Claims
- 1. A system for inflating an inflatable structure, the system comprising,
inflatable cells for being pressurized by gas to inflate the inflatable cells into the inflatable structure from a stowed position to a deployed position, gas generators disposed in respective ones of the inflatable cells for generating the gas contained within the respective inflatable cells, a power source external to the inflatable cells for providing power, an external control processor for controlling sequential inflation of the inflatable cells of the inflatable structure from the stowed position to the deployed position, a power bus extending from the power source and passing through to respective interiors of the inflatable cells for providing power to the gas generators, and a data bus extending from the external control process and through to the respective interiors of the inflatable cells for providing control signal to the gas generators, the control processor communicating control signal for controlling sequential inflation of the inflatable cells of the inflatable structure from the stowed position to the deployed position.
- 2. The system of claim 1 further comprising
cells diaphragm for separating the inflation cells, the power bus and data bus pass through the cell diaphragm for interconnecting the gas generators within the inflatable cells.
- 3. The system of claim 1 wherein the gas generator comprises,
a generator controller for receiving the control signals, a gas supply for generating gas for inflating a respective inflatable cell, the generator controller controlling the gas supply to release gas from the gas supply to inflate the respective cell.
- 4. The system of claim 1 wherein the gas generator comprises,
a generator controller for receiving the control signals from the control processor and for transmitting pressure signal to the control processor, the generator controller initiating inflation of a respective cell upon reception of inflation control signal from the control processor, and a gas supply for generating gas for inflating a respective inflatable cell, the generator controller controlling the gas supply to release gas from the gas supply to inflate the respective cell.
- 5. The system of claim 1 wherein the gas generator comprises,
a sensor for sensing pressure within a respective inflatable cell, a generator controller for receiving the control signals and for receiving temperature and pressure signals from the sensor, and a gas supply for generating gas for inflating the respective inflatable cell, the generator controller controlling the gas supply to release gas from the gas supply to inflate the respective cell to a desired pressure.
- 6. The system of claim 1 wherein the gas generator comprises,
a sensor for sensing pressure and temperature within a respective inflatable cell, a generator controller for receiving the control signals and for receiving temperature and pressure signals from the sensor, a gas supply for generating gas for inflating the respective inflatable cell, the generator controller controlling the gas supply to release gas from the gas supply to inflate the respective cell to a desired pressure.
- 7. The system of claim 1 wherein the gas generator comprises,
a sensor for sensing pressure and temperature within a respective inflatable cell, a generator controller for receiving the control signals and for receiving temperature and pressure signals from the sensor, a cellular gas supply for generating gas for inflating the respective inflatable cell, the generator controller controlling the gas supply to release gas from the gas supply to inflate the respective cell to a desired pressure, the cellular gas supply releasing gas in cellular increments to the desire pressure.
- 8. The system of claim 1 wherein the gas generator comprises,
a sensor for sensing pressure and temperature within a respective inflatable cell, a generator controller for receiving the control signals to inflate the respective cell, for receiving temperature and pressure signals from the sensor, and for transmitting pressure signals to the control processor, and a cellular gas supply for generating gas for inflating the respective inflatable cell, the generator controller controlling the gas supply to release gas from the gas supply to inflate the respective cell to a desired pressure, the cellular gas supply releasing gas in cellular increments to the desire pressure.
- 9. The system of claim 1 wherein the gas generator is a microelectromechanical gas generator comprising,
a sensor for sensing pressure and temperature within a respective inflatable cell, a generator controller for receiving the control signals to inflate the respective cell, for receiving temperature and pressure signals from the sensor, and for transmitting pressure signals to the control processor, and a cellular gas supply for generating gas for inflating the respective inflatable cell, the generator controller controlling the gas supply to release gas from the gas supply to inflate the respective cell to a desired pressure, the cellular gas supply releasing gas in cellular increments to the desire pressure.
- 10. The system of claim 1 wherein the gas generator is a microelectromechanical gas generator comprising,
a sensor for sensing pressure and temperature within a respective inflatable cell, a power conditioner for conditioning power on the power bus, a generator controller for receiving the control signals to inflate the respective cell, for receiving temperature and pressure signals from the sensor, and for transmitting pressure signals to the control processor, and a cellular gas supply for generating gas for inflating the respective inflatable cell, the generator controller controlling the gas supply to release gas from the gas supply to inflate the respective cell to a desired pressure, the cellular gas supply releasing gas in cellular increments to the desire pressure.
- 11. The system of claim 1 wherein the gas generator is a microelectromechanical gas generator comprising,
a sensor for sensing pressure and temperature within a respective inflatable cell, a generator controller for receiving the control signals to inflate the respective cell, for receiving temperature and pressure signals from the sensor, and for transmitting pressure signals to the control processor, a cellular gas supply comprising gas cells for containing a liquid for generating gas by evaporation for inflating the respective inflatable cell, the generator controller controlling the gas supply to release gas from the gas supply to inflate the respective cell to a desired pressure, the cellular gas supply releasing gas in cellular increments to the desire pressure, and a cellular diaphragm comprising cells caps disposed over the gas cells, each cell cap is ruptured in turn under control of the generator controller for incremental releasing of gas from the gas cells.
- 12. The system of claim 1 wherein the gas generator is a microelectromechanical gas generator comprising,
a sensor for sensing pressure and temperature within a respective inflatable cell, a generator controller for receiving the control signals to inflate the respective cell, for receiving temperature and pressure signals from the sensor, and for transmitting pressure signals to the control processor, a cellular gas supply comprising gas cells for containing a subliming solid with a vapor pressure for generating gas by evaporation for inflating the respective inflatable cell, the generator controller controlling the gas supply to release gas from the gas supply to inflate the respective cell to a desired pressure, the cellular gas supply releasing gas in cellular increments to the desire pressure, and a cellular diaphragm comprising cell caps disposed over the gas cells, each cell cap is ruptured in turn under control of the generator controller for incremental releasing of gas from the gas cells.
- 13. The system of claim 1 wherein the gas generator is a microelectromechanical gas generator comprising,
a sensor for sensing pressure and temperature within a respective inflatable cell, a generator controller for receiving the control signals to inflate the respective cell, for receiving temperature and pressure signals from the sensor, for transmitting pressure signals to the control processor, and for generating releases signals through control lines, a cellular gas supply comprising gas cells for generating gas by evaporation for inflating the respective inflatable cell, the generator controller controlling the gas supply to release gas from the gas supply to inflate the respective cell to a desired pressure, the cellular gas supply releasing gas in cellular increments to the desire pressure, and a cellular diaphragm comprising cells caps disposed over the gas cells, each cell cap is ruptured by melting under electrical current through the control lines, each cell cap is ruptured in turn under control of the generator controller for incremental releasing of gas from the gas cells.
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application is one of three related applications including a base application entitled: Inflatable Gas Cell Structure Deploying Method, Ser. No. ______, and two specific applications entitled: Inflatable MEMS Evaporation Gas Cell Structure System Ser. No. ______, and Inflatable MEMS Ablation Gas Cell Structure System, all filed on ______ having a common named inventor and all assigned to a common assignee.