Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

University of Michigan

Zining Zhang

Paul W Alexander

Wonhee Michael Kim

Diann Brei

Jonathan E Luntz

Koray Benli

Laura Alejandra Giner Munoz

Noah Luntzlara

Yun Ju Kim

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.

Internally tensioned inflatable structures

Growing community of inventors

Zhuozhou, China

Zining Zhang