Inflatable camper

This invention relates to an inflatable camper that may be used in conjunction with pickup trucks. A flat section of flexible material with magnetic strips is used to attach the camper to the bed of a pickup truck. Extending upward from the flat section of flexible material are inflatable walls that have internal shape forming walls therein to prevent overinflation of any particular portion of the inflatable walls. The internal shape forming walls allow pressurized air to flow therethrough to other sections of the inflatable walls. The inflatable walls connect to an inflatable top that likewise has internal shape forming walls located therein. Flexible transparent windows are located in portholes in the sides of the flexible walls, as well as a flexible transparent door being located in an entrance for the inflatable camper. Both the flexible transparent windows and door may be unzipped and either removed or moved to one side with screens remaining to protect against insects. A quick disconnect valve allows the inflatable camper to be inflated by a source of pressurized air.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to camping equipment and, more particularly, to an 
inflatable camper that may be used in conjunction with pickup trucks. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
The recreational vehicle industry has been booming in recent years with 
many different types of recreational vehicles having been designed and 
introduced into the market. Initially, recreational vehicles were 
predominantly trailers that were attached to standard automobiles for the 
household. As time and technology progressed, complete mobile homes that 
would be pulled by automobiles were introduced into the market. These were 
followed by motor homes that would contain many of the conveniences of 
home, yet could be driven to any section of the country by the owner and 
still maintain many of the conveniences of home. 
As this technology concerning recreational vehicles advanced, so did their 
price. The need for an inexpensive recreational vehicle developed that 
would provide more conveniences than camping out in a tent, yet still be 
tremendously less expensive than motor homes or mobile homes. Foldout and 
prop-up travel trailers have developed in the recreational vehicle 
industry, but are again fairly expensive and inconvenient to use. Also, 
they have the normal inconveniences that a towed vehicle will have as far 
as operation of the towing vehicle. 
An alternative that has developed in recent years is to have a rigid camper 
shell that may be placed in the bed of a pickup truck. With the increased 
popularity of pickup trucks, so has the popularity of campers for pickup 
trucks increased. However, the campers or camper shells for pickup trucks 
have many inconveniences, such as (1) making the pickup truck hard to 
handle, (2) expensive, (3) being difficult to install and remove, (4) 
difficult to store, just to name a few. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide an inflatable type 
camper for use with pickup trucks. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide an inflatable type 
camper that may be folded up into a convenient type bundle and 
subsequently unfolded upon arriving at a destination and inflated in the 
bed of a pickup truck to form a camper similar in external shape to a 
pickup truck camper. 
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an 
inflatable type camper that has shape forming inner walls to insure that 
the camper forms the same external configuration as a pickup truck camper 
shell, plus adding additional strength to the overall structure. 
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide flexible and 
removable transparent windows and doors, as well as insect screens and 
portholes and entrance to an inflatable camper. 
The inflatable camper is designed so that it may be wrapped into a 
relatively small package and carried in the pickup truck until arriving at 
a desired campsite, then unfolded in the rear of the pickup truck. By 
connection of a quick disconnect valve to a source of pressurized air, 
such as a portable DC compressor, the inflatable camper is then inflated. 
Upon inflation, the inflatable camper forms an external configuration 
similar to a pickup camper shell. Shape forming inner walls located in the 
side walls and roof of the inflatable camper help insure the proper 
configuration of the inflatable camper, plus add strength to the entire 
camper by way of structural support. The shape forming inner walls must be 
flexible and allow passage of the pressurized air to the various sections 
of the inflatable camper. 
Portholes in the side of the inflatable camper have flexible transparent 
windows therein that can be unzipped on the side and lower portions 
thereof and rolled upward and secured at the top of their respective 
porthole to allow air flow into the camper. Flexible screens located 
inside of the flexible transparent windows in the portholes prevent 
insects from coming inside of the camper. 
Likewise, the entrance for the camper, which is at the rear thereof with 
respect to the pickup truck, has a flexible transparent door therein that 
may be unzipped and either removed or tied to one side. Also located in 
the entrance way is a flexible screen material that may likewise be 
unzipped and either removed or moved to one side thereof for entrance into 
the camper. 
The bottom of the camper has a flat section of flexible material with 
magnetic strips that attach to the bed and cab of the truck. The magnetic 
strips insure that the entire camper remains securely in position when 
inflated. No inflation is necessary for the lower portion of the 
inflatable camper with that particular portion simply unfolding to conform 
with the bed of the truck. Tie downs are located on the side of the camper 
and are used to further secure the camper to the sides of the truck in 
case of high winds. 
It is anticipated that a portable compressor operated off of the battery of 
the pickup truck would be used to inflate the camper through a quick 
disconnect valve. Such a portable compressor may be obtained commercially; 
however, it is recommended that the motor of the truck be running at the 
time of inflation of the camper to insure that the battery of the truck is 
not discharged to the point that it will no longer start the truck.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIG. 1, a perspective view of the inflatable camper 
represented generally by reference numeral 10 is shown in the bed of a 
pickup truck 12. The tailgate 14 of the pickup truck is lowered to the 
horizontal position to make room for the inflatable camper 10. A portable 
compressor 16 that operates off of a standard 12 volt battery is connected 
to the battery (not shown) of the truck through electrical cable 18. From 
the portable compressor 16, there is a connection to the inflatable camper 
10 by means of hose 20 by means of a quick disconnect valve 22. Tie downs 
24 are located on each side of the inflatable camper and may be used to 
anchor the inflatable camper to the sides of the pickup truck 12 or the 
bumper 26. The tie downs 24 are anchored to the sides of the inflatable 
camper 10. 
While the general external configuration of the inflatable camper 10 is 
shown in FIG. 1 along with at least one means of inflation of the 
inflatable camper 10, the inflatable camper 10 when not in use, being 
transported, or stored, is normally in a configuration as shown in FIG. 2. 
The inflatable camper may be folded up into a bundle and held together by 
straps 28. By undoing the straps 28 and unfolding the inflatable camper 
10, it may be spread in the bed of the pickup truck 12 as shown in FIG. 3. 
Thereafter, by connection of the hose 20 to inflatable camper 10 via quick 
disconnect valve 22 and operation of the compressor 16 (see FIG. 1), the 
inflatable camper 10 may be inflated to the position as shown in FIG. 1. 
Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5 in combination, opposing perspective views 
of the inflatable camper 10 are shown. The purpose of FIGS. 4 and 5 are to 
show how the pressurized air from hose 10, which connects through quick 
disconnect valve 22, spreads throughout the inflatable camper 10. The 
direction of the arrows represent generally the direction of air flow. 
Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown a lower side partial cross-sectional 
view of one of the inflatable walls 30 of the inflatable camper 10. The 
pressurized air is located inside of inflatable wall 30 between outer wall 
32 and inner wall 34. Also located at the bottom of the inflatable wall 30 
is a magnetic strip 36 as will subsequently be explained in more detail. 
Referring now to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 in combination, the inflatable camper 10 
will be explained in further detail. Like numerals previously used to 
designate like parts will again be used. Referring to the upper cutaway 
section of FIG. 7, the outer wall 32 and inner wall 34 of the inflatable 
camper 10 can be seen in more detail. To prevent against overinflation of 
any particular portion of the inflatable camper 10 and to insure that the 
inflatable camper 10 conforms to the desired configuration, shape forming 
internal walls 38 are located between the inner walls 34 and outer walls 
32. The shape forming internal walls 38 are contained along each of the 
seams 40 of the inflatable camper 10. The shape forming inner walls 38 
must be porous to allow air flow therethrough to inflate the inflatable 
camper 10 as shown and explained in conjunction with FIGS. 4 and 5. 
In external configuration, the inflatable camper 10 has a rearmost portion 
41 that extends over the tailgate 14 of the pickup truck 12 as can be seen 
in FIG. 1. However, because the sides of the pickup truck bed may not be 
as wide as the rearmost portion 40, a recess 42 is provided to accommodate 
the sides of the pickup truck bed. A wheel well recess 44 is also provided 
to fit over the hump inside of the pickup truck bed that is required to 
accommodate the wheel wells. Extending upward over the front wall of the 
pickup truck bed is a shoulder 46 to extend the inflatable camper 10 a 
couple of inches forward so that it may fit snug with the back of the cab 
for the pickup truck 12. The forwardmost portion 48 of the inflatable 
camper 10 extends over the top of the cab of the pickup truck 12. 
Contained in the bottom 50 of the inflatable camper 10 are magnetic strips 
52 that help secure the inflatable camper 10 in position on the pickup 
truck bed. Also, magnetic strips 53, 54, and 56 are provided to secure the 
inflatable camper 10 to the front wall of the bed of the pickup truck, to 
the back of the cab of the pickup truck, and to the top of the cab of the 
pickup truck, respectively. The magnetic strips 52, 53, 54, and 56 provide 
additional strength to hold the inflatable camper 10 in position along 
with the tie down 24 on each side of the inflatable camper. 
On both sides of the inflatable camper, there is a series of portholes 58, 
60 and 62. Over each of the portholes is removably secured a flexible 
transparent window 64 that may be connected by any convenient means, such 
as zipper 66. Secured in position inside of the flexible transparent 
window 64 inside of the respective portholes 58, 60 or 62 is located 
screens 68. By unzipping the flexible transparent window 64 on the bottom 
and two sides, the flexible transparent window 64 may be rolled upward and 
secured by tie strings 70 as shown for porthole 62 of FIG. 7. 
There is also porthole 72 in the front along with flexible transparent 
window 74 and internal screen (not shown). Likewise, there is a small 
porthole 76 in the rear with flexible transparent window 78. 
In the rear of the inflatable camper 10 is located entrance 80 that has a 
flexible transparent door 82 removably secured in the entrance 80 by any 
suitable means, such as a zipper 84. Also inside of the flexible 
transparent door 82 is contained a flexible screen 86 that again may be 
secured by any convenient means, such as zipper 88. 
During hot weather, the flexible transparent windows 64 may be unzipped and 
rolled upward and secured by tie strings 70 and the flexible transparent 
door 82 either removed or moved to one side to allow air flow through the 
inflatable camper 10. In cold weather, naturally the entrance 80 may be 
closed by flexible transparent door 82 and the portholes 58, 60 and 62 
closed by the flexible transparent windows 64. After staying at a 
particular location, if a person desires to move on, all that would be 
necessary would be that the inflatable camper be deflated to the position 
as shown in FIG. 3 and rolled up into the bundle as shown in FIG. 2, which 
is secured by straps 28. The bundle as shown in FIG. 2 may then either be 
transported or stored.