PRECISION FLEXIBLE SUPPORT STRUCTURE

• US 20090002257A1
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thin Red Line Aerospace Ltd
• Original Assignee: Thin Red Line Aerospace Ltd
• Inventors: Aiken, Brian, de Jong, Maxim
• Application Number:
  US12/123,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20090002257A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/872
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/222 for deploying structures between a stowed and deployed state
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/2227 Inflating
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/66 Arrangements or adaptations of apparatus or instruments, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1235 Collapsible supports; Means for erecting a rigid antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/428 Collapsible radomes; rotatable, tiltable radomes
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/163 inflatable

Abstract

This document discloses, among other things, an inflatable apparatus having a plurality of attachment points. The apparatus can be collapsed, and when distended, the attachment points are dimensionally stable with varying applied pressure.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a restraint structure having a plurality of meridional tendons;

an inelastic envelope within the restraint structure, the restraint structure configured to confine the envelope, wherein the envelope is inflatable and wherein, when inflated, the envelope sustains a load in a direction parallel with an equator of the envelope and the restraint structure sustains a load in a direction parallel with the meridional tendons; and

at least one anchor point affixed to the restraint structure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one anchor point includes a telescopic core.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one anchor point is affixed to a meridional tendon.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one anchor point includes an antenna mount.

5. An apparatus comprising:

a vessel having an inflatable barrier structure and a restraint structure configured to confine the barrier structure, the restraint structure including a plurality of meridional tendons terminating at a pole; and

when inflated, the barrier structure sustains a load in a direction parallel with an equator of the barrier structure and the restraint structure sustains a load in a direction parallel with the meridional tendons.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the restraint structure further includes a ring at the pole.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the ring is affixed to a rigid mating structure.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein a portion of at least one meridional tendon is configured to pass through an aperture of the ring.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein a portion of at least one meridional tendon is affixed to the ring by at least one of a bolt, a clevis, a shackle, and karabiner.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein at least one meridional tendon includes an eye having a portion looped through an aperture of the ring.

11. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein an aperture of the ring is configured to accommodate the plurality of meridional tendons.

12. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the barrier structure includes a reinforcement proximate an aperture of the ring.

13. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the restraint structure includes a plurality of concentrically aligned rings at the pole.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein a first meridional tendon is affixed to a first concentrically aligned ring and a second meridional tendon is affixed to a second concentrically aligned ring.

15. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein at least one meridional tendon is coated.

16. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein at least one meridional tendon passes through a tubular sleeve.

17. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein a portion of at least one meridional tendon includes a spliced eye.

18. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein at least one meridional tendon includes at least one of a cord, a cable, and webbing.

19. The apparatus of claim 5 further including a solar power collection unit coupled to the restraint structure.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a vessel having an inflatable barrier structure and a restraint structure configured to confine the barrier structure, wherein the barrier structure is inflatable and wherein, when inflated, the barrier structure sustains a load in a direction parallel with an equator of the envelope and the restraint structure includes a plurality of meridional tendons and sustains a load in a direction parallel with the meridional tendons; and

an antenna structure within the vessel.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the vessel includes a pole position and further including an antenna feed disposed at the pole position.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein at least one tendon terminates at the pole.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the vessel has an equator and wherein the antenna structure is affixed to the equator.

24. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the vessel has an equator and wherein the antenna structure is affixed at a location in a plane parallel to the equator.

25. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the barrier structure includes a plurality of two dimensional gores.

26. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the antenna structure includes a plurality of radial load ribs.

27. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the vessel is collapsed in a first environment and deployed in a second environment, and wherein a load rib includes a material which rigidizes in the second environment.

28. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the inflatable vessel has more than one radius of curvature and a wall thickness of the barrier structure is less than one-tenth of a smallest radius of curvature.

29. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the barrier structure includes two planar circles bonded at an edge.