Inflatable camping assembly

Abstract

A camping assembly ( 110 ) comprising a primary inflatable camping structure in the form of an awning ( 112 ). The awning ( 112 ) may be releasably secured to a side of a caravan ( 102 ) or to the side of a tent/trailer tent/folding camper. The awning ( 112 ) comprises a plurality of elongate inflatable elements ( 114 ) or air poles. The awning ( 112 ) is provided with an embedded or integrated pump module ( 80 ) for inflating the inflatable elements of the awning ( 112 ). In this embodiment, the pump module ( 80 ) is disposed at a lower end ( 119 ) of the first upright inflatable element ( 114 a ).

1 . A camping assembly comprising:
 a primary inflatable camping structure comprising:
 an elongate support member extending between a first end and a second end, the elongate support member comprising:
 inflatable means which is arranged to be inflated to provide a structural support element for the camping assembly, and 
 a pump module configured to inflate the inflatable means, 
 
   wherein the pump module:
 is positioned in-line with the inflatable means, and 
 locates between the first end and the second end of the elongate support member, and 
   wherein a longitudinal length of the elongate support member defined between the first end and the second end is formed from a longitudinal length of the pump module together with a longitudinal length of the inflatable means in the inflated configuration.   
     
     
         2 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the inflatable means comprise a single inflatable component. 
     
     
         3 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the pump module extends between the first end of the elongate support member and an end of the inflatable component and the inflatable component extends between an end of the pump module and the second end of the elongate support member. 
     
     
         4 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the inflatable means comprises a first inflatable component and a second inflatable component and the pump module locates between the first inflatable component and the second inflatable component. 
     
     
         5 . A camping assembly according to  claim 4  in which the first inflatable component extends between the first end of the elongate support member and a first end of the pump module and the second inflatable component extends between a second end of the pump module and the second end of the elongate support member. 
     
     
         6 . A camping assembly according to  claim 2  in which an end of the pump module may form an interface with an end of the inflatable element such that the pump module extends between the first end of the elongate support member and the interface and the inflatable element extends between the interface and the second end of the elongate support member. 
     
     
         7 . A camping assembly according to  claim 4  in which an end of the pump module forms a first interface with an end of the first inflatable component and a second interface with an end of a second inflatable component such that the pump module locates between the between the first inflatable component and the second inflatable component and the first inflatable component extends between the first end of the elongate support member and the first interface and the second inflatable component extends between the second interface and the second end of the elongate support member. 
     
     
         8 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the pump module is contiguous with the or each inflatable component to provide the elongate support member. 
     
     
         9 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the pump module is in-line with the inflatable element in order for the pump module to extend along a longitudinal axis and the or each inflatable element to also extend along the same longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         10 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the pump module is embedded in the elongate support member. 
     
     
         11 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the pump module is integral with the inflatable element to form the elongate support member. 
     
     
         12 . A camping assembly according to in which a longitudinal length of the elongate support member comprises a longitudinal length of the pump module plus a longitudinal length of the inflatable element. 
     
     
         13 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the elongate support member provides an air pole for the primary camping structure and in which the primary camping structure comprise an inflatable network of air poles and a canopy and in which the primary inflatable structure comprises one of an awning or a gazebo. 
     
     
         14 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the elongate support member is an upright support member and the pump module is disposed at a lower end of the elongate support member. 
     
     
         15 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the pump module provides structural support to the inflatable means. 
     
     
         16 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  which the elongate support member is a first elongate support member of a pair of elongate support members and a length of the inflatable means of the first elongate support member is less than a length of the inflatable means of the second elongate support member, to accommodate a height of the pump module. 
     
     
         17 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the inflatable means is generally cylindrical and wherein the pump module comprises a generally cylindrical housing, which is arranged to be coaxial with an axis of the inflatable means. 
     
     
         18 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the elongate support member comprises a sleeve and the inflatable means comprises a bladder and the bladder locates within the sleeve and the pump module locates at least partially within the sleeve. 
     
     
         19 . A camping assembly according to  claim 18  in which the sleeve retains the pump module with the inflatable means and in which the pump module remains secured to the inflatable means whilst the inflatable means is in an inflated configuration and a deflated configuration. 
     
     
         20 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the primary inflatable camping structure is arranged to be stored in a storage configuration in which the pump module is secured to the inflatable means. 
     
     
         21 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the pump module comprises a detachable battery and a battery receiver comprising a slot and wherein the battery receiver is arranged to receive the battery in a direction perpendicular to an axis of a housing of the pump module. 
     
     
         22 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the pump module comprises at least one ancillary power connector configured to supply power to an ancillary device. 
     
     
         23 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the pump module comprises one or more USB connectors for charging an accessory. 
     
     
         24 . A camping assembly according to  claim 1  in which the camping assembly comprises a lighting arrangement comprising one or LED strips and wherein the lighting arrangement is provided on the inflatable camping structure and the lighting arrangement is configured to be powered by a power source of the pump module. 
     
     
         25 . A method of providing an elongate support member for a camping assembly, the camping assembly comprising:
 a primary inflatable camping structure comprising:
 an elongate support member extending between a first end and a second end, the elongate support member comprising:
 inflatable means which is arranged to be inflated to provide a structural support element for the camping assembly, and 
 a pump module configured to inflate the inflatable means, 
 
   wherein the pump module:
 is positioned in-line with the inflatable means, and 
 locates between the first end and the second end of the elongate support member, and 
   wherein a longitudinal length of the elongate support member defined between the first end and the second end is formed from a longitudinal length of the pump module together with a longitudinal length of the inflatable means in the inflated configuration,   wherein the method comprises inflating the inflatable means with the pump module.