Component based system and assembly for flexible geometric and non-geometric structures

Abstract

An assembly structured to form a customizable structure, having variably configured geometric characteristics, which includes a plurality of hubs each having an interior chamber and a plurality of housings. Each housing includes an open-ended interior channel communicating with the interior chamber of a common hub. Each of a plurality of elastic links is retained within and extend outwardly from a different one of said interior channels. At least one elastic link may be disposed in interconnecting relation between two attached ones of the plurality of hubs and a predetermined number of a plurality of attached hubs may be interconnected to one another to define a closed, continuously configured array of hubs. A plurality of the closed, continuously configured array of hubs may be disposed in interconnected relation to one another to define one of a possible plurality of the customizable, variably configured structures.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An assembly structured to assume a variably configured structure, said assembly comprising:
 a plurality of hubs each comprising a housing, said housing including an interior chamber and a plurality of channels formed therein,   each of said channels including an open inner end and an open outer end,   said open inner end of each of said plurality of channels disposed in communicating relation with said interior chamber,   a plurality of elastic links each disposed in a different one of said plurality of channels,   a connector disposed within said interior chamber in removably locked attachment with said housing, and   said connector further disposed in interconnecting relation with inner ends of said plurality of elastic links of a common one of said housings.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein each of said plurality of hubs comprises a single housing having a one-piece, integral construction. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly as recited in  claim 2  wherein said single housing comprises a substantially spherical exterior configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly as recited in  claim 2  wherein said single housing comprises a multi-sided exterior surface configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly is recited in  claim 1  wherein said housing includes a connector passage extending at least partially therethrough in communicating relation with said interior chamber; said connector disposed within said connector passage, in said removably locked attachment with said housing. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly as recited in  claim 5  wherein said connector includes opposite ends each normally configured to restrict passage thereof into and along a length of said connector passage. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly as recited in  claim 6  wherein one of said opposite ends includes a flexible segment normally biased into said removably locked attachment with said housing. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly as recited in  claim 7  wherein said flexible segment is selectively disposable in a released orientation; said released orientation comprising a reduced transverse dimension of said one opposite end sufficient to pass within and along a length of said connector passage. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly as recited in  claim 7  wherein said flexible segment is at least partially disposed within said connector passage, in an accessible relation to a correspondingly disposed open end of said connector passage. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly as recited in  claim 9  further comprising a release tool dimensioned and configured to engage and dispose said flexible segment into said release orientation. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein at least some of said elastic links comprises a flexible, elastic member. 
     
     
         12 . An assembly structured to assume a variably configured structure, said assembly comprising:
 a plurality of hub arrays having a closed, continuous configuration,   at least a majority of said plurality of hub arrays comprising a plurality of hubs interconnected to one another in said closed, continuous configuration by a plurality of elastic links,   at least a majority of said plurality of hubs comprising a single housing having a one-piece, integral construction,   each of said single housings including an interior chamber and a plurality of channels formed therein, said plurality of channels of a common one of said single housings including an inner open end disposed in communicating relation with said interior chamber,   said plurality of elastic links disposed within different ones of said plurality of channels and including one end of each of said elastic links of a common one of said single housings disposed within said interior chamber of said common one of said single housings,   a connector passage formed within said each of said single housings and a connector concurrently disposed within said connector passage and said interior chamber in removably locked attachment with said single housing and in interconnecting relation with said elastic links disposed within a common one of said single housings, and   adjacently disposed hubs of a common one of said plurality of hub arrays interconnected by one of said plurality of elastic links common to said adjacently disposed hubs.   
     
     
         13 . The assembly as recited in  claim 12  wherein said connector includes a flexible segment formed on one end thereof, said the flexible segment normally biased into said removably locked attachment with said housing. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly as recited in  claim 13  wherein said flexible segment is selectively disposable in a released orientation; said released orientation comprising a reduced transverse dimension of said flexible segment, sufficient to pass within and along a length of said connector passage. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly as recited in  claim 13  wherein said flexible segment is at least partially disposed within said connector passage, in an accessible relation to a correspondingly disposed open end of said connector passage. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly as recited in  claim 15  further comprising a release tool dimensioned and configured to engage and dispose said flexible segment into said released orientation. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly as recited in  claim 12  wherein at least some of said elastic links comprises a flexible, elastic tendon. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly as recited in  claim 12  wherein said plurality of hubs defining a common one of said plurality of hub arrays vary in number. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly as recited in  claim 12  wherein said single housing comprises a substantially spherical exterior configuration. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly as recited in  claim 12  wherein said single housing comprises a multi-sided exterior surface configuration.