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US 5,234,727 AGranted
Curved pleated sheet structures
OwnerCharles Hobermaninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Self-supporting structures of diverse shapes are disclosed that may be collapsed down to compact bundles. Structures of this type are comprised of units which are comprised of two strips having non-parallel pleat lines. By pleating these strips according to a special pleat pattern, these structures may collapse down and expand out in a smooth manner.
Claims8
An expandable structure comprised of at least two strips,
- each strip being pleated along a series of lines that cross it widthwise, the fold directions of said adjacent crossing lines alternating,
- the angles formed by some of the crossing lines with the strip's edge being different from the similarly formed angles of their adjacent crossing lines, thereby forming a series of facets that include triangles, trapeziums or trapezoids,
- each strip being joined to the other by a series of pleat lines that are connected end-to-end, and the fold directions of said adjacent connecting lines alternating,
- the structure in expanded state forming a surface having curvature oriented lengthwise along the strips,
- the structure in folded state having the two strips essentially flattened against each other,
- whereby as the structure is changed from an expanded to folded state, the curvature remains essentially the same.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.