External rib cage for an inflatable air duct

An air duct assembly, comprising:

• an inflatable tube defining an air passageway therethrough, the inflatable tube having a longitudinal length defining a lengthwise direction;
• and
• a suspension system including hangers connected to the inflatable tube solely at ones of a plurality of points on the inflatable tube, each of the hangers to be spaced apart from portions of the inflatable tube extending between the ones of the plurality of points to which each hanger is connected, the plurality of points corresponding to a first lateral set of points spaced apart in the lengthwise direction along the longitudinal length of the inflatable tube, a second lateral set of points spaced apart in the lengthwise direction along the longitudinal length of the inflatable tube, and a central set of points spaced apart in the lengthwise direction along the longitudinal length of the inflatable tube, the central set of points to be staggered out of alignment with the first and second lateral sets of points in the lengthwise direction, the central set of points to be closer to a top of the inflatable tube than the first and second lateral sets of points, the first and second lateral sets of points to be above a midpoint of the inflatable tube, the inflatable tube being formed of a flexible material to include a flexible cross-sectional shape at corresponding points of the first and second lateral sets of points connected to a first one of the hangers.

A method of suspending an inflatable tube from a support structure, wherein the inflatable tube has a length and an interior air passageway, the method comprising:

• providing the inflatable tube which has a first lateral set of points and a second lateral set of points at an exterior surface of the inflatable tube, the first lateral set of points distributed in a longitudinal direction along the length of the inflatable tube, the second lateral set of points distributed in the longitudinal direction along the length of the inflatable tube, portions of the tube being unitary pliable material at the first and second lateral sets of points along the length of the inflatable tube, wherein the first lateral set of points and the second lateral set of points are lower than a top central portion of the inflatable tube extending in the longitudinal direction along the length of the inflatable tube, the inflatable tube having a third set of points at the exterior surface of the inflatable tube and distributed along the top central portion of the inflatable tube;
• suspending a plurality of lateral supports from the support structure such that the plurality of lateral supports are spaced-apart along the length of the inflatable tube, each of the lateral supports positioned to traverse the longitudinal direction along the length of the inflatable tube;
• connecting one of the plurality of lateral supports to one point of each of the first and second lateral sets of points corresponding to a single cross-section of the inflatable tube associated with a location where the one lateral support traverses the inflatable tube, wherein a shape of the single cross-section is different when the tube is inflated relative to when the tube is not inflated;
• and
• coupling at least one of the third set of points to the support structure via at least a connector, the connector being different from the lateral supports.