Inflatable delivery cabinet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11617438-B2
Application number	US-202016940541-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2020
Priority date	Jul 28, 2020
Publication date	Apr 4, 2023
Grant date	Apr 4, 2023

Abstract

An inflatable cabinet is provided and includes a first inflatable cabinet stand and a base. The first inflatable cabinet stand is for storing products. The first inflatable cabinet stand includes members and first connectors. The members include side walls, a back wall, and a top member. The base is connected to the first inflatable cabinet stand and includes an air pump, second connectors and air lines. An air pump is configured to pump air into at least one of the members of the first inflatable cabinet stand. The second connectors are configured to connect to the first connectors. The air lines are connected between the air pump and the second connectors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inflatable cabinet comprising:
a first inflatable cabinet stand for storing products, wherein the first inflatable cabinet stand comprises
a plurality of members including side walls; a back wall; and a top member, and
first connectors; and

a base connected to the first inflatable cabinet stand and comprising
an air pump configured to pump air into at least one of the plurality of members of the first inflatable cabinet stand,
second connectors configured to connect to the first connectors, and
air lines connected between the air pump and the second connectors,

wherein the base is configured to support the first inflatable cabinet stand, serve as a bottom wall of the first inflatable cabinet stand such that the side walls of the first inflatable cabinet stand extend upward from the base, and encase the air pump, the air lines and at least a portion of each of the second connectors.

2. The inflatable cabinet of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of members includes guide vanes for directing air flow across and through the one or more of the plurality of members.

3. The inflatable cabinet of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of members has a multi-layer tethered structure.

4. The inflatable cabinet of claim 3 , wherein the multi-layer tethered structure comprises:
a plurality of fabric layers with weaved strands extending between the plurality of fabric layers; and
an outer air tight shell encapsulating the plurality of fabric layers.

5. The inflatable cabinet of claim 4 , further comprising a bond layer disposed between the plurality of fabric layers and the outer air tight shell.

6. The inflatable cabinet of claim 4 , wherein the multi-layered tethered structure includes heating elements embedded between the plurality of fabric layers.

7. The inflatable cabinet of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of members includes a heating element embedded in the one or more of the plurality of members.

8. The inflatable cabinet of claim 1 , wherein the first inflatable cabinet stand is interchangeable with a second inflatable cabinet stand and has a different configuration than the second inflatable cabinet stand.

9. The inflatable cabinet of claim 7 , wherein:
the first inflatable cabinet stand has a first overall height and a first total number of shelves: and
the second inflatable cabinet stand at least one of has
a second total number of shelves that is different than the first total number of shelves; or
a second overall height that is different than the first overall height.

10. The inflatable cabinet of claim 1 , wherein:
the first inflatable cabinet stand includes attachment elements for attaching the first inflatable cabinet stand to the base; and
the first inflatable cabinet stand is removable from the base and deflatable and stackable with other deflated cabinet stands.

11. The inflatable cabinet of claim 1 , wherein the first inflatable cabinet stand has shelves that are able to be attached to the side walls in different locations.

12. The inflatable cabinet of claim 1 , wherein the first inflatable cabinet stand comprises a flexible door.

13. The inflatable cabinet of Maim 1 , wherein:
the base comprises a control module; and
the control module is configured to control flow and temperature of air supplied to the at least one of the plurality of members.

14. The inflatable cabinet of claim 13 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect a temperature in the at least one of the plurality of members,
wherein the control module is configured to control flow and temperature of air supplied to the at least one of the plurality of members based on the temperature detected by the sensor.

15. The inflatable cabinet of claim 13 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect a pressure of air in the at least one of the plurality of members,
wherein the control module is configured to control flow of air supplied to the at least one of the plurality of members based on the pressure detected by the sensor.

16. The inflatable cabinet of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of members of the first inflatable cabinet stand comprises guide vanes directing air flow in a sinusoidal pattern across and through the one or more of the plurality of members from an inlet to an outlet, the inlet and outlet being on a same bottom edge of the one or more of the plurality of members and receiving air from directing air to the base.

17. An inflatable cabinet comprising:
a first inflatable cabinet stand for storing products, wherein the first inflatable cabinet stand comprises
a plurality of members including side walls, a back wall, and a top member,
first connectors connected to the side walls, and
the first inflatable cabinet stand comprises a plurality of shelves that are at least one of) inflatable, and ii) comprise heating elements; and

a base connected to the first inflatable cabinet stand and comprising
an air pump configured to pump air into at least one of the plurality of members of the first inflatable cabinet stand,
second connectors connected to sides or a top surface of the base and configured to be removably connected to the first connectors, and
air lines connected between the air pump and the second connectors.

18. The inflatable cabinet of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of shelves are inflatable and comprise the heating elements.

19. An inflatable cabinet comprising:
a first inflatable cabinet stand for storing products, wherein the first inflatable cabinet stand comprises
a plurality of members including side walls, a back wall, and a top member, and
first connectors; and

a base connected to the first inflatable cabinet stand and comprising
an air pump configured to pump air into at least one of the plurality of members of the first inflatable cabinet stand,
second connectors configured to be removably connected to the first connectors, and
air lines connected between the air pump and the second connectors, wherein
the first inflatable cabinet stand is interchangeable with a second inflatable cabinet stand and has a different configuration than the second inflatable cabinet stand,
the second inflatable cabinet stand comprising third connectors,
the first inflatable cabinet stand and the second inflatable cabinet stand are configured to separately attach to the base via the second connectors by i) disconnecting the first connectors from the second connectors and removing the first inflatable cabinet stand from being disposed on the base, and ii) setting the second inflatable cabinet stand on the base and connecting the third connectors to the second connectors, and
the base is configured to control i) temperatures of the first inflatable cabinet stand when attached to the first inflatable cabinet stand, and ii) temperatures of the second inflatable cabinet stand when attached to the second inflatable cabinet.

20. The inflatable cabinet of claim 19 , wherein;
the first connectors are connected to the side walls of the first inflatable cabinet stand;
the second connectors are connected to sides or a top surface of the base; and
the third connectors are connected to side walls of the second inflatable cabinet stand.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Krajewski Paul E
• Kim Wonhee M
• Alexander Paul W

Classifications

• B65D11/18 Primary

  collapsible, i.e. with walls hinged together or detachably connected · CPC title

• B65D81/18

  providing specific environment for contents, e.g. temperature above or below ambient (with thermal insulation B65D81/38) · CPC title

• B62B3/16

  vertically stackable · CPC title

• A47B43/00

  Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features enabling folding of the cabinet or the like · CPC title

• A47B31/04

  foldable · CPC title