Patent Publication Number: US-8974262-B2

Title: Inflatable walking apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority based on Chinese Application No. 201210258825.4 filed Jul. 24, 2012, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     The present application also claims priority based on Chinese Application No. 201220361773.9 filed Jul. 24, 2012, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The disclosure generally relates to the field of inflatable devices, particularly to an inflatable cylindrical float. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Various types of recreational aquatic activities have long been popular with children and adults alike. Floatation devices such as floating tubes and the like have been utilized in some of these activities. Some of these floatation devices may be inflatable. However, existing floating tubes provide limited maneuverability for the users. Therein lies a need for an inflatable device without these shortcomings. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure is directed to an apparatus. The apparatus includes a generally cylindrical airtight inflatable cylinder defined by an outer surface member and an inner surface member. The apparatus also includes a plurality of support structures disposed internally within the inflatable cylinder and a pair of airtight inflatable gears respectively disposed on two opposite ends of the inflatable cylinder. The outside diameter of each of the inflatable gears is configured to be greater than the outer diameter of the inflatable cylinder. 
     A further embodiment of the present disclosure is also directed to an apparatus. The apparatus includes an airtight inflatable chamber defined by an outer surface member and an inner surface member. The apparatus also includes a plurality of support structures disposed internally within the inflatable chamber and a pair of airtight inflatable gears respectively disposed on two opposite ends of the inflatable chamber. The outside diameter of each of the inflatable gears is configured to be greater than the largest cross-sectional distance of the inflatable chamber. 
     An additional embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to an apparatus for providing enhanced traction for an inflatable device. The apparatus includes an inflatable gear assembly attachable to the inflatable device. The inflatable gear assembly defines an outside diameter that is greater than the largest cross-sectional distance of the inflatable device. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not necessarily restrictive of the present disclosure. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate subject matter of the disclosure. Together, the descriptions and the drawings serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The numerous advantages of the disclosure may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying figures in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an inflatable walking apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is an end view of the inflatable walking apparatus depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the inflatable walking apparatus depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the inflatable walking apparatus depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an illustration depicting one or more riders riding the inflatable walking apparatus; and 
         FIG. 6  is another illustration depicting one or more riders riding the inflatable walking apparatus. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the subject matter disclosed, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     The present disclosure is directed to an inflatable device that may be suitable for various aquatic activities. More specifically, the inflatable devices in accordance with the present disclosure allow users/riders to maneuver (e.g., walk forward or backward) on water. 
     Referring generally to  FIGS. 1 through 6 , an apparatus  100  including an inflatable cylinder  102  having a pair of inflatable gears  104  fixedly attached to the two ends of the inflatable cylinder  102  is shown. One or more riders can crawl and/or walk inside of the inflatable cylinder  102 . As the rider(s) walk inside the inflatable cylinder  102 , the inflatable gears  104  rotate/spin accordingly and the cogs  106  positioned on the inflatable gears  104  can propel the apparatus  100  forward or backward by catching the water as the apparatus  100  floats on water. 
     More specifically, in certain embodiments as depicted in the figures, the inflatable cylinder  102  is formed by an outer surface  108 , an inner surface  110  and a plurality of parallel support structures  112  extending between the two ends of the inflatable cylinder  102 . The inner and outer surfaces of the inflatable cylinder  102  may be the constructed using materials that are transparent or have windows that are transparent to let the rider(s) see through when operating the apparatus  100 . 
     As depicted in the cross-sectional view shown in  FIG. 4 , the support structures  112  may be radially distributed evenly within the inflatable cylinder  102 . It is contemplated that each support structure  112  may include a plurality of air passages to allow air flow within the inflatable cylinder  102 . For example, each support structure  112  may define multiple perforations/apertures to allow air flow within the inflatable cylinder  102 . Additionally and/or alternatively, a space may be defined at each end of the support structure  112  so that air can work around the support structure  112 . It is also contemplated that while the support structures  112  described above are configured as vertical beams (or I-beams), such a configuration is merely exemplary. Other types of support structures such as wave beams, X-beams or the like may also be utilized. Furthermore, instead of extending between the two ends of the inflatable cylinder  102 , the support structures  112  may be configured to be parallel with or diagonally distributed between the two ends of the inflatable cylinder  102 . In addition, other alternative support structures such as ropes or the like may be utilized without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. 
     To provide enhanced maneuverability for the rider(s), inflatable gears  104  are attached to the two ends of the inflatable cylinder  102 . In accordance with the present disclosure, the outside diameter Do of the gear  104  (i.e., diameter of the gear measured from the tops of the cogs/teeth) is required to be greater than the outer diameter do of the inflatable cylinder  102 . The root diameter Dr of the gear  104  (i.e., diameter of the gear measured from the base of the cogs/teeth), on the other hand, does not have any specific requirements. It is contemplated, however, that the root diameter Dr in certain embodiment generally coincides with or is slightly greater that the outer diameter do of the inflatable cylinder  102 . 
     It is contemplated that the apparatus  100  may further include two guarding members  114  attached to the two ends of the inflatable cylinder  102 . In one embodiment, each guarding member  114  is configured as an inflatable ring having an outer diameter that coincides with the inner diameter di of the inflatable cylinder  102 . In a particular embodiment, the guarding member  114  is in the same general plane formed by the corresponding gear  104  positioned on that same end. The guarding members  114  are utilized to help prevent rider(s) from accidentally falling out of the cylinder  102  when riding. It is contemplated, however, that the configurations of the guarding members  114  are not limited to inflatable rings. Various other types of guarding members  114  such as nets, ropes, fabrics or the like may be utilized, as long as they allow the rider(s) to be able to get into or out of the inflatable cylinder  102 . 
     It is also contemplated that the inflatable cylinder  102 , the inflatable gears  104  and the guarding members  114  may be configured as totally integrated, partially integrated, or totally separated air chambers. Whether to configure the inflatable cylinder  102 , the inflatable gears  104  and the guarding members  114  as totally integrated, partially integrated, or totally separated air chambers may be a design choice and may vary without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. 
     It is further contemplated that in certain embodiments the inflatable gears  104  may be configured to be removable from the cylinder  102 . For instance, zippers may be utilized as the fastening mechanisms to attach/detach the gears  104  to/from the cylinder  102 . It is understood that other types of fastening mechanisms may also be utilized. Exemplary fastening mechanisms may include, but not limited to, a rope connection system, a snapped connection system (e.g., using buttons or the like), a Velcro connection system, a buckled connection system, as well as other types of fastening mechanisms without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, it is contemplated that the gears  104  in accordance with the present disclosure may be configured to retrofit or custom fit to any existing inflatable devices to enhance their maneuverability. For instance, the inflatable gears  104  may be attached to wheels of a bicycle used on the water to enhance its traction on water. 
     It is noted that the inflatable gears  104  in accordance with the present disclosure protrude from the main body of the apparatus  100  and help give the apparatus  100  traction and allow the rider(s) to move the apparatus  100 . While the ability to maneuver when the apparatus  100  floats on water is referenced in the examples above, it is contemplated that the apparatus  100  in accordance with the present disclosure may be utilize in various other types of surfaces such as on land, snow, ice or the like. 
     It is still further contemplated that the main body of the apparatus  100  is not limited to a cylindrical shape. Various different shapes may be utilized without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. That is, the main body of the apparatus  100  may be configured as any hollow chamber that allows one or more person to stand/kneel/sit inside and power the apparatus  100 . It is also contemplated that external power sources may be applied to the apparatus  100 . For instance, another device may push the apparatus  100  from the outside and the gears  104  will still allow the apparatus  100  to gain traction as they are designed to do so. 
     It is also noted that the inflatable feature of the gears  104  in accordance of the present disclosure allows the gears  104  to be deflated for storage. When deflated, the gears  104  may be folded or rolled-up, and therefore compact and easy to carry around. 
     The inflatable apparatus  100  in accordance with the present disclosure may be produced in several different size configurations. For instance, single-person or multi-person (e.g., 2, 3, 4 or 6 person) sizes may be produced for kids as well as adults. The inner diameter of the cylinder may vary from 36 inches to 72 inches depending on the specific size. For instance, for a 3 person model, the inner space defined by the cylinder may be approximately 87 inches in length and 76 inches in diameter. The cogs may be approximately 5 inches in width at tips and approximately 8 inches in width on the sides. While the specific dimension may vary from the example provided above, it is contemplated that if the cog is too narrow when fully inflated may not provide enough traction in the water, and on the other hand, if the cog is too wide when fully inflated may be too hard to spin by the riders. 
     The various components of the inflatable apparatus  100  in accordance with the present disclosure may be constructed using various types of materials. For instance, various types of flexible materials such as plastics (e.g., polyvinyl chloride, thermoplastic polyurethane, etc.) fabrics, or the like may be utilized. The inflatable apparatus  100  may be formed using one or more fabricated pieces joined together. The specific material and process utilized for producing the inflatable apparatus  100  may vary without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. In addition, due to the nature of the mat being inflatable, it is contemplated that certain corners/edges/sides may be rounded or curved when the inflatable apparatus  100  inflated. 
     While the descriptions above describe a standalone walking apparatus, the walking apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure may be connected together using certain fastening mechanisms. For instance, the a rope connection system, a snapped connection system (e.g., using buttons or the like), a Velcro connection system, a buckled connection system, as well as other types of fastening mechanisms may be positioned on the ends of the walking apparatus, allowing two or more of such walking apparatuses to be interconnected. It is contemplated that providing interconnectivity with other walking apparatuses may provide additional enjoyment to the riders and they may choose to connect as many apparatuses as they desired. 
     It is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to any underlying implementing technology. The present disclosure may be implemented using a variety of technologies without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. 
     It is believed that the present disclosure and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely an explanatory embodiment thereof, it is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.