Appeal No. 1997-4044 Page 9
Application No. 08/504,233
process operations. The pressure is then released
allowing the inflatable mandrel to deflate and collapse,
facilitating removal of the mandrel from the interior of
the composite shell. Upon removal from the composite
shell, the inflatable mandrel may be immediately readied
for another composite fabrication process.
Lastly, Davis teaches that the hollow inflatable, elastomer
mandrel can be reinforced with only polar windings (column 8,
lines 25-26) which are shown in Figure 8.
Boxmeyer discloses an inflatable structural
column/member. As set forth in the abstract, the inflatable
structural column/member has
a substantially tubular shape and sealed at both ends,
includes an inner lining to maintain internal pressure
upon inflation. The inner lining is covered with a
filament reinforced matrix structure comprising resin
impregnated filaments of high tensile strength. The
uninflated structural member is stowable in a collapsed
condition. Curing of the resin matrix is inhibited by
storing the collapsed member at a low temperature. Prior
to use, the member is inflated with a fluid and heated to
enable curing of the resin matrix.
As shown in Figure 3, and enlarged in Figure 3A, the filament
reinforced matrix structure includes a first layer of
filaments 304 spirally wound in the first direction 204 (see
Figure 2), a second layer of longitudinal filaments 306 which
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