초록 ▼

The instant invention is an inflatable, portable crib, comprising: a bottom most member parallel to the floor, at least one vertical member operationally connected to said bottom most member, at least three struts arranged around the perimeter of the bottom most member, and at least one horizontal m

The instant invention is an inflatable, portable crib, comprising: a bottom most member parallel to the floor, at least one vertical member operationally connected to said bottom most member, at least three struts arranged around the perimeter of the bottom most member, and at least one horizontal member, said horizontal member(s) connecting at least two struts toward the tops of the struts, and said horizontal member(s) operationally connected to said vertical member(s), wherein said vertical member(s) and said bottom most member create an enclosed space; and wherein said struts and horizontal member(s) consist of an outer shell of dimensionally stable material and at least one inner bladder; and when said inner bladder(s) are inflated with air under pressure, said struts and vertical member(s) create a rigid structure for supporting said enclosed space.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An inflatable, portable crib, comprising: a bottom member configured to be placed on a supporting surface;at least one vertical member coupled to said bottom;three or more vertical supports arranged around the perimeter of the bottom member, each vertical support including a first strut and a sec

1. An inflatable, portable crib, comprising: a bottom member configured to be placed on a supporting surface;at least one vertical member coupled to said bottom;three or more vertical supports arranged around the perimeter of the bottom member, each vertical support including a first strut and a second strut each having a top end an a bottom end; wherein said first strut and said second strut are coupled to restrict movement between the first strut and the second strut; andone or more horizontal members;wherein the one or more horizontal members connect at least two struts toward the top end of the struts, said horizontal member(s) operationally connected to said vertical member(s), wherein said vertical member(s) and said bottom member create an enclosed space; and wherein said struts and horizontal member(s) consist of an outer shell of dimensionally stable material and at least one inner bladder; wherein said struts and said horizontal member(s) are configured so that when said inner bladders are inflated with air under pressure, said struts and said horizontal member(s) create a rigid structure for supporting said vertical member(s) and/or said bottom member. 2. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 1 wherein said struts are configured so as to be inclined at an angle to vertical of at least 10 degrees when the crib is positioned on a horizontal supporting surface. 3. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 1 wherein said struts follow a curved path in the proximity of the top end. 4. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 1 wherein said struts further comprise at least one foot member. 5. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 1 wherein the struts, horizontal member(s), bottom most member, and at least one vertical member, when packed and compressed, fill a volume no larger than 0.017 cubic meters. 6. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 1 wherein the struts, horizontal member(s), bottom most member, at least one vertical member, air mattress, pump, and sheet when packed and compressed, fill a volume no larger than 0.0425 cubic meters. 7. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 1 wherein the struts, horizontal member(s), bottom most member, and at least one vertical member, have a weight of less than 3.1 kilograms. 8. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 1 wherein the struts, horizontal member(s), bottom most member, at least one vertical member, air mattress, pump, and sheet have a weight of less than 4.5 kilograms. 9. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 1 wherein said horizontal member(s) cross sectional area varies across a length of the horizontal member(s). 10. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 1 wherein the cross-sectional area of the struts varies between the bottom end and the top end. 11. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 1 wherein multiple horizontal members are stacked one atop the other. 12. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 1 wherein a first of the three or more vertical supports and a second of the three or more vertical supports are integrally connected via a horizontal member so at to form an inverted “U” shaped frame. 13. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 12 wherein said “U” shaped frame has a varying cross section. 14. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 12 wherein an inflatable crib comprises a set of at least three of said “U” shaped frames. 15. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 1 wherein the first strut of a first vertical support of the three or more vertical supports providing a vertical support for a horizontal member in a first direction, and the second strut of the first vertical support of the three or more vertical supports providing a vertical support for a horizontal member in a second direction, are positioned side by side, and wherein said struts are configured so as to prevent sliding against one another. 16. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 1 wherein the first strut of a first vertical support of the three or more vertical supports providing a vertical support for a horizontal member in a first direction, and the second strut of the first vertical support of the three or more vertical supports providing a vertical support for a horizontal member in a second direction, are positioned side by side, and wherein said struts are configured so as to prevent rolling against one another. 17. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 1 which further comprises at least one tension member, said tension members(s) used to secure the first strut to the second strut. 18. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 17 wherein said tension member is attachably removable. 19. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 17 wherein at least a portion of said tension member is permanently attached to at least one of the first and the second strut. 20. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 17 wherein multiple tension members are attached to the first and second struts. 21. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 17 wherein said tension member(s) cover at least 25% of the exposed perimeter vertical length of at least one of the first and the second strut. 22. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 17 wherein said tension member(s) comprise at least one inner tension member operationally connecting the first and the second strut along an interior line of contact. 23. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 17 wherein a first tension member operationally attached to the first strut, mates with a second tension member operationally attached to the second strut. 24. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 1 wherein the top of a horizontal section of the frame when exposed to a force of at least 65N vertically downward over an arbitrary 50 mm length, shall not deflect to a height of less than 460 mm when measured vertically at the location where said force is applied. 25. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 24 wherein said force is at least 85N. 26. An inflatable, portable crib as in claim 24 wherein said force is at least 220N. 27. An inflatable storage device, comprising: three or more independently inflatable sealed U-frames, each U-frame having a pair of legs, wherein each leg is coupled to a leg of another of the four U-frames; anda bottom member coupled to the inflatable U-frames;wherein each of the inflatable U-frames include a textile sheath enclosing an internal bladder so as to maintain an air pressure within the bladder and wherein the bladder is coupled to an inflation valve, and wherein the U-frames are configured as a curved three-dimensional member including a straight top portion connected via a curved portion to legs flared out relative to the top portion. 28. The inflatable storage device of claim 27, wherein the legs are coupled with a tension member. 29. The inflatable storage device of claim 27, wherein the legs are coupled with a plurality of tension members. 30. The storage device of claim 29, wherein the plurality of tension members includes a first tension member disposed along an internal contact surface of the legs and a second tension member disposed surrounding an external perimeter of the legs. 31. The inflatable storage device of claim 28, wherein the tension member is configured on the coupled legs to restrict sliding of the coupled legs. 32. The inflatable storage device of claim 28, wherein the tension member is configured on the coupled legs to restrict rolling of the coupled legs. 33. The storage device of claim 27, wherein the three or more independently inflatable sealed U-frames comprise four U-frames. 34. The storage device of claim 33, wherein the four U-frames are configured so as to maintain the crib in a standing position during a leak of air from one of the four U-frames when the other three U-frames are inflated. 35. The storage device of claim 27, further comprising an integrated cover, bottom member, and a plurality of walls. 36. The storage device of claim 27, wherein the textile sheath and internal bladder are configured so as to withstand an air pressure applied to the bladder of at least six pounds per square inch without bursting.