REMOTELY CONTROLLABLE INFLATABLE SYSTEM

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of Invention

The present invention relates to an inflatable system and, more particularly, to an inflatable system that includes a remotely controlled inflatable form that can be caused to traverse a surface.

(2) Description of Related Art

Remotely controlled vehicles have long been known in the art. Remotely controlled vehicles are typically built to mimic a vehicle or other item and include a hard shell covering a base with wheels that are remotely operated via a remote control. While operable, such existing devices do not typically allow for expansion into larger shapes nor provide realistic motion when shaped like an alternative item (e.g., animal) as opposed to a vehicle. As such, existing remotely controlled vehicles are limited in their motion and to the size in which they are packaged and shipped.

Thus, a continuing need exists for a new and improved remotely controlled item that is expandable to a desired shape while providing an improved realism while moving.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present disclosure is directed to an inflatable system that includes a remotely controlled inflatable form that can be caused to traverse a surface. In some aspects, the remotely controllable inflatable system includes a base having at least one blower and at least one remotely controllable drive wheel, with an inflatable form connected with and sealed against the base. Thus, activating the at least one blower causes the inflatable form to inflate.

Further, the base includes two base platforms connected with one another via linkage, each base platform having a blower and a remotely controllable drive wheel.

In another aspect, the inflatable form is bi-pedal shaped with two distinct legs, such that a distinct leg is attached with each of the two base platforms.

In yet another aspect, each base platform includes a bottom surface and an angled back surface rising therefrom.

In another aspect, each base platform includes front and rear auxiliary wheels.

Further, the drive wheel is positioned at a juncture of the bottom surface and angled back surface.

In another aspect, the inflatable form has an inflatable trailing portion that extends rearward from the inflatable form to prevent the inflatable from tipping backwards.

In another aspect, the system further comprises a remote-control transmitter, the remote-control transmitter being operable for activating the at least one blower and the at least one remotely controllable drive wheel.

In yet another aspect, one or more tension straps are connected within the inflatable form. The one or more tension straps are connected within the inflatable form at a rear high connection point and a front low connection point.

In another aspect, a heel is attached with each angled back surface, each heel having a wheel attached thereto.

In another aspect, an extension wheel is affixed with the angled back surface between the driving wheel and rear auxiliary wheel.

In another aspect, the at least one remotely controllable drive wheel includes two independently operated wheels that are affixed with the base, the base being a single unit.

Finally, as can be appreciated by one in the art, the present invention also comprises a method for forming and using the invention as described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed descriptions of the various aspects of the invention in conjunction with reference to the following drawings, where:

FIG. 1A is an illustration of an inflatable item in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention, depicting the inflatable item in a deflated state;

FIG. 1B is an illustration of the inflatable item, depicting the inflatable item in an inflated state;

FIG. 1C is an illustration depicting an example remote control device for remotely controlling the inflatable item in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a bottom, elevated view illustration of a base in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2B is a top, elevated view illustration of the base in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 3A a right, side-view illustration of the base in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention, depicting a right-side base component;

FIG. 3B a left, side-view illustration of the base in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention, depicting a left-side base component;

FIG. 3C is an exploded-view illustration of the right-side base component in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 3D is an exploded-view illustration of the left-side base component in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 4A is a bottom-view illustration of the inflatable form in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention, depicting the inflatable form alone with no base;

FIG. 4B is a bottom-view illustration of the inflatable form in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention, depicting the inflatable form with a base attached thereto;

FIG. 4C is an illustration depicting the inflatable form being connected with the base;

FIG. 5 is a side-view illustration of the inflatable form and base sitting upon a ground surface;

FIG. 6A is a side-view illustration of the base moving forward upon a ground surface to cause the inflatable form to rock backwards;

FIG. 6B is a side-view illustration of the base moving forward upon the ground surface, depicting a rear portion of the inflatable form contacting the ground surface to cause the inflatable form to lift upwards and rock forwards;

FIG. 6C is a side-view illustration of the base moving forward upon the ground surface to cause the inflatable form to rock backwards;

FIG. 7A is an illustration depicting the remote-control being used to cause the driving wheels to rotate to move the inflatable form forwards;

FIG. 7B is an illustration depicting the remote-control being used to cause the driving wheels to rotate to move the inflatable form rearward;

FIG. 7C is an illustration depicting the remote-control being used to cause the driving wheels to spin, causing the inflatable form to rotate quickly right;

FIG. 7D is an illustration depicting the remote-control being used to cause the driving wheels to spin, causing the inflatable form to rotate quickly left;

FIG. 7E is an illustration depicting the remote-control being used to cause the left driving wheel to rotate to turn the inflatable form right;

FIG. 7F is an illustration depicting the remote-control being used to cause the left driving wheel to rotate and reverse the inflatable form in a left turn;

FIG. 7G is an illustration depicting the remote-control being used to cause the right driving wheel to rotate to turn the inflatable form left;

FIG. 7H is an illustration depicting the remote-control being used to cause the right driving wheel to rotate and reverse the inflatable form in a right turn;

FIG. 8A is a bottom-view illustration of the base, depicting attachment of a heel in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8B is a bottom-view illustration of the base, depicting attachment of a heel in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8C is a bottom-view illustration of the base, depicting the heel as attached to the base in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8D is a right, side-view illustration of the base and heel as depicted in FIGS. 8A through 8C;

FIG. 8E is a bottom-view illustration of the base, showing an aspect in which the air intake can be opened to access and replace an air filter;

FIG. 9A is a bottom-view illustration of the base, depicting attachment of a heel in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9B is a bottom-view illustration of the base, depicting the heel as attached to the base in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9C is a right, side-view illustration of the base and heel as depicted in FIGS. 9A and 9B;

FIG. 10A is a bottom-view illustration of the base, depicting attachment of a heel in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10B is a left, side-view illustration of the base and heel as shown in FIG. 10A, depicting an interior of the heel;

FIG. 10C is a right, side-view illustration of the base and heel as depicted in FIG. 10A;

FIG. 11A is an elevated ¾^thview illustration of an inflatable item with interior stabilization straps in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 11B is a front-view illustration of the inflatable item with interior stabilization straps as depicted in FIG. 11A;

FIG. 11C is a right-view illustration of the inflatable item with interior stabilization straps as depicted in FIG. 11A;

FIG. 11D is an elevated, ¾^threar-view illustration with interior stabilization straps of the inflatable item with interior stabilization straps as depicted in FIG. 11A;

FIG. 11E is a rear-view illustration of the inflatable item with interior stabilization straps as depicted in FIG. 11A;

FIG. 12A is a bottom-view illustration of a base in accordance with various aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 12B is a right-view illustration of the base as shown in FIG. 12A;

FIG. 13A is an illustration of a base and an inflatable form in accordance with various aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 13B is a bottom-view illustration of the base as shown in FIG. 13A;

FIG. 14A is an illustration of an inflatable form in accordance with various aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 14B is an illustration of a base that could accommodate the inflatable form as shown in FIG. 14A;

FIG. 15A is an illustration of an inflatable form in accordance with various aspects of the present invention; and

FIG. 15B is a bottom-view illustration of the inflatable form as depicted in FIG. 15A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to an inflatable system and, more particularly, to an inflatable system that includes a remotely controlled inflatable form that can be caused to traverse a surface. The following description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and to incorporate it in the context of particular applications. Various modifications, as well as a variety of uses in different applications will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to a wide range of embodiments. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments presented, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without necessarily being limited to these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form, rather than in detail, in order to avoid obscuring the present invention.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with this specification and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference. All the features disclosed in this specification, (including any accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is only one example of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

Furthermore, any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for” performing a specified function, or “step for” performing a specific function, is not to be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. Section 112, Paragraph 6. In particular, the use of “step of” or “act of” in the claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 112, Paragraph 6.

Please note, if used, the labels left, right, front, back, top, bottom, forward, reverse, clockwise and counter-clockwise have been used for convenience purposes only and are not intended to imply any particular fixed direction. Instead, they are used to reflect relative locations and/or directions between various portions of an object.

(1) Description

As noted above, the present disclosure is directed to an inflatable system that includes a remotely controlled inflatable component that can be caused to traverse a surface. More specifically and as shown in FIGS. 1A through 1C, the inflatable system 100 includes an inflatable form 102 attached to a base 104 and a separate remote-control device 106 that can be used to initiate inflation of the inflatable form 102 (in some aspects) and control motion of the base 104. As shown between FIGS. 1A and 1B, the inflatable form 102 is adapted to selectively inflate and transition from a deflated state to an inflated state. Once inflated, the remote-control device 106, shown in FIG. 1C, can be used remotely control the base 104 and cause the base 104 and attached inflatable form 102 to drive around or otherwise traverse a surface. Further details are provided below.

The base 104 is any suitable mechanism or device that includes all of the necessary components to receive remote commands from the remote-control device 106 and cause the inflatable form 102 to traverse a surface. Further, the base 104 also includes all of the necessary components to inflate the inflatable form 102. A non-limiting example of such a base 104 is depicted in FIGS. 2A through 3D.

In one aspect and as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the base 104 can be configured to include a left base platform 200 and a right base platform 202 fixedly connected with each other via a bar 206 or other linkage component. Further and as shown in the figures, the base 104 includes one or more drive wheels 204, 212. In the non-limiting example as depicted, the base 104 includes two drive wheels 204, 212, each of which is operably connected with a motor and independently controllable. For example and as shown in FIGS. 7A through 7H, a user can use the remote control 106 to independently control each drive wheel and cause the attached inflatable form 102 to turn left, turn right, move forward, reverse, and spin as desired. Thus, the remote-control transmitter (shown in FIG. 1C) includes all of the necessary components to remotely control the base 104 and the attached inflatable form 102. For example, in addition to a wireless transmitter and any other necessary components, the remote control 106 includes two control levers 110 and 112, an inflate button 108, and a deflate button 108a (e.g., to reverse the blower fan and cause the blower to suck the air out of the inflatable form 102).

In one aspect and as depicted, pressing (or pushing) both control levers forward causes the wheel in each base platform 200 and 202 to rotate in a similar manner to move the base forward (as shown in FIG. 7A). Alternatively, pulling both control levers 110 and 112 backwards causes the base 104 to reverse (as shown in FIG. 7B).

As can be appreciated by those skilled in the art and as depicted throughout the figures, moving the control levers 110 and 112 in opposite directions causes the corresponding wheels 204, 212 to rotate in opposite directions and spin the base 104 with the attached inflatable form 102 (as shown in FIGS. 7C and 7D). For example, in FIG. 7C, by moving the left control lever 110 up and the right control lever 112 down, the left base wheel 204 moves forward and the right base wheel 212 moves backward, causing the base 104 and the attached inflatable form 102 to spin in a quick right. Similarly, in FIG. 7D, by moving the left control lever 110 down and the right control lever 112 up, the left base wheel 204 moves backward and the right base wheel 212 moves forward, causing the base 104 and the attached inflatable form 102 to spin in a quick left.

In another aspect, as shown in FIGS. 7E-7H, the control levers can be operated independently to cause the base 104 and the inflatable form 102 to move in various directions. For example, by moving the left control lever 110 up, the corresponding left wheel 204 rotates forward, the base 104 and the inflatable form 102 turns right, as shown in FIG. 7E. Furthermore, by moving the left control lever 110 down, the corresponding left wheel 204 rotates backward, the base 104 and the inflatable form 102 reverses in a left turn. Similarly, by moving the right control lever 112 up, the corresponding right wheel 212 rotates forward, the base 104 and the inflatable form 102 turns left, as shown in FIG. 7G. And, as shown in FIG. 7H, by moving the right control lever 112 down, the corresponding right wheel 212 rotates backward, the base 104 and the inflatable form 102 reverses in a right turn.

In a desired aspect, the base 104 includes one or more blowers that are remotely controlled such that, when activated, blow air and inflate the inflatable form 102. In the multi-platform base, as shown, each platform has its own air intake and blower to inflate the attached inflatable form 102. The blowers include motors and fans (or any other necessary components) to blow air into and inflate the inflatable form 102. It should be noted that the blowers can be operated using any suitable mechanism, technique, or device. For example, the controller 106 and base 104 are programmed such that after the controller 106 pairs with the base 104, the controller 106 sends a signal to the base 104 to cause the base 104 to activate the blower and associated fan and inflate the inflatable form 102. In one aspect, the fan will remain activated during use unless instructed to turn off. For example, the controller 106 includes an inflate button 108. At any time during inflation, a user can hold the inflate button 108 on the controller 106 for a predetermined amount of time (e.g., five seconds) to turn the fan off. The user can then hold the inflate button 108 again to start the fan again as needed in the event that the inflatable form 102 has deflated below a desired level.

In another desired aspect, the base 104 further includes mechanism for deflating the inflatable form 102 after use such that the user may deflate the system for storage. For example, the controller 106 may include a deflate button 108a, which can communicate via radio signal with the base 104. The base 104 includes necessary components to deflate the inflatable form 102 by sucking out air.

In another desired aspect, the controller 106 may include other functions remotely operable function for controlling the movement of the base 104 and the inflatable form 102. In addition, controller 106 may include any suitable sound functions to accompany the character of the inflatable form 102. For example, roaring sounds for a dinosaur, roaring sounds of a gorilla, creepy moving sounds of a monster, engine sound of a vehicle, dance music for a fun character, etc.

The inflatable form 102 can be shaped in any desirable shape, non-limiting examples of which include bipedal objects such as a dinosaur, a monster, or any objects with two feet. Furthermore, the inflatable form can also include non-bipedal objects, such as a shark, a vehicle, etc. The inflatable form 102 is affixed with the base 104 using any suitable mechanism or device that secures the form 102 against the base 104 while retaining air within the inflatable form 104. As a non-limiting example, a plastic ring can be used that screws to the base 104, trapping the fabric with an air-tight seal against the base 104 such that a hole in the base 104 is open to the blowers while sealed elsewhere. For example, FIG. 4A illustrates a bottom view of the inflatable form 102, showing the hole 400 with no base 104 attached; whereas FIG. 4B illustrates the base 104 as attached with the inflatable form 102 to be operable for blowing air through the hole 400 filling the inflatable form 102. For further understanding, FIG. 4C illustrates the inflatable form 102 as being connected to the base 104. As shown, the inflatable form 102 is attached to the base 104 by aligning the holes 400 in the feet with the cover plates 402. The inflatable form 102 is then fastened into position when the cover plates 402 are screwed on or otherwise affixed to the base 104. In other words, the inflatable form 102 is sandwiched between the cover plates 402 and base 104, thereby affixing the inflatable form 102 against the base 104.

The base 104 can be formed in any shape as desired to allow for inflation and control of the inflatable form 102. As noted above, the base 104 can be configured to include a left base platform 200 and a right base platform 202 fixedly connected with each other via a bar 206 or other linkage component. An advantage to such distinct platforms is that they can be separately connected with an inflatable form 102 that includes legs (e.g., such as a bipedal figure). In this aspect, each base platform 200 or 202 is connected with a leg, thereby adding to the realism as the inflatable item is caused to traverse a surface. The bar 206 in this case is necessary to ensure that the two base platforms 200 and 202 operate together as opposed to spinning separately when the drive wheel in each base platform 200 and 202 is activated. Each base platform 200 and 202 is formed to affix with and support a corresponding inflatable form 102 part. For example, when the form is shaped as a dinosaur with two legs, each leg is affixed with one of the base platforms 200 and 202. In this aspect and as described above, each base platform 200 and 202 has its own remotely controllable drive wheel and blower.

In another aspect of the invention, the bar 206 is a single continuous rigid bar. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the bar 206 can be a collapsible bar or rod, whereby the distance between the left base platform 200 and the right base platform 202 can be reduced for storage.

Referring again to FIGS. 3A and 3B, each of the base platforms 200 and 202 can include front and rear auxiliary wheels 300 and 302. The front auxiliary wheels 300 freely roll and assist the base 104 in rolling across a surface. Alternatively, the rear auxiliary wheels 302 (which also freely rolls), in conjunction with the angled back surface 304, are used to provide a realistic rocking motion while preventing the inflatable item from tipping over. This aspect is described in further detail below with respect to FIGS. 5 through 6C.

As noted above, in some aspects, the base 104 can be shaped to allow for a rocking motion of the inflatable form 102 while in operation to impart a realistic movement as if the animal was walking or moving. For example and as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the base 104 has a bottom surface 306 with an angled back surface 304 rising therefrom. As shown in FIG. 5, the angled back surface 304 and its rear auxiliary wheel 302 provides a rear angle 500 between the rear auxiliary wheel 302 and ground surface 502 that allows for the rocking motion of the inflatable form 102. It should be noted that although the base 104 is illustrated with an angled back surface 304, the base 104 in other aspects can be formed such that the bottom surface is substantially flat such that the driving wheels and auxiliary wheels 300 and 302 are substantially aligned with the ground surface. However, when devised with an angled back surface 304 and as shown in FIG. 6A, when driving forward 600, the forward motion of the base 104 causes the top of the inflatable form 102 to rock back 602 which also tips the base 104 backwards. When the angled back surface 304 (or the trailing portion 604 of the inflatable form 102) contacts the ground surface 502, the resulting pushback force 608 from the ground surface 502 causes the inflatable form 102 to rock forward 610 (as shown in FIG. 6B). This process is repeated (as shown in FIG. 6C) as the inflatable system is driven, thereby creating the rocking motion of the inflatable form 102. As referenced above, the trailing portion 604 of the inflatable form 102 extends rearward beyond the base 104 to prevent the inflatable form 102 from tipping over backwards when driven forwards. Thus, while the angled back surface provides a hard stop from rocking backwards, the trailing portion 604 in effect provides the stop by engaging with the ground surface 502 and reversing the momentum of the inflatable form 102 before the base 104 tips too far backwards and the angled rear surface engages with the ground surface 502. In one aspect, at rest, the inflatable form 102 is formed such that the trailing portion 604 rests between one inch and six inches from the ground surface 502.

Desirably, the driving wheels 204, 212 are placed at the junction of the bottom surface and angled surface, thereby allowing the rocking motion about a pivot point that is centered on the axis or axle of the driving wheels 204, 212. As noted above, the front 300 and rear 302 auxiliary wheels are affixed with the base 104 to allow the base 104 to roll and be driven smoothly when the respective auxiliary wheel is in contact with the ground surface 502.

Referring again to FIG. 5, it should be noted that the angle 500 can be adjusted to create a more or less dynamic rocking action. In some aspects, the base 104 with the angled back surface 304 is created and provided to the consumer in its final form. In another aspect, the back surface 304 is adjustable (e.g., through a hinge or other mechanism) to allow the user to adjust the angle 500 and the resulting rocking motion when driving the inflatable system.

Thus, as can be appreciated, there are several variations to the base 104 that can be implemented to allow for operation of the remotely controlled inflatable system. Nevertheless, before describing additional embodiments, provided in FIGS. 3C and 3D is an exploded view of a non-limiting example of a base (i.e., the left 200 and right 202 platforms) in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. The table below includes part labels that are coordinated with the left 200 and right 202 base platforms as illustrated in FIGS. 3C and 3D.

Right Base Platform 202

No.
Part Label

1
Motor cover

2
Motor for fan

3
Fan upper cab

4
Turbine

5
Fan lower cab

6-1
Left front cab

6-2
Right rear cab

7
Bottom cab

8
Fan cover

9
Auxiliary wheel

10
Wheel cover

11
PVC ring

12
Ring cover

13
Tire

14
Wheel inner

15
Axle

16
Wheel outer

17-1
Wire cover left

17-2
Wire cover right

18-1
Left rear cab

18-2
Right front cab

Left Base Platform 200

No.
Part Label

19
PVC ring 2

20
Bottom cab 2

21
Ring cover 2

22
Middle bar up

23
Middle bar bottom

24
Battery cover

25
Rechargeable battery

26
Main Printed Circuit Board (PCB)

27
LED

28
USB plug

29
Switch cover

30
USB cover

31
Gear box up

32
Gear 1

33
Gear 2

34
Gear 3

35
Gear 4

36
Gear 5

37
Gear 6

38
Gear support

39
Motor for wheel

40
Motor cover

41
Gear box bottom

Although a specific example of a remotely controllable inflatable system is illustrated and described above, it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited thereto as both the base and inflatable form can be shaped to accommodate a variety of designs and shapes. For example and as noted above, one aspect of the inflatable form 102 includes a trailing portion 604 that prevents the inflatable form 102 from tipping over while being operated. However, other aspects are created that do not include such a trailing portion 604. In such aspects, the base 104 and other components of the inflatable system can be modified to prevent the inflatable form 102 from tipping over.

To decrease the rear angle or otherwise prevent the base 104 and inflatable form 102 from tipping forward/backward, a heel can be added to the back portion of the base 104 to lengthen its ground contact profile by having a rear auxiliary wheel that is proximate the ground surface. In one aspect, the heel can be integrally formed with the base to include the rear auxiliary wheel that is proximate the ground surface. In another aspect and as shown in FIGS. 8A through 8D, the heel 800 can be separately formed to connect with the base 104 and bring the rear auxiliary wheel 302 closer to the ground surface 502. For example, the original rear auxiliary wheel 302′ can be lifted and placed into the heel 800 or, in another aspect, the heel 800 simply covers the original rear auxiliary wheel 302′. In the aspect as shown, a separate heel 800 is affixed with each of the left 200 and right 202 platforms of the base 104. For further understanding, FIGS. 8B through 8C depict the heel 800 as affixed with the base. Notably, FIG. 8D depicts a side-view illustration of the base 104 (i.e., the right platform 202), showing how the heel 800 brings the rear auxiliary wheel 302 closer to the ground surface 502 to decrease the rear angle 500 and minimizing any tilting or rocking motions. Although a slight rear angle 500 is depicted, one skilled in the art can appreciate that the heel 800 can be formed a little longer (as an extension as depicted or integrally formed with the base) such that there is no rear angle 500 and all wheels are aligned with the ground surface 502. The heel 800 as depicted in FIGS. 8A through 8C is U-shaped to provide sufficient rearward support while not obscuring the air intake 804 that is necessary for the blowers to inflate the inflatable form or to remove air after use. In some aspects and as shown in FIG. 8E, the base 104 can be formed to include a cleanable air vent 810. For example, the air intake can be formed with a hinged door 812 that can be opened to allow users to clean out the air vent 810 to remove hair, string, dirt, etc., that can be sucked into the air intake 804 while in use. The air vent 810 can be a thin mesh vent or other item that is operable for catching and filtering debris.

An alterative heel 900 design is shown in FIGS. 9A through 9C. As shown, the heel 900 in FIGS. 9A through 9C similarly is post-shaped to bring the rear auxiliary wheel 302 closer to the ground surface 502, while not obscuring the air intake 804 from lateral air draw or removal.

Yet another heel 1000 design is shown in FIGS. 10A through 10C. In this aspect, the heel 1000 is U-shaped to provide a strong and stable base while not obscuring the air intake 804. Notably, the heel 1000 is formed with a cavity 1002 that passes to air apertures 1004 to allow air to easily flow through the air apertures 1004 and out the cavity 1002 to be drawn into the air intake 804. As shown in FIG. 10B, the rear auxiliary wheel 302 can be moved to the periphery of the heel 1000. In some aspects and as shown in FIG. 10C, the heel 1000 (and/or base 104) can be formed such that the rear auxiliary wheels 302, driving wheels 204, 212, and front auxiliary wheels 300 are substantially aligned with the ground surface 502 to minimize rocking motions and decrease the likelihood that the inflatable form will tip forward or backward.

In some aspects, additional features can be included with the inflatable system to further maintain stability of an upright inflatable form. In other words, inflatable forms without a trailing portion (e.g., a tail) to stabilize the form may often fall over in a direction of force. The trailing portion not only keeps the inflatable form upright and prevents it from falling backwards, it also weighs the unit down in the back (as a counter-weight) which helps stabilize the unit from falling frontwards. However, not all inflatable forms are created with a trailing portion. For example, FIGS. 11A through 11E depict a bipedal inflatable form 102 without a trailing portion. Also depicted are several enhancements that allow the inflatable form 102 to stay upright without requiring a large physical interior post that would keep the inflatable form 102 standing, but not allow the user to deflate and store the unit.

To stabilize bipedal characters (i.e., the inflatable form 102) from bending at the ankle and falling in the direction of force, two interior straps 1100 are attached to the base 104. Note that the heel 1000 can be any heel as described herein, or any combination or variation thereof. The heel 1000 levels out the angled base 104 so it has solid flat footing. In one aspect, the heel 1000 attaches to the base 104 unit by extending the threaded intakes so that a screw can fasten it to the existing holes created in the original base 104 unit. Desirably, the heel 1000 attachment is designed to not cover the fan air intake vent (depicted as element 804 in FIGS. 8A through 10C).

The interior tension straps 1100 (e.g., formed of fabric, etc.) help create tension between two points internally so that the unit will have a strong inertia to withstand a change in velocity. The idea being that a strap cut to exact size will be taut enough to stabilize the bipedal character (i.e., inflatable form 102). Being made from fabric allows the unit to deflate as intended. The straps 1100 being internal also keeps the long pieces of fabric (i.e., the straps 1100) from being tangled around a consumer or by the tires of the base 104.

The taut tension straps 1100 connect from a low connection point 1102 on the inflatable form 102 (e.g., sewn or otherwise adhered to the front, such as to the front of the feet of the inflatable form 102) and is connected at an angle to a high connection point 1104 on the opposite side of inflatable form 102 (e.g., the rear, such as the back or shoulder area of the inflatable form). Both of these additions are desired to stabilize a bipedal inflatable form 102 without a trailing portion and keep it from falling over. The tension straps 1100 can be affixed anywhere to assist the inflatable form 102 in maintaining an upright position when in operation. For example and as noted above, the straps 1100 can be sewn, glued or otherwise affixed to the high connection point 1104. Further, the straps 1100 can be affixed at the low connection point 1102 to the inflatable form, or by hooking the straps 1100 to the base 102 (such as via an elastic strap connected to a hook on the base, or via any other technique).

As noted above, the base 104 and inflatable form 102 can be modified to accommodate a variety of features. For example and as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, the base 104 can be modified to include an intermediate extension wheel 1200. The extension wheel 1200 is formed at varying heights to extend out from the bottom angled surface 304. Notably, the inclusion of the extension wheel 1200 can be used to slow the backward rocking of a bi-pedal inflatable form to assist in preventing the form from tipping backwards. The extension wheel 1200 can be used in place of a heel, or in conjunction with the heel, or any combination thereof.

As yet another aspect and as shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, the base 104 can be formed in a single unit (as opposed to multiple platforms as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B). In this aspect, the driving wheels 204 are within the single and same base 104. As noted above, the inflatable form 102 can be affixed with the base using any mechanism, technique or device, a non-limiting example of which includes the strap 1400 and pull strings 1402 as shown in FIG. 13A. In this example, a bottom open end of the inflatable form wraps around the strap 1400. The pull strings 1402 are used to tighten the form 102 around the strap 1400. Thereafter, the strap 1400 can be clipped together (via a clip 1406) and affixed within a channel 1404 formed in the base 104.

It should be noted that the base 104 can also be formed to include a single remotely powered driving wheel 204 (e.g., forward/turn in reverse). For example, the single driving wheel 204 can be mounted in the center of the base 104 to allow for forward motion and turn in reverse motion. Alternatively, the base 104 can be equipped with two wheels (one on the left and one on the right). Each wheel can be operated independently with separate motors or with a single motor, such that a user can control the base by moving it forward, backward, or spin.

As noted above and as illustrated throughout, the inflatable form 102 can be formed in a variety of shapes. A non-limiting example of such a shape is a shark inflatable form 102, as shown in FIG. 14A. Such an animal-shaped inflatable form 102 has a mouth shape 1400. Thus, in some aspects and as shown in FIG. 14B, the base 104 can be formed with a movable component 1402 that operates with the inflatable form 102 to add additional realism to the inflatable form while in operation. As a non-limiting example, the movable component 1402 can be a hinge that is geared or otherwise formed to open and close, thereby appearing as a mouth. When the mouth shape 1400 of the inflatable form 102 is affixed with the movable top hinged part (i.e., movable component 1402), the item can be operated in a manner to appear as if the mouth is opening and closing. Thus, in this aspect, the base 104 can be formed with any components as necessary to allow for operation of the movable component 1402. As a non-limiting example, the top hinged part can be geared with the wheels and/or axle or other components such that as the toy drives forward, the top hinged part opens until reaching a top, then drops closed. This can be accomplished with a partial gearing or teeth on the axle and hinged part and then a space in the teeth that allows the top hinged part to slip and appear to close. This configuration would cause the inflatable form 102 to appear as if the mouth shape 1400 opens and closes when the toy is accelerated forward.

In yet another aspect, the inflatable form 102 can be in a shape of a vehicle as shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B. In this aspect, the inflatable form 102 can be attached with any base 104 that is appropriately shaped and configured to operate with the vehicle-shaped inflatable form 102 with tire portions 1500. As a non-limiting example, the base 104 could be formed with the left 200 and right 202 platforms as described above, with the tire portions 1500 affixed with the relative platform 200 and 202 to provide actual driving features proximate the tire portions 1500 and enhance the realism of the inflatable system. Thus, as can appreciated, there are a variety of applications in which the inflatable system in accordance with the present disclosure can be implemented.

Finally, while this invention has been described in terms of several embodiments, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the invention may have other applications in other environments. It should be noted that many embodiments and implementations are possible. Further, the following claims are in no way intended to limit the scope of the present invention to the specific embodiments described above. In addition, any recitation of “means for” is intended to evoke a means-plus-function reading of an element and a claim, whereas, any elements that do not specifically use the recitation “means for”, are not intended to be read as means-plus-function elements, even if the claim otherwise includes the word “means”. Further, while particular method steps have been recited in a particular order, the method steps may occur in any desired order and fall within the scope of the present invention.

REMOTELY CONTROLLABLE INFLATABLE SYSTEM

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