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 of 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.
System for constructing balloon envelopes
2018-03-27
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | B29C Formen oder Verbinden von Kunststoffen , SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS / B29L INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES , Index-Schema für besondere Gegenstände in Verbindung mit Unterklasse B29C / B64B LIGHTER-THAN-AIR AIRCRAFT , Luftfahrzeuge leichter als Luft |