# US 10,865,585 B1 · Lightweight load bearing inflatable tubular structures > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,865,585 B1 - Document ID: US10865585B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/289,089 - Filed: 2019-02-28 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-01 - Assignees: Textum Weaving - Applicants: James A. Crawford, Jr.; John N. Pepin - Inventors: James A. Crawford, Jr.; John N. Pepin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865585B1 ## CPC - E04H 15/20: inflatable, e.g. shaped, strengthened or supported by fluid pressure - F16L 11/085: {comprising one or more braided layers (in combination with layers of a helically wound core or wire F16L11/088)} - E04B 1/342: Structures covering a large free area, whether open-sided or not, e.g. hangars, halls (roof trusses E04C3/00; non-structural features for specified purposes, see the relevant groups of E04H) - E04B 1/355: {characterised by the tilting up of whole buildings or sections thereof, e.g. walls, portal frames} - E04H 6/44: for storing aircraft - E04B 1/169: {inflatable} - E04H 2015/201: {with inflatable tubular framework, with or without tent cover} - F16L 9/20: {Pipe assemblies} - E04H: BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL (foundations E02D) - F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL - E04B: GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS (border constructions of opening in walls, floors or ceilings E06B1/00; {electromagnetic shielding H05K9/0001}) ## Abstract The subject matter described herein includes a tube for use in creating a support for a roof line of a structure. The tube comprises an inner flexible bladder, a seamless woven cylinder formed from fibers woven to form a seamless tubular arch shape when the cylinder is inflated, the cylinder engaged with the flexible bladder, and an outer weather shield coating engaged with the cylinder, wherein, in operation a plurality of tubes are used to form the roof line of a structure to define a housing for containing an article, wherein the plurality of tubes maintains flexibility so that the plurality of tubes can be inflated, deflated, and re-deployed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tube for use in creating a support for a roof line of a structure, the tube comprising: an inner flexible bladder; a seamless woven cylinder formed from fibers woven to form a seamless tubular arch shape when the cylinder is inflated, the cylinder engaged with the flexible bladder, wherein the fibers are substantially perpendicular along axial and hoop directions; and an outer weather shield coating engaged with the cylinder, wherein, in operation a plurality of tubes are used to form the roof line of a structure to define a housing for containing an article, wherein the plurality of tubes maintains flexibility so that the plurality of tubes can be inflated, deflated, and re-deployed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tube of claim 1, wherein the inner flexible bladder is made from a thin elastomeric film capable of stretching while maintaining airtight integrity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The tube of claim 2, wherein the inner flexible bladder is fixedly engaged with the cylinder when the cylinder is an inflated state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The tube of claim 2, wherein the inner flexible bladder is removable when the cylinder is in a deflated state. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The tube of claim 1, wherein the seamless woven cylinder in an inflated state defines an inside arc radius RID, an outside arc radius of ROD, an inner cylinder radius RT. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The tube of claim 5, wherein the seamless tubular arch shape has at least one half arc length (L) determined by an equation L=π(RID+RT−RT Cos(S/RT)). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The tube of claim 1, wherein the outer weather shield coating is made from a polymer to prevent intrusion from dust, dirt, and weather. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The tube of claim 1, wherein the seamless woven cylinder is made from one or more of the following substances: Fiberglass, Aramid, carbon, ceramic fiber, polyamide nylon, PET or PBT polyester, phenol-formaldehyde (PF), polyvinyl chloride fiber (PVC) vinyon, polyolefins (PP and PE) olefin fiber acrylic polyesters, aromatic polyamids (aramids), Elastomers, polyurethane fiber, Elastolefin, or Coextruded fibers. ### Claim 9 A method of creating a support for a roof line of a structure, comprising: providing a tube comprising: an inner flexible bladder; a seamless woven cylinder formed from fibers woven to form a seamless tubular arch shape when the cylinder is inflated, the cylinder engaged with the flexible bladder, wherein the fibers are substantially perpendicular along axial and hoop directions; and an outer weather shield coating engaged with the cylinder; inflating a plurality of tubes; arranging the plurality of tubes to form the roof line of a structure to define a housing for containing an article; deflating the plurality of tubes; and re-inflating the plurality of tubes. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the inner flexible bladder is made from a thin elastomeric film capable of stretching while maintaining airtight integrity. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the inner flexible bladder is fixedly engaged with the cylinder when the cylinder is an inflated state. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the inner flexible bladder is removable when the cylinder is in a deflated state. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the seamless woven cylinder in an inflated state defines an inside arc radius RID, an outside arc radius of ROD, an inner cylinder radius RT. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein a ratio of half arc lengths LN and LN+1 of the tube is proportional to a ratio of diameters DID and DN+1 of a take-up roll configured to create the tube, wherein LN+1/LN=DN+1/DID, wherein LN and LN+1 can be calculated using a formulae L=π(RID+RT−RT Cos(S/RT)), wherein S is a distance between DID and DN+1 along the take-up roll. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the outer weather shield coating is made from a polymer to prevent intrusion from dust, dirt, and weather. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the seamless woven cylinder is made from one or more of the following substances: Fiberglass, Aramid, carbon, ceramic fiber, polyamide nylon, PET or PBT polyester, phenol-formaldehyde (PF), polyvinyl chloride fiber (PVC) vinyon, polyolefins (PP and PE) olefin fiber acrylic polyesters, aromatic polyamids (aramids), Elastomers, polyurethane fiber, Elastolefin, or Coextruded fibers.