Since the 2019 Hymer Vision Venture idea van, inflatable roofs have been slowly creeping into the motorhome business. Erwin Hymer built-in them into manufacturing shortly after that idea and put in completely different variants on the Bürstner Lyseo Gallery motorhome and the Hymer Vision S motorhome. Now German inflatable specialist X-Gloo goals to convey inflatable pop-tops to a wider van market, working with one among Europe’s main pop-up roof builders to exhibit their advantages. The prototype’s roof sits atop a lightning-fast VW idea van designed to almost double inside area, whereas providing high-speed pneumatic setup and improved insulation.
X-Gloo was launched in 2007 and has since constructed a world popularity for its inflatable tents and buildings. The merchandise are designed for momentary use throughout commerce exhibits, catastrophe reduction and different functions. With its inflatable RV extension vary, it’s now working to use its experience to RVs by integrating inflatable elements into the structural design of expandable elements reminiscent of pop-up roofs and wall extensions.
X-Gloo teamed up with German model SCA to discover the potential of an inflatable pop-up roof that provides all of the capacity-enhancing advantages of a conventional pop-top with the added advantages of inflatable partitions. Instead of lifting manually or electrically through struts, the X-Gloo-based roof inflates within the open place through an air compressor that’s activated on the push of a button within the automobile or on a distant management. X-Gloo says such a pop-up roof will be inflated or deflated in lower than two minutes.
X Gloo
X-Gloo’s 3DTex textile is designed to create a stable, steady construction, on this case a big four-walled chamber that may face up to wind and climate. The pneumatic inflation system displays and maintains stress to carry the roof up, and the multi-cell material design permits stress to be maintained within the occasion of harm to a particular space. The materials is designed to be rapidly repaired within the occasion of minor injury.
The prototype pop-up roof will be totally lifted, moderately than within the wedge fashion frequent to different SCA pop-tops, creating extra inside quantity. It will also be lifted fairly excessive, offering ample headroom above the sleeping floor inside. Thanks to the excessive, flat roof place, the motorhome builder can place the mattress in entrance of or behind the pop-up module, offering extra flexibility when inserting decrease furnishings that wants standing top, such because the kitchen.

X Gloo
X-Gloo’s patented inflatable partitions present higher insulation than conventional pop-up canvas. This contains soundproofing, making a quieter, extra non-public indoor surroundings, and thermal insulation, permitting the pop-up for use comfortably in chilly or sizzling climate.
X-Gloo and SCA confirmed the prototype pop-top excessive above a very vibrant SCA-themed Volkswagen T6 on the CMT present earlier this 12 months. SCA clarified that the roof remains to be in R&D and never but prepared for launch, although X-Gloo says it is virtually prepared for manufacturing. We proceed to stay up for seeing extra vans, RVs and trailers with this fashion of inflatable enlargement.
This brief Facebook video clip exhibits the prototype roof being blown into form.
Source: X Gloo
Source: newatlas.com