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:
Feb. 27, 2024
Filed:
May. 26, 2022
GM Global Technology Operations Llc, Detroit, MI (US);
Regents of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Wonhee Michael Kim, Royal Oak, MI (US);
Paul W. Alexander, Ypsilanti, MI (US);
Yun Ju Kim, Yongin-Si, KR;
Diann Brei, Milford, MI (US);
Koray Benli, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Jonathan E. Luntz, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Laura Alejandra Giner Munoz, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
An inflatable structure includes a top end cap, a bottom end cap, a bladder attached to the top and bottom end caps and configured to hold pressurized air, a plurality of tethers disposed within the bladder, the inflatable structure moveable between a stowed profile and a final support profile, wherein the bladder is pressurized and expanded axially and the plurality of tethers are fully extended and restrict further movement of the top end cap and the bottom end cap away from one another and limit axial expansion of the bladder, a pulley assembly mounted within the bottom end cap, wherein in the stowed support profile, the plurality of tethers are wound onto the pulley assembly, the pulley assembly adapted to allow selective extension of the tethers allowing axial expansion of the bladder, wherein, the inflatable structure is adapted to provide multiple intermediary support profiles capable of supporting compressive loading.