US 12,304,154 B2
Foldable inflatable structure
Erik Hjerpe, Torslanda (SE); and Nathan Nuzzo, Stockholm (SE)
Assigned to Volvo Car Corporation, Gothenburg (SE)
Filed by Volvo Car Corporation, Gothenburg (SE)
Filed on Mar. 24, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/827,750.
Claims priority of application No. 19166578 (EP), filed on Apr. 1, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0307118 A1, Oct. 1, 2020
Int. Cl. B29C 65/00 (2006.01); B29C 65/62 (2006.01); A01K 1/02 (2006.01); B29L 22/02 (2006.01); B32B 5/06 (2006.01); B32B 37/00 (2006.01); B32B 38/00 (2006.01); D03D 1/02 (2006.01); D06H 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 66/1122 (2013.01) [B29C 65/62 (2013.01); B29C 66/71 (2013.01); A01K 1/0245 (2013.01); B29L 2022/02 (2013.01); B32B 5/073 (2021.05); B32B 37/0076 (2013.01); B32B 2038/008 (2013.01); B32B 2255/02 (2013.01); D03D 1/02 (2013.01); D06H 5/00 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
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 by drop stitches, the inflatable structure being provided with one or more folding lines defining the inflatable structure into two or more interconnected chambers, the one or more folding lines comprising coupling means coupling the first layer to the second layer,
wherein dimensions of the one or more folding lines and coupling means are adapted to enable the inflatable structure to in both the deflated state and the inflated state be foldable along the one or more folding lines,
wherein the one or more folding lines comprise at least a first set of folding lines defining the inflatable structure as a first and at least a second interconnected chamber, the at least first set of folding lines comprising a first sequential folding line and a last sequential folding line at least partly parallel to the first sequential folding line, and
wherein a coupling means of each folding line of the at least first set of folding lines defines a fictious folding line axis extending from edge to edge of the inflatable structure, the coupling means of each folding line of the at least first set of folding lines extending along 50 percent or less of the associated fictious folding line axis, wherein at least 50 percent or more of each folding line of the at least first set of folding lines defines an extent along the associated fictious folding line axis without the coupling means and wherein a width between the fictious folding line axis of the first sequential folding line and the fictious folding line axis of the last sequential folding line of the first set of folding lines restricts an angle (α) between the first interconnected chamber and the at least second interconnected chamber upon folding in the inflated state before edges of the first interconnected chamber and the at least second interconnected chamber abut adjacent the at least first set of folding lines, wherein a is greater than 0 degrees and less than 180 degrees.