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Inflatable structure paraglider

  • US 5,244,169 A
  • Filed: 05/15/1992
  • Issued: 09/14/1993
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1992
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. In a paraglider having ram-air inflated left and right wings and supported above a pilot by suspension lines, the wings consisting of foldable and flexible sheet material and defining front openings to receive ram-air to inflate the wings in flight, the combination comprisinga) fluid inflated spar tube mean extending spanwise in stiffening relation to the wings, to assist in supporting and shaping the wings in flight,b) said spar tube means extending in such proximity to said front openings as to resist tuck-under and collapse of the wings, at low angles of attack,c) said spar tube means consisting of material which is flexible and foldable when the spar tube means is not inflated,d) said spar tube means includingi) a forward spanwise extending inflated tube proximate leading edges defined by the wings, andii) a rearward spanwise extending tube located within the wings,e) said wings having spanwise arching configuration, said forward and rearward spar tubes being inflated into arching configuration corresponding to said arching configuration,f) each of said wings includingi) a top fabric panel,ii) a bottom fabric panel,iii) chordwise extending panels which are spaced apart spanwise of the wings, and which have upper and lower edges connected to said top and bottom panels,iv) said forward and rearward tubes extending through said chordwise extending panels,g) said forward and rearward spar tubes being urged toward one another by said chordwise extending panels, whereby the spacing between said forward and rearward spar tubes tapers toward tips defined by said wings,h) and including at least one chordwise extending spar tube connected with said forward and rearward tubes, medially of their spanwise lengths.

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