Internally tensioned inflatable structures

US11084541B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC · US
• THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN · US

Inventors

• Wonhee M. Kim · Royal Oak, US
• Paul W. Alexander · Ypsilanti, US
• Jonathan E. Luntz · Ann Arbor, US
• Diann Brei · Milford, US
• Noah Luntzlara · Ann Arbor, US
• Yun-Ju Kim · Seoul, KR
• Zining Zhang · Novi, US
• Laura Alejandra Giner Munoz · Ann Arbor, US
• Koray Benli · Ann Arbor, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 10, 2019
• Grant date: Aug 10, 2021
• Expiry date: Feb 18, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02T10/82
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

An inflatable structure includes a top end cap, a bottom end cap, a bladder, a plurality of tethers, and an adjustment mechanism. The bladder is attached to the top and bottom end caps and configured to hold pressurized air therebetween. The plurality of tethers are disposed within the bladder. Each tether in the plurality of tethers has a first end coupled to the top end cap and a second end coupled to the bottom end cap. When the bladder is inflated, the plurality of tethers restrict a number of degrees of freedom of the inflatable structure and a type of the degrees of freedom. The adjustment mechanism is operable to move the second end of at least one tether in the plurality of tethers to adjust at least one of the number of the degrees of freedom and the type of the degrees of freedom.