Inflatable shelter, kits, methods, and systems
An inflatable shelter features a built-in air mattress at a base thereof that defines a ground footprint of the shelter. An inflationally erectable canopy features inflatable ribs with wall panels interspersed therebetween. An interior tent space is delimited between the inflated base mattress and overlying canopy. Some of the ribs cantilever outwardly from the base when inflated, creating one or more inflationally erectable overhangs that expand the covered area of the shelter beyond the base footprint thereof. A shared on-board inflation device inflates both the mattress and rib structure, whose inflatable interiors are fluidly isolated to allow user setting or tuning of the mattress pressure independently of the rib structure's inflation level. A power supply of the inflation device includes electrical ports for connection of chargeable devices, lighting, and other accessories. Arching rib pars meet with a central lengthwise rib, providing structural integrity and a spaciously elongated tent space.
1 . An inflatable shelter comprising:
a base for seated placement atop a ground surface in a working position in which an outer perimeter of said base circumscribes a ground footprint of the inflatable shelter; and
an inflationally erectable canopy attached to the base and comprising:
an inflatable rib structure comprising inflatable ribs shaped and arranged to stand upward from the base when inflated; and
wall panels coupled to and interspersed between said inflatable ribs to cooperate therewith, when said inflatable ribs are inflated, to define said inflationally erectable canopy in a manner covering the base and surrounding multiple sides thereof to thereby shelter an interior tent space of the inflatable shelter;
wherein:
the inflatable rib structure is configured such that a cantilevered pair of said inflatable ribs, and an associated subset of the wall panels, cantilever outwardly beyond the ground footprint of the inflatable shelter when said inflatable ribs are inflated to define an inflationally erectable overhang that, at a front end of the inflationally erectable canopy, provides overhead shelter to an expanded area beyond said ground footprint of the inflatable shelter;
said cantilevered pair of the inflatable ribs are configured to, when inflated, cooperatively form a cantilevered arch of curved geometry in multiple dimensions, in which the cantilevered pair of the inflatable ribs emanate from a front end of the base at opposing sides thereof in directions that cantilever therefrom in a first outwardly convex curvature of forwardly, upwardly and outwardly convex arching orientation imparting an outwardly convex side profile to said front end of the inflationally erectable canopy, and that further possess a second outwardly convex curvature of laterally arching orientation that joins said cantilevered pair of the inflatable ribs together at a midplane of the inflatable shelter, among which both the first and second outwardly convex curvatures are characterized by outward convexity that faces outwardly away from the inflationally erectable overhang at outer extremities thereof; and
a non-cantilevered pair of the inflatable ribs are configured to, when inflated, cooperatively form a non-cantilevered arch that arches laterally across the base at the front end thereof, and said non-cantilevered arch is accompanied by an openable/closeable entrance panel of the inflatable shelter that, in a closed state thereof, encloses the interior tent space of the inflatable shelter at the front end of the base and beneath the non-cantilevered arch, and thereby separates said interior tent space from the expanded area that is sheltered beneath the inflationally erectable overhang, yet resides outside said interior tent space.
2 . The inflatable shelter of claim 1 wherein the base comprises an inflatable air mattress, and the cantilevered pair of the inflatable ribs emanate from the base at a front end of said air mattress.
3 . The inflatable shelter of claim 1 wherein the inflatable ribs further comprise a central rib arranged to reside elevationally above the base at a midplane of the shelter, and run lengthwise thereof in a directionality corresponding to a longest dimension of the shelter, when inflated, and the cantilevered pair of the inflatable ribs join with said central rib at a terminal front end thereof.
4 . The inflatable shelter of claim 3 wherein the central rib is arranged to, when inflated, occupy a sloped orientation characterized by a greater elevation at the terminal front end of the central rib that at an opposing terminal rear end thereof, and the inflatable ribs further comprise a rearmost pair of arching ribs that join with said central rib at the terminal rear end thereof.
5 . The inflatable shelter of claim 3 wherein the inflatable ribs further comprise a rearmost pair of arching ribs that join with said central rib at an opposing terminal rear end thereof.
6 . The inflatable shelter of claim 5 wherein the central rib is arranged to, when inflated, occupy a sloped orientation characterized by a greater elevation at the terminal front end of the central rib than at an opposing rear end thereof, and the inflatable ribs further comprise a rearmost pair of arching ribs that join with said central rib at the terminal rear end thereof.
7 . An inflatable shelter comprising:
a base for seated placement atop a ground surface; and
an inflationally erectable canopy attached to the base and comprising:
an inflatable rib structure comprising inflatable ribs shaped and arranged to stand upward from the base when inflated; and
wall panels coupled to and interspersed between said inflatable ribs to cooperate therewith, when said inflatable ribs are inflated, to define said inflationally erectable canopy in a manner covering the base and surrounding multiple sides thereof to thereby shelter an interior tent space of the inflatable shelter;
wherein the inflatable ribs comprise a central rib arranged to reside elevationally above the base at a midplane of the shelter, and run lengthwise thereof in a directionality corresponding to a longest dimension of the shelter, when inflated, and arching pairs of ribs arranged to, when inflated, arch over the base from opposing sides thereof and join with said central rib at spaced intervals therealong, said arching pairs of ribs including:
a cantilevered pair of arching ribs that, when inflated, cantilever outwardly beyond the ground footprint of the inflatable shelter, in accompaniment by an associated subset of the wall panels, to define an inflationally erectable overhang that, at a front end of the inflationally erectable canopy, provides overhead shelter to an expanded area beyond said ground footprint of the inflatable shelter, said cantilevered pair of arching ribs joining with said central rib at a terminal front end thereof; and
a non-cantilevered pair of arching ribs that, when inflated, cooperatively form a non-cantilevered arch spanning across the base at the front end thereof in a shared singular plane that lies transversely of the central rib and is shared by both arching ribs of said non-cantilevered pair, which join together at said central rib and are accompanied by an openable/closeable entrance panel of the inflatable shelter that, in a closed state thereof, encloses the interior tent space of the inflatable shelter at the front end of the base and beneath the non-cantilevered arch, and thereby separates said interior tent space from the expanded area that is sheltered beneath the inflationally erectable overhang, yet resides outside said interior tent space.
8 . The inflatable shelter of claim 7 wherein the base comprises an inflatable air mattress, and the cantilevered pair of arching ribs emanate from the base at a front end of said air mattress.
9 . The inflatable shelter of claim 7 wherein the central rib is arranged to, when inflated, occupy a sloped orientation characterized by a greater elevation at the terminal front end of the central rib than at an opposing terminal rear end thereof, where the inflatable ribs comprise a rearmost pair of arching ribs that join with said central rib.
10 . An inflatable shelter comprising:
a base for seated placement atop a ground surface in a working position in which an outer perimeter of said base circumscribes a ground footprint of the inflatable shelter; and
an inflationally erectable canopy attached to the base and comprising:
an inflatable rib structure comprising inflatable ribs shaped and arranged to stand upward from the base when inflated; and
wall panels coupled to and interspersed between said inflatable ribs to cooperate therewith, when said inflatable ribs are inflated, to define said inflationally erectable canopy in a manner covering the base and surrounding multiple sides thereof to thereby shelter an interior tent space of the inflatable shelter;
wherein:
the inflatable rib structure is configured such that a cantilevered pair of said inflatable ribs, and an associated subset of said wall panels, cantilever outwardly beyond the ground footprint of the inflatable shelter when said inflatable ribs are inflated to define an inflationally erectable overhang that, at a front end of the inflationally erectable canopy, provides overhead shelter to an expanded area beyond said ground footprint of the inflatable shelter; and
said cantilevered pair of the inflatable ribs are configured to, when inflated, cooperatively form a cantilevered arch of curved geometry in multiple dimensions, in which the cantilevered pair of the inflatable ribs emanate from a front end of the base at opposing sides thereof in directions that cantilever therefrom in a first outwardly convex curvature of forwardly, upwardly and outwardly convex arching orientation imparting an outwardly convex side profile to said front end of the inflationally erectable canopy, and that further possess a second outwardly convex curvature of laterally arching orientation that joins said cantilevered pair of the inflatable ribs together at a midplane of the inflatable shelter, among which both the first and second outwardly convex curvatures are characterized by outward convexity that faces outwardly away from the inflationally erectable overhang at outer extremities thereof.
11 . The inflatable shelter of claim 10 wherein the base comprises an inflatable air mattress, and the cantilevered pair of the inflatable ribs emanate from the base at a front end of said air mattress.
12 . The inflatable shelter of claim 10 wherein the inflatable ribs further comprise a central rib arranged to reside elevationally above the base at a midplane of the shelter, and run lengthwise thereof in a directionality corresponding to a longest dimension of the shelter, when inflated, and the cantilevered pair of the inflatable ribs join with said central rib at a terminal front end thereof.
13 . The inflatable shelter of claim 12 wherein the inflatable ribs further comprise a rearmost pair of arching ribs that join with said central rib at an opposing terminal rear end thereof.