Space erected inflatable structure
AssigneeILC Dover, Inc.
InventorsDonald R. Cohee, Robert L. Pauly, Craig R. Scheir, David P. Cadogan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An inflatable structure, such as a fabric confining a gas, can be regulated as to its shape by the provision of auxiliary tubes, integral or adjacent to the fabric which can be separately pressurized. The separate pressurization will create local tensile forces to change the shape of the structure. Alternatively, a mechanical system, such as tensioned cables can be used to control the shape of the structure.
Claims18
An inflatable structure comprising a gas confining fabric;
- said fabric defining a gas containing cavity when inflated;
- said structure being provided with means to adjust at least one parameter of the length, width, height or shape of the inflatable structure;
- in combination with a position feedback system to determine the position of at least one part on the structure, wherein said means to adjust comprise at least one cable independently adjustable in its length.
An inflatable structure comprising a gas confining fabric;
- said fabric defining a gas containing cavity when inflated;
- said structure being provided with means to adjust at least one parameter of the length, width, height or shape of the inflatable structure;
- in combination with a position feedback system to determine the position of at least one part on the structure, wherein said means to adjust comprise tensioned cables.
An inflatable structure comprising a gas confining fabric;
- said fabric defining a gas containing cavity when inflated;
- said structure being provided with means to adjust at least one parameter of the length, width, height or shape of the inflatable structure;
- in combination with a position feedback system to determine the position of at least one part on the structure, wherein the position feedback system comprises a reflector attached to said fabric, a light source for directing a light beam incident on said reflector, a photoreceptor to receive said reflected beam and a microprocessor operably connected to each of said light source and photoreceptor, said microprocessor being capable of sending a processed signal to said means to adjust so as to change the location of said reflector.
A method of changing the shape of an enclosure inflated with a gas, said method comprising, positioning a reflector on the enclosure, creating a light beam incident on the reflector, creating and receiving a reflected light beam from said reflector and feeding process information concerning the angle, positional and time information of the incident beam to a microprocessor, calculating with the microprocessor at least one of the distance, and X, Y and Z coordinates of the reflector, comparing at least one of the distance and X, Y and Z coordinates with a desired position of the reflector, and causing modification of the shape of the enclosure so as to move the reflector toward said desired position.
An inflatable structure comprising a fabric envelope;
- said envelope being impervious to an inflation gas containable therein;
- adjusting elements;
- said adjusting elements being responsive to process signals received from a microprocessor, the adjusting elements being operatively connected to said fabric envelope to create tensile or compressive stresses in said envelope thereby changing the shape of the envelope, further comprising a laser beam light source.
An inflatable structure comprising a fabric envelope;
- said envelope being impervious to an inflation gas containable therein;
- adjusting elements;
- said adjusting elements being responsive to process signals received from a microprocessor, the adjusting elements being operatively connected to said fabric envelope to create tensile or compressive stresses in said envelope thereby changing the shape of the envelope, wherein the adjusting elements comprise a plurality of independently inflatable tubes attached to said fabric envelope, and the adjusting elements further comprise tensioned cables.
A method of changing the shape of an enclosure inflated with a fluid, said method comprising positioning a light source sensing means in the enclosure, causing a light beam to impinge on the light source sensing means to create an output signal and processing such signal with a microprocessor to adjust or maintain the shape of the enclosures.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.