Collapsible Shelter

Abstract

A collapsible shelter includes an inwardly folding hinge configured to fold into a substantially flat configuration when the collapsible shelter is closed or collapsed for transport. The hinge may be configured to fold or pull flexible shelter walls inwardly as the shelter is opened or closed. The inward folding prevents or reduces interference of the flexible shelter walls with the closing or latching of the collapsible shelter in the closed configuration. A collapsible shelter may also require multiple latches to secure it in the closed configuration during transportation on a vehicle. A collapsible shelter may also be provided with an actuator configured to release or disengage all the latches with a single operation.

Description

Claims

1. A collapsible shelter comprising: a base having a front edge, a back edge, and a first and a second side edge;a top shell having a front edge, a back edge, and a first and a second side edge;a flexible tent shell attached to the edges of the base and the top shell;a first inwardly folding hinge assembly pivotally attached to the first side edges of the base and the top shell so that it pivots inwardly; anda second inwardly folding hinge assembly pivotally attached to the second side edges of the base and the top shell so that it pivots inwardly;wherein the inwardly folding hinge assemblies fold along a middle hinge axis from an extended configuration to a folded configuration; andwherein the collapsible shelter folds from an open configuration with the inwardly folding hinge assemblies in an extended configuration to a closed configuration with the hinge assemblies folded inwardly between the base and the top shell.

2. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 further comprising a third inwardly folding hinge assembly pivotally attached to the front edges of the base and the top shell so that it pivots inwardly.

3. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 wherein the inwardly folding hinge assemblies are configured to fold a portion of the flexible tent shell between the base and the top shell in the folded configuration.

4. The collapsible shelter of claim 2 wherein the inwardly folding hinge assemblies are configured to fold three sides of the flexible tent shell between the base and the top shell in the folded configuration.

5. A collapsible shelter comprising: a base, a top shell, and a flexible tent shell attached to the base and to the top shell; andan inwardly folding hinge assembly having a lower hinge leaf and an upper hinge leaf pivotally connected at a middle hinge axis;wherein the lower hinge leaf and the upper hinge leaf are pivotally attached to the base and the top shell respectively; andwherein the lower hinge leaf and the upper hinge leaf fold inwardly between the base and the top shell in a closed configuration of the collapsible shelter.

6. The collapsible shelter of claim 5 wherein the lower hinge leaf is pivotally attached to the base at a lower hinge axis that is parallel to an adjacent edge of the base; and wherein the upper hinge leaf is pivotally attached to the top shell at an upper hinge axis that is parallel to an adjacent edge of the top shell.

7. The collapsible shelter of claim 6 wherein in the closed configuration the middle axis of the hinge assembly is closer to a centerline of the base than both of the upper hinge axis and the lower hinge axis.

8. The collapsible shelter of claim 5 wherein the inwardly folding hinge assembly is disposed outside the flexible tent shell, and the inwardly folding hinge assembly is configured to draw the flexible tent shell between the base and the top shell in the closed configuration.

9. The collapsible shelter of claim 5 wherein the inwardly folding hinge assembly is disposed inside the flexible tent shell, and the flexible tent shell is attached to the inwardly folding hinge assembly by at least one attachment point to draw the flexible tent shell between the base and the top shell in the closed configuration.

10. The collapsible shelter of claim 9 wherein the at least one attachment point is a sleeve in the flexible tent shell, a tie attached to the flexible tent shell, or a hook and loop strip.

11. The collapsible shelter of claim 5 wherein folding of the inwardly folding hinge assembly folds the flexible tent shell between the base and the top shell.

12. The collapsible shelter of claim 11 wherein unfolding of the inwardly folding hinge assembly unfolds the flexible tent shell.

13. A collapsible shelter comprising: a base, a top shell, a flexible side wall attached at a lower edge to the base and at an upper edge to the top shell; andan inwardly folding hinge attached to the base and the top shell that folds from a closed configuration to an open configuration;wherein the inwardly folding hinge folds inwardly between the base and the top shell in the closed configuration.

14. The collapsible shelter of claim 13 wherein the inwardly folding hinge is configured to fold the flexible side wall in the closed configuration.

15. The collapsible shelter of claim 13 wherein the inwardly folding hinge folds the flexible side wall in the closed configuration.

16. The collapsible shelter of claim 13 wherein the inwardly folding hinge is configured to draw a portion of the flexible side wall between the base and the roof when the inwardly folding hinge is in the closed configuration.

17. The collapsible shelter of claim 13 wherein the inwardly folding side hinge comprises: a lower leaf pivotally attached to the base; andan upper leaf pivotally attached to the top shell;wherein the lower leaf is pivotally attached to the upper leaf on a middle hinge axis; andwherein the lower leaf and the upper leaf fold together and pivot inwardly between the base and the top shell when the collapsible shelter is in a closed configuration.

18. The collapsible shelter of claim 17 wherein the upper leaf and the lower leaf are nested in the closed configuration.

19. The collapsible shelter of claim 17 wherein the upper leaf and the lower leaf each comprise two legs and a cross bar, the two legs pivotally attached to the base or top shell, and the cross bar disposed at the middle hinge axis.

20. The collapsible shelter of claim 17 wherein the flexible side wall is folded over the inwardly folding hinge in the closed configuration.