The present invention relates to a collapsible canopy frame, and more particularly to a collapsible canopy frame having a wheel assembly removably attached thereto that facilitates transportation of the collapsible canopy frame.
Collapsible canopy frames often include a plurality of telescoping legs, each having one or more X-shaped scissor assemblies extending therebetween. A canopy covering, such as a cloth or leather covering, is disposed above, and supported by, the collapsible canopy frame. The X-shaped scissor assemblies are moveable relative to the telescoping legs to adjust the collapsible canopy frame between an expanded position and a collapsed position.
In the expanded position, the collapsible canopy frame provides a temporary shelter. In the collapsed position, the collapsible canopy frame can be more readily transported. Typically, collapsible canopy frames are transported by placing the collapsible canopy frame on a separate wheeled structure, such as a wheeled platform. However, collapsible canopy frames are often relatively heavy and it is therefore desirable to minimize any upward lifting that is required during transportation of a collapsible canopy. Accordingly, a need exists for a wheel assembly and/or components related thereto for attachment to a collapsible canopy frame that facilitates transportation of the collapsible canopy frame.
In an exemplary embodiment according to the present invention, a collapsible canopy frame is provided that includes elongated side poles each having a side and an end; and a plurality of wheel assemblies each having a mounting post and a wheel. The mounting post of each wheel assembly is supported on and extends transverse to a corresponding one of the elongated side poles.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present application, a collapsible canopy frame is provided that includes elongated side poles each having a side and an end; and a plurality of wheel assemblies each having a mounting post and a wheel. The mounting post of each wheel assembly is supported on and extends transverse to a corresponding one of the elongated side poles. The mounting post of each wheel assembly extends through the side of the corresponding elongated side pole. The collapsible canopy frame also includes a bracket mounted at the end of a corresponding one of each of the elongated side poles. Each bracket and each elongated side pole includes an opening aligned with each other through which the mounting post of the corresponding wheel assembly extends.
In yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a collapsible canopy frame is provided that includes telescoping elongated side poles each having an upper section and a lower section, wherein each lower section includes a side and an end. A set of edge scissor assemblies are pivotably coupled between adjacent ones of the telescoping elongated side poles. Each set of edge scissor assemblies has ribs that rotate relative to each other. The collapsible canopy frame also includes a plurality of wheel assemblies each having a mounting post and a wheel. The mounting post of each wheel assembly is supported on and extends transverse to a corresponding one of the telescoping elongated side poles.
These and other aspects of the invention will be more readily comprehended in view of the discussion herein and accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like elements.
As shown in
In one embodiment, each telescoping side pole 111 has a substantially square cross-section, and foot bracket 7 (described in detail below) having a triangular support plate 41. Each foot bracket 7 is attached at a bottom end of a corresponding one of the side poles 111 for supporting the weight of the collapsible canopy frame 100. Canopy frames in other embodiments may include more than four side poles.
In one embodiment, each pair of adjacent side poles 111 are interconnected to each other through a set 150 of two edge scissor assemblies 200. The set 150 of edge scissor assemblies 200 are pivotably coupled to the respective side poles 111 and to each other. Upper and lower inner ends 206, 208 of each edge scissor assembly 200 are pivotably coupled to the upper and lower inner ends of the other edge scissor assembly 200 of the same set 150 via upper and lower connecting brackets 104 and 106, respectively.
At the top of the center support pole 101 is a convex shaped head member 102, which can support a canopy cover (not shown) at the center of the canopy frame. Also, the center support pole 101 has mounted thereon an upper central hub 108 and a lower central hub 110. The upper central hub 108 is slidable with respect to the center support pole 101 while the lower central hub 110 is substantially stationary with respect to the center support pole 101.
Each telescoping side pole 111 includes two telescoping sections 112 and 113, which correspond to upper and lower sections, respectively. The upper and lower sections 112 and 113 are fixed to each other with a height adjustment bracket 114, which adjusts the relative positions of the upper and lower sections 112 and 113 and therefore the height of each telescoping side pole 111. In other exemplary embodiments, the side poles may not be telescoping, and have a fixed length.
Each telescoping side pole 111 has a stationary bracket 40 and a sliding bracket 115 mounted thereon. At each corner of the canopy frame 100, outer upper ends 207 of the edge scissor assemblies 200 are pivotably coupled to the corresponding stationary bracket 40. In addition, lower outer ends 209 of the edge scissor assemblies 200 are pivotably coupled to the sliding bracket 115.
The canopy frame 100 also includes center scissor assemblies 201. Each of center scissor assemblies 201 is pivotably coupled between the center support pole 101 and a corresponding set 150 of the edge scissor assemblies 201. In more detail, each center scissor assembly 201 is pivotably coupled between the upper and lower connecting brackets 104, 106 of the edge scissor assemblies 200 and the upper and lower central hubs 108, 110 of the center support pole 101. Each center scissor assembly 201 is formed by pivotably coupling a pair of ribs 203 about their respective centers. In one embodiment, the center scissor assembly 201 has substantially the same structure as the edge scissor assembly 200.
Referring now to
Referring now to
In one embodiment, as shown in
Viewing
In this embodiment, the rectangular inner surface of the side pole 111 is slightly larger than the rectangular outer surface of the fixing member 9, such that the side pole 111 snugly receives the fixing member 9. This arrangement helps prevent rotation of the foot bracket 7 relative to the side pole 111, and ensures a proper alignment of a fastener opening 22a in the side pole 111 with a fastener opening in the foot bracket 7 (discussed below) and also ensures a proper alignment of a post opening 14 in the side pole 111 with a first post opening 11 in the fixing member 9 (discussed below.)
To secure the foot bracket 7 to the side pole 111, the fixing member 9 is inserted into the bottom end of the side pole 111, until the bottom end of the side pole 111 rests against the support plate 41. In this position, the fastener opening 22a in a lower end of the side pole 111 is aligned with a corresponding fastener opening 22 in the fixing member 9 and the post opening 14 in the side pole 111 is aligned with the first post opening 11 in the fixing member 9. A fastener 23, such as a pin, is inserted into each of the fastener openings 22a and 22 of the side pole 111 and the foot bracket 7, respectively, to secure the foot bracket 7 to the side pole 111.
A protective plate 25, such as a metallic plate, having substantially the same shape and size as the support plate 41 is optionally attached at the bottom of the support plate 41 to protect the support plate 41 from wear and tear. In one embodiment, the protective plate 25 is removably secured to the support plate 41, such as by fasteners 42.
As shown in
As shown, the first side 34 of the fixing member 9 contains the first post opening 11, which receives the post 2 of the wheel assembly A as described below. The third side 36 of the fixing member 9, opposite from the first side 34 of the fixing member 9, contains a second post opening 18 that is aligned with the first post opening 11. The second post opening 18 is primarily defined by a pair of spaced apart, oppositely directed, resilient tongues 17. The resilient tongues 17 are flexibly movable relative to the third side 36 of the fixing member 9 due to slots 16 in the third side 36 of the fixing member 9 on opposing sides of each resilient tongue 17.
When the foot bracket 7 is secured to the side pole 111 as described above, the first post opening 11 in the first side 34 of the fixing member 9 is aligned with a corresponding post opening 14 in the side pole 111. To secure the wheel assembly A to both the foot bracket 7 and the side pole 111, the post 2 of the wheel assembly A is inserted into the post opening 14 of a corresponding side pole 111, the first post opening 11 in the first side 34 of the fixing member 9, and the second post opening 18 in the third side 36 of the fixing member 9.
When the post 2 is inserted into the second post opening 18 in the third side 36 of the fixing member 9, the protrusion 4 at the end of the post 2, which is larger than the second post opening 18, forces the resilient tongues 17 outwardly and away from each other. When the protrusion 4 extends past the resilient tongues 17, as shown in
The wheel assembly A can be removed from the fixing member 9 and the side pole 111 by pulling the post 2 in a direction away from the fixing member 9, causing the protrusion 5 to force the resilient tongues 17 inwardly and away from each other, allowing the resilient tongues 17 to disengage from the recess 5 and the post to be removed from the fixing member 9 and the side pole 111. As such, in one embodiment, the wheel assembly A is removably attached to the fixing member 9.
As discussed above, in one embodiment, the post 2 has a substantially oval shaped outer surface, with two opposing flat sides 6 disposed between two opposing curved sides 24. In this embodiment, the first post opening 11 in the first side 34 of the fixing member 9 is formed as an oval shape of substantially the same size and shape of the outer surface of the post 2. As such, a rotational movement of the post 2 relative to the fixing member 9 is prevented, and hence a rotational movement of the wheel assembly A relative to each of the foot bracket 7 and the side pole 111 of the collapsible canopy frame 100 is prevented. However, in other embodiments the first post opening 11 and the outer surface of the post 2 may have any other appropriate shape and need not be of the same general shape and/or the same general size as long as a rotational movement of the of the post 2 relative to the fixing member 9 is prevented.
In one embodiment, the first post opening 11 in the first side 34 of the fixing member 9 is laterally offset by an angle of approximately 90 degrees with respect to a corresponding first post opening 11 in the second side 35 of the fixing member 9. As such, the wheel assembly A can be mounted to the fixing member 9 through the first and second post openings 11 and 18 of the first and third sides 34 and 36, respectively of the fixing member 9; or if it is desired to change the orientation of the wheel assembly A with respect to the side pole 111 of the collapsible canopy frame 100, the wheel assembly A can be mounted to the fixing member 9 through the first and second post openings 11 and 18 of the second and fourth sides 35 and 37, respectively, of the fixing member 9. In other embodiments, the outer surface of the fixing member 9 may have any appropriate shape. Also, in other embodiments, the first post opening in the first side 34 of the fixing member 9 may be laterally offset from the corresponding first post opening 11 in the second side 35 of the fixing member 9 by any appropriate angle.
In one embodiment, the fixing member 9 is formed form a plastic material. In one embodiment, the resilient tongues 17 are integrally molded with the fixing member 9. In another embodiment the resilient tongues 17 are formed separately form the fixing member 9.
In the embodiment of
The foot bracket 7a contains the support plate 41a having the fixing member 9a extending therefrom. The fixing member 9a includes first 34a, second 35a, third 36a, and fourth 37a sides. Adjacent to each side 34a-37a of the fixing member 9a is the central opening 10a. The first side 34a of the fixing member 9a contains the first post opening 11a, which is aligned with the second post opening 18a in the third side 36a of the fixing member 9a.
Mounted within the second post opening 18a is a ring shaped packing 20, or compression ring, having an opening 21 for receiving the post 2 of the wheel assembly A. The packing 20 is composed of a compressible and resilient material which returns to its original shape after compression, such as a rubber material. As such, to secure the wheel assembly A to both the foot bracket 7a and the side pole 111, the post 2 of the wheel assembly A is inserted into each of the post opening 14 of the side pole 111, the first post opening 11a in the first side 34a of the fixing member 9a, and the opening 21 in the packing 20. The opening 21 in the packing 20 is smaller than the protrusion 4 of the post 2. As such, when the protrusion 4 of the post 2 is inserted into the opening 21 in the packing 20, the packing 20 is compressed by and extends around the sides of the protrusion 4 of the post 2 to secure the post in the packing 20 and hence secure the wheel assembly A to both the foot bracket 7a and the side pole 111 of the collapsible canopy frame 100.
As shown in
To transport the collapsible canopy frame 100, the collapsible canopy frame 100 is adjusted to the collapsed position as shown in
In an upright position, the collapsed canopy is supported by the support plates 41 of the foot brackets 7. Hence, to transport the collapsible canopy frame 100 by use of the wheels 1 of the wheel assemblies A, the collapsible canopy frame 100 is tilted from the vertical, upright position so that the weight of the collapsible canopy frame 100 bears on the wheels 1 of the wheel assemblies A rather than the support plates 41 of the foot brackets 7. In such a titled position, the collapsible canopy frame 100 may be easily transported.
Therefore, in exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the wheel assemblies A are mounted along a side surface of the side poles 111 of the collapsible canopy frame 100 rather than on a bottom surface of the side poles 111 of the collapsible canopy frame 100. Otherwise, in order to mount a wheel assembly on a bottom surface of a side pole of a collapsible canopy frame, which is a relatively heavy structure, or placing the collapsible canopy frame on a wheeled structure, the collapsible canopy frame needs to be lifted off the ground in order to position the wheel assembly/wheeled structure beneath the collapsible canopy frame. Then after the collapsible canopy frame is transported to a desired location for use in the expanded position, the wheel assembly/wheeled structure needs to be removed to prevent the collapsible canopy frame from moving or rolling on the wheels. Thus, after set in the desired location and/or adjusted to the expanded position the collapsible canopy frame again needs to be lifted to remove the wheel assembly/wheeled structure. These problems are alleviated when the wheel assembly A is mounted to a side surface of the side pole 111.
Although the above description describes the wheel assembly A as being attached to the collapsible canopy frame 100 of
It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential character thereof. The present invention is therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalents thereof are intended to be embraced therein.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2003-0001545 | Jan 2003 | KR | national |
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/759,491 filed Jan. 15, 2004, which claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Utility Model Application No. 2003-0001545 filed on Jan. 17, 2003 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, now registered as Utility Model Registration No. 0312124 on Apr. 21, 2003, the entire contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 10759491 | Jan 2004 | US |
Child | 12100920 | US |