Balloon Envelope Cage Structure for Shape Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-altitude balloons constructed from non-load-bearing materials require additional support to maintain shape during flight, and existing tendon attachment methods are costly or prone to damage.
Innovation Solution
A cage structure composed of connected vertical and horizontal tendons provides load-bearing support to the balloon envelope, allowing it to maintain shape without being rigidly attached, with tendons held in place by horizontal attachments at various levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a balloon envelope is constructed from non-load-bearing materials, then the balloon can be made lighter and easier to manufacture, but the balloon cannot maintain its shape during flight without additional support
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is segmented into multiple vertical tendons that are independently attached to the balloon envelope at multiple levels. This segmentation allows the load-bearing function to be distributed across multiple discrete elements rather than requiring a rigid continuous structure, enabling the use of lightweight non-load-bearing envelope materials while maintaining shape through the distributed tendon support system.
2Shape
If existing tendon attachment methods are used, then the balloon can maintain shape during flight, but the manufacturing cost increases and the risk of damage to the balloon envelope increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tendon attachment system is designed to be pre-assembled with the balloon envelope before flight operations. The tendons are attached at multiple levels in advance, creating a pre-configured support structure that maintains balloon shape without requiring complex field assembly or specialized attachment equipment during deployment, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and operational complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A balloon apparatus is provided having (1) a cage structure that includes (a) a plurality of vertical tendons, where each of the vertical tendons includes a first end and second end, where the first ends of the vertical tendons are all connected to one another and where the second ends of the vertical tendons are all connected to one another and (b) one or more horizontal tendons, where each horizontal tendon is attached to each of the vertical tendons at a corresponding level of the cage structure and (2) a balloon envelope, where the balloon envelop is arranged inside the cage structure and inflatable within the cage structure.