Support member sleeve

Abstract

A shelter assembly has a framework having a plurality of structural supports that include fillable support tubes and support sleeves. The fillable support tubes may be filled with fill media and are surrounded by the support sleeve. The structural supports are configured to form a structure wherein the structural supports form the framework of the structure. Various fill media may be used. The structural supports and their associated assemblies are modular and may be configured into a variety of shelter designs.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An inflatable shelter, comprising:
 a plurality of columns;   a plurality of wall assemblies;   at least one roof assembly supported by columns;   wherein the columns, the wall assemblies, and the at least one roof assembly comprise at least one structural support, and wherein the at least one structural support comprises:
 a support sleeve; and 
 at least one fillable support tube inserted within the support sleeve. 
   
     
     
         2 . The inflatable shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the inflatable shelter is expandable using at least one of another column, another wall assembly, and another roof assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The inflatable shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the inflatable shelter is capable of disassembly. 
     
     
         4 . The inflatable shelter of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of columns, the plurality of wall assemblies, and the at least one roof assembly is reusable in a second inflatable shelter. 
     
     
         5 . The inflatable shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one fillable support tube is deflatable and replaceable. 
     
     
         6 . A structural support for an inflatable shelter assembly, comprising:
 a support sleeve; and   at least one fillable support tube inserted within the support sleeve.   
     
     
         7 . The structural support of  claim 6 , wherein the support sleeve extends along substantially a length of the at least one fillable support tube. 
     
     
         8 . The structural support of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one fillable support tube is filled with an expandable material. 
     
     
         9 . The structural support of  claim 8 , wherein the expandable material is a foam. 
     
     
         10 . The structural support of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one fillable support tube comprises a tube sight window for allowing viewing of the progression of the expandable material during filling of the at least one fillable support tube. 
     
     
         11 . The structural support of  claim 10 , wherein the support sleeve comprises a sleeve sight window for allowing viewing of the progression of the expandable material during filling of the at least one fillable support tube, wherein the tube sight window and the sleeve sight window are aligned. 
     
     
         12 . The structural support of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one fillable support tube comprises a vent for allowing gas to escape from within the at least one fillable support tube as the at least one fillable support tube is filled with the expandable material. 
     
     
         13 . The structural support of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one fillable support tube comprises at least one end cap. 
     
     
         14 . The structural support of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one fillable support tube has a deflection of between about 0.05 and 0.25 inches per linear foot at 70 psig after the at least one fillable support tube is filled with the expandable material and the expandable material is cured. 
     
     
         15 . The structural support of  claim 8 , wherein the structural support comprises a plurality of fillable support tubes inserted within the support sleeve. 
     
     
         16 . The structural support of  claim 15 , wherein at least two fillable support tubes have an end cap and wherein the at least two fillable support tubes are arranged so that the end caps meet at an interface. 
     
     
         17 . The structural support of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one fillable support tube is filled with a gas. 
     
     
         18 . The structural support of  claim 17 , wherein the gas is air. 
     
     
         19 . The structural support of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one fillable support tube comprises a deflation valve for allowing deflation of the at least one fillable support tube. 
     
     
         20 . The structural support of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one fillable support tube is filled to a pressure of approximately 15 psi or less. 
     
     
         21 . The structural support of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one fillable support tube is filled to a pressure of approximately 5 psi or less. 
     
     
         22 . The structural support of  claim 17 , wherein the structural support comprises a plurality of fillable support tubes inserted within the support sleeve. 
     
     
         23 . The structural support of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 a common fill port for filling the plurality of fillable support tubes with gas; and   at least one gas pathway configured to connect at least one fillable support tube to the common fill port.   
     
     
         24 . The structural support of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one gas pathway is configured to connect a plurality of fillable support tubes to the common fill port. 
     
     
         25 . The structural support of  claim 23 , wherein the structural support further comprises at least one check valve configured to prevent a pressure loss in one fillable support tube from causing pressure loss in another fillable support tube via the gas pathway. 
     
     
         26 . The structural support of  claim 17 , further comprising a source of pressurized gas to fill the at least one fillable support tube. 
     
     
         27 . The structural support of  claim 26 , wherein the source of pressurized gas is an inflator configured to maintain a gas pressure within the at least one fillable support tube. 
     
     
         28 . An inflatable shelter assembly, comprising at least one modular structural section, wherein the at least one modular structural section comprises:
 a support sleeve; and   a plurality of fillable support tubes inserted within the support sleeve.