US 11,814,151 B2
Reusable balloon system
Jared Leidich, Denver, CO (US); Andrew F. Antonio, Denver, CO (US); Mitch Sweeney, Alvin, TX (US); Daniel W. McFatter, Tucson, AZ (US); and Maxmillion James West McLaughlin, Fort Myers, FL (US)
Assigned to URBAN SKY, Denver, CO (US)
Filed by URBAN SKY, Denver, CO (US)
Filed on May 31, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/828,455.
Application 17/828,455 is a continuation of application No. 17/200,280, filed on Mar. 12, 2021, abandoned.
Application 17/200,280 is a continuation of application No. 17/014,851, filed on Sep. 8, 2020, granted, now 10,953,975, issued on Mar. 23, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/040,378, filed on Jun. 17, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/897,075, filed on Sep. 6, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0289357 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B64B 1/62 (2006.01); B64B 1/40 (2006.01); G05D 1/10 (2006.01); B64D 17/80 (2006.01); B64B 1/64 (2006.01)
CPC B64B 1/62 (2013.01) [B64B 1/40 (2013.01); B64B 1/64 (2013.01); B64D 17/80 (2013.01); G05D 1/105 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A reusable balloon system comprising:
a balloon with a first end supporting a payload and a second end opposite the first end, the second end including an aperture with a perimeter including a plurality of pleated folds;
an apex fitting positioned within the aperture of the second end of the balloon;
a clamp that applies a pressure to the pleated folds around the apex fitting to form an air-tight seal against the balloon at perimeter of the aperture; and
control circuitry that controllably releases the apex fitting from the second end of the balloon to initiate a descent sequence.