Claims
- 1. Containing apparatus for the storage of a motor vehicle, comprising:a substantially rectangular base sheet having four side edges; an inner cover sheet having a peripheral edge connected to the side edges of the base sheet so as to define in combination therewith a storage chamber; a releasable fastener connecting at least part of the peripheral edge of the cover sheet to the side edges of the base sheet so that the inner cover sheet may be at least partially disconnected from and re-attached to the base sheet so as to give access to the interior of the storage chamber; an outer cover sheet of substantially the same shape as the inner cover sheet and having a peripheral edge margin connected to the inner cover sheet adjacent the peripheral edge thereof so that the outer cover sheet substantially wholly overlies the inner cover sheet with a space therebetween, the outer cover sheet having a coating substantially resistant to the transmission of UV radiation; a separate pocket having edge margins being defined between the inner and outer cover sheets by joining together the inner and outer cover sheets along said edge margins, an air vent communicating between the external atmosphere and the pocket; a fan mounted in the inner cover sheet within said pocket and arranged to draw air from said pocket and drive that air into the storage chamber defined by the base sheet and the inner cover sheet, so as thereby to inflate the storage chamber; a first air leakage controller that controls the leakage of air from the storage chamber to said space between the inner and outer cover sheets so as to inflate said space; and a second air leakage controller that controls the leakage of air from said space to the external ambient whereby there will be a flow of air through the storage chamber.
- 2. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first air leakage controller comprises an air bleed arranged to permit air within the storage chamber to bleed into and inflate said space between the inner and outer cover sheets.
- 3. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first air leakage controller comprises an elongate vent in the inner cover sheet, extending over a part thereof which is spaced from but overlies the base sheet.
- 4. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inner cover sheet is air permeable.
- 5. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner and outer cover sheets are joined together by a plurality of spaced, substantially parallel seams to define a multiplicity of elongate tubular pockets.
- 6. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least some of said elongate tubular pockets are linked for simultaneous inflation and pressure equalisation.
- 7. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fan comprises at least one electric motor drivingly connected to a fan impeller.
- 8. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said separate pocket is formed in a lower region of the outer cover sheet with one edge margin of said pocket being defined by a portion of the peripheral edge margin of the outer cover sheet.
- 9. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said air vent is defined by said portion of the peripheral edge margin of the outer cover sheet, which edge margin is releasably connected to the inner cover sheet whereby said pocket may be opened to the external ambient.
- 10. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein an adjustable further vent is provided to control the flow of air out of the storage chamber into said pocket.
- 11. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the second air leakage controller includes a series of relatively small holes formed through the outer cover sheet adjacent the peripheral edge region of the outer cover sheet, whereby air leaks from said space to the ambient through said holes.
- 12. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second air leakage controller includes a series of relatively small holes formed through the outer cover sheet adjacent the peripheral edge region of the outer cover sheet, whereby air leaks from said space to the ambient through said holes.
- 13. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer cover sheet has a coating of aluminium.
- 14. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer cover sheet has an external coating of a silicone material.
- 15. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner and outer cover sheets are wholly releasable from the base sheet.
- 16. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the releasable fastener has a first part and a second part, wherein said first part of the releasable fastener extends around the base sheet and is engageable with the second part of the fastener, said second part extending around the peripheral edge of the inner cover sheet.
- 17. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is a further releasable fastener having a first part and a second part, wherein said first part of the further releasable fastener extends around the base sheet and is engageable with the second part of the fastener, the second part extending around the peripheral edge margin of the outer cover sheet.
- 18. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cyclic controller that cyclically operates the fan.
- 19. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the cyclic operation of the fan is under the control of at least one of air pressure, temperature and humidity within the storage chamber.
- 20. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a secondary fan adjacent and in parallel with the first fan, which secondary fan is arranged when operated to drive air into the storage chamber.
- 21. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 20, further comprising a humidity detector that controls operation of the secondary fan by comparing the relative humidities in the chamber and externally of the apparatus.
- 22. Containing apparatus for the storage of a motor vehicle, comprising:a substantially rectangular base sheet having four side edges; an inner cover sheet having a peripheral edge connected to the side edges of the base sheet so as to define in combination therewith a storage chamber; a releasable fastener connecting at least part of the peripheral edge of the cover sheet to the side edges of the base sheet so that the inner cover sheet may be at least partially disconnected from and re-attached to the base sheet so as to give access to the interior of the storage chamber; an outer cover sheet of substantially the same shape as the inner cover sheet and having a peripheral edge margin connected to the inner cover sheet adjacent the peripheral edge thereof so that the outer cover sheet substantially wholly overlies the inner cover sheet with a space therebetween, the outer cover sheet having a coating substantially resistant to the transmission of UV radiation; a primary fan arranged to drive air from the external ambient into the storage chamber defined by the base sheet and the inner cover sheet, so as thereby to inflate the storage chamber; a secondary fan adjacent and in parallel with the first fan, which secondary fan is arranged when operated to drive air into the storage chamber; a controller for the secondary fan which controller includes a humidity detector and controls operation of the secondary fan by comparing the relative humidities in the chamber and externally of the apparatus; a first air leakage controller that controls the leakage of air from the storage chamber to said space between the inner and outer cover sheets so as to inflate said space; and a second air leakage controller that controls the leakage of air from said space to the external ambient whereby there will be a flow of air through the storage chamber.
- 23. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the first air leakage controller comprises an air bleed arranged to permit air within the storage chamber to bleed into and inflate said space between the inner and outer cover sheets.
- 24. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein the first air leakage controller comprises an elongate vent in the inner cover sheet, extending over a part thereof which is spaced from but overlies the base sheet.
- 25. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein said primary and secondary fans are disposed within a pocket having edge margins and which is defined between the inner and outer cover sheets by joining together the inner and outer cover sheets along said edge margins, the primary and secondary fans being mounted in the inner cover sheet to draw air from said pocket and drive that air into the storage chamber.
- 26. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein said pocket is formed in a lower region of the outer cover sheet with one edge margin of said pocket being defined by a portion of the peripheral edge margin of the outer cover sheet.
- 27. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein said portion of the peripheral edge margin of the outer cover sheet is releasably connected to the inner cover sheet whereby said pocket may be opened to the external ambient.
- 28. Containing apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein an adjustable vent is provided to control the flow of air out of the storage chamber into said pocket.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED CASES
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/023,141, filed Feb. 12, 1998 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,408.
US Referenced Citations (8)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/023141 |
Feb 1998 |
US |
Child |
09/613677 |
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US |