Claims
- 1. A collapsible structure, comprising:a first vertical panel having a top edge and a foldable frame member having a folded and an unfolded orientation, with a fabric material covering portions of the frame member to form the first panel when the frame member is in the unfolded orientation; a second vertical panel having a top edge and a foldable frame member having a folded and an unfolded orientation, with a fabric material covering portions of the frame member of the second panel to form the second panel when the frame member of the second panel is in the unfolded orientation; and a connecting member having opposing edges that are coupled to the top edges of the first and second panels in a manner such that the first and second panels are positioned spaced from each other, and the connecting member including means for supporting the first and second panels in an upright position that is parallel to each other; wherein each of the frame members of the first and second panels is twisted and folded to form a plurality of concentric rings when the frame member is in the folded orientation.
- 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the connecting member includes a third horizontal panel having a foldable frame member having a folded and an unfolded orientation, with a fabric material covering portions of the frame member of the third panel to form the third panel when the frame member of the third panel is in the unfolded orientation, the third panel having opposing first and second sides that are coupled to the top edges of the first and second panels, respectively.
- 3. The structure of claim 2, wherein the connecting member is a fabric piece.
- 4. The structure of claim 2, wherein the fabric extends across the entire panel of at least one of the panels.
- 5. The structure of claim 2, wherein the entire connecting member extends between the top edges of the first and second panels.
- 6. A collapsible structure, comprising:a first vertical panel having a foldable frame member having a folded and an unfolded orientation, with a fabric material covering portions of the frame member to form the first panel when the frame member is in the unfolded orientation; a second vertical panel having a foldable frame member having a folded and an unfolded orientation, with a fabric material covering portions of the frame member of the second panel to form the second panel when the frame member of the second panel is in the unfolded orientation; and a connecting member coupled to, and extending between, the first and second panels in a manner such that the first and second panels are positioned parallel to each other; wherein each of the frame members of the first and second panels is twisted and folded to form a plurality of concentric rings when the frame member is in the folded orientation; wherein each of the first and second panels has a top side, and wherein the connecting member includes a third horizontal panel having a foldable frame member having a folded and an unfolded orientation, with a fabric material covering portions of the frame member of the third panel to form the third panel when the frame member of the third panel is in the unfolded orientation, the third panel having opposing first and second sides that are coupled to the top sides of the first and second panels, respectively; and wherein each of the first and second panels has a bottom side, and wherein the connecting member includes a fourth horizontal panel having a foldable frame member having a folded and an unfolded orientation, with a fabric material covering portions of the frame member of the fourth panel to form the fourth panel when the frame member of the fourth panel is in the unfolded orientation, the fourth panel having opposing first and second sides that are coupled to the bottom sides of the first and second panels, respectively.
RELATED CASES
This is a continuation of Ser. No. 09/313,147, filed May 17, 1999, entitled “Collapsible Play Structures”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,761, which is in turn a continuation-in-part of co-pending Ser. No. 09/162,086, filed Sep. 29, 1998, now abandoned which is a division of Ser. No. 08/859,876, entitled “Collapsible Play Structures”, filed May 21, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,279, which is a division of Ser. No. 08/627,875, entitled “Collapsible Play Structures”, filed Apr. 3, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,596, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/281,369, entitled “Collapsible Play Structures”, filed Jul. 27, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,385, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 08/024,690, entitled “Collapsible Shade Structure”, filed Mar. 1, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,794, which is in turn a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 07/764,784, entitled “Collapsible Shade Structure”, filed Sep. 24, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,705, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated by this reference as though set forth fully herein. This is also a continuation-in-pad of co-pending Ser. No. 09/802,227, filed Mar. 8, 2001, entitled “Collapsible Structures”, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 09/541,211. filed Apr. 3, 2000, entitled “Collapsible Structures”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,557, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 09/059,811, filed Apr. 14,1998, entitled “Collapsible Structures”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,281, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 08/773,066, filed Dec. 26, 1996, entitled “Collapsible Structures”, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,915, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated by this reference as though set forth fully herein.
US Referenced Citations (15)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
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3-21779 |
Jan 1991 |
JP |
Continuations (4)
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09/541211 |
Apr 2000 |
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09/802227 |
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09/313147 |
May 1999 |
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09/541211 |
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09/059811 |
Apr 1998 |
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09/162086 |
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08/281369 |
Jul 1994 |
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08/627875 |
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Continuation in Parts (5)
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09/802227 |
Mar 2001 |
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10/105903 |
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09/162086 |
Sep 1998 |
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09/313147 |
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08/773066 |
Dec 1996 |
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08/859876 |
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08/024690 |
Mar 1993 |
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08/281369 |
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07/764784 |
Sep 1991 |
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08/024690 |
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