| 摘要 |
A tubular member is provided for use as a structural member when inflated to a pressure of between 10 and 20 psi (6.89 to 13.79 *10 4 pascals). The tubular member is flexible when deflated and substantially inflexible when inflated to this pressure, and is capable of repeated inflation to this pressure followed by deflation to collapse the tubular member. The tubular member includes internal reinforcement strands between an inner layer formed from a material selected from rubber, substitutes therefor and plastics and an outer layer formed from the same material. The internal reinforcement strands include reinforcing textile strands helically laid at an angle to the axis of the tubular member of 30° or less. The material of the two layers form a unitary structure as the result of heat softening of the material to cause the material of the two layers to fuse together through spaces between the reinforcement strands. |
