Containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion

Abstract

The present invention discloses a containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion, and the containing apparatus includes a containing space disposed in the containing apparatus, an air cushion installed in the containing space, and an inflating device and a deflating device installed in the air cushion for inflating and deflating the air cushion respectively, so as to change the size of the air cushion and adjust the degree of tightness for attaching objects in the containing apparatus.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion, and more particularly to a containing apparatus with an air cushion capable of adjusting the level of attachment and protecting the object in the containing apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,768 discloses a container having a cushioning device for protecting shock-sensitive equipment in the container, and the cushioning device comprises a plurality of fluid-filled pockets, such that when the contents of the container collide with the container due to shaking, the cushioning device can effectively absorb impacts and prevent shock damages to the contents of the container. U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,613 discloses a packing bag with an air cushion, and the air cushion has a device for inflating and deflating air. After the air cushion is inflated, most of the heats flowing inside and outside the packing bag are isolated, such that the packing bag can have good effects of heat insulation and preservation. The design comes with an inside bag and an outside bag, wherein the outside bag has an air nozzle provided for users to inflate air into a sealed space formed by combining the inside and outside bags. When the packing bag is not in use, air can be released from the air nozzle of the inside bag. The prior art has a protecting pad inside the container to achieve the effect of protecting the contents of the packing bag, but in a practical use, the contents of the packing bag usually come with different sizes. Thus, when the packing bag is in use, objects in the container may collide with each other or with the container constantly. Although the protecting pad can absorb impacts, precision products such as notebook computers or precision measuring instruments will be affected by such shaking, and the effect of the protecting pad will not be as good as expected. The design also comes with a packaging bag that can be inflated or deflated by an air nozzle, and the key point of the invention completely resides on the heat preservation, but the structural design has not taken the protection of precision products into account, and thus designers still need to find a way of tightly wrap the contents of the packing bag by the inflating/deflating device without having the air nozzle protruded to the outside and causing inconvenience for its transportation. Furthermore, the design of having an airtight space formed by the inside and outside bags for inflating and deflating air, such that the air inflation is even, but cannot protect special positions or achieve the effect of reducing impacts on the precision products. Therefore, designing a containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion, such that the air cushion can be adjusted to attach the objects in the containing apparatus and effectively absorb impacts is the key disclosure of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the shortcomings of the structure of a traditional push-button switch and its panel, the inventor of the present invention based on years of experience in the related industry to conduct researches and experiments, and finally invented a containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion, such that users can slightly adjust the degree of tightness for the objects in the containing apparatus. It is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion, and the containing apparatus has an inflatable/deflatable air cushion inside, and the degree of tightness of the air cushion can be adjusted for wrapping the objects in the containing apparatus. To achieve the foregoing objective, a containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion of the invention comprises: a containing space, disposed in the containing apparatus; an air cushion, disposed in the containing space; and an inflating device and a deflating device, both installed at the air cushion for inflating and deflating the air cushion respectively, so as to change the size of the air cushion and adjust the degree of tightness for the objects in the containing apparatus, and users can slightly adjust the degree of tightness of the inflatable/deflatable air cushion for wrapping the objects in the containing apparatus. The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a containing apparatus with an air cushion before being inflated in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a containing apparatus with an air cushion after being inflated in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a containing apparatus with an air cushion before being inflated in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a containing apparatus with an air cushion after being inflated in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a closed containing apparatus in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

To make it easier for our examiner to understand the objective, innovative features and performance of the present invention, we use a preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings for a detailed description of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 for perspective views of a containing apparatus with an air cushion before and after being inflated in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention respectively, the containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion comprises a body 115, a cover 114, an inflating device 21, a deflating device 25 and an air cushion. After the cover 114 is covered onto the body 115, the containing apparatus forms a containing space (not shown in the figure), and the containing apparatus is a bag substantially a rectangular body made of plastic, leather or nylon. The air cushion is composed of four lateral support bodies 22, four corner support bodies 23, four edge support bodies 24 and a lateral protecting body 26. The air cushion is disposed in the containing space (not shown in the figure) of the bag, and the inflating device 21 and the deflating device 25 are installed at the air cushion for inflating and deflating the air cushion respectively. Further, an inflating device 21, four lateral support bodies 22, a deflating device 25 and a lateral protecting body 26 are disposed in the body 115 of the bag, and the four edge support bodies 24 are disposed at the four edges in the rectangular body 115, and the four corner support bodies 23 are disposed at the four corners of the rectangular body 115. The inflating device 21 is fixed at a pump of the air cushion, and the pump 21 has a pressing portion, and the pressing portion can be pressed for inflating the air cushion. The deflating device 25 is a blow-down valve for deflating the air cushion by pressing the blow-down valve 25. The bag body 115 has a handle 112, a transparent window 111 and a zipper 113 disposed at an external side of the bag body 115. Users can see the inflating status inside the air cushion from the outside of the bag through the transparent window 111 and carry the bag by holding the handle 112. Further, the bag body 115 has a plurality of solid dots disposed on an internal side of the bag body 115 for absorbing impacts and protecting the objects in the bag. When the containing apparatus is in use, an object such as a notebook computer (not shown in the figure) is put inside the bag body 115, and the bag body 115 is not attached closely with the object. After the bag cover 114 is covered, a zipper 113 is used to close the bag body 115 and the cover 114. By pressing the pressing portion of the pump 21, air is inflated into the air cushion. The air can be passed sequentially from the lateral protecting body 26, the four lateral support bodies 22, the four corner support bodies 23 to the four edge support bodies 24 to inflate the whole air cushion, and the blow-down valve 25 can be pressed anytime to deflate the air in the air cushion, so as to change the size of the air cushion and slightly adjust the degree of tightness for attaching the objects in the bag body 115 and preventing the objects from shaking in the bag. With the protecting design on the lateral sides and four corners of the bag, the air cushion can achieve the effect of fully absorbing shocks and vibrations. After the adjustment has been made, it is not necessary to adjust the size of the air cushion again for containing objects thereafter. It is noteworthy to point out that the bag cover 114 of this embodiment includes a lateral protecting body (not shown in the figure), a plurality of solid dots (not shown in the figure) and four lateral support bodies (not shown in the figure), for enhancing the protection. If the bag comes with several layers, the air cushion can be installed separately in each layer of the bag for providing a better protection to the objects. The design of the deflating device 25 improves the applicability of the bag, such that the bag not only works with the foregoing inflating device to achieve the function of slightly adjusting the air in the air cushion, but also completely inflates the air cushion to tightly attach the objects. The air cushion can be deflated when it is necessary to remove the object from the bag. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 respectively for perspective views of a containing apparatus with an air cushion before and after being inflated in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention and FIGS. 5 and 6 respectively for the bottom view of the inflatable/deflatable air cushion 3 and a schematic view of closing the containing apparatus in accordance with the present invention, the containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion is comprises of a casing 12 and an inflatable/deflatable air cushion 3, wherein the casing 12 is a bag which is substantially a rectangular body as shown in FIG. 5, and the inflatable/deflatable air cushion 3 is composed of a plurality of air pads 341 and a plurality of enhanced air pads 342 and interconnected linearly with the inflating device 31 (which could be an external inflator) and a deflating device 32 (which could be a blow-down valve). By pressing the external inflator 31, users can inflate the inflatable/deflatable air cushion 3 by passing air through the interconnect channel 33 to each interconnected air pad 341 and each enhanced air pad 342. By pressing the blow-down valve 32, users can releases the air in the inflatable/deflatable air cushion 3. The bag 12 is comprised of a body 121, a cover 122, a zipper 123, a plurality of solid dots 124 and a plurality of solid dots 125 disposed respectively on the body 121 and the cover 122. The body 121 has a vertical thickness precisely disposed around each air pad 341 and each enhanced air pad 342 of the inflatable/deflatable air cushion, and the external inflator 31 and blow-down valve 32 interconnected with the inflatable/deflatable air cushion 3 are installed at the cover 122 and interconnected with the interconnect channel 33 and the air pads 341 and enhanced air pads 342. The positions of the air pads 341, 342 are arranged in a way that the enhanced air pads 342 can be situated precisely at the four corners of the body 121 to enhance the protection of the four corners. In FIGS. 4 and 6, a notebook computer 4 (or any other devices) can be placed into the body 121 of the bag 12 of the inflatable/deflatable air cushion, when the containing apparatus is used. After the cover 122 is closed, the external inflator 31 and blow-down valve 32 are situated precisely at the corners of the bag 12. As shown in FIG. 6, it is convenient for users to press the external inflator 31 or the blow-down valve 32. After the inflatable/deflatable air cushion 3 is inflated as shown in FIG. 4, the air pads 341 and enhanced air pads 342 are inflated to attach the notebook computer, so as to achieve the effect of protecting the notebook computer 4. With the enhanced air pads 342 installed at the four corners, the present invention can absorb shocks and vibrations more effectively. In summation of the description above, the present invention complies with the patent application requirements, since the inflatable/deflatable air cushion is installed in the containing apparatus, and users can slightly adjust the degree of tightness of the inflatable/deflatable air cushion for wrapping the objects in the containing apparatus, and the products derived from the present invention can satisfy the market requirements. While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.

Claims

1. A containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion, comprising:

a containing space, disposed in said containing apparatus;

an air cushion, installed in said containing space;

an inflating device and a deflating device, both installed in said air cushion for inflating and deflating said air cushion respectively, so as to change the size of said air cushion to adjust the degree of tightness for attaching objects in said containing apparatus.

2. The containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion of claim 1, wherein said inflating device is fixed at a pump of said air cushion, and said pump has a pressing portion for inflating said air cushion by pressing said pressing portion.

3. The containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion of claim 1, wherein said inflating device is an external inflator, and said external inflator is coupled to said air cushion for inflating said air cushion.

4. The containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion of claim 1, wherein said deflating device is a blow-down valve, such that said blow-down valve can be presses and opened to release the air of said air cushion.

5. The containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion of claim 1, wherein said containing apparatus is a bag having a handle provided for holding and a zipper for opening and closing said bag.

6. The containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion of claim 5, wherein said bag is made of a material selected from the collection of plastic, leather and nylon.

7. The containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion of claim 5, wherein said bag is substantially a rectangular body, and said inflatable/deflatable air cushion is interconnected linearly with said inflating device and said deflating device by a plurality of air pads and a plurality of enhanced air pads, such that when said inflatable/deflatable air cushion is disposed around the periphery of said bag, said inflating device is disposed at a corner of said bag, and said enhanced air cushions are disposed at four corners of said bag.

8. The containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion of claim 5, wherein said inflatable/deflatable air cushions are disposed on a plurality of lateral sides in said bag, and said inflating device and said deflating device are disposed on one of said lateral sides.

9. The containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion of claim 5, wherein said bag has a plurality of solid dots disposed in the interior of said bag for absorbing impacts and protecting objects in said containing apparatus.