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US 2026/0266084 A1Published application
Telescopic structure
OwnerIdo Merkelinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An expandable structure comprising a central part snugly nested within at least one intermediate layer, with the intermediate layer(s) snugly nested within each other and within an outer layer. At least a portion of the central part is in contact with its adjacent layer, similarly, at least a portion of each layer is in contact with adjacent layer(s). The central part has at least one undulation on its outer side, the outer layer has at least one undulation on its inner side, and the intermediate layer(s) have, on each side, at least one undulation, with undulations on adjacent layers mating with each other. The structure is held in its expanded state by contact between the layers and by contact between the innermost layer and the central part.
Claims28
A structure having at least two configurations, a contracted configuration and an expanded configuration and a main longitudinal axis, said structure comprising:
- a central part, having at least one central part side, and at least one of a central part upper face and a central part lower face;
- at least one intermediate layer, having an intermediate layer upper face, an intermediate layer lower face, at least one intermediate layer inner side and at least one intermediate layer outer side;
- and
- an outer layer, having at least one outer layer inward-facing side, at least one outer layer external side and at least one of an outer layer lower face, and an outer layer upper face, said outer layer having a throughgoing bore, an axis of said bore being parallel to said main longitudinal axis;
- said central part nestable at least partially within said at least one intermediate layer and said at least one intermediate layer nestable at least partially within said throughgoing bore of said outer layer;
- each of said at least one central part side, said at least one intermediate layer inner side, said at least one intermediate layer outer side and said at least one outer layer inward-facing side comprising at least two half-undulations, each of said at least two half-undulations being either an inward-angled half-undulation or an outward-angled half-undulation;
- said at least two half-undulations on said at least one central part side matable with said at least two half-undulations on said at least one intermediate layer inner side;
- said at least two half-undulations on said at least one intermediate layer outer side matable with said at least two half-undulations on said outer layer inward-facing side;
- said at least one intermediate layer being a plurality of intermediate layers, for each pair of adjacent intermediate layers, said at least two half-undulations on an outer side of an inner of said pair of adjacent intermediate layers is matable with said at least two half-undulations on an inner side of an outer of said pair of adjacent intermediate layers;
- and, for each pair of adjacent intermediate layers, an inner of said each pair of adjacent intermediate layers is at least partially nestable within an outer of said each pair of adjacent intermediate layers;
- wherein said structure, in said expanded configuration, is maintained in said expanded configuration by said nesting of said central part at least partly within said at least one intermediate layer and said nesting of said at least one intermediate layer within said throughgoing bore of said outer layer and by contact between adjacent lavers, said adjacent lavers being said central part and said at least one intermediate layer;
- said at least one intermediate layer being a plurality of intermediate layers, said pair of adjacent intermediate layers;
- and said at least one intermediate layer and said outer layer;
- without need for supporting structure on an external side linking any first outward facing side to any second outward facing side or supporting structure on an internal side linking any first inward facing side to any second inward facing side.
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A method of erecting a structure having at least two configurations, a contracted configuration and an expanded configuration, comprising steps of:
- providing said structure, said structure having a main longitudinal axis, said structure comprising:
- a central part, having at least one central part side, and at least one of a central part upper face and a central part lower face;
- at least one intermediate layer, having an intermediate layer upper face, an intermediate layer lower face, at least one intermediate layer inner side and at least one intermediate layer outer side;
- and
- an outer layer, having at least one outer layer inward-facing side, at least one outer layer external side and at least one of an outer layer lower face and an outer layer upper face, said outer layer having a throughgoing bore, an axis of said bore being parallel to said main longitudinal axis;
- said central part nestable at least partially within said at least one intermediate layer and said at least one intermediate layer nestable at least partially within said throughgoing bore of said outer layer;
- each of said at least one central part side, said at least one intermediate layer inner side, said at least one intermediate layer outer side and said at least one outer layer inward-facing side comprising at least two half-undulations, each of said at least two half-undulations being either an inward-angled half-undulation or an outward-angled half-undulation;
- said at least two half-undulations on said at least one central part side matable with said at least two half-undulations on said at least one intermediate layer inner side;
- said at least two half-undulations on said at least one intermediate layer outer side matable with said at least two half-undulations on said outer layer inward-facing side;
- said at least one intermediate layer being a plurality of intermediate layers, for each pair of adjacent intermediate layers, said at least two half-undulations on an outer side of an inner of said pair of adjacent intermediate layers is matable with said at least two half-undulations on an inner side of an outer of said pair of adjacent intermediate layers;
- and, for each pair of adjacent intermediate lavers an inner of said each pair of adjacent intermediate layers is at least partially nestable within an outer of said each pair of adjacent intermediate layers;
- emplacing said structure at a predetermined site;
- and
- moving said central part along said main longitudinal axis in a direction increasing a distance between said central part and said outer layer until said central part is a predetermined distance from said outer layer,
- wherein said structure, in said expanded configuration, is maintained in said expanded configuration by said nesting of said central part at least partly within said at least one intermediate layer and said nesting of said at least one intermediate layer within said throughgoing bore of said outer layer and by contact between adjacent layers, said adjacent layers being said central part and said at least one intermediate layer;
- said at least one intermediate layer being a plurality of intermediate layers, said pair of adjacent intermediate lavers;
- and said at least one intermediate layer and said outer layer;
- without need for supporting structure on an external side linking any first outward facing side to any second outward facing side or supporting structure on an internal side linking any first inward facing side to any second inward facing side.
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A structure comprising:
- a plurality of nested interlocking rings;
- and
- an inner central part in communication with an innermost of said plurality of nested interlocking rings;
- said structure comprising at least one collapsed configuration and at least one expanded configuration;
- wherein said structure is transferrable between said at least one collapsed configuration and said at least one expanded configuration or between said at least one expanded configuration and said at least one collapsed configuration by application of a transfer force sufficient to overcome structural resistance between a member of the group consisting of at least one adjacent pair of said plurality of nested interlocking rings, between said inner central part and said innermost of said plurality of nested interlocking rings or any combination thereof, said transfer force being applied between said outermost of said plurality of nested interlocking rings and said inner central part,
- further wherein said structure, in said expanded configuration, is maintained in said expanded configuration by said nesting of said central part at least partly within said at least one intermediate layer and said nesting of said at least one intermediate layer within said throughgoing bore of said outer layer and by contact between adjacent layers, said adjacent lavers being said central part and said at least one intermediate layer;
- said at least one intermediate layer being a plurality of intermediate layers, said pair of adjacent intermediate layers;
- and said at least one intermediate layer and said outer layer;
- without need for supporting structure on an external side linking any first outward facing side to any second outward facing side or supporting structure on an internal side linking any first inward facing side to any second inward facing side.
6 more elements
A method of erecting a structure having at least two configurations, a contracted configuration and an expanded configuration, comprising steps of:
- providing said structure, said structure comprising:
- a plurality of nested interlocking rings;
- and
- an inner central part in communication with an innermost of said plurality of nested interlocking rings;
- said structure comprising at least one collapsed configuration and at least one expanded configuration;
- emplacing said structure at a predetermined site;
- moving said central part along a main longitudinal axis of said structure in a direction increasing a distance between said central part and said outer layer until said central part is a predetermined distance from said outer layer,
- wherein said structure is transferrable between said at least one collapsed configuration and said at least one expanded configuration or between said at least one expanded configuration and said at least one collapsed configuration by application of a transfer force sufficient to overcome structural resistance between a member of a group consisting of at least one adjacent pair of said plurality of nested interlocking rings, between said inner central part and said innermost of said plurality of nested interlocking rings or any combination thereof, said transfer force being applied between said outermost of said plurality of nested interlocking rings and said inner central part,
- further wherein said structure, in said expanded configuration, is maintained in said expanded configuration by said nesting of said central part at least partly within said at least one intermediate layer and said nesting of said at least one intermediate layer within said throughgoing bore of said outer layer and by contact between adjacent layers, said adjacent layers being said central part and said at least one intermediate layer;
- said at least one intermediate layer being a plurality of intermediate layers, said pair of adjacent intermediate layers;
- and said at least one intermediate layer and said outer layer;
- without need for supporting structure on an external side linking any first outward facing side to any second outward facing side or supporting structure on an internal side linking any first inward facing side to any second inward facing side.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.