Inflatable structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11344126-B2
Application number	US-202016903442-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2020
Priority date	Jun 20, 2019
Publication date	May 31, 2022
Grant date	May 31, 2022

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an inflatable structure transformable between a deflated state and an inflated state, the inflatable structure comprising a drop stitch fabric having a first layer and a second layer tethered by drop stitches. At least one layer of the first and second layers comprises a ridge formed by a folded portion of the one layer, secured by a fixation line. The disclosure also relates to a manufacturing method of an inflatable structure in accordance with the foregoing, and an inflatable seat comprising such an inflatable structure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An inflatable structure transformable between a deflated state and an inflated state, the inflatable structure comprising a drop stitch fabric having a first layer and a second layer tethered to each other by drop stitches to form an internal volume of the inflatable structure, wherein at least one layer of the first and second layers comprises a ridge formed by a folded portion of the one layer, folded to protrude externally of the internal volume and secured by a fixation line;
wherein the fixation line comprises a seam comprising stitches; and
wherein a positioning of the ridge is tailored to enable the inflatable structure to, in the inflated state provide, a predeterminable reinforcement and/or assume a predeterminable shape.

2. The inflatable structure according to claim 1 , wherein dimensions of the ridge are tailored to enable the inflatable structure to, in the inflated state, provide a predeterminable reinforcement and/or assume a predeterminable shape.

3. The inflatable structure according to claim 2 , wherein an extension of the ridge is tailored to enable the inflatable structure to, in the inflated state, provide a predeterminable reinforcement and/or assume a predeterminable shape.

4. The inflatable structure according to claim 2 , wherein a width of the ridge in a direction perpendicular to a surface area of the at least one layer, is tailored to enable the inflatable structure to, in the inflated state, provide a predeterminable reinforcement and/or assume a predeterminable shape.

5. The inflatable structure according to claim 2 , wherein a shape of the ridge in a plane of a surface area of the at least one layer, is tailored to enable the inflatable structure to, in the inflated state, provide a predeterminable reinforcement and/or assume a predeterminable shape.

6. An inflatable seat comprising the inflatable structure according to claim 1 .

7. An inflatable vehicle seat comprising the inflatable structure according to claim 1 .

8. The inflatable vehicle seat according to claim 7 , wherein the inflatable vehicle seat is detachably attachable to a vehicle.

9. An inflatable vehicle child seat comprising the inflatable structure according to claim 1 .

10. The inflatable vehicle child seat according to claim 9 , wherein the inflatable vehicle child seat is detachably attachable to a vehicle.

11. An inflatable board comprising the inflatable structure according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Volvo Car Corp

Inventors

• Hjerpe Erik
• Nuzzo Nathan

Classifications

• B32B2255/26

  Polymeric coating · CPC title

• D03D1/02 Primary

  Inflatable articles · CPC title

• B60N2/64

  Back-rests {or cushions (B60N2/2222 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B63B32/51 Primary

  Inflatable boards, e.g. drop-stitch inflatable boards · CPC title

• B32B1/00

  Layered products having a non-planar shape · CPC title