the film layers in a direction parallel to the film plane. In this way, holes orSlits are melted into the film layers which are larger than the cutting head and a complete separation or melting of the superfluous film layer areas along the weld seam can be achieved, in particular when only a few, in particular only two, film layers are arranged on top of one another. In a further cutting mode, the movement of the cutting head relative to the film layers in the film contact phase can only comprise the back and forth movement. In this way, holes can be made in the film layers which are approximately as large as those of the cutting head or the cutting head tip. It has been shown that if the cutting head has a tip for cutting, this cannot achieve a complete cutting or melting of the film layer areas outside the weld seam, but merely a perforation of the film layers. This cutting mode can therefore also be referred to as the perforation mode.However, achieving complete cutting or melting has proven problematic with more than two layers, and perforation can offer several advantages, particularly with more than two film layers: Firstly, the perforation can be designed in such a way that it allows the film layer areas adjacent to the weld seam to be torn off. Secondly, it can needle or tack together several film layers or sides - preferably also non-welded film layers or sides - with more than two film layers. This can make the further transport of the film layers more reliable, for example rolling them up on the feed roller or pulling them through a nip formed between the feed roller and another roller.This can also simplify any manual cutting of film layer areas adjacent to the outside of the weld seam, since the bonding allows all film layers to be cut along a common cutting line with a single cut, preventing film layers or film sides from slipping relative to one another. The cutting head can be needle-shaped, and the perforation can be pierced into the film layers. The reciprocating movement of the cutting head relative to the film layers can occur at the same frequency as the reciprocating movement of the cutting head relative to the film layers, and it can occur parallel, counter-rotating, or out of phase with the film layers.

[0048] The method according to the invention for producing a balloon envelope comprises the following process steps: - Creating balloon envelope shape data, - Arranging more than two layers of film on top of each other, - Welding the film layers together by means of at least two welding heads, by automatically - in particular motor-driven - carrying out a sequence of movements of the welding heads and the film layers relative to each other with the aid of the balloon envelope shape data.

[0049] The method according to the invention for producing a balloon envelope is carried out using a balloon envelope manufacturing device having the features of claim 1.

[0050] In a preferred embodiment, the sequence of movements is carried out such that the welding head—viewed from the film layer reference system—follows a path on the film layers, which may be at least partially curved. The path is preferably a virtual path and is further preferably predetermined by balloon envelope shape data, which is further preferably retrieved from a digital memory.

[0051] Preferably, the film layers and welding head are moved relative to one another in at least one, preferably two directions parallel to the film plane and more preferably in a direction oriented at least almost perpendicular to the film plane. The direction oriented at least almost perpendicular to the film plane is preferably a back and forth movement. Preferably, the welding head is brought into contact with and out of contact with one of the film layers by the direction oriented at least almost perpendicular to the film plane. The film layers are preferably welded by bringing exactly one of the film layers into contact with the welding head, preferably point by point. Preferably, points are welded one after the other, preferably overlapping one another.Preferably, the film layers and the welding head are not moved relative to each other in a direction parallel to the film plane during welding, i.e. in particular during the contact phase of the welding head with one of the film layers.

[0052] In a preferred embodiment, the film layers are displaced relative to the frame only in exactly one of two directions, exactly one of the three spatial directions.

[0053] The balloon envelope shape data is preferably created using an input mask, e.g., an Excel spreadsheet, into which parameters of the desired balloon envelope shape, such as length, largest diameter, volume, and / or number of film layers, are entered. The input mask can interact with an algorithm. The algorithm can also be based on at least a zeppelin-shaped, aerodynamic profile. A machine-readable code, e.g., GCode, is preferably created from the data entered into the input mask, for example, in a column of the Excel spreadsheet. The machine-readable code is preferably then copied into a text file, which can have the file extension .txt. The machine-readable code is then preferably supplemented, in particular manually, with process parameters relevant to the quality of the weld seam. These process parameters can, for example,the step length, i.e., the distance of movement of the film layers relative to the welding head between two welding points, and / or the temperature of the welding head and / or the contact pressure of the welding head on the film layers during the welding process. The manual addition may include adapting the code to the film layers, in particular the sealing temperature of the film layers and / or the number of film layers arranged one above the other.

[0054] The process parameters relevant for the quality of the weld seam can be determined experimentally beforehand by producing test weld seams using the balloon envelope manufacturing device and the specific film layers with the respective number of film layers and checking them.

[0055] Preferably, the code is then forwarded to the control device, e.g., via the device's data input, for example, using a digital storage medium such as an SD memory card. This code is then preferably processed by the control device into control commands for the motors of the displacement means for displacing the welding head and / or the cutting head and / or the film layers, which effect the desired sequence of movements of the film layers and the welding head relative to each other and, if applicable, of the film layers and the cutting head relative to each other.

[0056] In a preferred embodiment of the method, the balloon envelope shape data represent a development or a segment of the development of the desired balloon envelope shape. The path preferably corresponds to the contour of the development or a segment of the development. The term "development" in the context of this document refers in particular to the spreading of the surface of the balloon envelope into a plane, e.g., such that lengths (measured on the original surface) are retained. For balloon envelope shapes with a strictly non-developable surface, such as a sphere or zeppelin shape, "development" refers in particular to the approximation of a correct development.

[0057] When creating the balloon envelope shape data, the number of layers arranged one above the other is preferably taken into account.

[0058] The welding head is preferably heated by means of a heating element, preferably above the melting temperature of a component of the individual film layers. The welding head preferably transfers heat to the film layers by conduction.

[0059] In the preferred embodiment, film layers are arranged on top of each other before welding, having previously been folded with their weldable side facing outwards. More than two film layers are used, and at least one intermediate film layer is folded in the middle before welding. The films of the film layers are preferably present in two variants at the film feeder: at least one film in its full width, unfolded, and preferably at least one further film folded in the middle, with the weldable side facing outwards. Preferably, all of the films are arranged in layers one above the other as required by the film feeder. Preferably, the feed roller winds up the film layers at the end of the device and thereby guides the film layers under the welding heads.The welding heads are preferably controlled by a control device comprising a microcontroller, preferably in such a way that they are pressed down onto the film layers in interaction with the drive roller. The welding heads preferably weld all of the film layers to be welded together simultaneously at a defined temperature and / or for a defined period of time and / or with a defined contact pressure. Since the non-weldable sides of the film layers preferably face each other, the subsequent balloon envelope can unfold, in particular rotationally symmetrically. To reduce production time, the device has two welding heads and two cutting heads. In the preferred embodiment, the welding heads or the cutting heads weld the contour of the unfolded section or of a segment of an unfolded section of the balloon envelope on the right and left respectively.The cutting heads preferably simultaneously separate this contour from excess film layer areas or prepare for manual separation. The contour of the unfolded pattern or of a segment of the unfolded pattern is preferably encoded using a machine-readable text file. The device is therefore preferably not restricted to one balloon envelope shape, but can produce any desired, in particular rotationally symmetrical, balloon envelope shape, preferably in almost any quantity. The high quality of several superimposed weld seams preferably also allows a large number of folded film layers, e.g. four or five or six or more. This preferably makes it possible to achieve balloon envelope diameters that are more than twice or more than three times as large as the width of the film layers from which they are made.Preferably, the device is also virtually unlimited in the length of the balloon envelope that can be produced with it, preferably by winding up the finished balloon envelope. Automated production of balloon envelopes of virtually any size is preferably possible.

[0060] All features described in this document can be combined with the claimed balloon envelope manufacturing device and the claimed method.

[0061] The present invention will be explained in detail below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. They show: Fig. 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of a balloon envelope manufacturing device according to the invention, Fig. 2 a detail from Fig. 1, Fig. 3 a cross-sectional view of superimposed film layers, Fig. 4 to 6 a cross-sectional view of a balloon envelope during a filling process with gas, Fig. 7 to 9 the welding head of the Fig. 1 shown device in different views, Fig. 10 to 12 the separating head of the Fig. 1 shown device in different views, Fig. 13 an excerpt from an example text file, Fig. 14 is a side view of a second embodiment of a balloon envelope manufacturing apparatus according to the invention.

[0062] The Fig. The first exemplary embodiment of the plotter-type balloon envelope manufacturing device 100 shown in Figure 1 is suitable for the automated production of a balloon envelope 1 from at least two film layers 2 arranged one above the other. The device 100 has two welding heads 3, of which only one is shown in the figures and only one is described below. The device also has automatically controllable displacement means 4 for displacing the welding head 3 and the film layers 2. The device 100 also has a control device 5 for controlling the displacement means 4 such that, by means of the displacement means 4, various sequences of movements of the film layers 2 and the welding head 3 relative to one another can be carried out for producing differently shaped balloon envelopes 1. The control of the displacement means 4 by the control device 5 is shown in Fig. 1 is symbolized by dashed lines emanating from the control device 5.

[0063] Such as Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, the device 100 is suitable for the automated production of a balloon envelope 1 from more than five film layers 2 arranged one above the other. Fig. 3 also shows the concept of the film layers 2 arranged one above the other with base film layer 25, upper film layer 24 and an almost arbitrary number of intermediate film layers 26, each folded with the weldable side facing outwards.

[0064] The sequence of movements of film layers 2 and welding head 3 relative to one another is carried out by displacing the film layers 2 and the welding head 3. In this case, the welding head 3 is displaced back and forth in a direction R1 running perpendicular to the film plane 21 by the motor M1 of the displacing means 4 and in a direction R2 running parallel to the film plane 21 by the motor M2 of the displacing means 4. In addition, the film layers 2 are displaced in a further direction R3 running parallel to the film plane 21 by the motor M3 of the displacing means 4, more precisely by the drive motor M3 of the feed roller 8.

[0065] The guide of the displacement means 4 comprises a first linear guide L1, namely a cylindrical section of the welding head 3 (not shown in detail) and a guide bush (only indicated) for guiding the back and forth displacement of the welding head 3 in the direction R1 ( Fig. 2). The guide of the displacement means 4 also includes a second linear guide L2, namely a Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 only indicated guide carriages arranged on the frame G, for guiding the displacement of the welding head 3 in the direction R2 parallel to the film plane 21. The welding head 3 is arranged on the guide carriage and the first linear guide L1 is arranged on the second linear guide L2.

[0066] The shape of the balloon envelope 1 can be freely determined by specifying a sequence of movements of the film layers 2 and the welding head 3 relative to one another. Thus, differently shaped balloon envelopes 1 can be produced using the same device 100 by specifying different balloon envelope shape data D and providing a different number of film layers 2.

[0067] The device 100 is configured such that the welding head 3 welds the film layers 2 together along a weld seam 19 by contact between the welding head 3 and one of the film layers 2 and by pressing all of the film layers 2 together by the welding head 3.

[0068] The displacement means 4 can be controlled by means of the control device 5 such that the welding head 3 moves along an at least partially curved path relative to the film layers 2, which path runs parallel to the film plane 21 and defines the shape of the weld seam 19.

[0069] The sequence of movements of the film layers 2 and the welding head 3 relative to each other comprises back and forth movements B, caused by back and forth displacements of the welding head 3. The balloon envelope manufacturing device 100 comprises a film welding device 30, which is designed as a spot welding device 31, for producing overlapping welding points (see Fig. 1).

[0070] The welding head 3 is, like the Fig. 7 to 9, are designed like a stamp and are designed to stamp the circular welding points overlapping into the film layers 2. The Fig. 7 to 9 also show that the welding head 3 is frustoconical and the welding surface 27 is the top surface of the frustoconical shape.

[0071] The device has a heating element (not shown in the drawings) for heating the welding head 3 and the cutting head 17. A control device (also not shown) is provided for controlling the welding head temperature. Fig. 7 to 12 also show that the welding head 3 and the cutting head 17 each have a bore 22 for receiving a temperature sensor of the control device, not shown in the drawings.

[0072] The film layers 2 each have a weldable and a non-weldable side.

[0073] The control device 5 has a data input 6 for the Fig. 13. The control device 5 is configured to control the displacement means 4 using the balloon envelope shape data D. The control device 5 comprises a data processing device 7, which is configured to process the balloon envelope shape data D into a sequence of control commands for the displacement means 4.

[0074] In the Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the film layers 2 can be rolled onto the feed roller 8. The welding head 3 is displaced in a direction R2 parallel to the film plane 21, perpendicular to the direction R3 of the displacement of the film layers 2 caused by the feed roller 8.

[0075] As also Fig. 1, the device comprises a film feed 11, with the aid of which at least two film layers 2 can be arranged one above the other. The film feed 11 comprises two non-driven feed rollers 13, 14 forming a feed roller gap 12. The device 100 comprises at least one film unwinding device 15 for unwinding a plurality of films 29 from a plurality of film rolls 16 and for providing the films 29 for the film feed 11 and for the film layers 2.

[0076] The length of the balloon envelopes 1 that can be produced with the device 100 is greater than the length LV of the device 100 ( Fig. 14).

[0077] The device 100 comprises two separating heads 17, of which only one is shown in the drawings and is described below.

[0078] The cutting head 17 has a heated tip 28. The movements of the cutting head 17 relative to the film layers 2 comprise a reciprocating movement B running at least nearly perpendicular to the film plane 21, caused by the reciprocating displacement of the cutting head 17, effected by the motor M4 of the displacement means 4. In the direction R2, parallel to the film plane 21, the cutting head 17, like the welding head 3, is displaced by means of the motor M2 and the second linear guide L2.

[0079] The Fig. The second embodiment of the device 100 shown in Figure 14 differs from that shown in Fig. 1 only in that the device 100 comprises a counter roller 9, which forms a feed roller gap 10 with the feed roller 8. The film layers 2 can be pulled through this roller gap.

[0080] In particular from the Fig. 1 and Fig. 13 also shows an embodiment of the method for producing a balloon envelope 1, which comprises the following method steps: - Creating balloon envelope shape data D, shown as an example in Fig. 13, - Arranging at least two film layers 2 on top of each other, shown as an example in Fig. 1 - Welding of at least two film layers 2 together by means of at least one welding head 3, preferably by means of at least two welding heads 3, by automatic - in particular motorized - execution of a sequence of movements of the at least one welding head 3 and the film layers 2 relative to each other with the aid of the balloon envelope shape data D shown again by way of example in Fig. 1.

[0081] In the embodiment shown, the method is carried out with a balloon envelope manufacturing device 100 having the features of claim 1.

[0082] In the illustrated embodiment, the sequence of movements is also executed such that the welding head 3, viewed from the reference system of film layers 2, follows a path on the film layers 2 that is at least partially curved. The path is a virtual path predetermined or defined by the balloon envelope shape data D.

[0083] Overlapping welding points are welded one after the other. During this welding, the film layers 2 and the welding head are not moved relative to each other in a direction R2, R3 parallel to the film plane 21.

[0084] A displacement of the film layers 2 relative to the frame G only takes place in exactly one direction R3, exactly one of the three spatial directions x, y, z (see Fig. 14).

[0085] In the example shown, the balloon envelope shape data D is created using an input mask. From the data entered there, a machine-readable code, namely GCode, is created and copied into a text file, which is then manually supplemented, see Fig. 13.

[0086] The balloon envelope shape data D in the form of this code is then forwarded to the control device 5, e.g., via the data input 6, such as via an SD memory card. This code is then processed by the control device 5 into control commands for the motors M1, M2, M3, M4 of the displacement means 4 for displacing the welding head 3 and the cutting head 17 and the film layers 2, which effect the desired sequence of movements of the film layers 2 and the welding head 3 relative to one another, and of the film layers 2 and the cutting head 17 relative to one another.

[0087] When creating the balloon envelope shape data D, the number of foil layers 2 arranged one above the other is taken into account.

[0088] Fig. Figure 4 shows a cross section through a balloon envelope 1 made of six superimposed film layers 2, as it leaves the device 100. The Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 show the filling process of this balloon envelope 1 with gas and the separation of the non-weldable sides of the individual film layers 2 until the balloon envelope 1 in Fig. 6 occupies its maximum volume. The outwardly projecting weld seams 19 are in the Fig. 4 to 6 are drawn as points for ease of representation. List of reference symbols 100 balloon envelope manufacturing device 1 balloon envelope 2 layers of film 3 Welding head 4 Relocation means 5 Control device 6 Data input 7 Data processing facility 8 tunneling roller 9 Counter roller 10 Driving roller gap 11 Foil feeder 12 Feed roller gap 13 Feed roller 14 Feed roller 15 Film unwinding device 16 film rolls 17 Separating head 19 Weld seam 21 Slide level 22 Hole 23 - 24 upper film layer 25 base film layers 26 folded interlayer films 27 Welding surface 28 lace 29 Slide 30 film sealing device 31 spot welding device B Back and forth movement D Balloon envelope shape data G frame LV Length of the device L1 first linear guide L2 second linear guide R1, R2, R3 directions M1, M2, M3, M4 engines x, y, z spatial directions

Claims

[1] Balloon envelope manufacturing device (100) for the automated production of a balloon envelope (1) with a programmable shape from three or more film layers (2) arranged one above the other, wherein the film layers (2) have a weldable and a non-weldable side and wherein the film layers (2) can be arranged one above the other in such a way that at least one intermediate film layer (26) is folded outwards with its weldable side, with at least one welding head (3), with displacement means (4) for displacing the welding head (3) and the film layers (2), wherein the balloon envelope manufacturing device (100) comprises a control device (5) for controlling the displacement means (4), and wherein by means of the displacement means (4) different sequences of movements of the film layers (2) and the welding head (3) relative to one another can be carried out for producing differently shaped balloon envelopes (1), wherein the shape of the balloon envelope (1) can be freely determined with the aid of the control device (5), whereby the displacement means (4) - comprise a first linear guide (L1) for guiding a back and forth displacement of the welding head (3) at least almost perpendicular to the film plane (21), - a second linear guide (L2) for guiding a displacement of the welding head (3) parallel to the film plane (21) and - for moving the film layers (2), a motor-driven drive roller (8) which is designed to move the film layers (2) only in exactly one direction (R3) of two directions, exactly one of the three spatial directions (x, y, z), wherein the device comprises at least two welding heads (3) which are movable relative to each other, wherein the device has two separating heads (17) and the device has displacement means for displacing the separating heads (17), wherein the length (LV) of the balloon envelope manufacturing device (100) is shorter than the length (LB) of the balloon envelopes (1) that can be produced with the balloon envelope manufacturing device (100). [2] Balloon envelope manufacturing device (100) according to claim 1, characterized by that the displacement means (4) can be controlled by means of the control device (5) such that the welding head (3) moves along an at least partially curved path (H) relative to the film layers (2). [3] Balloon envelope manufacturing device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the balloon envelope manufacturing device (100) comprises a film welding device (30) which is designed as a spot welding device (31) for producing overlapping welding points (18). [4] Balloon envelope manufacturing device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the control device (5) has a data input (6) and the control device (5) comprises a data processing device (7) configured to process the balloon envelope shape data (D) into a sequence of control commands for the displacement means (4). [5] Balloon envelope manufacturing device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized bythat the device (100) comprises displacement means (4) for displacing the film layers (2), which comprise a motor-driven feed roller (8), wherein either a sensor is arranged on the feed roller (8) for determining the thickness of the film layers (2) rolled up onto the feed roller (8) or the feed roller (8) forms a feed roller gap (10) with a counter roller (9). [6] Balloon envelope manufacturing device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that the device comprises a film feed (11) with the aid of which at least two film layers (2) can be arranged one above the other and the film feed (11) preferably comprises two feed rollers (13, 14) forming a feed roller gap (12) and the device (100) comprises at least one film unwinding device (15) for unwinding film (29) from a film roll (16) and for providing the film (29) for the film feed (11). [7] Method for producing a balloon envelope (1) with a balloon envelope manufacturing device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 6, comprising the following method steps: - Creating balloon envelope shape data (D), - Arranging more than two film layers (2) on top of each other, - Welding the film layers (2) to one another by means of at least two welding heads (3), by automatically carrying out a sequence of movements of the film layers (2) and the at least two welding heads (3) relative to one another with the aid of the balloon envelope shape data (D), wherein the film layers (2) have a weldable and a non-weldable side and at least one intermediate film layer (26) is folded in the middle before welding, with the weldable side on the outside.

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