Camping accessory inflation system

Abstract

The present invention provides a camping assembly (10) comprising an awning (18) which is releasably secured to a side of a caravan although in other embodiments the awning (18) may be releasably secured to the side of a tent/trailer tent/folding camper. The awning comprises a canopy and a network of inflatable air poles (26). The awning may be inflated by a removable pump or by an embedded pump or by air donated from a further inflatable camping structure. The awning comprises a donor valve (16). The donor valve is arranged to inflate a camping accessory (20, 22, 24) by donating a volume of air from the air poles to the camping accessory. In this way, the camping accessory can be inflated very quickly and the removal of the air does not significantly impact the structural stability of the awning. This provides a readily available and accessible air source.

1 . A camping assembly comprising an inflatable camping structure and an inflatable camping accessory, the inflatable camping structure comprising a network of inflatable air poles, the inflatable camping structure comprising a donor valve on an air pole for releasing air from the inflatable camping structure;
 wherein the donor valve is configured to be connected to an inflation valve of the inflatable camping accessory in order to inflate the inflatable camping accessory with air from the inflatable camping structure; and   in which the inflatable camping structure is in an inflated configuration and the inflatable camping accessory is in a deflated configuration and the inflation of the inflatable camping accessory is achieved exclusively with air contained within the inflatable camping structure in the absence of introducing any further air into the inflatable camping structure.   
     
     
         2 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the inflatable camping structure provides a reservoir of air with which the inflatable camping accessory is solely inflated. 
     
     
         3 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which:
 in a first configuration the inflatable camping structure is in an inflated configuration and the inflatable camping accessory is in a deflated configuration, and 
 in a second configuration the inflatable camping structure is in an inflated configuration and the inflatable comping accessory is in an inflated configuration and the inflation of the inflatable camping accessory is achieved exclusively with air contained within the inflatable comping structure in the absence of introducing any further air into the inflatable camping structure. 
 
     
     
         4 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the donor valve comprises a one-way valve. 
     
     
         5 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the donor valve comprises a pressure relief valve. 
     
     
         6 . A camping assembly according to  claim 5  in which the pressure relief valve is arranged to maintain a minimum pressure within the inflatable camping structure. 
     
     
         7 . A camping assembly according to  claim 6  in which above the minimum  10  pressure, the pressure relief valve enables air to be transferred from the inflatable camping structure to the inflatable camping accessory. 
     
     
         8 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the camping assembly comprises a main camping structure and a primary camping structure wherein the main camping structure is releasably attachable to the primary camping structure. 
     
     
         9 . A camping assembly according to  claim 8  in which the main camping structure comprises an awning and the primary camping structure comprises one of a caravan, a tent and a trailer tent. 
     
     
         10 . A camping assembly according to  claim 9  in which the primary camping structure comprises a primary inflatable camping structure comprising a first interconnecting valve and the awning comprises a second interconnecting valve for defining an air pathway between the primary inflatable camping structure and the awning. 
     
     
         11 . A camping assembly according to  claim 10  in which one of the primary inflatable camping structure and the awning is arranged to inflate the other of the primary inflatable camping structure and the awning. 
     
     
         12 . A camping assembly according to  claim 10  in which the first and second interconnecting valves form an air pathway with a control member located therein and, in which the control member is movable between an open position and a closed position to selectively allow or prevent air flow between the primary camping structure and the awning. 
     
     
         13 . A camping assembly according to  claim 12  in which the control member is manually movable between the open position and the closed position. 
     
     
         14 . A camping assembly according to  claim 10  in which the primary inflatable structure may comprise a plurality of donor valves. 
     
     
         15 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the camping assembly comprises a plurality of donor valves. 
     
     
         16 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the inflatable camping accessory and the inflatable camping accessory comprises one of a gazebo, a wind break, an auxiliary tent, an inflatable paddling pool, an awning, an inflatable ball, inflatable mattress and/or inflatable seat. 
     
     
         17 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the donor valve is adjustable and the donor valve comprises a control valve configured to adjust airflow through the donor valve. 
     
     
         18 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the camping assembly comprises a source of pressurised air configured to inflate the primary camping structure. 
     
     
         19 . A camping assembly according to  claim 18  in which the source of pressurised air comprises a pump. 
     
     
         20 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the inflation valve is connected to the donor valve by a connector. 
     
     
         21 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the inflation valve is pneumatically connected to the donor valve by connecting means and, in which, the connecting means comprises a quick-connect coupling. 
     
     
         22 . A camping assembly according to  claim 21  in which the connecting means comprise a flexible connector comprising a hose. 
     
     
         23 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the camping assembly comprises a first inflatable volume and a second inflatable volume wherein the first inflatable volume comprises an inflatable volume of the primary camping structure and the second inflatable volume comprises an inflatable volume of the inflatable camping accessory and wherein a ratio of the first inflatable volume to the second inflatable volume is 4:1 or greater. 
     
     
         24 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which an inflatable volume of the inflatable camping accessory is less than 50% of an inflatable volume of the primary camping structure. 
     
     
         25 . A method of inflating an inflatable camping accessory with air from a camping assembly, the camping assembly comprising an inflatable camping structure wherein the inflatable camping structure comprises:
 a network of inflatable air poles,   a donor valve on an air pole for releasing air from the inflatable camping structure; and   wherein the donor valve is configured to be connected to an inflation valve of an inflatable camping accessory in order to inflate the inflatable camping accessory with air from the inflatable camping structure;   the method comprising:   connecting an inflation valve of the inflatable camping accessory to the donor valve of the camping assembly; and   releasing air from the camping assembly,   in which the inflatable camping structure is in an inflated configuration and the inflatable camping accessory is in a deflated configuration and the method comprises inflating the inflatable camping accessory exclusively with air contained within the inflatable camping structure without introducing any further air into the inflatable camping structure.   
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 25  in which the camping assembly comprises:
 a primary inflatable camping structure comprising a primary donor valve configured to release air from the primary inflatable camping structure; 
 a main inflatable camping structure comprising an inflation valve for inflating the main inflatable camping structure wherein the inflation valve is configured to be connected to the primary donor valve in order to inflate the main inflatable camping structure with air from the primary inflatable camping structure, and 
 wherein the camping assembly comprises a secondary donor valve for releasing air from the camping assembly, and 
 the method comprises connecting the inflation valve of the inflatable camping accessory to the secondary donor valve of the camping assembly; and 
 releasing air from the camping assembly. 
 
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 25  in which the camping assembly comprises a first inflatable volume and a second inflatable volume wherein the first inflatable volume comprises an inflatable volume of the inflatable camping structure and the second inflatable volume comprises an inflatable volume of the inflatable camping accessory and wherein a ratio of the first inflatable volume to the second inflatable volume is 4:1 or greater.