Solar energy balloon

Claim 1

An air balloon of thin filmic material being generally concentric about a vertical axis when filled with air and comprising: a. a transparent and generally hemispherical upper portion; b. an opaque and generally conical lower portion having a vertical extent greater than the radius of curvature of the upper portion and tapering downwardly and inwarding from the upper portion to define an opening at the bottom of the lower portion, said lower portion having a reflective inner surface for receiving solar radiant heat which passes through the upper portion and for reflecting said heat towards a predetermined area in the balloon, said area being adjacent and above the said opening and on the vertical axis of the balloon; c. a combination radiant heat absorber and vent structure, said structure being located in said opening such that the heat absorber is positioned in said predetermined area and said vent provides a passage for air from within the balloon to outside the balloon; and d. means releasably attaching said structure to the lower portion with a lower part of the lower portion in relatively tight engagement about the structure, the air in the balloon being heated by radiant heat which passes through the upper portion and is reflected by the lower portion onto the heat absorber whereby the air in the balloon is heated and expanded so reducing the specific gravity of the air, the vent permitting a portion of the expanded air to escape thereby maintaining the volume of air in the balloon substantially constant while the specific gravity of the air decreases, thus resulting in a lift force which raises the balloon until a height is reached at which the lift force is balanced by the weight of the balloon and the entrapped air.