Patent ID: 8191819

Claim:
A pneumatic structure comprising: at least one bearing-structure element, the at least one bearing-structure element comprising: a plurality of gas-tight elongated hollow bodies of low expansion flexible material, the plurality of gas-tight elongated hollow bodies operable to be pressurized by a compressed gas; wherein at least one first gas-tight elongated hollow body of the plurality of gas-tight elongated hollow bodies comprises: at least one first bubble filled with air, the at least one first bubble comprising a variable volume; at least one second bubble filled with a light gas, the at least one second bubble comprising a variable volume; wherein the at least one first bubble and the at least one second bubble together occupy an entire volume of the at least one first gas-tight elongated hollow body; and wherein a volume of the air and a volume of the light gas contained in the at least one first gas-tight elongated hollow body is adjusted via selective pressurization of the at least one first bubble and the at least one second bubble; wherein at least one second gas-tight elongated hollow body of the plurality of gas-tight elongated hollow bodies comprises: at least one first load-bearing member interoperably coupled to the at least one second gas-tight elongated hollow body and disposed along a generator line of the at least one second gas-tight elongated hollow body, the at least one first load-bearing member supporting longitudinal axial compression; at least one second load-bearing member interoperably coupled to the at least one second gas-tight elongated hollow body, the at least one second load-bearing member supporting longitudinal axial tension; and wherein the at least one first load bearing member and the at least one second load-bearing member are connected to each other at respective ends.