Inflatable tent

Abstract

A lightweight, portable tent having low volume, high pressure inflatable support air passages formed from the overlap and sealing of the wall panels of the tent, and a kit including the tent and an inflating device.

1 . A tent comprising:
 a plurality of wall panels made out of a lightweight material, wherein each of said plurality of wall panels comprises:
 a bottom edge wherein said bottom edge comprises:
 two bottom edge sides; and 
 a bottom edge length wherein said bottom edge length is equal to the distance between said two bottom edge sides; 
 
 at least two side edges; and 
 an intersection of said at least two bottom edge sides and said at least two side edges; and 
   a plurality of air passages integral to and formed from said lightweight material of said wall panels, said air passages comprising:
 an overlap of two of said side edges of two of said wall panels wherein said wall panels are adjacent to one another; 
 an opening for said air passage within said overlap, wherein said opening comprises at least one opening edge parallel to said overlap; 
 at least one sealing of said overlap parallel to said at least one opening edge; 
 an inner circumference wherein said inner circumference has a measure equal to twice the width of said opening; 
 a hermetic sealant lining said inner circumference of said air passages; and 
 a plurality of ends proximate to said intersections of said wall panels that form said overlap; and 
   a perimeter comprising a perimeter length and a shape;
 wherein said perimeter length is equal to the sum of each of said bottom edge lengths of said bottom edges of said wall panels; and 
 wherein said shape is defined by the area enclosed by said plurality of ends of said air passages. 
   
     
     
         2 . The tent as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said lightweight material is chosen from the group consisting of Oregon Nylon Oxford brand nylon, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, composite vx-21 fabric, spectra, 1050 denier ballistic nylon, event fabric, silicone impregnated ripstop nylon, cuben fiber reinforced spinnaker fabric, event 3-layer waterproof/breathable fabric, Polartec Powershield by Malden Mills, EPIC by Nextec microfiber, sleek nylon, flexible thermoplastic material, polyester fabric, Griffolya Co. plastic laminate, nylon cloth reinforced, plasticized polyvinyl chloride polymer film, and rubberized fabric 
     
     
         3 . The tent as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said sealing comprises:
 at least one row of stitching along said at least one opening edge of said opening; and   at least one glue line parallel to said at least one row of stitching.   
     
     
         4 . The tent as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said sealing comprises ultrasonic welding. 
     
     
         5 . The tent as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said sealing can withstand pressure up to 100 psi. 
     
     
         6 . The tent as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said opening is between 3/16″ and ¼″. 
     
     
         7 . The tent as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said hermetic sealant is chosen from the group consisting of rubber cement and contact cement. 
     
     
         8 . The tent as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said hermetic sealing extends at least partially into said overlap. 
     
     
         9 . The tent as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising at least one air input proximate to said air passages such that gas may be introduced from the exterior of said air passages to the interior of said air passages. 
     
     
         10 . The tent as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said at least one air input is dimensioned and arranged to accept a compressed gas cartridge. 
     
     
         11 . The tent as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of air passages is a single integrated hermetically sealed unit. 
     
     
         12 . The tent as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of air passages are divided into a plurality of individually hermetically sealed units. 
     
     
         13 . The tent as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a floor made out of said lightweight material:
 wherein said floor comprises a size and shape;   wherein said size and shape of said floor are commensurate with the space defined by said perimeter;   wherein said floor further comprises a plurality of perimeter edges that extend between said plurality of ends that are adjacent to one another; and   wherein at least one of said bottom edges of said plurality of wall panels is attached to at least one of said perimeter edges of said floor.   
     
     
         14 . The tent as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein said floor forms an air mattress. 
     
     
         15 . The tent as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a perimeter passage;
 wherein said perimeter passage extends along the entirety of said perimeter of said tent;   wherein said perimeter passage is integral to at least one of said bottom edges of said wall panels; and   wherein said perimeter passage is dimensioned to be inflated.   
     
     
         16 . A kit comprising:
 a tent comprising:
 a plurality of wall panels made out of a lightweight material, wherein each of said plurality of wall panels comprises:
 a bottom edge wherein said bottom edge comprises:
 two bottom edge sides; and 
 a bottom edge length wherein said bottom edge length is equal to the distance between said two bottom edge sides; 
 
 at least two side edges; and 
 an intersection of said at least two bottom edge sides and said at least two side edges; and 
 
 a plurality of air passages integral to and formed from said lightweight material of said wall panels, said air passages comprising:
 an overlap of two of said side edges of two of said wall panels wherein said wall panels are adjacent to one another; 
 an opening for said air passage within said overlap, wherein said opening comprises at least one opening edge parallel to said overlap; 
 at least one sealing of said overlap parallel to said at least one opening edge; 
 an inner circumference equal in distance to twice the width of said opening; 
 a hermetic sealant lining said inner circumference of said air passages; and 
 a plurality of ends proximate to said intersections of said wall panels that form said overlap; and 
 
 a perimeter comprising a perimeter length and a shape;
 wherein said perimeter length is equal to the sum of each of said bottom edge lengths of said bottom edges of said wall panels; and 
 wherein said shape is defined by the area enclosed by said plurality of ends of said air passages; and 
 
   an inflating device.   
     
     
         17 . The kit as claimed in  claim 16 :
 wherein said kit further comprises a patch kit, a carrier, and a plurality of stakes each of which comprises a spiked end and a hooked end;   wherein said tent further comprises a plurality of grommets affixed to said plurality of ends of said air passages; and   wherein each of said plurality of stakes is dimensioned to fit through one of said plurality of grommets such that said spiked end may be driven into the earth and said hooked end may engage said one of said plurality of grommets and secure said one of said plurality of grommets to the earth.   
     
     
         18 . The kit as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein said inflating device is a compressed gas cartridge. 
     
     
         19 . The kit as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said patch kit comprises:
 an area of said lightweight material;   glue;   a pair of scissors;   a quantity of hermetic sealant;   a container for holding said quantity of hermetic sealant; and   an application tool, wherein said application tool is dimensioned and arranged to apply said hermetic sealant.   
     
     
         20 . The kit as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said carrier is a sack comprising a plurality of attachment devices;
 wherein said sack is of essentially cylindrical shape when filled;   wherein said sack comprises a top end, said top end comprising a drawstring closure; and   wherein said sack comprises a plurality of compartments, said compartments dimensioned to accept elements of said kit.