US 11,851,155 B1
Small zero pressure balloon systems
Jared Leidich, Denver, CO (US); Maxmillion J. W. McLaughlin, Fort Myers, FL (US); Nolan G. Smith, Denver, CO (US); and Mitchell W. Sweeney, Alvin, TX (US)
Assigned to URBAN SKY THEORY INC., Denver, CO (US)
Filed by URBAN SKY, Denver, CO (US)
Filed on Jun. 1, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/204,848.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/366,209, filed on Jun. 10, 2022.
Int. Cl. B64B 1/40 (2006.01); B64B 1/62 (2006.01)
CPC B64B 1/62 (2013.01) [B64B 1/40 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
15. A method of using a zero pressure balloon system, the balloon system having a balloon envelope and an ingestion clip removably connected thereto, the method comprising:
providing sufficient lift gas to the balloon envelope to initiate ascent of the balloon system to a float elevation;
wherein:
during ascent of the balloon, the ingestion clip is engaged on the balloon envelope to hold the balloon envelope closed and inhibit air ingestion into the balloon envelope;
in response to obtaining a predetermined set pressure within the balloon envelope during the ascent, a fastener of the ingestion clip breaks and disengages from the balloon envelope to allow lift gas to vent from the balloon envelope;
the ingestion clip does not reengage the balloon envelope during float or descent; and
after disengagement of the ingestion clip, the balloon maintains altitude at the float elevation.