S. C. Johnson Son, Inc.

Google Inc.

X Development LLC

Helen of Troy Limited

Loon LLC

Aerostar International, Inc.

Peter I Capraro

Rishabh Singh

Allan Freas Velzy

Matthew N Thurin

Christopher M Wlezien

Tucker H Fort

Kevin Roach

Erica Eden Cohen

John Cromie

Shane Washburn

Steven A Zach

Nasahn Adam Sheppard

Sean Patrick Murphy

Troy H Phipps

Kyle Brookes

John E Kiechel

Thomas Chia Hanson

Julie L Bates

Jeffrey Neri

Pamela R Desrochers

Laura Herzog

Evan Chambers

Christina D Tapp

Douglas F Stewart

Eric Eden Cohen

Aspects of the disclosure relate to high altitude or stratospheric balloon systems. For instance, a stratospheric balloon system may include a an upper structure, a lower structure, a platform associated with the lower structure, a stack of solar panels positioned on the platform, each solar panel coupled to an adjacent solar panel, at least one tension element connected, at a first end thereof, to the upper structure and, at a second end thereof, to the platform, and a first flexible tension member coupled, at a first end thereof, to the upper structure and to foremost solar panel of the stack of solar panels. Solar panels may be stacked in a 'Z-fold' configuration with either solar cells of the adjacent solar panels facing one another or the frames of the adjacent solar panels facing one another. In this configuration, the adjacent solar panels are connected by a hinge system.

Deployable solar panels for high-altitude balloons

Container lid

Container bowl

Container

A control system for terminating flight of a balloon having a balloon envelope is provided. The control system includes a shuttle that has one or more cutting blades. The cutting blades are configured to cut open the balloon envelope. A tubular track is attached to a section of the balloon envelope. This tubular track has a guiding portion arranged to receive and guide the shuttle along the track. The control system includes a type of releasable ballast attached to the shuttle. When the ballast is released, the ballast is configured to move the shuttle along the tubular track in order to cause at least one of the cutting blades to cut open a portion of the balloon envelope. This allows lift gas to escape from the balloon envelope.

Balloon gas release flight termination system

An inflation diffuser including a non-rigid first section having a passageway for the passage of lift gas passing through a fill port positioned on a balloon envelope, a porous and non-rigid second section attached to the non-rigid first section, wherein the porous and non-rigid second section is comprised of a mesh material, wherein the non-rigid first section is less porous than the porous and non-rigid second section, and wherein the porous and non-rigid second section is not in contact with the balloon envelope at the end of an inflation process to direct lift gas towards the center of, and away from, the balloon envelope.

Fabric diffuser for high flowrate inflation

An apparatus for securing a plurality of tendons to a balloon includes a first and second plate and a cable long enough to extend around a circumference of the first plate. The first plate has a plurality of slots and one more mating ports. Each slot is configured to allow a given tendon from the plurality of tendons to extend through the first plate by inserting a tendon within the slot. The second plate has a surface with one or more mating members attached. Each mating member is configured to connect the first and second plates together by mating with at least one of the one or more mating ports. The cable is configured to pass between the first and second plates so as to couple with each tendon within the plurality of slots in order to secure the tendons to a balloon structure.

Tendon webbing termination plate for superpressure envelope

A toilet device includes a seat having a main opening, a first leg connected with the seat for pivotal movement about a first axis, a second leg connected with the seat for pivotal movement about a second axis, a first hinge mechanism connecting the first leg with the seat, and a second hinge mechanism connecting the second leg with the seat. Each hinge mechanism can lock, and a bag holder can be provided on each leg.

Portable toilet device for a small child

A cleaning system includes a cleaning implement having a handle and an attachable fluid dispenser that can be secured to the handle of the cleaning implement. A support can be located on the handle, and the support has a section that extends away from the handle. The attachable dispenser includes a container connected to a body having a dispensing mechanism for delivering a fluid from the container and out of a discharge orifice of the body. The container has an inwardly directed recess dimensioned to matingly engage the section of the support when the attachable dispenser is attached to the handle.

Cleaning system with attachable dispenser

Growing community of inventors

San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Peter I Capraro