Patents by Inventor Daniel Henry Fourie

Daniel Henry Fourie has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9908607
    Abstract: A method for constructing a balloon assembly includes inserting balloon envelope material which will become an apex of a balloon envelope into a platen opening of a platen; flaring the balloon envelope material outward over the top surface of the platen; positioning a termination plate over the platen opening and within the apex opening; and folding at least some of the balloon envelope that overlies the platen onto the termination plate. The balloon envelope material further includes an apex opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Henry Fourie, Kevin Roach
  • Patent number: 9689808
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to systems and techniques for inspecting seals for high altitude balloons. In one example, a system may include a reflective surface, a translucent material on the reflective surface, and a movable light source configured to move along the reflective surface and provide light to the reflective surface. The light is provided such that it is reflected from the reflective surface and through the translucent material in order to backlight a balloon envelope seal for inspection. A method for inspecting a balloon envelope seal may include placing balloon envelope material on a table, forming a seal between portions of the material, moving a light over the seal, shining light onto a reflective portion of the table below the seal to backlight the seal, and inspecting the seal using the backlighting of the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventor: Daniel Henry Fourie
  • Patent number: 9669918
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to techniques for manufacturing a balloon envelope including a duct for high altitude balloons. In one example, a first sheet of material may be provided. A premade duct may be arranged at least partially on the first sheet of material. The duct may include a first substance on an internal surface. A second sheet of material may be arranged over at least a portion of the duct. A heat sealing device may be applied to the second sheet of material to heat seal the first sheet of material to the second sheet of material. The heat sealing device may be applied over at least a portion of the duct in order to seal external surfaces of the duct to each of the first and second sheets of material and form a balloon gore. The first substance may keep the duct from being sealed to itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Henry Fourie, Jeffrey Neri
  • Publication number: 20160263815
    Abstract: An assembly for use during manufacture of a balloon envelope that includes a table having first and second levels, an indicator disposed on the first level and a sealing component. The first level is arranged to receive a first sheet portion of material. The indicator is arranged along a lengthwise axis of the table to indicate a position for attaching a tendon to the first sheet portion. The second level is arranged to receive assembled gore portions of the envelope comprising the first sheet portion, the tendon and a second sheet portion of material. The sealing component is configured to move along the table and to apply a heat seal to bond together the first and second sheet portions disposed thereon in order to form at least part of a gore portion of the envelope, such that the tendon is arranged proximate to a centerline of the gore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Kevin Roach, Jeffrey Neri, Daniel Henry Fourie
  • Patent number: 9371123
    Abstract: An assembly for use during manufacture of a balloon envelope that includes a table having first and second levels, an indicator disposed on the first level and a sealing component. The first level is arranged to receive a first sheet portion of material. The indicator is arranged along a lengthwise axis of the table to indicate a position for attaching a tendon to the first sheet portion. The second level is arranged to receive assembled gore portions of the envelope comprising the first sheet portion, the tendon and a second sheet portion material. The sealing component is configured to move along the table and to apply a heat seal to bond together the first and second sheet portions disposed thereon in order to form at least part of a gore portion of the envelope, such that the tendon is arranged proximate to a centerline of the gore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Roach, Jeffrey Neri, Daniel Henry Fourie
  • Patent number: 9174719
    Abstract: A top cap assembly is provided for mounting tendon to a balloon that has a balloon envelope. The assembly includes a plate structure having a plurality of junction portions disposed at an apex of the balloon envelope and a plurality of tendon pairs. Each tendon pair includes first and second tendon members attached to the balloon envelope. The first tendon member is arranged to cross over the plate structure. The second tendon member is arranged to engage the first length tendon member at a given one of the junction portions of the doubler plate. A fastener member is attached to each tendon pair of the plurality of tendon pairs. The fastener member is used for securing the first and second tendon members of a given tendon pair together in order to support lift gas carried by the balloon envelope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Roach, Daniel Henry Fourie
  • Publication number: 20150174817
    Abstract: An assembly for use during manufacture of a balloon envelope that includes a table having first and second levels, an indicator disposed on the first level and a sealing component. The first level is arranged to receive a first sheet portion of material. The indicator is arranged along a lengthwise axis of the table to indicate a position for attaching a tendon to the first sheet portion. The second level is arranged to receive assembled gore portions of the envelope comprising the first sheet portion, the tendon and a second sheet portion material. The sealing component is configured to move along the table and to apply a heat seal to bond together the first and second sheet portions disposed. thereon in order to form at least part of a gore portion of the envelope, such that the tendon is arranged proximate to a centerline of the gore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Kevin Roach, Jeffrey Neri, Daniel Henry Fourie
  • Patent number: 9027874
    Abstract: A top cap assembly is provided for mounting tendon to a balloon that has a balloon envelope. The assembly includes a plate structure having a plurality of junction portions disposed at an apex of the balloon envelope and a plurality of tendon pairs. Each tendon pair includes first and second tendon members attached to the balloon envelope. The first tendon member is arranged to cross over the plate structure. The second tendon member is arranged to engage the first length tendon member at a given one of the junction portions of the doubler plate. A fastener member is attached to each tendon pair of the plurality of tendon pairs. The fastener member is used for securing the first and second tendon members of a given tendon pair together in order to support lift gas carried by the balloon envelope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Roach, Daniel Henry Fourie