Patent ID: 7185851

Claim:
An inflatable wing, comprising: an array of inflatable chambers arranged side-by-side in a spanwise direction; and at least two opposing surfaces bounding the array; wherein at least two of the inflatable chambers are attached to each of the opposing surfaces at attach points, each chamber has a generally circular cross-section when individually inflated; and the chambers are spaced such that when the chambers are inflated, over at least a portion of their length in a chordwise direction transverse the spanwise direction the spanwise distance between the attach points of any two adjacent chambers on one of the surfaces is less than the sum of the distances from the center point of each chamber to the extent of the chamber when the chamber is separately inflated, whereby when all of the chambers are inflated tension is applied in the surfaces that counteracts the expansive pressure in the chambers to form a rigid structure, within which each chamber abuts at least one adjacent chamber to form an area contact surface.