Light-weight, crashproof, tubular structure

Claim 2

An elongated, angularly bendable structure, having an integral plurality of inflated curved, end-joined links, and an integral plurality of wider, flatter portions, said links and flatter portions being surroundable by ambient air, comprising: a plurality of said inflated, curved links, each comprising an impermeable-to-gas, thin, solid-metal envelope that is arcuate in cross section and comprises impermeable-to-gas metal that has a thickness of over 3 mils; a said wider, flatter, interconnecting portion between each pair of said links, comprising opposite walls of solid, impermeable-to-gas metal that is integral with said metal of the links, the said opposite walls being closer together than the maximum distance across the space between the link walls and having clearance between them, allowing passage of gas between adjacent links; means, associated with each of said interconnecting portions, forcing said opposite walls toward each other against expansive force of inflation gas; a pair of hermetically sealed flat ends of said structure, comprising a said integral flatter portion at each end of the structure, each of said ends comprising solid-metal layers of impermeable-to-gas metal, integral with the metal of said links and interconnecting portions, being wider in the planes of their flat sides than said maximum distance, and having holes for attachment to other structure; gas inside the said links and interconnecting wider portions under a permanent pressure well above that of the atmosphere; a single inflation-gas inlet, comprising a relatively small gas-conveying element, between end edges of said structure, having a cross-sectional area well beloW the maximum cross-sectional area of said links, forming a permanent part of said structure, supplying inflation gas to all of said links and interconnecting portions; and means sealing said inlet after inflation of the structure.

Claim 3

An elongated, angularly bendable structure, having an integral plurality of inflated curved, end-joined links, and an integral plurality of wider, flatter portions, said links and flatter portions being surroundable by ambient air, comprising: a plurality of said inflated, curved links, each comprising an impermeable-to-gas, thin, solid-metal envelope that is arcuate in cross section and comprises impermeable-to-gas metal that has a thickness of over 3 mils; a said wider, flatter, interconnecting portion between each pair of said links, comprising opposite walls of solid, impermeableto-gas metal that is integral with said metal of the links, the said opposite walls being closer together than the maximum distance across the space between the link walls and having clearance between them, allowing passage of gas between adjacent links; means, associated with each of said interconnecting portions, forcing said opposite walls toward each other against expansive force of inflation gas; a pair of hermetically sealed flat ends of said structure, comprising a said integral flatter portion at each end of the structure, each of said ends comprising solid-metal layers of impermeable-to-gas metal, integral with the metal of said links and interconnecting portions, being wider in the planes of their flat sides than said maximum distance, and having holes for attachment to other structure; gas inside the said links and interconnecting wider portions under a permanent pressure well above that of the atmosphere; a single inflation-gas inlet, comprising a relatively small gasconveying element, between end edges of said structure, having a cross-sectional area well beloW the maximum cross-sectional area of said links, forming a permanent part of said structure, supplying inflation gas to all of said links and interconnecting portions; and means sealing said inlet after inflation of the structure.

Claim 4

An elongated, angularly bendable structure, having an integral plurality of inflated curved, end-joined links, and an integral plurality of wider, flatter portions, said links and flatter portions being surroundable by ambient air, comprising: a plurality of said inflated, curved links, each comprising an impermeable-to-gas, thin, solid-metal envelope that is arcuate in cross section and comprises impermeable-to-gas metal that has a thickness of over 3 mils; a said wider, flatter, interconnecting portion between each pair of said links, comprising opposite walls of solid, impermeableto-gas metal that is integral with said metal of the links, the said opposite walls being closer together than the maximum distance across the space between the link walls and having clearance between them, allowing passage of gas between adjacent links; means, associated with each of said interconnecting portions, forcing said opposite walls toward each other against expansive force of inflation gas; a pair of hermetically sealed flat ends of said structure, comprising a said integral flatter portion at each end of the structure, each of said ends comprising solid-metal layers of impermeable-to-gas metal, integral with the metal of said links and interconnecting portions, being wider in the planes of their flat sides than said maximum distance, and having holes for attachment to other structure; gas inside the said links and interconnecting wider portions under a permanent pressure well above that of the atmosphere; a single inflation-gas inlet, comprising a relatively small gasconveying element, between end edges of said structure, having a cross-sectional area well beloW the maximum cross-sectional area of said links, forming a permanent part of said structure, supplying inflation gas to all of said links and interconnecting portions; and means sealing said inlet after inflation of the structure.

Claim 5

Structure as set forth in claim 1, in which the pressure of said gas is at least five pounds per square inch.

Claim 6

Structure as set forth in claim 1, in which said gas is lighter than air.

Claim 7

Structure as set forth in claim 1, in which said gas-conveying element is attained to a curved side wall of one of said inflated links.

Claim 8

Structure as set forth in claim 1, in which each of said sealed flat ends comprises: a band of sealing, bonding material joining portions of said layers; forked attachment tabs, between said band and an end edge of said structure, adapted to straddle another object in assembly; and attachment holes in said tabs for rod-like attachment elements.

Claim 9

Structure as set forth in claim 1, comprising bonding material, permanently sealing said gas-conveying element after inflation of the structure.

Claim 10

Structure as set forth in claim 1, in which said means forcing said walls toward each other comprises rod-like elements.

Claim 11

Structure as set forth in claim 7, in which said rod-like elements comprise bolts.

Claim 12

Structure as set forth in claim 1, in which said means forcing said walls toward each other, at each said interconnecting portion, comprises a rod-like element and bonding material.

Claim 13

Structure, surroundable by ambient air, adapted to be inflated and to serve as a substantially non-stretchable construction unit, having parallel side edges exposed to ambient air, and having a plurality of elongated, planar, inflatable, end-to-end-joined links, each extending from one of said side edges to the other, with oppositely arranged inflatable parts of the walls of each link free to expand under subsequent inflation from planar condition, outwardly from each other and into arcuately curved walls; said structure having at least one bendable constriction between each two adjacent, end-to-end-joined inflatable parts, extending from one of said side edges to the other; the said structure comprising: a pair of equal-size, planar, rectangular layers of solid metal having a thickness of at least 3 mils, one layer located above the other, having opposite, juxtaposed inner faces and the said side edges; bonding means sealingly connecting the two end portions of said layers, hermetically joining said end portions in sealed bands, extending from one of said side edges to the other; at least one intermediate fastening means, between said end portions, and between a pair of said links, substantially forcing opposite portions of said layers toward each other in a said bendable constriction, against expansion when under inflation, providing restricted passage of inflation gas; portions of said opposite inner face on each side of said intermediate fastening means and between the two united pairs of said side edges being free from attachment to each other, and movable outwardly apart into curved walls when under pressurized inflation, into curved, elongated, inflated links, each of which curvingly and smoothly slopes from a middle link portion to a wider portion at each end of the link; and a single inflation-gas inlet, permanently and sealingly connected to one of said layers, between said sealed bands at the end portions of said structure, comprising a gas-conveying duct, for supplying pressurized inflation gas into all of said links and constrictions.

Claim 14

Structure, surroundable by ambient air, adapted to be inflated and to serve as a substantially non-stretchable construction unit, having parallel side edges exposed to ambient air, and having a plurality of elongated, planar, inflatable, end-to-end-joined links, each extending from one of said side edges to the other, with oppositely arranged inflatable parts of the walls of each link free to expand under subsequent inflation from planar condition, outwardly from each other and into arcuately curved walls; said structure having at least one bendable constriction between each two adjacent, end-to-end-joined inflatable parts, extending from one of said side edges to the other; the said structure comprising: a pair of equal-size, planar, rectangular layers of solid metal having a thickness of at least 3 mils, one layer located above the other, having opposite, juxtaposed inner faces and the said side edges; bonding means sealingly connecting the two end portions of said layers, hermetically joining said end portions in sealed bands, extending from one of said side edges to the other; at least one intermediate fastening means, between said end portions, and between a pair of said links, substantially forcing opposite portions of said layers toward each other in a said bendable constriction, against expansion when under inflation, providing restricted passage of inflation gas; portions of said opposite inner face on each side of said intermediate fastening means and between the two united pairs of said side edges being free from attachment to each other, and movable outwardly apart into curved walls when under pressurized inflation, into curved, elongated, inflated links, each of which curvingly and smoothly slopes from a middle link portion to a wider portion at each end of the link; and a single inflation-gas inlet, permanently and sealingly connected to one of said layers, between said sealed bands at the end portions of said structure, comprising a gas-conveying duct, for supplying pressurized inflation gas into all of said links and constrictions.

Claim 15

Structure as set forth in claim 10, in which each said intermediate fastening means comprises a rod-like element.

Claim 16

Structure as set forth in claim 11, in which said rod-like element is a bolt.

Claim 17

Structure as set forth in claim 10, in which each of said sealed bands is spaced from an end edge of the structure, and the said structure, further comprises: between each said band and end edge, two bifurcated attachment parts adapted to straddle another object in assembly; and attachment holes in said tabs for rod-like attachment elements.