On a recent camping trip through Finland where I live, a friend and I used a tent which had to be erected and then a couple of inflatable mattresses to be placed within the tent for spending the night. The camping areas were grassy fields where the car was parked and besides which the tent was erected. It would be simple enough to design an inflatable system which could be pumped up by an air pump. These pumps are now sold at nominal cost and which work off the battery supply of the car. The system would be the tent supported by pneumatic tubes and the floor of the tent which would be an air mattress over the entire surface. Thus the structure and sleeping surfaces could be quickly and easily erected merely by the power of the pump. Supplementary tie-downs could anchor the structure to the ground surface. Somewhat the same system could be used in the construction of inflatable recreational boats with tent “cabins” for protection from the sun. Perhaps even small lifeboats.
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Many times I've been awoke in the middle of the night while camping by a leaky air mattress. I think any of us that camp regularly know the feeling. I'm wondering what the feeling of a tent (probably wet from dew) laying tight against my face would be like. I have to guess I wouldn't like it. . .
Whether or not a piece of equipment functions well is dependent upon the specific design and the individual action of the use of that design. Pneumatic equipment has proved itself thoroughly from the use in automobile tires to inflated boats to many other areas. In my recent experience of two weeks use of air mattresses, they never failed through leakage. The principle is sound.
Yeah, you are right about pneumatic equipment design being thoroughly sound.
Come to think of it I've never seen a tire blowout on the highway. I've never heard of the Firestone company recalling millions of defective tires because some of them suddenly failed with disasterous results. I've never seen an inflatable raft go flat while bouncing off a rock in the river.
But then, the world I live in is totally smooth and abrasion free. . . Right!
Sand, I'm not saying the idea isn't worthwhile. I'm saying I wouldn't trust such a device to keep me dry & warm in the great outdoors.
Considering the number of tires functioning everyday with great reliability and the percentage of daily failures, your objections seem hysterical.
What's original about this idea? I mean there are literally thousands of inflatable tents and shelters out there. Google.
I have a little tent that erects itself- just take it from the storage bag, toss it in the air, and it unfolds into a litle 2-person bubble. All that is left to do is install the rain fly and the anchor stakes- the whole process takes less than 10 minutes. It works by having a folding spring metal framework, cost me under US$75, no air pump needed.
You could simply purchase one of the children's bounce castles on the market. One of those could sleep an entire group on a comfortable mattress and be entertaining as well.