INFLATABLE EXERCISE CHAMBER

Abstract

An inflatable exercise chamber (100) for performing exercise therein, the inflatable exercise chamber comprising (100): one or more walls (102) defining an enclosed space, wherein the wall (102) comprises an inner membrane (110, 210) and an outer membrane (112) defining an inflatable cavity (114) therebetween, wherein the inner membrane (110) of the wall is a gas-permeable membrane (210).

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority benefit of U.K. Patent Application No. 1318794.3, filed Oct. 24, 2103, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an inflatable exercise chamber for performing exercise therein and particularly, but not exclusively, relates to an inflatable exercise chamber comprising one or more walls comprising a gas-permeable inner membrane configured to prevent the formation of condensation on the inner membrane.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Current trends in the health and fitness sectors have shown a rise in the number of people participating in “hot” exercise classes, such as hot yoga, hot pilates and hot ballet. In order to create a suitable environment for a hot exercise class, a fitness studio would typically be heated to around 40° C. with a relative humidity level of approximately 40%.

Such environmental conditions necessitate that the fitness studios be equipped with heaters and humidifiers, which can limit the availability of such classes. The environmental requirements often mean that much condensation is formed on the walls and ceilings of the fitness studio during the exercise class, which may inadvertently reduce the humidity levels required for the classes and result in liquid droplets falling on an occupant. As such, it is desirable to conduct the classes in a self-contained c chamber that may be specifically used for hot exercise classes. Such a chamber may more readily control the internal environment at optimum levels.

Furthermore, in order to meet the increasing demands of the health and fitness sector, fitness class providers may wish to offer exercise classes at locations that would not typically be equipped to meet the requirements of the classes, for example at offices and hotels. In this way, it is desirable to provide a portable exercise chamber that may be installed in a wide variety of locations.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure there is provided an inflatable exercise chamber for performing exercise therein, the inflatable exercise chamber comprising: one or more walls defining an enclosed space, wherein the wall comprises an inner membrane and an outer membrane defining a cavity, for example an inflatable cavity, therebetween, wherein the inner membrane of the wall is a gas-permeable membrane.

The inflatable exercise chamber may be configured to permit gas to flow between the environment external to the inflatable exercise chamber and the environment internal to the inflatable exercise chamber, for example by passage across the gas-permeable membrane of the wall. The flow of gas across the gas-permeable membrane of the wall may prevent the formation of condensation on the inner surface of the wall. The gas-permeable inner membrane may be configured with a permeability that is just sufficient to prevent the formation of condensation on the inner membrane of the wall. The inner membrane may be fabricated from Ripstop Nylon.

The inflatable exercise chamber may comprise at least one opening configured to allow access into and out of the chamber. The opening may be provided with a cover.

The inflatable exercise chamber may comprise a light configured to illuminate the environment internal to the chamber. The light may be disposed within the cavity of the wall.

The inflatable exercise chamber may comprise a heater configured to heat the environment internal to the inflatable exercise chamber. The inflatable exercise chamber may comprise a humidifier configured to humidify the environment internal to the inflatable exercise chamber. The inflatable exercise chamber may comprise a fan configured to flow gas between the environment external to the inflatable exercise chamber and cavity of the wall. For example, the fan may inflate, maintain or deflate the cavity.

The inflatable exercise chamber may comprise one or more control devices configured to control the pressure and/or mass flow rate of gas into and out of the cavity. The control device may comprise one or more pressure sensors, mass flow sensors, temperature sensors and/or humidity sensors. The control devices may be configured to control automatically the inflation and/or deflation of the inflatable exercise chamber. The control device may be configured to control the temperature and/or the humidity of the environment internal to the inflatable exercise chamber.

Additional aspects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present disclosure, and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an external view of an inflatable exercise chamber comprising an opening;

FIG. 2 shows a partial cross section of a wall of the inflatable exercise chamber depicting a flow of a gas from the environment external to the inflatable exercise chamber to an inflatable cavity defined by an inner and an outer membrane of the wall; and

FIG. 3 shows a partial cross section of the wall of the inflatable exercise chamber depicting a flow of a gas from the inflatable cavity to the internal and external environment of the inflatable exercise chamber.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

An inflatable exercise chamber 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in FIG. 1. The inflatable exercise chamber 100 comprises one or more walls 102 that define an enclosed space 104 within the inflatable exercise chamber 100. The exercise chamber 100 is suitable for performing a variety of exercises therein, for example yoga and pilates, or variants such as “hot” yoga.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the inflatable exercise chamber 100 comprises a single wall 102 that defines the enclosed space 104 within the inflatable exercise chamber 100. However, in another embodiment, the inflatable exercise chamber 100 may comprise any number of walls 102 that are configured to define the enclosed space 104 within the inflatable exercise chamber 100. For example, in another embodiment, the inflatable exercise chamber 100 may comprise a plurality of individual walls 102, which may form sidewalls, a floor and/or a roof that may be arranged to define the enclosed space within the inflatable exercise chamber 100.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the inflatable exercise chamber 100 comprises an opening 106 configured to allow access into and out of the inflatable exercise chamber 100. The opening 106 is provided with a cover 108 that may be opened and closed using one or more fastening means 109, for example a zip or any other appropriate fastening means.

FIG. 2 shows a partial cross section of the wall 102 of the inflatable exercise chamber 100. The wall 102 comprises an inner membrane 110 and an outer membrane 112. The wall 102 comprises an inflatable cavity 114 that is defined by the inner membrane 110 and an outer membrane 112. The wall is configured such that when a gas, for example air, is pumped into the cavity 114 the wall inflates. The air pressure generated in the cavity 114 of the wall 102 provides structural rigidity to the inflatable exercise chamber 100. As such, the inflatable exercise chamber 100 may be lightweight and easy to erect. The inflatable exercise chamber 100, upon deflation, may be rolled and packed into a suitable container, which allows the inflatable exercise chamber 100 to be easily transported between locations.

The inflatable exercise chamber 100 comprises one or more fans 116 configured to flow air between the environment external to the inflatable exercise chamber 100 and cavity 114 of the wall 102. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the fan 116 is provided in the outer membrane 112 and is configured to flow air 113 into the cavity 114 from the environment external to the inflatable exercise chamber 100. In another embodiment, however, the fan 116 may be provided in any other location on or near the inflatable exercise chamber 100. The fan may be configured to flow air from the cavity 114 into the environment internal and/or external to the inflatable exercise chamber 100.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 the wall 102 comprises a gas-permeable inner membrane 210. It may be appreciated, however, that the wall 102 may comprise a gas-permeable outer membrane. The inflatable exercise chamber 100 is configured to permit air 115 to flow between the inflatable cavity 114 and the environment internal to the inflatable exercise chamber 100 by passage across the gas-permeable inner membrane 210.

During hot exercise classes, the temperature and the humidity of the environment internal to the inflatable exercise chamber 100 is usually much warmer and more humid that those conditions external to the inflatable exercise chamber 100. Such conditions promote the formation of condensation on the inner surface of the wall 102 of the inflatable exercise chamber 100. A build-up of condensation is unsightly and unpleasant to the users of the inflatable exercise chamber 100. The flow of air 115 across the gas-permeable inner membrane 210 of the wall 102 prevents the formation of condensation on the inner surface of the wall 102 by creating an air barrier between the gas-permeable inner membrane 210 and the environment internal to the inflatable exercise chamber 100.

In the example shown in FIG. 3, the inflatable exercise chamber 100 is maintained in an erect state by the air pressure within the cavity 114, the air pressure within the cavity 114 being sufficient to support the weight of the inflatable exercise chamber 100. However, there is an inherent pressure drop across the gas-permeable inner membrane 210 due to the air flow from the cavity 114 to the enclosed space 104 of the inflatable exercise chamber 100. The mass flow rate of air 115 across the gas-permeable inner membrane 210 may be dependent upon the air pressure within the cavity 114. The fans 116 work, therefore, to compensate for this pressure drop. Consequently, once the inflatable exercise chamber 100 has been erected, the flow of air 113 into the cavity is approximately balanced with the flow of air 115 across the gas-permeable inner membrane 210. The gas-permeable inner membrane 210 may be configured with a permeability that is just sufficient to prevent the formation of condensation on the gas-permeable inner membrane 210 of the wall 102.

The gas-permeable inner membrane 210 may be configured to provide the minimum allowable pressure drop that permits the inflatable exercise chamber 100 to remain erect whilst the flow of air 115 is just sufficient to prevent the formation of condensation on the gas-permeable inner membrane 210 of the wall 102. In this manner, the power consumed by the fans 116 may be minimized.

Furthermore, if the mass flow rate of the air 115 across the gas-permeable inner membrane 210 is too great, the environment internal to the inflatable exercise chamber 100 may be disturbed. Since hot exercise classes require particular environmental conditions, any disruption to the environmental conditions may be detrimental to the efficacy of the exercise and to the perceived quality of the exercise class. The gas-permeable inner membrane 210 may be configured, therefore, such that the air flow 115 is not generally noticeable to the occupants of the inflatable exercise chamber 100 whilst the flow of air 115 is just sufficient to prevent the formation of condensation on the gas-permeable inner membrane 210 of the wall 102.

The gas-permeable inner membrane 210 may comprise any material that permits the passage of gas through it. For example, the gas-permeable inner membrane 210 may be manufactured from a woven material with a specific weave density that permits sufficient air flow to just prevent the formation of condensation on the gas-permeable inner membrane 210. It is desirable to manufacture the gas-permeable inner membrane 210 from a light-weight material as, by minimizing the weight of the inflatable exercise chamber 100, a lower air pressure within the cavity 114 is required to support the weight of the inflatable exercise chamber 100. As a result, the power requirements of the fans may be reduced. Furthermore, by manufacturing the gas-permeable inner membrane 210 from a light-weight material, the inflatable exercise chamber 100 is easier to transport and handle. It is also desirable to manufacture the gas-permeable inner membrane 210 from a tear-resistant material. The gas-permeable inner membrane 210 may be, for example, Ripstop Nylon N901 with a linear mass density of fibers of 35 g/m, or any other similar material.

In an alternative example, the gas-permeable inner membrane 210 may be manufactured from a perforated polymer sheet, wherein the density of the perforations in the sheet and the size of the perforations are sufficient to permit air flow 115 at a rate that prevents the formation of condensation on the gas-permeable inner membrane 210 of the wall 102.

In order to maintain the necessary pressure within the cavity 114, the mass flow rate of the air 115 across the gas-permeable inner membrane 210 may be controlled. For example, the output of the fans 116 may be selectable or adjustable. In this manner, the output from the fans 116 may be controlled for any given gas-permeable inner membrane 210 configuration such that the air pressure with the cavity 114 is just sufficient to: maintain the inflatable exercise chamber 100 in an erect state; flow air across the gas-permeable inner membrane 210 at a rate just sufficient to prevent the formation of condensation on the gas-permeable inner membrane 210 of the wall 102; and flow air across the gas-permeable inner membrane 210 at a rate that is not generally noticeable to the occupants of the inflatable exercise chamber 100.

The gas-permeable inner membrane 210 may be configured to prevent the formation of condensation for environmental conditions that are typical of hot exercise classes, for example environments heated to around 40° C. with a relative humidity level of approximately 40%. The configuration of the gas-permeable inner membrane 210 may be selected, therefore, to suit the intended use of the inflatable exercise chamber 100. However, it may be appreciated that, depending upon intended use of the inflatable exercise chamber 100, the mass flow rate of air across the gas-permeable inner membrane 210 may be adjusted, for example by controlling the output of the fans 116, such that the flow rate across the gas-permeable inner membrane 210 is just sufficient to prevent the formation of condensation.

In another example, the inflatable exercise chamber 100 may comprise a control device configured to control the pressure and/or mass flow rate of gas into and out of the cavity 114. The control device may comprise one or more fan controls and/or pressure regulators. The control device may comprise one or more pressure sensors, mass flow sensors, temperature sensors and/or humidity sensors. The control devices may be configured to control automatically the inflation and/or deflation of the inflatable exercise chamber. The control device may be configured to control the temperature and/or the humidity of the environment internal to the inflatable exercise chamber.

In another embodiment (not shown), the inflatable exercise chamber 100 may further comprise one or more heaters and/or humidifiers configured respectively to heat and humidify the environment internal to the inflatable exercise chamber 100 to the required levels. The air barrier created between the gas-permeable inner membrane 210 and the environment internal to the inflatable exercise chamber 100 helps to maintain the required conditions. The heaters and/or humidifiers may be disposed inside the inflatable exercise chamber 100. Additionally and/or alternatively, the heaters and/or humidifiers may be disposed outside the inflatable exercise chamber 100. The fan 116 and/or one or more additional fans may be used to flow warm and/or humid air from the heaters and/or humidifiers disposed outside the inflatable exercise chamber 100 to the environment internal to the inflatable exercise chamber 100. For example, warm and/or humid air may be provided to the environment internal to the inflatable exercise chamber 100 through the gas-permeable inner membrane 210.

In another embodiment (not shown), the inflatable exercise chamber 100 may further comprise one or more lights configured to illuminate the environment internal to the inflatable exercise chamber 100. The lights may be disposed within the cavity 114 of the wall 102.

It will be understood by skilled persons that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. The scope of the present invention should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims.

Claims

1. An inflatable exercise chamber for performing exercise therein, the inflatable exercise chamber comprising:

one or more walls at least partially defining an enclosed space,

wherein the walls comprise an inner membrane and an outer membrane defining an inflatable cavity therebetween,

wherein at least the inner membrane of the wall is a gas-permeable membrane.

2. The inflatable exercise chamber of claim 1, wherein the inflatable exercise chamber is configured to permit gas to flow between the inflatable cavity and the environment internal to the inflatable exercise chamber by passage across the gas-permeable membrane of the wall.

3. The inflatable exercise chamber of claim 2, wherein the flow of gas across the gas-permeable membrane of the wall prevents the formation of condensation on the inner membrane of the wall.

4. The inflatable exercise chamber of claim 1, wherein the inflatable exercise chamber comprises at least one opening configured to allow access into and out of the inflatable exercise chamber.

5. The inflatable exercise chamber of claim 4, wherein the opening is provided with a cover.

6. The inflatable exercise chamber of claim 1, further comprising a light configured to illuminate the environment internal to the inflatable exercise chamber.

7. The inflatable exercise chamber of claim 6, wherein the light is disposed within the cavity of the wall.

8. The inflatable exercise chamber of claim 1, further comprising a heater configured to heat the environment internal to the inflatable exercise chamber.

9. The inflatable exercise chamber of claim 1, the inflatable exercise chamber further comprising a humidifier configured to humidify the environment internal to the inflatable exercise chamber.

10. The inflatable exercise chamber of claim 1, the inflatable exercise chamber further comprising a fan configured to flow gas between the environment external to the inflatable exercise chamber and the cavity of the wall.

11. The inflatable exercise chamber of claim 10, wherein the fan is configured to inflate, maintain and/or deflate the cavity.

12. The inflatable exercise chamber of claim 1, wherein the gas-permeable inner membrane is configured with a permeability that is just sufficient to prevent the formation of condensation on the inner membrane of the wall.

13. The inflatable exercise chamber of claim 1, wherein at least the inner membrane is fabricated from a woven material with linear mass density of fibers of approximately 35 g/m.

14. The inflatable exercise chamber of claim 1, wherein at least the inner membrane is fabricated from tear resistant material.

15. The inflatable exercise chamber of claim 1, wherein at least the inner membrane is fabricated from Ripstop Nylon.

16. The inflatable exercise chamber of claim 1, wherein the inner membrane and the outer membrane are fabricated from different materials.

17. The inflatable exercise chamber of claim 1, wherein the outer membrane is another gas-permeable membrane configured with a different permeability to the inner membrane.

18. An inflatable exercise chamber enclosing a space for performing exercise in, the inflatable exercise chamber comprising:

a wall at least partially defining the exercise space,

wherein the wall comprises an inner membrane forming a boundary of the exercise space and an outer membrane, an inflatable cavity being defined between the inner membrane and the outer membrane,

wherein at least the inner membrane of the wall is a gas-permeable membrane.

19. A method of preventing the formation of condensation on an inner membrane of a wall of an inflatable exercise chamber, the wall at least partially defining an exercise space, an inflatable cavity being defined between the inner membrane and an outer membrane of the wall, wherein the inner membrane forms a boundary of the exercise space and is a gas-permeable membrane, the method comprising:

flowing air across the inner membrane of the wall at a rate that is just sufficient to prevent the formation of condensation on the inner membrane of the wall.