Apparatus and method for providing inflated undulating figures

Apparatus for providing gas suspended bendable object that, in response to a continuous generally constant input flow of gas in an outward direction into the object and without intentional intervention, erects to a generally extended position and then automatically and continuously performs a generally repetitive cycle of movements between the extended position and at least one bent position, and between the at least one bent position and another bent position, said apparatus comprising:

• a) gas delivery means for providing a generally continuous flow of gas, and
• b) an erectable bendable hollow object comprised at least primarily of flexible sheet material, said object being connected to and in fluid communication with the gas delivery means to receive gas flow generally in the outward direction, said object having a hollow main outer section that has a generally central axis and inward and outward portions, said main section extending generally in the outward direction to the outwardly extended position by the flow of gas from the gas delivery means, said object also having a pair of hollow ancillary inner sections that each have inward and outward portions, each of said inner sections being attached at its outward portion to and in fluid communication with the inward portion of the main section, each of said inner sections also being attached at its inward portion to and in fluid communication with said gas delivery means,
• said object including at least one gas outlet spaced remotely from the gas delivery means for release of the gas from within the object, said at least one gas outlet being proportioned so that generally all of the gas being provided to said object is continuously released from said object through said at least one gas outlet substantially without restriction by said at least one gas outlet,
• said gas delivery means, said object and said at least one gas outlet being constructed, proportioned and arranged so that, without significant change in said gas flow from said delivery means and without intentional intervention, the object automatically responds by initially inflating and erecting to the generally outwardly extended position due to the gas flow and build-up of static pressure, then destabilizing and moving to a bent position due to relative decrease in static pressure caused by release of gas through said at least one outlet, the bent position resulting from at least one bend in at least one of the main and the ancillary inner sections, each of said at least one bend creating at least a temporary partial restriction to gas flow thereby causing another build-up of the static pressure within the at least one of the respective sections and returning the object to one of the generally outwardly extended position and other bent positions, and continuing to repeat this general cycle of movements.

Apparatus for providing a gas suspended multi-limb figure that, in response to a continuous generally constant flow of gas and without intentional intervention, erects to a generally upwardly extended position and then automatically and continuously performs a generally repetitive cycle of movements, said apparatus comprising:

• a) a gas delivery means for providing a continuous generally constant upward flow of gas, and
• b) an erectable bendable hollow object defining the multi-limb figure and comprised at least primarily of flexible sheet material, said object having a hollow main section and at least two hollow ancillary sections attached to the main section as limbs and in fluid communication with the main section, the object being initially collapsed and having upper and lower end portions when erected, the lower end portion being connected to and in fluid communication with the gas delivery means to receive gas flow in a generally upward direction of flow,
• said object including at least two spaced apart gas outlets in the upper end portion thereof for release of the gas from within the object, said outlets being proportioned so that generally all of the gas being continuously provided to said object is continuously released from said object through said outlets substantially without restriction by said outlets,
• said gas delivery means, said object and said outlets being constructed, proportioned and arranged so that, without significant change in said gas flow from said delivery means and without other intentional intervention, the object automatically responds by initially inflating and erecting to the generally upwardly extended position due to gas flow and build-up of static pressure, then destabilizing and moving to a bent position due to relative decrease in static pressure caused by release of gas through said outlets, the bent position resulting from at least on bend in at least one of the main and ancillary sections, the at least one bend creating a temporary partial restriction to gas flow, thereby causing another build-up of the static pressure within the object and returning the object toward the generally upwardly extended position, and continuing to repeat a general cycle of movements between the generally upwardly extended position and the bent position, and between the bent position and other bent positions.

A method for displaying a multi-limb figure formed by a gas suspended bendable object comprised primarily of flexible sheet material having a hollow main section and at least two hollow ancillary sections attached to the main section as limbs and in fluid communication with the main section, the object being initially collapsed and having upper and lower end portions when erected, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) supplying a generally constant flow of gas to the lower end portion of the collapsed object to initially inflate the object by pressure developed by the flow of gas to a generally erect position in which the ancillary sections extend as the limbs from the main section;
• b) discharging substantially the entire flow of gas from the upper end portion of the object while maintaining supply of the generally constant flow so that the object is retained in the erect position primarily by dynamic pressure of the gas flow through the object, but under a reduced static pressure, thereby causing at least one of the main and ancillary sections to fall about at least one bend in a region of the object and creating at least a partial temporary restriction to the flow of gas;
• c) continuing to supply the generally constant flow of gas to the lower end portion of the object to increase static pressure in the region containing the at least one bend until the object is re-erected at least in that region;
• and
• d) repeating steps b) and c) without intentional intervention to automatically and continuously perform a generally repetitive cycle of object movements between the erect position and a bent position, and between the bent position and other bent positions.