Pressurized hose embedded into cross pieces; the cross pieces are covered with rubber, with felt on the bottom. Dollies with specialized wheels ride on the pressurized hose once the pieces have been joined. The wheels fit the hose in cross section, but also have a rubber rim on each side that will roll on level surfaces.

The track is rolled out through the house when moving. It is then pressurized with air. Appropriate 90 and 45 degree sections are included, and connect with fittings and O-rings. The track goes out of an exterior door and up the ramp to the truck.

Advantages:

Portable

Eliminates the possibility of scratching floors

Eliminates threshold problems encountered with normal dollies

Lower profile than normal dollies

Customized carts can be made for bulky items like mattresses

With two 2x6 boards underneath, can be used on stairs

Can employ turntables with rigid track) for tight corners

Lessens the possibility of striking the edges of doorways/walls
-- nomocrow, Oct 13 2009

I can see this being used as a guide and as a rolling surface. I wouldn't want to push a mattress up stairs on a set of rails, though.

Have you ever seen an air sled/air dolly? Those solve a lot of the problems you're tyring to address (but aren't suitable for going up stairs either).
-- phoenix, Oct 14 2009


There are few better ideas than a dollie riding along on an inflated hose.
-- xenzag, Oct 14 2009


[+] Bun, but only if the trolley rolling on the hoses can automatically apply brakes when it reaches the end of the track. And if you toss the idea of using it on stairs.

I'd give you an extra bun, if I could, if you were to make it powered, so you can load it up, and press the start button, and watch it drive out of the house on it's track.

It would then need a bump sensor or other safety sensor to let it stop in case of unexpected obstacles (wandering toddlers), but that wouldn't be too difficult.
-- goldbb, Oct 15 2009



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