Inflatable vessel and method

An inflatable module, comprising:

• a structural core;
• an inflatable shell including a plurality of circumferentially spaced gores each sealingly attached to the structural core;
• and
• a deployment system for releasing the inflatable shell from a pre-deployment configuration in which the inflatable shell is collapsed, deflated, and folded around the structural core to a deployed configuration in which the inflatable shell is inflated and surrounds the structural core thereby defining an enclosed space interior to the inflated shell, the deployment system including a first gore connector secured to a first gore, a second gore connector secured to a second gore circumferentially spaced from the first gore by at least one intermediate gore when the shell is inflated, and a flexible deployment member interconnecting the first gore connector and the second gore connector when in the pre-deployment configuration, such that the elongate flexible deployment member may be released to allow separation of the first gore from the second gore when the shell is inflated.

An inflatable shell for a module, the shell having a pre-deployment configuration in which the shell is collapsed and deflated, and a deployed configuration in which the shell is inflated and has a deployed thickness, the shell comprising:

• a plurality of circumferentially spaced gores, each gore having a hinge on each side for enabling folding with respect to an adjoining gore;
• a plurality of layers within the inflatable shell, each layer being spaced in a direction of the deployed thickness from other of the plurality of layers when the shell is inflated;
• and
• a plurality of flexible cables each connecting the plurality of spaced apart layers when the shell is inflated, each of the plurality of cables including a plurality of stops along a length of the cable for positioning of the spaced apart layers when the shell is inflated.

An inflatable module, comprising:

• a rigid structural core;
• an inflatable shell including a flexible structural restraint layer secured to the rigid core and a bladder sealingly attached to the rigid core;
• the bladder being sealed to the rigid structural core and being oversized with respect to the restraint layer such that a load applied to the inflatable shell is absorbed by the restraint layer and the structural core, and no significant load is transmitted through the bladder to the rigid core;
• and
• the flexible restraint layer comprising interwoven elongate longitudinal straps and hoop straps, two adjacent longitudinal straps forming a single loop adjacent similar single loops, each loop being held at each end thereof by a roller secured to and rotatable about the rigid structural core.

An inflatable shell for a module, the shell having a pre-deployment configuration in which the shell is collapsed and deflated and a deployed configuration in which the shell is inflated, the shell comprising:

• an insulation layer;
• a deployment layer spaced exteriorly of the insulation layer;
• a bladder spaced oppositely of the deployment layer with respect to the insulation layer;
• and
• a plurality of deployment members, each secured to the deployment layer for maintaining the shell in the pre-deployment configuration and selectively releasing the shell from the pre-deployment configuration.

An inflatable module, comprising:

• a rigid shell pass through frame;
• an inflatable shell including a flexible structural restraint layer secured to the rigid pass through frame and a bladder sealingly attached to the rigid pass through frame;
• the flexible restraint layer comprising interwoven elongate longitudinal straps and hoop straps;
• the bladder being sealed to the pass through frame and being oversized with respect to the restraint layer such that a load applied to the flexible shell is absorbed by the restraint layer and the structural core, and no significant load is transmitted through the bladder;
• a plurality of rollers each attached to the pass through frame for supporting a respective longitudinal strap passed around the respective roller;
• and
• a securing member for securing an end of each longitudinal strap passed around the roller to the longitudinal strap.

A method of releasing an inflatable shell including a plurality of circumferentially spaced gores each sealingly attached to a structural core and adjoining gores, the shell being released from a pre-deployment configuration in which the shell is collapsed, deflated, and folded around the structural core to a deployed configuration in which the inflatable shell is inflated and surrounds the structural core thereby defining an enclosed space interior to the inflated shell, the method comprising:

• radially moving selected ones of a plurality of gores inward against the structural core;
• positioning one or more other gores radially outward of each inward gore;
• interconnecting a first radially outward gore with a second radially outward gore with a plurality of elongate flexible deployment members;
• and
• releasing the plurality of elongate flexible deployment members to release and separate the first radially outward gore from the second radially outward gore.