초록 ▼

The present invention discloses a device that is comprised of a flexible material and a roll mechanism associated with the flexible material. A bistable resilient member maintains the flexible material flat due to a tension force within the body of the bistable resilient member in a first stable sta

The present invention discloses a device that is comprised of a flexible material and a roll mechanism associated with the flexible material. A bistable resilient member maintains the flexible material flat due to a tension force within the body of the bistable resilient member in a first stable state, and maintains the flexible material to a rolled-up, bundled closed position after the tension force within the body of the bistable resilient member is fully released (the second stable state). Further, the bistable resilient member compels the flexible material to a self-roll-up motion (during a transition state) while a tension force within the body of the bistable resilient member is released.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A device, comprising: a flexible material; anda roll mechanism accommodated within a body of the flexible material;the roll mechanism is comprised of:a first bistable resilient member having a first longitudinal axial length that is oriented substantially parallel along a desired rolling directio

1. A device, comprising: a flexible material; anda roll mechanism accommodated within a body of the flexible material;the roll mechanism is comprised of:a first bistable resilient member having a first longitudinal axial length that is oriented substantially parallel along a desired rolling direction of the flexible material, substantially perpendicular to a desired roll axis of the flexible material, and substantially parallel a first lateral edge of the flexible material;a second bistable resilient member having a second longitudinal axial length that is oriented substantially parallel along the desired rolling direction of the flexible material, substantially perpendicular to the desired roll axis of the flexible material, and substantially parallel a second lateral edge of the flexible material;the first bistable resilient member and the second bistable resilient member accommodated within the flexible material are positioned substantially equally distanced away from the respective first and second lateral edges of the flexible material to allow the roll axis to be maintained substantially perpendicular to a central longitudinal axis of the flexible material during roll of the flexible material for a linear roll of the flexible material into and out of a substantially right-circular cylindrical configuration;the roll mechanism is further comprised of:a first rigid element accommodated within the body of the flexible material and associated with a first distal ends of the first and the second bistable resilient member;the first rigid element having a first longitudinal axial length that is oriented substantially perpendicular the desired rolling direction of the flexible material, substantially parallel to the desired roll axis of the flexible material, and substantially perpendicular the first and the second lateral edges of the flexible material;a second rigid element accommodated within the body of the flexible material and associated with a second distal ends of the first and the second bistable resilient member;the second rigid element having a second longitudinal axial length that is oriented substantially perpendicular the desired rolling direction of the flexible material, substantially parallel to the desired roll axis of the flexible material, and substantially perpendicular the first and the second lateral edges of the flexible material;the first and the second longitudinal axial lengths of the first and the second rigid elements have spans that extend at least from the first resilient member to the second bistable resilient member to facilitate simultaneous application of force to both the first and the second bistable resilient members to initiate one of a transition state and stable states of both of the first and second resilient members together. 2. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein: the first and the second bistable resilient members have a first stable state, a second stable state, and the transition state;the first stable state of a bistable resilient member of the first and the second bistable resilient member is a straightened out state, creating tension within a band of the bistable resilient member; andthe second stable state of the bistable resilient member is a curved, rolled-up state;the bistable resilient member transitions from one of the first and second stable states to another of the second and first stable states by application of a force that initiates the transition state of the bistable resilient member from one of the first and second stable states to another of the second and first states. 3. The device as set forth in claim 2, wherein: the flexible material is maintained in a flat, straightened, and open position by the bistable resilient member when the bistable resilient member is in the first stable state;the flexible material is maintained in a rolled-up, bundled closed position by the bistable resilient member when the bistable resilient member is in the second stable state; andthe flexible material is compelled to roll-out to a flat, straightened open position or roll-up to a bundled closed position by the bistable resilient member when the bistable resilient member is in the transition state. 4. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein: the flexible material is a mat. 5. A device, comprising: a flexible yoga mat;a pair of bistable resilient members accommodated within a body of the flexible yoga mat;the bistable resilient members have longitudinal axial lengths that are oriented substantially parallel along a desired rolling direction of the flexible yoga mat, substantially perpendicular to a desired roll axis of the flexible yoga mat, and substantially parallel lateral edges of the flexible yoga mat;the bistable resilient members are embedded within the body of the flexible yoga mat substantially equally distanced from a center longitudinal axis of the flexible yoga mat, positioned equally distanced away from near lateral edges of the flexible yoga mat to allow the roll axis of the flexible yoga mat to be maintained substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the flexible yoga mat during rolling and unrolling of the flexible yoga mat for a linear roll of the flexible yoga mat into and out of a substantially right-circular cylindrical configuration; anda pair of rigid elements accommodated within a body of the flexible yoga mat and associated with distal ends of the pair of bistable resilient members;the pair of rigid elements, embedded within the flexibly yoga mat, having longitudinal axial lengths that is oriented substantially perpendicular the desired rolling direction of the flexible yoga mat, substantially parallel to the desired roll axis of the flexible yoga mat, and substantially perpendicular the lateral edges of the flexible yoga mat;the longitudinal axial lengths of the pair of rigid elements have spans that extend at least between the pair of bistable resilient members to facilitate simultaneous application of force to both pair of bistable resilient members to initiate one of a transition state and stable states of both of the pair of resilient members together. 6. A device as set forth in claim 5, wherein: the pair of bistable resilient members are covered by a coating. 7. Yoga mat, comprising: a flexible material forming a cushion;a pair of bistable resilient members embedded within a body of the flexible material;the pair of bistable resilient members having a first stable linear state, a second stable coiled state, and a transition state;the flexible material is maintained in a flat, straightened, and open position by the pair of bistable resilient members when the bistable resilient member are in the first stable linear state;the flexible material is maintained in a rolled-up, bundled closed position by the pair of bistable resilient members when the pair of bistable resilient members are in the second stable coiled state; andthe flexible material is compelled to roll-out to a flat, straightened open position or roll-up to a bundled closed position by the pair of bistable resilient members when the pair of bistable resilient members are in the transition state;the bistable resilient members have longitudinal axial lengths that are oriented substantially parallel along a desired rolling direction of the flexible material, substantially perpendicular to a desired roll axis of the flexible material, and substantially parallel lateral edges of the flexible material;the bistable resilient members are embedded within the body of the flexible material substantially equally distanced from a center longitudinal axis of the flexible material, positioned equally distanced away from near lateral edges of the flexible material to allow the roll axis of the flexible material to be maintained substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the flexible material during rolling and unrolling of the flexible material for a linear roll of the flexible material into and out of a substantially right-circular cylindrical configuration; anda pair of rigid elements embedded within a body of the flexible material and associated with distal ends of the pair of bistable resilient members;the pair of rigid elements having longitudinal axial lengths that are oriented substantially perpendicular the desired rolling direction of the flexible material, substantially parallel to the desired roll axis of the flexible material, and substantially perpendicular the lateral edges of the flexible material;the longitudinal axial lengths of the pair of rigid elements have spans that extend at least between the pair of bistable resilient members to facilitate simultaneous application of force to both pair of bistable resilient members to initiate one of a transition state and stable states of both of the pair of resilient members together. 8. A method for rolling-out and rolling-up a yoga mat, comprising: embedding a pair of bistable resilient members within a body of the yoga mat substantially equally distanced from a center longitudinal axis of the yoga mat, positioned equally distanced away from near lateral edges of the yoga mat, with a longitudinal axial lengths of the pair of bistable resilient members oriented substantially parallel along a desired rolling direction of the yoga mat, substantially perpendicular to a desired roll axis of the yoga mat, and substantially parallel lateral edges of the yoga mat to allow a roll axis of the yoga mat to be maintained substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the yoga mat during a roll of the yoga mat for a linear roll of the yoga mat into and out of a substantially right-circular cylindrical configuration;embedding a pair of rigid elements within the body of the yoga mat and associating the pair of rigid elements with distal ends of the pair of bistable resilient members;operation of embedding the pair of rigid elements includes:orienting longitudinal axial lengths of the pair rigid elements substantially perpendicular the desired rolling direction of the yoga mat, substantially parallel to the desired roll axis of the yoga mat, and substantially perpendicular the lateral edges of the yoga mat;with the pair of rigid elements having longitudinal axial lengths that span ift at least between the pair of bistable resilient members to facilitate simultaneous application of force to both pair of bistable resilient members to initiate one of a transition state and stable states of both of the pair of resilient members together. 9. Yoga mat, comprising: a flexible material forming a cushion;a pair of bistable resilient members associated with the flexible material;the pair of bistable resilient members having a first stable linear state, a second stable coiled state, and a transition state;the flexible material is maintained in a flat, straightened, and open position by the pair of bistable resilient members when the bistable resilient member are in the first stable linear state;the flexible material is maintained in a rolled-up, bundled closed position by the pair of bistable resilient members when the pair of bistable resilient members are in the second stable coiled state; andthe flexible material is compelled to roll-out to a flat, straightened open position or roll-up to a bundled closed position by the pair of bistable resilient members when the pair of bistable resilient members are in the transition state;the bistable resilient members have longitudinal axial lengths that are oriented substantially parallel along a desired rolling direction of the flexible material, substantially perpendicular to a desired roll axis of the flexible material, and substantially parallel lateral edges of the flexible material;the bistable resilient members are associated with the flexible material substantially equally distanced from a center longitudinal axis of the flexible material, positioned equally distanced away from near lateral edges of the flexible material to allow the roll axis of the flexible material to be maintained substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the flexible material during rolling and unrolling of the flexible material for a linear roll of the flexible material into and out of a substantially right-circular cylindrical configuration; anda pair of rigid elements associated with the flexible material and coupled with distal ends of the pair of bistable resilient members;the pair of rigid elements having longitudinal axial lengths that are oriented substantially perpendicular the desired rolling direction of the flexible material, substantially parallel to the desired roll axis of the flexible material, and substantially perpendicular the lateral edges of the flexible material;the longitudinal axial lengths of the pair of rigid elements have spans that extend at least between the pair of bistable resilient members to facilitate simultaneous application of force to both pair of bistable resilient members to initiate one of a transition state and stable states of both of the pair of resilient members together.