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New closure allows camping mattress to be inflated in seconds

kickstarter.com

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Re: New closure allows camping mattress to be inflated in seconds

#31

Post by drharris »

unwind wrote: post #14
crb wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Scroll down the Kickstarter page for a very readable explanation: "The secret behind the Windcatcher's amazing speed of inflation is its ability to leverage the awesome properties of air. Simply put, the two most important properties are: - Fast moving air has lower air pressure than slow moving air - Air with higher pressure will be drawn to areas of lower pressure When you blow into the Windcatcher you create a str…

I guess the final sentence is missing a "volume of", i.e. it should be something like "As a result, *the volume of air entering the Windcatcher [...]", right? I double-checked and this error is on the Kickstarter page, it's not your quote. Just mentioning it in case the project owners drop by. Cool project, by the way!

I think they must mean the air itself is actually better quality than yours... 10 to 15 times greater.

Re: New closure allows camping mattress to be inflated in seconds

#33

Post by bradleysmith »

bradleysmith wrote: post #2

There's a problem I had solved. Ver' nice.

Downvoted for agreeing that this solves a problem? Not belly-aching, but that was honest input.

I was happy to see someone build this; I've hated thermarest valves since I've known them.

Re: New closure allows camping mattress to be inflated in seconds

#34

Post by mikeash »

nodata wrote: post #23
adaml_623 wrote: post #11

These guys have taken the same physical phenomena used in the newish Dyson fans and hand dryers and found a radically different way to use it. This looks as simple as a paper clip and I think in years to come many people will wonder why they didn't think of it first. True genius EDIT: I stand corrected by HN. There are number of bags that use similar techniques and apparently airplane evacuation slides inflate using…

What's the name of the phenomena? ot: I find Dyson's bladeless fans way too weak (and loud) Edit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venturi_effect

It's briefly mentioned in the video: entrainment.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entrainment_(hydrodynamics)

Re: New closure allows camping mattress to be inflated in seconds

#36

Post by bazzargh »

The stuff about inflating with your mouth is a bit of a straw man. If you inflate say a Thermarest NeoAir or a Packraft you're more likely to use something like an Instaflator now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJLVYfg88TE

(Thermarest have their own variant on the bag inflator for the neoair - but the principle's the same)

Re: New closure allows camping mattress to be inflated in seconds

#38

Post by JulianMorrison »

yitchelle wrote: post #21

It is interesting as what other application this would have? If I could replace my mouth (the source of the wind) with an electric fan, what else can I do with this?

Or with actual wind. Scale it up, use it for rapid construction of emergency housing? An inflatable former can be covered with concrete quickly and then deflated.

Re: New closure allows camping mattress to be inflated in seconds

#39

Post by eli »

drharris wrote: post #30
cjfont wrote: post #3

Nice concept, but I'm wondering how inflating a mattress in this manner will allow you to achieve the pressure needed to support your weight.

By laying on it, you're compressing what's in there, and it pushes back on you. There's no need to ever inflate a mattress like a bicycle tire.

My back hurts just thinking about sleeping on an underinflated mattress. More power to you if it works for you.

Re: New closure allows camping mattress to be inflated in seconds

#40

Post by rplnt »

drharris wrote: post #30
cjfont wrote: post #3

Nice concept, but I'm wondering how inflating a mattress in this manner will allow you to achieve the pressure needed to support your weight.

By laying on it, you're compressing what's in there, and it pushes back on you. There's no need to ever inflate a mattress like a bicycle tire.

You still need to achieve some pressure. I find it really unconvincing they didn't show it in use in the video (in one cut).

edit: They will provide proper video apparently http://www.reddit.com/r/shutupandtakemymoney/comments/1eqcbo...

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