Lifting tube and handling device

Lifting tube (12) with a tube wall (24) extending about a lengthwise axis (26) and enclosing a tube interior (28), the lifting tube (12) can be reversibly deformed along its lengthwise axis (26) into an elongated configuration, and with a reduction of the tube interior (28), into a contracted configuration, characterized in that

• the tube wall (24) has a plurality of outer crease lines (30), along which the tube wall (24) can buckle to produce the contracted configuration, the outer crease lines (30) run obliquely to each other so that, when deformed into the contracted configuration, the tube wall (24) experiences a torsion about the lengthwise axis (26) in some sections, the outer crease lines (30) comprise a plurality of annular crease lines (34) encircling the lengthwise axis (28) in a closed manner as well as a number (n) of oblique crease lines (36) intersecting the annular crease lines (34) at intersecting points (38), wherein the annular crease lines (34) run perpendicular to the lengthwise axis (26),
• wherein the oblique crease lines (36) run at a slant to the annular crease lines (34) so that the torsion is achieved upon folding the tube wall (24),
• wherein in the elongated configuration, all oblique crease lines (36) which intersect a particular annular crease line (34) make a congruent acute angle of rise (α) with the annular crease line (34) at the intersecting point, and
• wherein in the elongated configuration, the sum of the angle of rise (α) for each annular crease line (34) at the intersecting points (38) on this annular crease line (34) totals 360°, and wherein the tube wall comprises an airtight material such that a change in air pressure within the tube interior can be used to transition the lifting tube between the elongated and contracted configurations.