This invention relates to a vehicle enclosure and in particular to an inflatable enclosure for a vehicle.

To preserve the value of a vehicle and maintain its interior and exterior quality, a temporary vehicle enclosure can provide protection from weather conditions such as rain, snow, hail, and sunlight, which can cause fading, rust, dents, and other damage. Such a vehicle enclosure should provide effective coverage, yet be convenient to use as temporary storage to be erected when required. In addition, it is desirable to reduce condensation within the enclosure, as can also damage stored vehicles.

Inflatable vehicle enclosures are known. For example, GB 2264963 describes an inflatable storage chamber defined by a flexible membrane comprising means for access to the chamber and means for inflating the chamber. Similarly, US 4991363 describes an air supported enclosure for the protection of a vehicle comprising a flexible sheeting totally surrounding but not touching the vehicle.

However, in both of those enclosures, the structure is maintained solely by air pressure, so that a reduction of that air pressure, or an increased external load such as heavy snow, can allow the upper part of the fabric of the structure to sink and come into contact with the vehicle. That is undesirable, because air cannot circulate, so that condensation is increased. Furthermore, if the fabric is in contact with the paint work for a substantial length of time then adhesion can occur and paint may become detached from the vehicle.

Vehicle covers with support frames can alleviate that problem; and can also provide a self-standing structure, into which a vehicle can be driven. For example, US 6220263 describes a vehicle enclosure having a base frame carrying one or more hoops to support the fabric. Furthermore, US8640395 describes a vehicle enclosure having a support frame system comprising a plurality of vertically disposed posts.

Vehicle enclosures are also known with support frames having inflatable vertical support posts. For example, CN 205259657 describes a portable inflatable parking shed, comprising an inflatable outer cover and an inflatable bracket for supporting the outer cover. A product with inflatable vertical support posts is also known at: https://inthegarage.com/product/outdoor-ultimate-car-shield.

Although the known vehicle enclosures described above can provide protection from many weather conditions, one problem with the prior art structures is their reduced ability to withstand more extreme weights of rain and snow; and lower stability in strong winds. There is a need for inflatable vehicle enclosures that can withstand severe weather conditions.

The present invention tackles the problem of protection of vehicles in severe weather conditions by including laterally diagonal inflatable chambers within vertical side walls as part of a support frame for a vehicle enclosure.

Although non-vertical inflatable supports are known in other fields, they have not previously been applied to inflatable vehicle enclosures. For example, DE102010050485 and DE102007002406 disclose tents having multiple tubular inflatable elements at various angles. Flowever, there is no disclosure nor suggestion in those documents of a structure that is suitable to house and protect vehicles. Thus, an enclosure which is inflatable, as opposed to inflatable support members, would not be suggested by a tent structure; the tents disclosed in the above DE documents are dome shaped, which would be unsuitable for a vehicle enclosure; and the tents do not describe or suggest an access suitable for a vehicle.

US 2007/0125410 describes a tent structure which can provide storage for vehicles. However, although the support members of the frame can be inflatable tubes, the tent structure itself is not inflatable. Furthermore, although a vertical sided cover can be placed over the frame, this document does not disclose frame members that have laterally diagonal inflatable chambers within vertical side walls.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an inflatable enclosure for a vehicle comprising a frame, a water-resistant cover material which is supported by the frame, and a floor material; the cover material having a roof portion and a side portion, and the floor material being attachable to the side portion of the cover material, the frame having vertical lateral side portions, wherein the enclosure is inflatable when the side portion of the cover material and the floor material are attached to each other, and wherein the frame has access for a vehicle and the side portion of the cover material has closable access for a vehicle, characterized in that the frame comprises elongate inflatable chambers, at least one of which chambers is situated in a diagonal orientation within the vertical plane of the lateral side portion of the frame.

The water-resistant cover material is supported by the frame to protect the vehicle. The term water-resistant is intended to include water- repellent and waterproof. As well as being water-resistant, the cover material is preferably also UV-resistant, fire-resistant, cold-resistant, and heat-resistant.

The cover material may fit over the frame or be supported within the frame, for example by being attached to the outside or inside of the frame. The roof portion and the side portion of the cover material my be integral with each other, or may be separately supported by the frame. In one embodiment, the roof portion of the cover material fits over the top of the frame, and the side portion of the cover material is supported inside the frame.

It is also possible to provide a second cover material suspended below the frame, in order to increase insulation.

The cover material and the floor material are lightweight and flexible and may suitably comprise natural rubber, nylon, or a flexible synthetic plastic polymer, such as flexible polyvinylchloride (abbreviated as PVC), polyethylene, or polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate (abbreviated as PET). A preferred material is flexible PVC, which is PVC with an added plasticizer. Alternatively, the cover material or floor material may be a textile impregnated or coated with a water-repellent material, such as a melamine-formaldehyde resin or polyacrylic ester resin.

The thickness of the cover material and the floor material is sufficient to provide a sturdy protection, yet thin enough to allow rolling or folding of the flexible enclosure for storage. The thickness may be suitably from 0.2mm to 1mm, preferably from 0.4mm to 0.9mm. For example, the cover material may be from about 0.4mm to 0.7mm thick flexible PVC; and the floor material may be about 0.45mm thick flexible PVC.

The side portion of the cover material is attachable to the floor material, using any convenient attachment means. It may be removably attached, or permanently attached. Preferably, the manner of such attachment is not airtight. In that way, air can be circulated through the inflatable enclosure of this invention, in order to reduce condensation. Suitable attachment means include a zipper, hook-and-loop fasteners (such as the Velcro brand), snaps, buttons, straps, and magnets. A preferred attachment means is a zipper, for example having nylon, polymeric or metallic interlocking elements.

The fact that the side portion of cover material is removably attachable from the floor material assists in the erection of the inflatable enclosure, as well as its dismantling and storage when not in use. A further advantage is that the cover material and the floor material may be separately replaced if required, thus extending the life of the enclosure.

It is particularly advantageous to be able to replace the floor material. Replacement of the roof portion of the cover material is less important, so that the roof portion may be adhered to the roof of the frame.

The side portion of the cover material also contains closable access for a vehicle. In this way, a vehicle can be driven into, or out of, the inflatable enclosure without removal of the cover material. The closable access is generally provided at the longitudinal end of the inflatable enclosure. Suitable closure means again include a zipper, hook-and-loop fasteners (such as the Velcro brand), snaps, buttons, straps, and magnets. A preferred closure means is a zipper, such as a nylon zipper.

In a further feature of the inflatable enclosure of this invention, either or both lateral side portions of the cover material may contain one or more door panels, to allow temporary access to the vehicle while it is within the enclosure. Suitably, there may be one, two, or three door panels. Such door panels are closable by means of a closure means as described above, preferably a zipper, such as a nylon zipper.

The closure means and the attachment means described above may conveniently be protected by covering with a further flap of material, which may be secured in place by hook-and-loop fasteners (such as the Velcro brand), snaps, buttons, straps, or magnets. The frame of the inflatable enclosure of this invention provides support for the cover material, and comprises elongate inflatable chambers. The chambers may comprise inflatable tubes made of flexible material such as rubber or flexible synthetic plastic polymer, such as flexible PVC, or a flexible thermoplastic material. The chambers are inflated to a pressure that enables the frame to provide a stable support for the cover material. For example, the frame should generally support a weight of about 5 to 15kg per square metre. To achieve that, the pressure within the inflatable chambers is suitably about atmospheric pressure, that is about 1 bar. Higher pressures are also suitable, for example from 1 to 1.5 bar, or from 1 to 2 bar.

The inflated chambers may suitably have a diameter of from 4cm to 40cm. For example, narrow chambers may have a diameter from 5cm to 10cm; wider chambers may have a diameter from 20cm to 30cm.

Preferably, each inflatable chamber is surrounded by an outer protective resilient sleeve. The sleeve is preferably weather-resistant.

The outer sleeve is suitably formed from a resilient polymer such polyester, polyamide or polyurethane. The outer sleeve protects the inflatable chamber from external impact and weather conditions. Furthermore, the outer sleeve restricts the expansion of the chamber and therefore ensures the frame is sufficiently robust to provide stability and support for the enclosure.

The frame of the present invention has vertical lateral side portions. This allows the maximum space within the enclosure to accommodate a vehicle. It is understood that the term 'vertical' includes substantially vertical, for example up to 20° from the vertical, preferably up to 10° from the vertical. An essential feature of the inflatable enclosure of this invention is that at least one of the elongate inflatable chambers is situated in a diagonal orientation within the vertical plane of the lateral side portion of the frame. The term diagonal is intended to include a position of the chamber that is not vertical, although it is within the vertical plane of the side portion of the frame. Thus it can be considered as laterally diagonal. For example, the position may be laterally from 20° to 80° from vertical, suitably from 25° to 65° from vertical, or from 40° to 50° from vertical.

In addition, the roof portions may also have diagonal elongate inflatable chambers. In this case, the above figures refer to angles from the longitudinal direction of the frame.

The frame may comprise a plurality of elongate inflatable chambers. In this case, the chambers suitably, but not necessarily, have substantially equal internal diameters. The chambers may be arranged at different angles from each other. For example, the elongate inflatable chambers may be arranged in the form of connected polygons. The polygons may suitably have from 3 to 8 sides, preferably from 3 to 6 sides. The elongate inflatable chambers forming the sides of the polygons are suitably equal, thus forming regular polygons, such as triangles, quadrilaterals or pentagons.

The structure of the frame is also arranged to provide an access area for a vehicle, corresponding to the position of the closable access in the cover material.

The elongate inflatable chambers of this invention are preferably pneumatically connected to each other. The chambers may be inflatable from a single or multiple inflation points. The chambers are suitably inflated with compressed air, which may be provided from a cylinder of compressed air, a mechanical air compressor, a foot pump, an electric air pump, or other suitable means. There may also be provided a pressure control unit, which regulates the pressure within the chambers.

In a further feature of this invention, some or all of the of the elongate inflatable chambers may be pneumatically isolatable from each other by means of isolation valves attached to the respective chamber. In that way, if one chamber fails, for example by release of the internal pressure, it can be isolated from adjoining chambers, thus reducing the risk of the remainder of the frame collapsing, and potentially damaging the vehicle. Preferably, the isolation valves are manually operable, to isolate a chamber only when necessary. In that way, air can normally flow through the connected chambers and the pressure of the whole system can be monitored from a single point.

In addition to the elongate inflatable chambers, the frame of the inflatable enclosure of the present invention may also include one or more non- inflatable members, for example as vertical supports or horizontal base members. Such non-inflatable frame members may be in the form of rigid plastic or metal vertical supports to add further strength to the frame, or may be in the form of horizontal base members to provide a rigid base for attachment of the frame.

In one embodiment, the length of the frame of this invention may be extended by attaching a further module of elongate inflatable chambers to at least one end of the frame.

As well as the frame having elongate inflatable chambers, the internal volume of the enclosure of this invention is also separately inflatable. This provides further stability to the enclosure, thus protecting from severe weather; and ensures that the material of the cover material does not contact the vehicle. The inflation of the enclosure is preferably carried out using a set of fans. As part of the inflation process, it is advantageous to maintain a filtered air-flow through the enclosure, to reduce condensation within the enclosure. This may be achieved, after the frame structure has been erected, by means of a set of fans arranged to drive air through a filter and into the enclosure, thereby to inflate the enclosure and maintain an ongoing air-flow. The air can pass out of the enclosure either via a dedicated exit port, or via the aforesaid closure and attachment means.

In a further feature, an inflatable enclosure of this invention may be secured to the vehicle by a securing means, such as a rope, cord, strap, hook and loop attachment or rigid connector, in order to provide further stabilization of the enclosure during strong winds. To further stabilize the enclosure, the frame and/or the cover material may be provided with hooks, loops or D-rings to enable the structure to be secured to the ground or other object.

In use, the floor material of the inflatable enclosure may be laid on the ground and the uninflated frame is position on top of the floor material. Alternatively, the uninflated frame may be already attached to the floor material. The elongate inflatable chambers are then inflated to produce an inflated frame. The cover material is then placed over the frame and attached to the floor material, aligning the vehicle access areas. The enclosure may be inflated separately. This produces a free-standing enclosure into which a vehicle can be driven for coverage and protection. When vehicle coverage is no longer required, the enclosure may be deflated and the frame, cover material and floor material separated and stored for future use.

The inflatable enclosure of this invention can be used for a variety of vehicles, such as cars, bicycles, motorcycles, tractors, busses, caravans, mobile homes, campers, trailers, or marine vessels such as boats or yachts. Preferably the enclosure is portable. The dimensions of the inflatable enclosure clearly depend on the size of the vehicle to be covered and are designed to leave sufficient space around the relevant vehicle to avoid contact between the vehicle body and the cover material of the enclosure. Typical dimensions for an enclosure designed for a car are width about 2m to 3.5, suitably from 2m to 3m, height about 1.7m to 2.7m, suitably from 1.7m to 1.8m; and length from about 4.8 m to 6.0m , suitably from 4.8m to 5.5m.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the roof portion of the frame slopes from the centre to the edges, to allow rain and snow to more easily run off the enclosure. Suitably, the roof is sloped in both directions, towards the lateral side and the end portions of the enclosure. Typical pitches for the roof are from 10° to 20°.

The enclosure of this invention provides a structure that can withstand severe weather conditions. In addition, the structure provides increased stability and strength as well as enabling a smaller footprint.

The enclosure of this invention is particularly suitable for outdoor use, as protection against the weather, but it may also be conveniently used indoors.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective representation of a frame of the present invention; Fig. 2 shows an inflated cover material over the frame of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective representation of a further embodiment of a frame and enclosure of this invention;

Fig. 4 shows a further embodiment of a frame of this invention having a greater slope of the roof portion;

Fig. 5 is a top view of the roof portion of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 depicts the attachment of the cover material to the frame of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 shows the enclosure having a cover material attached to the frame of Fig. 4;

Figs. 8 and 9 show the angles of the roof portion of the enclosure based on the frame of Fig. 4

Referring to Fig. 1, a frame 1 comprises a number of elongate inflatable chambers, each surrounded by an outer resilient sleeve. At the four corners, the elongate inflatable chambers 2A are in a vertical position.

The lateral side portions of the frame 3 each have six diagonally situated elongate inflatable chambers 2B, arranged in the form of triangles and a pentagon, within the vertical plane of the lateral side portion of the frame 1. One end portion 4 of the frame is open at ground level to allow access for a vehicle. All the elongate chambers which form the frame, including the chambers marked 2A and 2B, are inflatable through a single inflation point 5, with a valve. At the junction between each chamber, there is a valve (not shown) to enable all the chambers to be pneumatically connected, or to isolate an individual chamber, if there is a leak in one of them.

Fig. 2 shows an inflated enclosure of the present invention. A water resistant cover material 6 is fitted over the frame 1 shown in Fig. 1. The cover material 6 is attached to a floor material 7, by means of a zipper 8. The longitudinal end portion of the cover material (not shown) has a closable access for a vehicle, corresponding to the opening 4 in the frame shown in Fig. 1, so that a vehicle can be driven into and out of the inflated enclosure. The end portion may also have a window. The lateral side portion of the cover material contains a door panel 9, to allow access to the vehicle while it is within the enclosure.

Referring to Fig. 3, a frame 11 comprises a plurality of inflatable chambers 12A and 12B. The corner chambers 12A are aligned slightly off- vertical. On each lateral side of the frame, the chambers 12B are situated diagonally, arranged in the form of triangles and a pentagon. The chambers are pneumatically connected. Some chambers are directly connected internally and some are connected via valves 13, which are manually operable to isolate an individual chamber, in the event of a leak. One end 14 of the frame is open to the ground to allow access for a vehicle. The chambers are inflatable through an inflation point 15A, and the pressure is monitored via a pressure valve 15B. A similar inflation point and pressure valve are also situated inside the structure of the frame (not shown), so that after inflating the frame through the inflation point 15, the pump may be moved inside the enclosure to protect it.

A water-resistant cover material consists of a roof portion 16A, a side portion 16B and an end portion 16C. The side and end portions of the cover are partly opaque PVC material and partly transparent PVC material. The roof portion 16A fits over the top of the frame and is attached to the outer surfaces of the frame structure. The side portion 16B of the cover material is supported inside the frame structure and is attached to a floor material 17, by means of a zipper 18. The longitudinal end 16C of the enclosure has a zippered closable access for a vehicle corresponding to the position of the open end 14 of the frame. The lateral side portion of the cover material contains a zippered door panel 19, to allow access to the vehicle while it is within the enclosure.

Fig. 4 depicts a frame of a further embodiment of this invention, having a roof portion which has a greater slope than the embodiments shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The frame 21 of fig. 4 comprises multiple elongate inflatable chambers. Chambers 22A are situated vertically at the four corners of the frame 21. The lateral side portions of the frame each have eight chambers 22B, situated in a diagonal orientation within the vertical plane of the lateral side portion of the frame, and arranged in the form of triangles, quadrilaterals and an open-sided pentagon. The roof portion of the frame 21 comprises a longitudinal chamber 23, having a central higher portion 23A. The rest of the roof portion slopes towards the ends and the sides of the frame.

The roof structure can be seen more clearly in Fig. 5. The longitudinal chamber 23 has a central raised section 23A and sloping roof chamber sections 23B which slope towards the ends of the frame 21. The longitudinal chamber 23 is also connected to sloping cross chambers 24 which slope towards the lateral sides of the frame.

Fig. 6 depicts how the sections of the cover material is attached to the frame 21. A water-resistant cover material consists of a roof portion 26A, lateral side portions, 26B and end portions 26C. The roof portion 26A fits over the top of the frame and is attached to the outer surfaces of the frame structure. The side portions 26B and end portions 26C of the cover material fit over the lateral sides and ends of the frame structure respectively and are attached to a floor material 27.

Fig. 7 shows the completed enclosure. The longitudinal end of the enclosure 26C has a zippered closable flap 26D, to allow vehicle access to the enclosure. One lateral side portion 26B of the cover material contains a zippered door panel 29, to allow pedestrian access to the vehicle while it is within the enclosure.

The slope of the roof portion is shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In Fig. 8, the longitudinal slope of the roof, angle A, is 10°. In Fig. 9, the slope of the roof towards the sides of the frame, angle B, is 20°.