BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional foldable frame disposed at an expanded state;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view to illustrate how two pivoted connecting rods of the conventional foldable frame are connected to an upright rod through extension of a stud into a guiding groove in the upright rod;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a foldable frame for a tent according to the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the preferred embodiment disposed at an expanded state;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary partly exploded perspective view to illustrate how a connecting rod is pivoted to a sleeve on an upright rod portion of the preferred embodiment;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view to illustrate how a connecting rod is pivoted to an upright rod portion of the preferred embodiment; and
FIG. 7 is a schematic view to illustrate a state where the preferred embodiment is disposed at a folded state.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 3 to 6, the preferred embodiment of a foldable frame 2 according to the present invention is adapted for supporting a canopy 20 of a tent, and includes: a plurality of inverted U-shaped rods 4 aligned in a folding direction, each of the inverted U-shaped rods 4 being provided with rollers 32 and having opposite first and second upright portions 31 that are opposite to each other in a transverse direction relative to the folding direction; and a plurality of first and second connecting units 6, 6′, each of the first connecting units 6 interconnecting the first upright portions 31 of two adjacent ones of the inverted U-shaped rods 4, each of the second connecting units 6′ interconnecting the second upright portions 31 of two adjacent ones of the inverted U-shaped rods 4, each of the first and second connecting units 6, 6′ including a pair of connecting rods 61 that intersect and that are pivoted to each other at an intersection therebetween through a pivot pin 62 and that are respectively pivotable with respect to the respective ones of the first and second upright portions 31 of the two adjacent ones of the inverted U-shaped rods 4, and a pair of sleeves 5 that are respectively and slidably sleeved on the respective ones of the first and second upright portions 31 of the two adjacent ones of the inverted U-shaped rods 4, and that are respectively pivoted to the connecting rods 61. In this embodiment, each connecting rod 61 has an upper end 611 (see FIG. 6) pivoted to the respective one of the first and second upright portions 31 through a pivot pin 71, and a lower end 612 (see FIG. 5) pivoted to a pivot shaft 511 on the respective sleeve 5 through a screw 72.
At least one of the first and second upright portions 31 of each of the inverted U-shaped rods 4 is formed with a retaining hole 312 (see FIG. 5). In this embodiment, each of the first and second upright portions 31 of a frontmost one of the inverted U-shaped rods 4 is formed with the retaining hole 312. The foldable frame 2 further includes a positioning unit that includes two positioning pins 8, each of which is insertable into the retaining hole 312 in a respective one of the first and second upright portions 31 of the frontmost one of the inverted U-shaped rods 4 so as to be disposed underneath and to abut against a respective one of the sleeves 5 (see FIG. 4) of a respective one of the first and second connecting units 6, 6′ when the foldable frame 2 is positioned at an extended state, thereby preventing downward sliding movement of the sleeves 5 on the respective ones of the first and second upright portions 31 of the respective one of the inverted U-shaped rods 4.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 6, in this embodiment, each of the inverted U-shaped rods 4 further includes an upper portion 41 connected detachably to the first and second upright portions 31 through fasteners 43.
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 7, when the foldable frame 2 is desired to be folded from an extended state (see FIG. 4) to a folded state (see FIG. 7), the two positioning pins 8 are removed from the retaining holes 312, and the frontmost one of the inverted U-shaped rods 4 is subsequently pushed in the folding direction to thereby result in downward sliding movement of the sleeves 5 together with the lower ends 612 of the connecting rods 61 along the first and second upright portions 31 of the inverted U-shaped rod 4, and in simultaneous movement of the inverted U-shaped rods 4 toward each other.
With the inclusion of the sleeves 5 in the foldable frame 2 of this invention, folding of the foldable frame 2 is easier and more convenient as compared to the aforesaid conventional foldable frame.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
Patent Application
20080006318
