LATERAL PROPULSION PROPELLER ASSEMBLY FOR HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS
Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000
United States of America Patent
Stats
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N/A
Issued Date -
Jan 21, 2021
app pub date -
Jul 17, 2019
filing date -
Jul 17, 2019
priority date (Note) -
Published
status (Latency Note)
Importance
Abstract
Aspects of the technology relate to propulsion systems for high altitude, long duration balloons, such as balloons that operate in the stratosphere for weeks, months or longer. A propeller assembly is used to provide lateral directional adjustments, which allows the balloon to spend more time over a desired region, reduce the return time to the desired region, reduce fleet overprovisioning, and increases the safety case by additional controls and avoidance abilities. A control assembly manages operation of the propeller assembly, including setting the pointing direction, speed of rotation and determining when to turn on the propeller and for how long. The propulsion system including the control and propeller assemblies is rotatable around a connection member of the balloon. Such rotation is independently adjustable from any rotation of the balloon's payload. The propeller blades may be made of plastic, which reduces weight and cost while providing sufficient speed at stratospheric altitudes.
First Claim
Other Claims data not available