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US 6,332,290 B1Granted
Inflatable, deployable, and collapsible arch
AssigneeS.A. Spironef Technologies
InventorGuy Robert Delamare
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The subject of the invention is a canopy which can be inflated, deployed and retracted, respectively, having a plurality of longitudinal inflatable beams arranged side by side, a device for supplying the inflatable beams with pressurized fluid, and a device for the foundation or ballasting of the canopy. Each of the inflatable beams is formed by a tubular envelope which is closed at its two ends by a mechanical leaktight confinement device.
Claims39
A canopy comprising:
- a plurality of inflatable beams arranged side by side, each of said plurality of inflatable beams comprises a tubular envelope having two ends and a mechanical leaktight confinement device operable to close said two ends of said tubular envelope;
- a pressurized fluid generator operable to supply said plurality of inflatable beams with pressurized fluid;
- and
- one of a foundation and a ballast connected to at least one of said plurality of inflatable beams, said one of said foundation and said ballast being operable to ballast said plurality of inflatable beams,
- wherein said plurality of inflatable beams have different lengths such that when said plurality of beams are inflated, said plurality of beams forms an opening between outside and inside of said canopy and longer inflatable beams bear on shorter inflatable beams.
2 more elements
A canopy comprising:
- a plurality of inflatable beams arranged side by side, wherein each of said plurality of inflatable beams comprises a tubular envelope having two ends and a mechanical leaktight confinement device operable to close said two ends of said tubular envelope;
- a pressurized fluid generator operable to supply said plurality of inflatable beams with pressurized fluid;
- at least one strap connected to said mechanical leaktight confinement device of one of said plurality of inflatable beams;
- and
- one of a foundation and a ballast connected to at least said one of said plurality of inflatable beams by said at least one strap, said one of said foundation and said ballast being operable to ballast said plurality of inflatable beams.
2 more elements
A canopy comprising:
- a plurality of inflatable beams arranged side by side, wherein each of said plurality of inflatable beams comprises a tubular envelope having two ends and a mechanical leaktight confinement device operable to close said two ends of said tubular envelope;
- a pressurized fluid generator operable to supply said plurality of inflatable beams with pressurized fluid;
- and
- one of a foundation and a ballast connected to at least one of said plurality of inflatable beams, said one of said foundation and said ballast being operable to ballast said plurality of inflatable beams,
- wherein said mechanical leaktight confinement device comprises for each of said two ends, bars connected together by at least one fastening element such that said bars pinch a corresponding end of said tubular envelope, and a seal located in between said bars.
2 more elements
A canopy comprising:
- a plurality of inflatable beams arranged side by side, wherein each of said plurality of inflatable beams comprises a tubular envelope having two ends and a mechanical leaktight confinement device operable to close said two ends of said tubular envelope;
- a pressurized fluid generator operable to supply said plurality of inflatable beams with pressurized fluid;
- and
- one of a foundation and a ballast connected to at least one of said plurality of inflatable beams, said one of said foundation and said ballast being operable to ballast said plurality of inflatable beams,
- wherein said mechanical leaktight confinement device comprises for each of said plurality of inflatable beams, a clamp piece connected to said one of said foundation and said ballast, said clamp piece having a first part fastened to an outer face of said tubular envelope, a second part fastened to an inner face of said tubular envelope, at least one fastening element connecting said first part and said second part, and a central orifice communicating, with said pressurized fluid generator via said one of said foundation and said ballast.
2 more elements
A canopy comprising:
- a plurality of inflatable beams arranged side by side, wherein each of said plurality of inflatable beams comprises a tubular envelope having two ends and a central orifice, and a mechanical leaktight confinement device operable to close said two ends of said tubular envelope;
- a pressurized fluid generator operable to supply said plurality of inflatable beams with pressurized fluid;
- and
- one of a foundation and a ballast connected to at least one of said plurality of inflatable beams, said one of said foundation and said ballast being operable to ballast said plurality of inflatable beams,
- wherein said one of said foundation and said ballast comprises a caisson divided into a plurality of compartments, each of said plurality of compartments communicating with a respective one of said plurality of inflatable beams via the central orifice and with said pressurized fluid generator.
2 more elements
A canopy comprising:
- a plurality of inflatable beams arranged side by side, wherein each of said plurality of inflatable beams comprises a tubular envelope having two ends and a central orifice, and a mechanical leaktight confinement device operable to close said two ends of said tubular envelope;
- a pressurized fluid generator operable to supply said plurality of inflatable beams with pressurized fluid;
- and
- one of a foundation and a ballast connected to at least one of said plurality of inflatable beams, said one of said foundation and said ballast being operable to ballast said plurality of inflatable beams,
- wherein said one of said foundation and said ballast comprises a caisson communicating with said plurality of inflatable beams via the central orifices and with said pressurized fluid generator, each of the central orifices having a closing-off member operable to be moved between a position in which said cental orifice is open and another position in which the central orifice is closed.
2 more elements
A canopy comprising:
- a plurality of inflatable beams arranged side by side, wherein each of said plurality of inflatable beams comprises a tubular envelope having two ends and a mechanical leaktight confinement device operable to close said two ends of said tubular envelope;
- a pressurized fluid generator operable to supply said plurality of inflatable beams with pressurized fluid;
- one of a foundation and a ballast connected to at least one of said plurality of inflatable beams, said one of said foundation and said ballast being operable to ballast said plurality of inflatable beams;
- and
- a linking device for linking said plurality of inflatable beams together, said linking device comprising:
- a pair of T-shaped sections located in between each adjacent pair of beams of said plurality of inflatable beams, each of said T-shaped sections having two lateral branches attached to said tubular envelope of a respective one of said adjacent pair of said plurality of inflatable beams, a central branch having a loop at an end opposite to said two lateral branches, and at least one uniformly spaced transverse notch along said T-shaped section, said at least one uniformly spaced transverse notch forming a series of separate flaps in said T-shaped section, and
- a rod passing through loops of said series of separate flaps of each of said pair of T-shaped sections in an alternating and contiguous manner.
4 more elements
A canopy comprising:
- a plurality of inflatable beams arranged side by side, wherein each of said plurality of inflatable beams comprises a tubular envelope having two ends and a mechanical leaktight confinement device operable to close said two ends of said tubular envelope;
- a pressurized fluid generator operable to supply said plurality of inflatable beams with pressurized fluid;
- one of a foundation and a ballast connected to at least one of said plurality of inflatable beams, said one of said foundation and said ballast being operable to ballast said plurality of inflatable beams;
- and
- a linking device for linking said plurality of inflatable beams together, said linking device comprising:
- a fastening fitting located between each adjacent pair of beams of said plurality of inflatable beams, said fastening fitting having first and second parts arranged such that portions of said tubular envelopes of said adjacent pair of beams are located in between said first and second parts, said first and second parts forming a central orifice communicating between inner spaces of said tubular envelopes of each of said adjacent pair of beams.
3 more elements
A canopy comprising:
- a plurality of inflatable beams arranged side by side, wherein each of said plurality of inflatable beams comprises a tubular envelope having two ends and a mechanical leaktight confinement device operable to close said two ends of said tubular envelope;
- a pressurized fluid generator operable to supply said plurality of inflatable beams with pressurized fluid;
- one of a foundation and a ballast connected to at least one of said plurality of inflatable beams, said one of said foundation and said ballast being operable to ballast said plurality of inflatable beams;
- and
- a deployment/refolding path comprising at least one rigid beam located substantially in a central zone of said plurality of inflatable beams.
2 more elements
A canopy as claimed in claim 30, wherein said guiding device comprise a sliding ring secured to the opposite orifices of said adjacent tubular envelops of said plurality of inflatable beams, said sliding ring operable to enter into frictional contact with said at least one rigid beam during deployment or refolding of said plurality of inflatable beams.
A canopy comprising:
- a plurality of inflatable beams arranged side by side, wherein each of said plurality of inflatable beams comprises a tubular envelope having two ends and a mechanical leaktight confinement device operable to close said two ends of said tubular envelope;
- a pressurized fluid generator operable to supply said plurality of inflatable beams with pressurized fluid;
- one of a foundation and a ballast connected to at least one of said plurality of inflatable beams, said one of said foundation and said ballast being operable to ballast said plurality of inflatable beams;
- a rigid beam passing through said plurality of inflatable beams in a leaktight manner;
- a flexible conduit connecting opposite orifices of adjacent tubular envelops of said plurality of inflatable beams, said flexible conduit being operable to allow said rigid beam to pass through said plurality of inflatable beams in a leaktight manner;
- a linking device located at the opposite orifices of said adjacent tubular envelops of said plurality of inflatable beams, said linking device operable to link said adjacent tubular envelopes of said plurality of inflatable beams in a leaktight manner;
- a conduit linking device located at the opposite orifices of said adjacent tubular envelops of said plurality of inflatable beams, said conduit linking device operable to link said plurality of inflatable beams with said flexible conduit in a leaktight manner;
- a guiding device located at the opposite orifices of said adjacent tubular envelops of said plurality of inflatable beams, said guiding device operable to guide said plurality of inflatable beams along said flexible conduit;
- and
- an inner sealing device located at the opposite orifices of said adjacent tubular envelops of said plurality of inflatable beams, said inner sealing device operable to maintain the leaktightness of an inner space of said flexible conduit during deployment or refolding of said plurality of inflatable beams.
7 more elements
A canopy comprising:
- a plurality of inflatable beams arranged side by side, wherein each of said plurality of inflatable beams comprises a tubular envelope having two ends and a mechanical leaktight confinement device operable to close said two ends of said tubular envelope;
- a pressurized fluid generator operable to supply said plurality of inflatable beams with pressurized fluid;
- one of a foundation and a ballast connected to at least one of said plurality of inflatable beams, said one of said foundation and said ballast being operable to ballast said plurality of inflatable beams;
- and
- a flap located on an inner flange of at least one of said plurality of inflatable beams, said flap extending towards an inside of said canopy.
2 more elements
A canopy comprising:
- a plurality of inflatable beams arranged side by side, wherein each of said plurality of inflatable beams comprises a tubular envelope having two ends and a mechanical leaktight confinement device operable to close said two ends of said tubular envelope;
- a pressurized fluid generator operable to supply said plurality of inflatable beams with pressurized fluid;
- one of a foundation and a ballast connected to at least one of said plurality of inflatable beams, said one of said foundation and said ballast being operable to ballast said plurality of inflatable beams;
- and
- at least one arch-shaped support extending parallel to and in contact with one of said plurality of inflatable beams.
2 more elements
A canopy comprising:
- a plurality of inflatable beams arranged side by side, wherein each of said plurality of inflatable beams comprises a tubular envelope having two ends and a mechanical leaktight confinement device operable to close said two ends of said tubular envelope;
- a pressurized fluid generator operable to supply said plurality of inflatable beams with pressurized fluid;
- one of a foundation and a ballast connected to at least one of said plurality of inflatable beams, said one of said foundation and said ballast being operable to ballast said plurality of inflatable beams;
- and
- a deployment/folding path comprising at least two pairs of arch shaped rigid beams parallel to each other, said at least two pairs of arch shaped rigid beams being connected to said one of said foundation and ballast, wherein said plurality of inflatable beams are slidable in between said at least two pairs of arch shaped rigid beams.
2 more elements
A canopy comprising:
- a plurality of inflatable beams arranged side by side, wherein each of said plurality of inflatable beams comprises a tubular envelope having two ends and a mechanical leaktight confinement device operable to close said two ends of said tubular envelope;
- a pressurized fluid generator operable to supply said plurality of inflatable beams with pressurized fluid;
- at least one strap connected to said mechanical leaktight confinement device of said plurality of inflatable beams;
- and
- one of a foundation and a ballast connected to at least one end of said plurality of inflatable beams via said leaktight confinement device by said at least one strap, said one of said foundation and said ballast being operable to ballast said plurality of inflatable beams.
2 more elements
A canopy comprising:
- a plurality of inflatable beams arranged side by side, wherein each of said plurality of inflatable beams comprises a tubular envelope having two ends and a mechanical leaktight confinement device operable to close said two ends of said tubular envelope;
- a pressurized fluid generator operable to supply said plurality of inflatable beams with pressurized fluid;
- and
- one of a foundation and a ballast connected to at least one end of said plurality of inflatable beams via said mechanical leaktight confinement device, said one of said foundation and said ballast being operable to ballast said plurality of inflatable beams,
- wherein said mechanical leaktight confinement device comprises for each of said plurality of inflatable beams, a clamp piece connected to said one of said foundation and said ballast, said clamp piece having a first part fastened to an outer face of said tubular envelope, a second part fastened to an inner face of said tubular envelope, at least one fastening element connecting said first part and said second part, and a central orifice communicating, with said pressurized fluid generator via said one of said foundation and said ballast.
2 more elements
A canopy comprising:
- a plurality of inflatable beams arranged side by side, each of said plurality of inflatable beams comprises a tubular envelope having two ends and a mechanical leaktight confinement device operable to close said two ends of said tubular envelope;
- a pressurized fluid generator operable to supply said plurality of inflatable beams with pressurized fluid;
- and
- one of a foundation and a ballast connected to at least one of said plurality of inflatable beams, said one of said foundation and said ballast being operable to ballast said plurality of inflatable beams,
- wherein said mechanical leaktight confinement device comprises for each of said two ends of all of said plurality of inflatable beams, two bars connected together by at least one fastening element such that said two bars pinch a corresponding end of said tubular envelope, said two bars being connected to said one of said foundation and said ballast.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.