| 摘要 |
Self inflating devices are described which achieve a long lasting inflation and, therefore, a useful life. An elastomeric enclosure is initially inflated to a desired pressure by a gas such as hexafluoroethane having large molecules incapable of diffusing outwardly through the elastomeric material except at a relatively slow rate. When the enclosure is surrounded by ambient air at atmospheric pressure, such air passes into the enclosure by reverse diffusion through the elastomeric material, thus extracting energy from the ambient air to progressively increase the total pressure in the enclosure to a substantial extent. This added energy may simply maintain the inflation pressure or it may be used to perform useful work. Thus, an elastomeric bellows device (30) partially inflated with 100% supergas and supporting a weight W on platform (32) self inflates from H1 to H2 when exposed to air at ambient pressure to raise the weight. Embodiments include an insole, a midsole, shock absorbing devices and building structures. <IMAGE> |
