Patent ID: 7840387

Claim:
A method for determining a design of an inflatable module comprising a rigid member disposed in a restraint layer, wherein the restraint layer comprises orthogonal straps, the method comprising: modeling an adjacent strap, a member strap, and the rigid member in accordance with pressurization of the inflatable module to achieve a predetermined load profile, wherein the adjacent strap is comprised of a first strap adjacent to the rigid member but not connected to the rigid member and the member strap is comprised of a second strap connected to the rigid member, wherein the adjacent strap and the member strap are modeled to extend in a first direction; selecting a first length of the member strap such that, in accordance to the predetermined load profile, the adjacent strap is modeled to carry load before the member strap during pressurization of the inflatable module; modeling tensions in the member strap with the first length and the adjacent strap during pressurization of the inflatable model at predetermined pressure level increments over a predetermined pressure range; and outputting the modeled tensions in the member strap with the first length and the adjacent strap at a predetermined maximum pressure level, wherein the step of modeling the adjacent strap, the member strap, and the rigid member comprises modeling an elongation of the adjacent strap and the member strap in accordance with pressurization of the inflatable module at the predetermined pressure level increments, and wherein the rigid member exhibits substantially no elongation when loaded.