Patent ID: 9580907
Date: 2017-02-28
CPC Classifications: B29C,B64G,E04C,E04H

Claim:
1. A stowable support apparatus, comprising: a first bi-stable member, the first bi-stable member being alternatable between a stable, extended conformation having longitudinal linearity and lateral curvature, and a stable, coiled conformation having longitudinal curvature and lateral linearity; an extended portion of the first bi-stable member having a concave surface facing in a direction of a coiled portion of the first bi-stable member and a convex surface facing away from the direction of the coiled portion when the first bi-stable member is in a partly extended and partly coiled conformation; a second bi-stable member, the second bi-stable member being alternatable between a stable, extended conformation having longitudinal linearity and lateral curvature, and a stable, coiled conformation having longitudinal curvature and lateral linearity; the second bi-stable member comprising first and second layers, at least one of the first and second layers comprising an auxetic material; the first and second layers configured such that an extended portion of the second bi-stable member has a convex surface facing in a direction of a coiled portion of the second bi-stable member and a concave surface facing away from the direction of the coiled portion when the second bi-stable member is in a partly extended and partly coiled conformation; and at least one flexible fastener, separate from the first and second bi-stable members, affixed to adjacent lateral edges of the first and second bi-stable members in both the extended conformation and the coiled conformation.