US 11,738,884 B2
Heating clamp for airship construction
Franklin Kyle Kepley, Milpitas, CA (US); Jesus Ricardo Amezquita Zatarain, Fremont, CA (US); Michal Raviv Sayag, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Alexis Jonas Thoeny, San Jose, CA (US); Stephen Benedict Kocsis, Chagrin Falls, OH (US); David Sanchez, San Luis Obispo, CA (US); Shalom Johnson, San Luis Obispo, CA (US); and Edward Clements, III, San Luis Obispo, CA (US)
Assigned to LTA Research and Exploration, LLC, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Filed by LTA Research and Exploration, LLC, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 14, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/20,601.
Prior Publication US 2022/0081127 A1, Mar. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. B64F 5/10 (2017.01); F16L 13/10 (2006.01); B29C 65/48 (2006.01)
CPC B64F 5/10 (2017.01) [B29C 65/4835 (2013.01); F16L 13/103 (2013.01); F16L 13/106 (2013.01)] 28 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for bonding connectors and joints of an airship structure, the apparatus comprising:
a spacer ring adapted to couple to a joint opening of a joint, the spacer ring having a plurality of internal protruding portions adapted to form a gap between the spacer ring and a connector inserted into the joint through the joint opening;
an injecting clamp adapted to clamp around at least a first portion of the spacer ring, the injecting clamp having an injecting hole for receiving an adhesive and an outlet for injecting the adhesive through the gap formed between the spacer ring and the connector to fill a space formed between the joint and a portion of the connector inserted into the joint; and
a heating clamp adapted to clamp around a portion of the joint that surrounds the portion of the connector inserted into the joint, the heating clamp comprising a heat source adapted to heat the adhesive in the space formed between the joint and the portion of the connector during a curing process to bond the joint and the connector.