Method and apparatus for filling inflatables

Abstract

A light-weight, elongate plastic bag having a first end and a second end is provided for transferring air into inflatable items. One end of said elongate flexible bag has an opening, while the opposite end of said elongate flexible bag has a nozzle or other similar fitting. Additionally, an optional check valve can be provided on said nozzle. Air or other gas can be easily introduced into said elongate bag at low pressure and, thereafter, transferred at a relatively higher pressure into an inflatable item to be filled.

Description

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS: NONE

STATEMENTS AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT: NONE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a versatile, lightweight and compact apparatus for transferring air into inflatable products, such as air mattresses, flotation devices, and the like.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art

Air pumps used to impart air into inflatable products are well known in the prior art. Such existing air pumps exhibit various sizes and configurations. In many cases, air pumps are relatively complicated mechanical devices used to compress air and direct such compressed air into inflatable products. Such mechanical pumps can be automated or hand operated. In other cases, such pumps comprise relatively simple flexible bulbs or other collapsible vessels that can be repeatedly squeezed or compressed, often via manipulation by an operator's hand or foot, to force air into an item to be inflated.

Frequently, inflatable products such as air mattresses, rafts, personal flotation devices and the like are designed for use in remote or undeveloped locations. Such products are typically transported to a particular location and then inflated at such location. For this reason, some prior art air pumps are designed to be portable in order to facilitate transportation of such pumps to remote locations or environments. Such pumps can be battery-powered or manually operated.

Existing prior art pumps have certain limitations, especially when such pumps are to be used in remote locations. Although many prior art pumps are designed to be relatively small and portable, such existing pumps are nonetheless large and bulky enough to take up significant amounts of space. When such pumps are to be used in remote locations (such as, for example, during camping trips), they are typically carried on the person of a user in a back-pack, duffle bag or similar carrying device. In such circumstances, space is at a premium. Thus, it is generally advantageous for such pumps to be as compact and lightweight as possible.

Automated prior art pumps also suffer from such limitations. Even if the pumps themselves are compact and lightweight, power sources for such pumps are not; in most cases, batteries used to power such automated pumps are relatively bulky and heavy. Like the pump itself, these batteries must be transported to a desired location in a back-pack, duffle bag or similar carrying device. Moreover, if such batteries lose their charge for any reason, such pumps are ineffective and essentially worthless. This can be especially problematic when a pump is to be used to inflate items in remote and/or undeveloped locations where replacement batteries or alternative power sources are not readily available.

Even manually-powered prior art pumps suffer from significant limitations. Such pumps often comprise relatively simple flexible bulbs or other collapsible vessels that can be repeatedly squeezed or-compressed by an operator. In many cases, items to be blown up must be filled with large volumes of air before becoming fully inflated. As a result, operators must frequently expend significant amounts of energy squeezing such prior art pumps to adequately fill such inflatable items.

Thus, there is a need for a relatively small, lightweight and easily transportable pump that can be used to impart air into inflatable items. Such pump should be manually actuated, yet not require significant effort on the part of an operator.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

In the preferred embodiment, the present invention comprises a light-weight, elongate plastic bag having a first end and a second end. The first end of said elongate flexible bag has an opening, while the second end of said elongate flexible bag has a nozzle or other similar fitting. Additionally, an optional check valve can be provided on said nozzle.

The present invention is used to transfer air from the elongate bag to an inflatable item, such as an air raft, floatation device, air mattress, pool, beach toy, and/or the like. In the preferred embodiment, the tubular bag can be several feet long, while the diameter of the bag can be varied to accommodate different sizes of inflatable devices and, more particularly, the volume of air required to fill an inflatable item. Moreover, the size of the nozzle can be beneficially changed to accommodate different sizes and/or configurations of input valves located on inflatable devices.

In operation, the nozzle of the present invention is inserted into the input valve of an inflatable item. Thereafter, the bag is unfurled, and air is blown into the open end of said bag. Air molecules from outside the bag rush into the bag, filling the bag with air. The opening at the end of the bag is closed - in most cases being crimped by hand—thereby trapping the air inside. The flexible bag is rolled toward the nozzle which forces air from the bag out the nozzle and into the inflatable item to be filled. The process is continued until the inflatable device is full of air.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a side perspective view of the inflation device of the present invention wherein the elongate flexible bag is folded.

FIG. 2 depicts a detailed perspective view of a nozzle of the inflation device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 depicts a side perspective view of the inflation device of the present invention wherein the elongate flexible bag is unfurled.

FIG. 4 depicts a side perspective view of air being introduced into the elongate flexible bag of the present invention.

FIG. 5 depicts a side perspective view of the opening of the flexible bag of the present invention being crimped.

FIG. 6 depicts a side perspective view of air being transferred from the elongate flexible bag of the present invention into an inflatable item.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In the preferred embodiment, the present invention comprises an elongate flexible bag having a first end and a second end. The first end of said elongate flexible bag has an opening, while the second end of said elongate flexible bag has a nozzle or other similar fitting. Additionally, an optional check valve can be provided in connection with said nozzle.

FIG. 1 depicts a side perspective view of the inflation device 10 of the present invention. Inflation device 10 comprises elongate flexible bag 1. Elongate flexible bag 1 of the present invention is ideally lightweight and can be easily folded. When folded, elongate flexible bag 1 takes up very little space and can typically fit within the palm of hand 2. In this configuration, bag 1 can be beneficially stored in a pocket, purse, handbag or the like.

FIG. 2 depicts a side view of a nozzle 3 of the present invention. Said nozzle 3 is attached to one end of elongate flexible bag 1. Nozzle 3 has outlet orifice 4. The internal void created by elongate flexible bag 1 is connected to nozzle 3 and in communication with outlet orifice 4.

Referring to FIG. 3, elongate flexible bag 1 is unfurled to substantially remove all folds or crimps in said bag. In the preferred embodiment, elongate flexible bag can be several feet long, while the dimensions of the bag can be varied to accommodate different sizes of inflatable devices and, more particularly, the volume of air required to fill an inflatable item. Nozzle 3 is disposed at one end of elongate flexible bag 1, while an opening 5 extends into elongate flexible bag 1 at the opposite end of said bag from nozzle 3. Moreover, the size of nozzle 3 can be beneficially changed to accommodate different sizes and/or configurations of input valves located on inflatable devices.

Nozzle 3, situated at one end of said elongate bag 1, is inserted into or otherwise connected to the inlet port of an inflatable item to be filled with air. Such inflatable item can be one of any number of different products including, but not limited to, air mattresses, flotation devices and the like.

FIG. 4 depicts a side perspective view of air being introduced into opening 5 of elongate flexible bag 1 of the present invention. Elongate flexible bag is held in a convenient position, and air is blown or otherwise introduced into said opening 5 of said elongate flexible bag. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, opening 5 is relatively large. Due to the relatively large opening 5 of elongate flexible bag 1, as well as the flexible nature of said bag, relatively little effort is required to inflate such bag. As such, one person, such as user 6 depicted in FIG. 4, can substantially fill elongate flexible bag 1 with air simply by exhaling normally.

FIG. 5 depicts a side perspective view of opening 5 of elongate flexible bag 1 of the present invention being crimped using hand 2. Once elongate flexible bag 1 is filled with a desired volume of air, opening 5 of elongate flexible bag 1 is sealed, typically by crimping the end of bag 1 to close opening 5 of bag the bag (such as via hand 2).

FIG. 6 depicts a side perspective view of air being transferred from elongate flexible bag 1 of the present invention into inflatable item 20. Nozzle 3 is connected to an inlet port of said inflatable item 20. In the preferred embodiment, said elongate flexible bag 1 is squeezed from one end (having opening 5) toward nozzle 3. Although such rolling can be accomplished in any number of different ways, hands 2 can roll elongate flexible bag. Such rolling motion forces the air from inside said elongate flexible bag through nozzle 3 and into inflatable item 20 to be filled with air. An optional check valve prevents air from escaping back into elongate flexible bag 1. In this manner, elongate flexible bag 1 can be rolled until a desired volume of air is transferred into the inflatable item (that is, until said inflatable item is sufficiently filled with air).

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, air (or other gas) can be easily introduced into said elongate flexible bag 1 at low pressure. Such air (or other gas) can then be transferred—at a relatively higher pressure—into an inflatable item to be filled.

The above disclosed invention has a number of particular features which should preferably be employed in combination, although each is useful separately without departure from the scope of the invention. While the preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and described herein, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise than herein specifically illustrated or described, and that certain changes in form and arrangement of parts and the specific manner of practicing the invention may be made within the underlying idea or principles of the invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus for filling inflatable items comprising:

a. An elongate bag having a first end and a second end;

b. A nozzle attached to said first end of said bag; and

C. An opening at said second end of said bag.

2. A method of filling an inflatable item comprising:

a. Unfurling an apparatus comprising: i) an elongate bag constructed of lightweight plastic having a first end and a second end; ii) a nozzle attached to said first end of said bag; iii) a check valve attached to said nozzle: and iv) an opening at said second end of said bag;

b. Connecting said nozzle to the input port of an inflatable item;

c. Introducing gas into said elongate bag through said opening in said bag;

d. Substantially sealing said opening in said bag; and

e. Rolling said bag from said second end toward said nozzle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said gas is air.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of introducing gas into said elongate bag through said opening in said bag further comprises blowing into said opening of said bag.