The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 17, 2020
Filed:
Aug. 31, 2018
United States of America As Represented BY the Administrator of Nasa, Washington, DC (US);
William R. Doggett, Poquoson, VA (US);
Timothy S. Roach, Virginia Beach, VA (US);
Jerry E. Warren, Hampton, VA (US);
Judith J. Watson, Yorktown, VA (US);
Thomas C. Jones, Newport News, VA (US);
Richard K Bird, Grafton, VA (US);
Vincenzo M. Le Boffe, Carrollton, VA (US);
William M. Langford, Hampton, VA (US);
Lana P. Hicks-Olson, Surry, VA (US);
Samuel James, Portsmouth, VA (US);
Clarence E. Stanfield, Hampton, VA (US);
Alberto Makino, Stanford, CA (US);
Bryan C. Yount, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Khadijah I. Shariff, Houston, TX (US);
Molly M. Selig, League City, TX (US);
Douglas A. Litteken, Houston, TX (US);
Winfred S. Kenner, Yorktown, VA (US);
David F. Moore, Poquoson, VA (US);
Danny J. Lovaglio, Virgina Beach, VA (US);
Laura A. Leybold, Hampton, VA (US);
Earl T. Hall, Newport News, VA (US);
James E. Phelps, Smithfield, VA (US);
Arlon B. Sullivan, Chesapeake, VA (US);
Fred M. Whitehead, Newport News, VA (US);
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINSTRATOR OF NASA, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
An inflatable pressure structure includes an airtight flexible membrane having collapsed and inflated configurations. The inflatable pressure structure includes an elongated pressure-assisted seal that is configured to selectively seal an opening in the airtight flexible membrane. The pressure-assisted seal includes first and second seal components that sealingly engage one another and prevent escape of gas from inside the airtight flexible membrane. The airtight flexible membrane, when inflated, generates a force transverse to the pressure-assisted seal tending to pull the first and second seal components apart. Pressurized gas inside the airtight flexible membrane causes the first and second seal components to more securely engage one another whereby a force transverse to the pressure-assisted seal does not disengage the first and second seal components.