External rib cage for an inflatable air duct

摘要

An external suspension system for supporting an inflatable air duct includes a series of external hangers that help hold the duct open while the duct is deflated. In some embodiments, the suspension system supports the duct at a series of points that are broadly distributed in a staggered pattern across the duct, yet the entire duct can be suspended from a single overhead cable, even if the duct is a stepped tube with multiple diameters. The system includes novel ways of locking the hangers to the duct and to the overhead cable.

主权项

1. An air duct assembly, comprising:
an inflatable tube defining an air passageway therethrough; a support structure defining a line centrally disposed above the inflatable tube; a plurality of hangers attached to the support structure to be above the inflatable tube, each of the plurality of hangers having a longitudinal length extending in a direction traversing the line centrally disposed above the inflatable tube, the plurality of hangers including a hanger having a first end of the longitudinal length coupled to a first point of the inflatable tube and a second end of the longitudinal length coupled to a second point of the inflatable tube, the first point located within a first portion of the tube extending along a length of the tube, the second point located within a second portion of the tube extending along the length of the tube, the tube being solely formed from a unitary pliable material at the first and second portions; and a plurality of connectors attached to the support structure, the plurality of connectors being structurally different from the plurality of hangers, the plurality of connectors including a connector coupled to a third point within a third portion of the inflatable tube extending along the length of the tube, the third portion being spaced-apart from the first and second portions, the plurality of hangers and the plurality of connectors being distributed in an alternating pattern along the line.