U.S. patent application number 11/283393 was filed with the patent office on 2007-05-24 for inflatable barrier.
This patent application is currently assigned to Franklin Sports, Inc.. Invention is credited to William B. Best, John F. Purciello.
Application Number | 20070117658 11/283393 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38054260 |
Filed Date | 2007-05-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070117658 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Best; William B. ; et
al. |
May 24, 2007 |
Inflatable barrier
Abstract
An inflatable barrier with an integral, triple chamber
construction. An upper air chamber of relatively greater volume may
be configured in any convenient shape such as pyramids, cylinders,
cubes and barricades as suitable for use at combat sports venues. A
centrally disposed, water-filled chamber provides sufficient weight
to resist displacement of the barrier to normal impacts. A
peripheral lower air chamber surrounds the water-filled chamber to
stabilize lateral support and to maintain an upright orientation of
the barrier.
Inventors: |
Best; William B.; (Norfolk,
MA) ; Purciello; John F.; (Quincy, MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JOSEPH B. BOWMAN
5441 EAST GLENEAGLES DRIVE
TUCSON
AZ
85718-1805
US
|
Assignee: |
Franklin Sports, Inc.
|
Family ID: |
38054260 |
Appl. No.: |
11/283393 |
Filed: |
November 18, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/415 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 71/022 20130101;
A63B 2225/62 20130101; A63B 2071/026 20130101; A63B 69/004
20130101; A63B 71/0054 20130101; A63C 19/06 20130101; A63C 2203/16
20130101; A63B 2071/0063 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/415 |
International
Class: |
A63B 67/00 20060101
A63B067/00 |
Claims
1. An inflatable barrier comprising: a first chamber generally for
defining the overall shape and size of the barrier; a ground
engaging second chamber centrally positioned beneath and connected
to said first chamber; and a ground engaging third chamber
peripherally surrounding said second chamber and being integrally
connected to said first and second chambers; whereby said first
chamber may be fully inflated with air to establish the overall
shape and size of the barrier, said second chamber may be filled
with a weighting fluid of sufficient mass to hold said first
chamber at a preselected ground location, and said third chamber
may be fully inflated with air to stabilize the barrier from side
impacts.
2. The barrier as in claim 1, said first, second and third chambers
being integrally fabricated of durable, water and air impermeable
fabric.
3. The barrier as in claim 1, the shape of said first chamber being
selected from the group consisting of pyramids, cones, cubes,
cylinders, rectangular blocks, domes, hemispheres, and regular and
irregular volumetric forms.
4. The barrier as in claim 1, the shape of said second chamber in
top plan view being scaled down from the top plan view of said
first chamber such that the out periphery of said second chamber is
spaced inwardly from the outer periphery of said first chamber.
5. The barrier as in claim 1, said second chamber comprising a
water bladder disposed beneath the centroid of said first
chamber.
6. The barrier as in claim 1, the shape of said second chamber
being selected from the group consisting of volumetric triangles,
rectangles, squares and circles.
7. The barrier as in claim 1, said third chamber shaped to
correspond to the outer periphery of said first chamber.
8. The barrier as in claim 1, said third chamber being generally
tubular in form and shaped as to frame the periphery of said second
chamber.
9. The barrier as in claim 1, wherein the volume of said third
chamber falls in the range or 80 to 130% of the volume of said
second chamber.
10. The barrier as in claim 1, further including first, second and
third fill valve corresponding respectively to said first, second
and third chambers whereby said first and third chambers may be
inflated with air and said second chamber may be filled with water.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] There are no related applications.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] The inventions described and claimed in this application
were not made under federally sponsored research and
development.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] This invention relates to a portable barrier as used in
combat sports games. More specifically, this invention relates to a
freestanding inflatable barrier.
[0004] The sport of paintball is one of the fastest growing sports
among teenagers and young adults. It is a combat type game in which
players suitably attired in padded clothing and face shields shoot
paint filled balls at each other through compressed air guns. On
impact, the paintball typically breaks open to leave a splotch of
water soluble, colored liquid. During game play, paintball field
operators typically have a variety of barriers or obstacles behind
which competitors may hide while shooting at members of an opposing
team. Barriers can include solid structures such as wooden panels,
large drums, culvert pipes, discarded tires and the like.
[0005] In order to have more portable barriers for setting up a
playing field, inflatable barriers have been developed in different
shapes and sizes. The shapes include pyramids, cubes, and both
vertical and horizontal cylinders. Once inflated, the barriers must
be tied or staked to the ground. Although a player can impact the
inflated barrier itself without harm, the stakes and ropes
associated with these inflatables can be a cause of injury as
players run from one barrier or obstacle to the next.
[0006] Therefore, a need exists in the sports industry to provide a
safe, portable and inflatable barrier which is freestanding without
the aid of tiedown ropes or ground stakes. The primary objective of
this invention is to meet this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide
an inflatable barrier which is compact in storage and easily
transportable.
[0008] Another object of the invention is to provide a barrier
which, when inflated, is freestanding and resists displacement
during normal impacts from combat sports players.
[0009] Another object of the invention is to provide a barrier of
the character described which can be fabricated in a wide range of
shapes and sizes.
[0010] An additional object of the invention is to provide a
barrier of the character described which can be filled with readily
available resources for prompt assembly.
[0011] A further object of the invention is to provide a barrier of
the character described which can be weighted with water and still
resist displacement during normal impacts from combat sports
players.
[0012] In summary, an inflatable barrier with an integral, triple
chamber construction. An upper air chamber of relatively greater
volume may be configured in any convenient shape such as pyramids,
cylinders, cubes and barricades as suitable for use at combat
sports venues. A centrally disposed, water-filled chamber provides
sufficient weight to resist displacement of the barrier to normal
impacts. A peripheral lower air chamber surrounds the water-filled
chamber to stabilize lateral support and to maintain an upright
orientation of the barrier.
[0013] Other and further objects of the invention, together with
the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the
course of the detailed description of the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] In the following description of the drawings, in which like
reference numerals are employed to indicate like parts in the
various views:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a barrier constructed in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 in
the direction of the arrows; and
[0017] FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view illustrating the
resistance of the barrier to impacts.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] Referring to the drawings in greater detail, it should be
understood that the barrier of this invention is fabricated of
durable, water and air impermeable fabric material for containing a
volume of air or water as appropriate. The barrier is constructed
of at least three separate chambers 10, 12 & 14 and are
integrally joined. An upper air chamber 10 is joined to a lower air
stabilizer tube 12 which surrounds a central water bladder 14.
[0019] Exteriorly, the upper air chamber 10 is fitted with a fill
valve 16 for introducing air to inflate the chamber 10 and is
equipped with a carrying handle 18. Likewise, stabilizer tube 12 is
fitted with a fill valve 20 and the water bladder 14 is fitted with
a fill valve 22 as shown in FIG. 3.
[0020] The upper air chamber 10 occupies the largest volume of the
three chambers 10, 12 & 14 and may be configured in virtually
any convenient form such as a pyramid, cube, cylinder, cone, or
some amorphous structure. This main chamber 10 may also be formed
with internal support baffles or by joining two or more
subchambers.
[0021] The ground supporting base for the upper air chamber 10 is
formed by the stabilizer tube 12 and the water bladder 14 in
combination. The water bladder 14 must be of sufficient capacity or
volume, based on water weighing approximately 8 pounds per gallon,
so as to hold the barrier in place and to resist displacement on
the ground 24 once the barrier is fully inflated. It is also
important that the water bladder 14 be centrally positioned beneath
the centroid of the upper chamber 10. The shape of the water
bladder 14 may be constructed as appropriate for the particular
shape of the upper chamber 10. In the drawings, the shape of the
upper chamber 10 is an elongate horizontal dome and the
corresponding water bladder 14 is generally rectangular in shape to
correspond proportionally with the length and width of the domed
upper chamber 10. In the event a pyramidal form is selected for the
upper chamber 10, then a triangularly shaped water bladder 14 might
be most appropriate. If, on the other hand, a vertically
cylindrical form is selected for the upper chamber 10, then a
circularly shaped water bladder 14 would be a logical choice.
[0022] A barrier constructed of a single air chamber with only a
water bladder for weight does not provide sufficient resistance to
displacement during combat sports play. With such a structure the
barrier is frequently distorted in shape and the water alone does
not provide sufficient response to return the barrier upright and
in its intended shape after an impact.
[0023] We have discovered that by placing an integrally formed air
tube 12 around the periphery of the water bladder 14 significantly
stabilizes the structure and improves the barrier's ability to
return to its original, intended shape and upright orientation
after normal impact. The shape of the stabilizer tube 12 is
therefore determined by the shape selected for the water bladder
14. If the water bladder 14 is circular in form, then the
stabilizer tube 12 would be formed in a toroid or doughnut shape.
Where the shape of the water bladder 14 is substantially
rectangular as illustrated in the drawings, then the stabilizer
tube 12 is likewise generally rectangular in form in order to
surround the water bladder at the outer periphery thereof.
[0024] The air tube 12 must be of sufficient capacity or volume as
compared to the volume of the water bladder 14 in order to achieve
a stabilizing effect. Generally, the volume of the air tube 12
should be in the range of 80 to 130% of the volume of the water
bladder 14. In the case of a vertically cylindrical bag, for
example, where the upper air chamber 10 is approximately 4 feet
high and 2 feet in diameter, a circular bladder 14 of sufficient
capacity to contain about 10 pounds of water can be effectively
stabilized by a toroid shaped tube 12 having a volume of
approximately 90% of the volume of the water bladder 14.
[0025] In operation, and assuming the barrier is in its collapsed
condition for the purposes of storage and transport, it is probably
easiest to first fill the stabilizer tube 12 which frames the water
bladder 14. This can be accomplished with the aid of an air source
such as the discharge from a household vacuum cleaner or from an
air compressor connected to the fill valve 20. Then the water
bladder 14 may be filled with a hose or faucet introducing water
through the fill valve 22. Lastly, the upper air chamber 10 may be
filled with air through the fill valve 16.
[0026] The barrier so erected will remain in its intended shape and
position after experiencing normal impacts as is common in combat
field play. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the stabilizer tube 12 acts
to contain the water bladder 14 and to influence the barrier to
return to an upright position on the ground 24 after side impact,
for example, as shown by the arrows.
[0027] Importantly, the barrier constructed in accordance with this
invention provides a barrier or obstacle that is completely
freestanding and does not require injurious ropes or ground stakes
for its intended use. This results in safer conditions for players
of combat field sports such as paintball.
[0028] It will be understood that certain features and
subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without
reference to other features and subcombinations. This is
contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.
[0029] Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention
without departing from the scope thereof, it is understood that all
matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to
be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
* * * * *