Air inflated structure

Claim 2

An air inflated structure comprising in combination: a generally cylindrical section and end means to air seal opposite ends of said cylindrical section, said cylindrical section including a generally cylindrical air inflated envelope, a series of generally parallel flexible tension devices and attaching means for attaching said tension devices to said envelope, said envelope arching over a supporting surface and having lengthwise extending marginal edge portions thereof air sealed relative to said supporting surface and having hoopwise extending marginal edge portions thereof air sealed relative to said end means, said envelope comprising a plurality of relatively narrow horizontally elongated envelope panels extending lengthwise of said cylindrical section, said envelope panels being joined to vertically adjacent envelope panels, said flexible tension devices being anchored at their opposite ends to said supporting surface, said tension devices being relatively widely spaced apart lengthwise of said envelope so as to extend hoopwise of said envelope and transversely of said envelope panels, said panels cooperating to define between each pair of adjacent tension devices a generally toroidal shaped envelope element extending hoopwise of said envelope, said panels forming each of said envelope elements being characterized as being extensible transversely thereof thereby permitting transfer of essentially all loads imposed on said envelope lengthwise thereof into said tension devices, the joining of said vertically adjacent panels and attaching of said tension devices to said panels limiting propagation of rips or tears occurring in said panels.

Claim 3

An air inflated structure according to claim 1, wherein said panels are characterized as possessing a substantially greater degree of extensibility in a direction transversely thereof than in a direction lengthwise thereof, and said panels forming each of said envelope elements being further characterized as having a lengthwise dimension in excess of the spacing between said pair of adjacent tension devices.

Claim 4

An air inflated structure according to claim 1, wherein said panels are characterized as possessing a substantially greater degree of extensibility in a direction transversely thereof than in a direction lengthwise thereof, said panels forming each of said envelope elements being further characterized as having a lengthwise dimension in excess of the spacing between said pair of adjacent tension devices, said tension devices lie along the outer surface of said envelope, and said attaching means includes sleeve devices fixed to and extending transversely of the outer surface of said panels, said tension devices being received within said sleeve devices.

Claim 5

An air inflated structure comprising in combination: a generally cylindrical section and end means to air seal opposite ends of said cylindrical section, said cylindrical section including a generally cylindrical air inflated envelope, a series of generally parallel tension devices and attaching means for attaching said tension devices to said envelope, said envelope arching over a supporting surface and having lengthwise extending marginal edge portions thereof air sealed relative to said supporting surface and having hoopwise extending marginal edge portions thereof air sealed relative to said end means, said envelope comprising a plurality of relatively narrow horizontally elongated envelope panels extending lengthwise of said cylindrical section, said panels being disposed in overlapping relationship with vertically adjacent panels and joined thereto within the area which said panels overlap in a spaced relationship to marginal edges thereOf whereby said marginal edges of adjacent panels are unattached, said flexible tension devices being anchored at their opposite ends to said supporting surface, said tension devices being relatively widely spaced apart lengthwise of said envelope so as to extend hoopwise of said envelope and transversely of said envelope panels, said panels cooperating to define between each pair of adjacent tension devices a generally toroidal shaped envelope element extending hoopwise of said envelope, said panels forming each of said envelope elements being characterized as transferring essentially all loads imposed on said envelope lengthwise thereof into said tension devices, the joining of said vertically adjacent panels and attaching of said tension devices to said panels limiting propagation of rips or tears occurring in said panels.

Claim 6

An air inflated structure comprising in combination: a generally cylindrical section and end means to air seal opposite ends of said cylindrical section, said cylindrical section including a generally cylindrical air inflated envelope, a series of generally parallel tension devices and attaching means for attaching said tension devices to said envelope, said envelope arching over a supporting surface and having lengthwise extending marginal edge portions thereof air sealed relative to said supporting surface and having hoopwise extending marginal edge portions thereof air sealed relative to said end means, said envelope comprising a plurality of relatively narrow horizontally elongated envelope panels extending lengthwise of said cylindrical section, said panels being disposed in overlapping relationship with vertically adjacent panels and joined thereto within the area which said panels overlap in a spaced relationship to marginal edges thereOf whereby said marginal edges of adjacent panels are unattached, said flexible tension devices being anchored at their opposite ends to said supporting surface, said tension devices being relatively widely spaced apart lengthwise of said envelope so as to extend hoopwise of said envelope and transversely of said envelope panels, said panels cooperating to define between each pair of adjacent tension devices a generally toroidal shaped envelope element extending hoopwise of said envelope, said panels forming each of said envelope elements being characterized as transferring essentially all loads imposed on said envelope lengthwise thereof into said tension devices, the joining of said vertically adjacent panels and attaching of said tension devices to said panels limiting propagation of rips or tears occurring in said panels.

Claim 7

An air inflated structure comprising in combination: a generally cylindrical section and end means to air seal opposite ends of said cylindrical section, said cylindrical section including a generally cylindrical air inflated envelope, a series of generally parallel tension devices and attaching means for attaching said tension devices to said envelope, said envelope arching over a supporting surface and having lengthwise extending marginal edge portions thereof air sealed relative to said supporting surface and having hoopwise extending marginal edge portions thereof air sealed relative to said end means, said flexible tension devices being anchored at their opposite ends to said supporting surface so as to extend hoopwise of said envelope, at least one of said end means is in the form of a generally spherically shaped end section, said one end section including: an air inflated envelope end portion attached to the first said envelope so as to close one end of said cylindrical section, said envelope end portion comprising a plurality of end panels; a series of flexible end tension devices anchored at their opposite ends to said supporting surface at points spaced in a direction transversely of the first said envelope, said end tension devices lying substantially along great circles passing through a common center and having a curvature corresponding substantially to the radii of curvature of the first said tension devices, said end panels being arranged such that said end tension devices extend transversely thereof; and means for attaching said end tension devices to said end panels, adjacent end tension devices bounding a circular element of said envelope end portion extending between and tapering towards said opposite ends of said end tension devices, each said end portion circular element being characterized as being of toroidal shaped configuration and as having essentially all loads imposed thereon transferred transversely thereof into end portion tension devices bounding same.

Claim 8

An air inflated structure comprising in combination: a generally cylindrical section and end means to air seal opposite ends of said cylindrical section, said cylindrical section including a generally cylindrical air inflated envelope, a series of generally parallel tension devices and attaching means for attaching said tension devices to said envelope, said envelope arching over a supporting surface and having lengthwise extending marginal edge portions thereof air sealed relative to said supporting surface and having hoopwise extending marginal edge portions thereof air sealed relative to said end means, said flexible tension devices being anchored at their opposite ends to said supporting surface so as to extend hoopwise of said envelope, at least one of said end means is in the form of a generally spherically shaped end section, said one end section including: an air inflated envelope end portion attached to the first said envelope so as to close one end of said cylindrical section, said envelope end portion comprising a plurality of end panels; a series of flexible end tension devices anchored at their opposite ends to said supporting surface at points spaced in a direction transversely of the first said envelope, said end tension devices lying substantially along great circles passing through a common center and having a curvature corresponding substantially to the radii of curvature of the first said tension devices, said end panels being arranged such that said end tension devices extend transversely thereof; and means for attaching said end tension devices to said end panels, adjacent end tension devices bounding a circular element of said envelope end portion extending between and tapering towards said opposite ends of said end tension devices, each said end portion circular element being characterized as being of toroidal shaped configuration and as having essentially all loads imposed thereon transferred transversely thereof into end portion tension devices bounding same.

Claim 9

An air inflated structure according to claim 5, wherein said end panels are characterized as possessing a substantially greater degree of extensibility in a direction transversely thereof then in a direction lengthwise thereof, and said panels forming each of said envelope elements being further characterized as having a lengthwise dimension in excess of the spacing between said pair of adjacent tension devices.

Claim 10

An air inflated structure comprising in combination: a generally cylindrical section and end means to air seal opposite ends of said cylindrical section, said cylindrical section including a generally cylindrical air inflated envelope, a series of generally parallel tension devices and attaching means for attaching said tension devices to said envelope, said envelope arching over a supporting surface and having lengthwise extending marginal edge portions thereof air sealed relative to said supporting surface and having hoopwise extending marginal edge portions thereof air sealed relative to said end means, said envelope comprising a plurality of relatively narrow horizontally elongated envelope panels extending lengthwise oF said cylindrical section, said envelope panels being joined to vertically adjacent envelope panels, said flexible tension devices being anchored at their opposite ends to said supporting surface, said tension devices being relatively widely spaced apart lengthwise of said envelope so as to extend hoopwise of said envelope and transversely of said envelope panels, said panels cooperating to define between each pair of adjacent tension devices a generally toroidal shaped envelope element extending hoopwise of said envelope, said panels forming each of said envelope elements being characterized as transferring essentially all loads imposed on said envelope lengthwise thereof into said tension devices, at least one of said end means is in the form of a generally spherically shaped end section, said one end section including: an air inflated envelope end portion attached to the first said envelope so as to close one end of said cylindrical section, said envelope end portion comprising a plurality of end panels; a series of flexible end tension devices anchored at their opposite ends to said supporting surface at points spaced in a direction transversely of the first said envelope, said end tension devices lying substantially along great circles passing through a common center and having a curvature corresponding substantially to the radii of curvature of the first said tension devices such that adjacent end tension devices bound circular end section envelope elements extending between and tapering towards said opposite ends of said end tension devices, said end panels being arranged so as to extend transversely of said end section circular elements and joined to adjacent end panels within said circular elements each said end section envelope element being characterized as having a generally toroidal shaped configuration, and said end panels of each said end section envelope element being characterized as transferring essentially all loads imposed on their associated end section envelope element into end tension devices bounding same; and means for attaching said end tension devices to said end panels.

Claim 11

An air inflated structure comprising in combination: a generally cylindrical section and end means to air seal opposite ends of said cylindrical section, said cylindrical section including a generally cylindrical air inflated envelope, a series of generally parallel tension devices and attaching means for attaching said tension devices to said envelope, said envelope arching over a supporting surface and having lengthwise extending marginal edge portions thereof air sealed relative to said supporting surface and having hoopwise extending marginal edge portions thereof air sealed relative to said end means, said envelope comprising a plurality of relatively narrow horizontally elongated envelope panels extending lengthwise oF said cylindrical section, said envelope panels being joined to vertically adjacent envelope panels, said flexible tension devices being anchored at their opposite ends to said supporting surface, said tension devices being relatively widely spaced apart lengthwise of said envelope so as to extend hoopwise of said envelope and transversely of said envelope panels, said panels cooperating to define between each pair of adjacent tension devices a generally toroidal shaped envelope element extending hoopwise of said envelope, said panels forming each of said envelope elements being characterized as transferring essentially all loads imposed on said envelope lengthwise thereof into said tension devices, at least one of said end means is in the form of a generally spherically shaped end section, said one end section including: an air inflated envelope end portion attached to the first said envelope so as to close one end of said cylindrical section, said envelope end portion comprising a plurality of end panels; a series of flexible end tension devices anchored at their opposite ends to said supporting surface at points spaced in a direction transversely of the first said envelope, said end tension devices lying substantially along great circles passing through a common center and having a curvature corresponding substantially to the radii of curvature of the first said tension devices such that adjacent end tension devices bound circular end section envelope elements extending between and tapering towards said opposite ends of said end tension devices, said end panels being arranged so as to extend transversely of said end section circular elements and joined to adjacent end panels within said circular elements each said end section envelope element being characterized as having a generally toroidal shaped configuration, and said end panels of each said end section envelope element being characterized as transferring essentially all loads imposed on their associated end section envelope element into end tension devices bounding same; and means for attaching said end tension devices to said end panels.

Claim 12

An air inflated structure according to claim 7, wherein said end panels are characterized as possessing a substantially greater degree of extensibility in a direction transversely thereof than in a direction lengthwise thereof, and said end panels of each said end section envelope element being characterized as having a lengthwise dimension in excess of the spacing between bounding end tension devices in an area of attachment thereto, whereby to permit said end envelope circular element to assume said configuration.

Claim 13

An air inflated structure according to claim 8, wherein at least some of said end panels are formed by end joined end panel segments extending between adjacent end tension devices.

Claim 14

An air inflated structure according to claim 7, wherein said end section envelope elements are characterized as having an increasing radius of curvature transversely thereof in directions towards said opposite ends of said adjacent end tension devices.

Claim 15

An air inflated structure according to claim 10, wherein at least some of said end panels are formed by end joined end panel segments extending between adjacent end tension devices.

Claim 16

An air inflated structure according to claim 11, wherein said end panels are characterized as possessing a substantially greater degree of extensibility in a direction transversely thereof than in a direction lengthwise thereof, and said end panels of each said end section envelope element being characterized as having a lengthwise dimension in excess of the spacing between bounding end tension devices in an area of attachment thereto, whereby to permit said end envelope circular element to assume said configuration.