Expandable tubular element for inflatable cylinder
AssigneeEclore Actuators
InventorPierre Gautier-Le Boulch
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Abstract
The invention relates to an expandable tubular element for a fluid-inflatable cylinder, comprising a peripheral wall that is fluid-tight and formed by a plurality of panels connected in pairs by substantially rectilinear links each representing a pivot axis, the panels being more rigid than the links, so that two panels adjacent to a link can rotate about the pivot axis represented by this link, each end of a link being connected to at least two ends of other links so as to define a node, each node having a thickness greater than the minimum thickness of the adjacent links. The invention also relates to a method for producing such an expandable tubular element, as well as a fluid-inflatable cylinder comprising such an expandable tubular element.
Claims12
An expandable tubular element for a fluid-inflatable cylinder, comprising:
- a peripheral wall that is fluid-tight and formed by a plurality of panels connected in pairs by rectilinear links each representing a pivot axis:
- the links being made mainly of plastic material,
- the panels being more rigid than the links, so that two panels adjacent to a link can rotate about the pivot axis represented by this link,
- each end of a link being connected to an end of at least two other links to define a node, and
- each node having a thickness greater than the minimum thickness of the adjacent links,
- wherein the expandable tubular element expands when a fluid is injected into the expandable tubular element, and
- wherein a sheath configured to limit the stroke of the fluid-inflatable cylinder is arranged outside the peripheral wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.