Granted Patent B2

US 12,325,504 · App. 17/982,402 · Granted Jun 10, 2025

Inventors: Timothy James Basta (Tucson, AZ); Daniel Lee Robinson (Tucson, AZ)

Assignee: World View Enterprises Inc.

B64B1/70H01F7/206H01F2007/208

Abstract

Claims (28)

1. A ballast dispenser for a lighter-than-air high altitude balloon system, the ballast dispenser comprising:

a silo containing magnetic ballast material;

a dispensing tube positioned to receive the magnetic ballast material from the silo;

an electro-permanent magnet positioned entirely lateral to one side of the dispensing tube, wherein the electro-permanent magnet passively exerts a magnetic field on the magnetic ballast material in the dispensing tube to retain the magnetic ballast material within the dispensing tube; and

an adjustment knob coupled to the electro-permanent magnet and operable to adjust a lateral distance between the electro-permanent magnet and the dispensing tube.

2. The ballast dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic field is a first magnetic field, wherein the electro-permanent magnet is configured to generate a second magnetic field in response to receiving power that opposes the first magnetic field so that a net external magnetic field provided by the electro-permanent magnet has a net magnetic field strength less than a first magnetic field strength of the first magnetic field.

3. The ballast dispenser of claim 2 , wherein the net magnetic field strength provided by the net external magnetic field when power is received by the electro-permanent magnet is no greater than a magnetic field strength threshold for retaining the magnetic ballast material within the dispensing tube.

4. The ballast dispenser of claim 2 , wherein the electro-permanent magnet comprises:

a passive magnet configured to generate the first magnetic field; and

a coil wrapped around the passive magnet, wherein the coil is configured to generate the second magnetic field when power is received by the electro-permanent magnet.

5. The ballast dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the ballast dispenser is configured to dispense the magnetic ballast material without moving components of the ballast dispenser.

6. The ballast dispenser of claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment screw coupled to the adjustment knob and configured to be received within the electro-permanent magnet, wherein rotation of the adjustment knob adjusts a depth of the adjustment screw within the electro-permanent magnet to adjust the lateral distance between the electro-permanent magnet and the dispensing tube.

7. The ballast dispenser of claim 6 , further comprising a magnet housing containing the electro-permanent magnet.

8. The ballast dispenser of claim 7 , further comprising a compression spring within the magnet housing, the compression spring exerting a force on the electro-permanent magnet to maintain a position of the electro-permanent magnet within the magnet housing.

9. The ballast dispenser of claim 7 , wherein the magnet housing is configured to couple with the adjustment knob to restrict rotation of the adjustment knob.

10. The ballast dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the silo is collapsible.

11. The ballast dispenser of claim 10 , wherein the silo comprises a textile material.

12. The ballast dispenser of claim 11 , further comprising one or more textile clamps coupled to the silo.

13. The ballast dispenser of claim 1 , further comprising a nozzle positioned to funnel the magnetic ballast material from the silo to the dispensing tube.

14. The ballast dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the ballast dispenser is configured to operate in the upper atmosphere at temperatures of −75° C. and greater.

15. The ballast dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the ballast dispenser is configured to operate in the upper atmosphere at altitudes of 55,000 ft and greater.

16. The ballast dispenser of claim 1 , further comprising a removable plug configured to removably seal the dispensing tube.

17. A method of adjusting a position of an electro-permanent magnet of a magnetic ballast dispenser, the method comprising:

retracting an adjustment knob from a magnet housing of the electro-permanent magnet, the electro-permanent magnet being positioned entirely lateral to one side of a dispensing tube positioned to receive magnetic ballast material from a silo; and

rotating the adjustment knob to adjust a lateral distance between the electro-permanent magnet and the dispensing tube so as to adjust a strength of a magnetic field exerted by the electro-permanent magnet on the magnetic ballast material in the dispensing tube.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the magnetic field is a first magnetic field, wherein the method further comprises supplying power to the electro-permanent magnet to generate a second magnetic field that opposes the first magnetic field so that a net external magnetic field provided by the electro-permanent magnet has a net magnetic field strength less than a first magnetic field strength of the first magnetic field.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising releasing the adjustment knob after rotating the adjustment knob, wherein a spring within the magnet housing is configured to return the adjustment knob to an unretracted position after releasing the adjustment knob.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the spring is configured to exert a force on the electro-permanent magnet to maintain a position of the electro-permanent magnet within the magnet housing after releasing the adjustment knob.

Assignments (11)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (260)

Cited By (2)

US 12,703,492 US 12,715,589