US 12,687,036 B2 · Rapidly deployable air supported structure systems and related methods

Abstract

Transportable and rapidly deployable air supported structure systems and related methods are disclosed. The air supported structure systems include at least one transportable container. The systems also include a flexible outer membrane configured to couple to a base in a substantially air-tight manner. The systems further include at least one air handling mechanism contained within the at least one container configured to force air between the outer membrane and the base to form an enclosure therebetween via internal air pressure. The systems are configurable between a packaged state with the outer membrane contained within the at least one container, and a deployed state with the outer membrane being coupled to the base and the at least one air handling mechanism forming the enclosure via the internal air pressure. The at least one container may form a portion of the base and/or provide for ingress and egress with the enclosure.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An air supported structure system, comprising:

at least one transportable container;
a flexible outer membrane;
and
at least one air handling mechanism at least partially contained within the at least one container configured to force air between the outer membrane and a base when the outer membrane is coupled to the base to form and maintain an enclosure via internal air pressure,
wherein the system is configurable between a packaged state with the flexible outer membrane at least partially contained within the at least one container, and a deployed state with the flexible outer membrane being coupled to the base in the substantially air-tight manner and the at least one air handling mechanism forming and maintaining the enclosure via the internal air pressure,
wherein, in the deployed state, the at least one transportable container forms a portion of the base, and an end portion of the outer membrane is coupled with at least one mounting plate portion of the at least one transportable container in a substantially air-tight manner via at least one lateral clamping member.

3 more elements

A method of forming an air supported structure that forms an enclosure via internal pressured air, comprising:

transporting at least one container of an air supported structure system in a packaged state to a location, the at least one container including at least one air handling mechanism positioned at least partially within the at least one container and a flexible outer membrane positioned at least partially within the at least one container;
at least partially removing the outer membrane from within the at least one container;
coupling the outer membrane to a base in a substantially air-tight manner, the at least one container forming a portion of the base;
and
forcing air between the outer membrane and the base via the at least one air handling mechanism to form and maintain the enclosure therebetween via internal air pressure,
wherein coupling the outer membrane to the base in a substantially air-tight manner comprises coupling an end portion of the outer membrane with at least one mounting plate portion of the at least one transportable container in a substantially air-tight manner via at least one clamping member.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Rapidly deployable air supported structure systems and related methods

Life of this patent

Rapidly deployable air supported structure systems and related methods

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20