Patents by Inventor John A. Rusi

John A. Rusi has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Apparatus for sealing and restraining the flexible pressure boundary of an inflatable spacecraft
    Patent number: 6974109
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sealing and restraint apparatus to establish a pressure boundary for inflatable or expandable spacecraft. The apparatus is capable of connecting the flexible pressure boundary of an inflatable spacecraft to the rigid structure of the spacecraft. The flexible pressure boundary of the present invention comprises a gas membrane and a restraint layer. The gas membrane minimizes air leakage. The restraint layer carries the forces created by the internal pressurization of the spacecraft. This apparatus provides a hermetic seal and the structural integrity necessary to resist internal pressurization forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Bigelow Aerospace
    Inventors: John Mezits, Russell J. Common, John A. Rusi