Inflatable tent for mounting into the bed of a pickup truck

Abstract

An inflatable tent for mounting into the bed of a pickup truck. The tent includes at least one inflatable beam having opposite ends and extending, when mounted at its opposite ends to the bed, from a front of the bed to the rear of the bed. A flexible tent canopy is mounted to the inflatable beams. Each inflatable beam forms a substantially ogive shape when viewed in side elevation when inflated and mounted into the bed so as to dispose the opposite ends in releasably mounted engagement secured to interior opposite ends of the bed.

1 . An inflatable tent for mounting into the bed of a pickup truck, the tent comprising:
 at least one inflatable beam having opposite ends and extending, when mounted at its opposite ends to the bed, from a front of the bed to the rear of the bed,   a flexible tent canopy mounted to said at least one inflatable beam,   wherein said at least one inflatable beam forms a substantially ogive shape when viewed in side elevation when inflated and mounted into the bed so as to dispose said opposite ends in releasably mounted engagement secured to interior opposite ends of the bed.   
   
   
       2 . The tent of  claim 1  wherein said at least one inflatable beam includes a pair of criss-crossed inflatable beams and wherein said opposite ends of said pair of criss-crossed inflatable beams are mounted in corresponding opposite corners of said bed. 
   
   
       3 . The tent of  claim 2  wherein said beams, when unconstrained by said canopy, are substantially linear when inflated and wherein said canopy is formed into a mushroom-like shape defining said substantially ogive shape for each beam of said pair of criss-crossed inflatable beams. 
   
   
       4 . The tent of  claim 3  wherein said each beam has at said opposite ends a vertical leg portion when inflated and mounted in the corners of the bed, wherein said vertical leg portion extends vertically the height of a corresponding sidewall of the bed. 
   
   
       5 . The tent of  claim 4  wherein said substantially ogive shape flares outwardly of the bed and over the sidewalls of the bed from upper ends of said vertical leg portions. 
   
   
       6 . The tent of  claim 5  wherein said canopy constrains said each beam vertically downwardly at an apex of said canopy when said each beam is inflated so as to urge mid-portions of each end of said each beam to bulge outwardly of the bed and over the sidewalls of the bed from said upper ends of said vertical leg portions. 
   
   
       7 . The tent of  claim 6  wherein said canopy includes seams formed along panels of flexible material and wherein said seams define said substantially ogive-shape for said each beam, and wherein said each beam is mounted along corresponding said seams. 
   
   
       8 . The tent of  claim 7  wherein said seams are mounted along and underneath said each beam.