Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to folding, collapsible structures and, more particularly, to a collapsible, shelter structure with a collapsible hang space.
Temporary shelters that can be easily transported and rapidly set up at emergency sites can be particularly useful in providing temporary care and housing. Such shelters can also be useful for non-emergency outdoor gatherings, such as for temporary military posts, field trips, and the like. The temporary shelters may have a frame of X-shaped links, telescoping legs, and a canopy covering the frame. The legs of the shelter are capable of telescoping to approximately twice their stowed length, and the frame of X-shaped truss pairs is capable of horizontal extension between the legs to support a canopy. The frame can be constructed of lightweight material, and the telescoping legs can be extended to raise the frame of the shelter.
As the use of temporary shelters increase, there is a need to provide a secluded area within the shelter. For example, some temporary shelters are used to sell goods, such as clothing. In such cases, it is desirable to provide a secluded area for storing goods and/or for changing clothes. Conventional shelters do not include secluded areas. It is desirable to provide a portable room that may be attached to a temporary shelter to provide a secluded area within the temporary shelter.
In one aspect, a hanging room is disclosed. The hanging room includes three or more sides. The hanging room also includes multiple fastening straps. Each first fastening strap is attached to one side of the three or more sides. The hanging room further includes multiple fasteners, and each fastener is attached to one fastening strap. Each fastener attaches the hanging room to a shelter.
Additional features and advantages of the disclosure will be described below. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that this disclosure may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the teachings of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features, which are believed to be characteristic of the disclosure, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages, will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present disclosure.
The features, nature, and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which like reference characters identify correspondingly throughout.
The detailed description set forth below, in connection with the appended drawings, is intended as a description of various configurations and is not intended to represent the only configurations in which the concepts described herein may be practiced. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of the various concepts. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these concepts may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and components are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring such concepts.
Based on the teachings, one skilled in the art should appreciate that the scope of the disclosure is intended to cover any aspect of the disclosure, whether implemented independently of or combined with any other aspect of the disclosure. For example, an apparatus may be implemented or a method may be practiced using any number of the aspects set forth. In addition, the scope of the disclosure is intended to cover such an apparatus or method practiced using other structure, functionality, or structure and functionality in addition to or other than the various aspects of the disclosure set forth. It should be understood that any aspect of the disclosure disclosed may be embodied by one or more elements of a claim.
The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any aspect described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects.
Although particular aspects are described herein, many variations and permutations of these aspects fall within the scope of the disclosure. Although some benefits and advantages of the preferred aspects are mentioned, the scope of the disclosure is not intended to be limited to particular benefits, uses or objectives. Rather, aspects of the disclosure are intended to be broadly applicable to different technologies, system configurations, networks and protocols, some of which are illustrated by way of example in the figures and in the following description of the preferred aspects. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the disclosure rather than limiting, the scope of the disclosure being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
As shown in
It is desirable to provide a system to improve a customer's ability to attach various structures to a shelter. Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a multi-point attachment system that provides multiple points in a shelter for securely fastening a structure, such as a flag, banner, side skirt, tent, etc., to the shelter's frame. According to aspects of the present disclosure, the multi-point attachment system provides a solution for a customer to attach different structures to the interior and/or exterior of the frame.
In one configuration, the multi-point attachment system provides attachment points at a center of a shelter as well as corners of the shelter. Of course, aspects of the present disclosure are not limited to providing attachment points at the center and all corners, as various configurations are contemplated based on a customer's need.
Some shelters may have a roof structure that is elevated with a telescoping peak beam. The peak beam may be connected to a bracket (e.g., center bracket) with multiple sockets. The sockets may receive one end of the peak beam as well as ends of truss links. In one configuration, one or more attachment points are provided at the center bracket.
Additionally, the center bracket 200 includes multiple side sockets 206 extending from the body of the center bracket 200. In one configuration, each socket is at substantially right angles from an adjacent socket 206.
Each socket 206 is coupled to a truss link 204 via a bolt 222 or other type of fastener. The truss links 204 may pivot within the respective sockets 206. In one configuration, to allow a truss link 204 to pivot when coupled to a socket 206, the sockets 206 include three sides (e.g., two arms 216 and a base 218). Furthermore, as shown in
As shown in
Furthermore, as shown in
As previously discussed, a center bracket may include attachment points (e.g., handles) for a multi-point attachment center. In one configuration, attachment points are defined on leg brackets of a shelter. The attachment points on the leg brackets may be provided alternate to or in addition to the attachment points of the center bracket.
The leg bracket 400 includes multiple sockets 404 extending outward from a body 412 of the leg bracket 400. Each socket 404 may be at substantially right angle from an adjacent socket 404. Aspects of the present disclosure are not limited to two sockets 404 as shown in
An end of a link member 408 is received in each socket 404 of the leg bracket 400. The end of the link member 408 may be pivotally connected to the socket 404. Specifically, the end of the link member 408 may be attached to the socket via a bolt 424 or other attachment. The socket 404 of the leg bracket 400 includes two arms 416. As a roof and a floor are not defined for each socket 404 of the leg bracket 400, the link member 408 may pivot in an up or down direction.
In one configuration, a handle 410 (e.g., attachment point) is defined below each socket 404. A first end of the handle 410 may be attached to a bottom of one arm 416 of the socket 404 and a second end of the handle 410 may be attached to the body 412 of the leg bracket 400. Each handle 410 may be adaptable to receive a fastener 414. As previously discussed, the fastener 414 is adapted to be connected to material of a structure via a strap or other type of connector. The leg bracket 400 is not limited to receiving link members and may receive telescoping pole members or other structures of a frame of a shelter.
In one configuration, legs 508 are provided at each corner to erect the frame. The legs 508 may be telescoping (e.g., extendable). That is, each leg 508 may comprise a telescoping lower section 520 that extends from a hollow upper section 522. The telescoping lower section 520 may be slidably disposed within the telescoping lower section 520. Each telescoping lower section 520 has a foot 540 for engagement with the ground. Additionally, a perimeter truss frame 550 is connected to the legs 508 via brackets 524, 526 to stabilize and support the frame of the shelter 500. The perimeter truss frame 550 may also be referred to as a perimeter truss framework.
The perimeter truss frame 550 may include multiple outer truss links 552 and multiple inner truss links 554. Two outer truss links 552 may form an outer truss link pair. The outer truss links 552 of each outer truss link pair may be pivotally connected to each other at a cross-link joint 536, such as in a scissor configuration. In one configuration, a first end of each outer truss link 552 is pivotally connected to a leg 508 via either a leg bracket 524 or a sliding bracket 526. That is, a first end of one outer truss link 552 of each outer truss link pair may be pivotally connected to a socket of the leg bracket 524. Each socket of the leg bracket 524 may include an attachment point (e.g., handle) for receiving a fastener (see
As shown in
The shelter 500 may include a peak beam 532 for supporting a roof structure (not shown), such as a canopy. The peak beam 532 may be attached to a center bracket 528. The peak slider 518 may also be slidably attached to the peak beam 532. In one configuration, a peak pole 534 is telescoping (e.g., extendable) from the peak beam 532. That is, the peak beam 532 may be hollow so that the peak pole 534 may extend upward from the peak beam 532. The peak pole 534 may be slidably disposed within the peak beam 532. Additionally, the peak pole 534 may include a top bracket 538 for engaging a roof structure, such as a canopy.
The top bracket 538 may also include attachment points. In one configuration, a sail banner may be attached to an attachment point of the top bracket 538 and an attachment point on one or more leg brackets 524. Additionally, or alternatively, the sail banner may be attached to other components of the shelter. The sail banner may be used to display information on the interior of the shelter 500. In one configuration, a roof material may be placed on the shelter 500. In this configuration, the roof structure is placed over the sail banner, such that only the roof structure is visible from the exterior of the shelter 500, while both the roof structure and the sail banner are visible from the interior of the shelter 500.
Aspects of the present disclosure are not limited to two outer truss link pairs per side. The number of outer truss link pairs, per side, may be less than or greater than two. For example, as shown in
Aspects of the present disclosure are not limited to the shelters of
In one configuration, legs 608 are provided at each corner to erect the shelter 600. The legs 608 may be telescoping (e.g., extendable). That is, each leg 608 may comprise a telescoping lower section 624 that extends from a hollow upper section 622. The telescoping lower section 624 may be slidably disposed within the hollow upper section 622. A slider 628, such as a slider with a pull pin, may be used to extend the telescoping lower section 624 from the hollow upper section 622. Each telescoping lower section 624 has a foot 640 for engagement with the ground. Additionally, a perimeter truss frame 616 is connected to the legs 608 for stability and support.
The perimeter truss frame 616 may include multiple outer truss links 612. Two pivotally connected outer truss links 612 may form an outer truss link pair. The outer truss links 612 of each outer truss link pair may be pivotally connected to each other at a cross-link joint 636, such as in a scissor configuration. In one configuration, a first end of each outer truss link 612 is pivotally connected to a leg 608 via a sliding bracket 664 or a leg bracket 668. Specifically, the first end of one outer truss link 612 of each outer truss link pair may be pivotally connected to a socket of a sliding bracket 664. The first end of another outer truss link 612 of each outer truss link pair may be pivotally connected to a socket of the leg bracket 668, such that each outer truss link 612 is pivotally connected to a corresponding leg 608. The leg bracket 668 and/or the sliding bracket 664 may include one or more attachment points (see
As shown in
The lower peak truss links 632 may provide support to a corresponding (e.g., adjacent) upper peak truss link 614. The upper peak truss links 614 form a peak for supporting a roof structure (not shown), such as a canopy. The lower peak truss links 632 and/or upper peak truss links 614 may be made of a rigid material or flexible material. The truss links may form a dome shaped roof, a pyramid shaped roof, or other type of roof.
As shown in
The lower peak truss links 654 may provide support to a corresponding (e.g., adjacent) upper peak truss link 652. The upper peak truss links 652 and lower peak truss links 654 form a dome for supporting a roof structure (not shown), such as a canopy. The lower peak truss links 654 and the upper peak truss links 652 may be a flexible material. For example, the lower peak truss links 654 and the upper peak truss links 652 may be flexible rods, such as composite fiber rods. The flexibility improves wind resistance.
As an example, a tent shelter, such as a cube tent, gazebo, or a structure with a roof, may be erected within the shelter 650. In one configuration, the tent shelter may have a cube shape and the sides of the tent shelter may be attached to attachment points on the leg brackets 602. Furthermore, a strap may be attached to the roof of the structure and an attachment point of the dome center bracket 656. The dome of the shelter 650 may then be covered with a roof fabric. The flexibility of the upper peak truss links 652 as well as the connection between the roof of the tent shelter and the dome of the shelter 650 improves the wind resistance of the structure. Aspects of the present disclosure are not limited to erecting a tent shelter in shelters with flexible peak truss links, as the tent shelter may be erected in any type of shelter with a multi-point attachment system.
According to aspects of the present disclosure, a secluded area may be provided by attaching a hanging room to a portion of a shelter (e.g., collapsible shelter). In one configuration, the hanging room is attached to one or more of a peak beam, a joint, an inner truss link, and outer truss link, a leg, a bracket, and/or another portion of the shelter. The bracket may be attached to the canopy peak assembly, a joint, a leg, and/or another portion of the shelter. The hanging room may be referred to as a hanging shelter, a hanging space, a hang space, or a hang shelter.
In one configuration, the hang space is a cube with four sides. Each side may be a quadrilateral with two edges of a first substantially similar length and two other edges of a second substantially similar length. The second length is different from the first length. Aspects of the present disclosure are not limited to two edges of a first length and two edges of a second length. Each edge may have a substantially similar or different length in comparison to a length of other edges. Furthermore, the hang space is not limited to a quadrilateral, as other types of shapes are contemplated, such as a triangle or a cylinder.
Conventional shelters have an open space design. That is, the interior of the shelter is open to provide a covered space for those within the shelter. As the use of shelters has increased, there is a need to provide a secluded area within the shelter. For example, some shelters are used as temporary stores. In this example, there is a need for a merchant to provide a changing room for customers to try on clothes and/or a secluded area for storage. In yet another example, a shelter may need a dark room to process film. In still yet another example, a shelter may need a secluded area for a crime scene investigation. As discussed herein, there are various needs for a secluded area within a shelter.
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a hang space that provides a secluded area within a shelter. The hang space may be attached to the interior of the shelter. In one configuration, attachments of the hang space are adjustable, such that the hang space is adjusted to be taut when attached to the shelter. The hang space may be connected to an upper portion of the shelter, such as the truss links. The hang space may also include attachments for securing the hang space to the ground.
One or more edges of the square hang space 800 may be detachable to allow access to an interior portion of the square hang space 800. For example, a connector 808 may connect two adjacent sides or two parts of the same side. The connector 808 may be a zipper, hook and loop fastener (e.g., VELCRO™), buttons, hooks, or other type of connector. The connector 808 may be placed on an edge or on one of the sides of the square hang space 800. Additionally, a roof 810 of the square hang space 800 may be covered or may be open.
The cylinder hang space 840 may include a connector 820 for connecting two edges of a side of the cylinder hang space 840. That is, the connector 820 may detach one edge from another edge to allow access to an interior portion of the cylinder hang space 840. For example, the connector 820 may be a zipper, hook and loop fastener, buttons, hooks, or another type of connector for connecting connect one side to an adjacent side. Additionally, a roof 842 of the cylinder hang space 840 may be covered or may be open.
The triangle hang space 850 may include a connector 854 for connecting two edges of a side of the triangle hang space 850. That is, the connector 854 may detach one edge from another edge to allow access to an interior portion of the triangle hang space 850. For example, the connector 854 may be a zipper, hook and loop fastener, buttons, hooks, or another type of connector for connecting connect one side to an adjacent side. The connector 854 may be placed on an edge or on one of the sides of the triangle hang space 850. Additionally, a roof 852 of the triangle hang space 850 may be covered or may be open.
The hang space 1000 includes a connector 1014 for connecting one side 1020 of the hang space 1000 to an adjacent side 1022. As shown in
At block 1122, a second corner 1108 of the hang space 1100 is attached to an inner truss link 1116 of the shelter 1102. Additionally, at block 1124 a third corner 1110 of the hang space 1100 is attached to an inner truss link 1116 of the shelter 1102. Furthermore, at block 1126, a fourth corner 1112 of the hang space 1100 is attached to an inner truss link 1116 or an outer truss link 1104 of the shelter 1102. Finally, at block 1128 the hang space 1100 is ready for use. As shown at block 1128, the hang space 1100 is relatively taut. In one configuration, each strap may be adjusted to provide tautness to the hang space 1100.
Furthermore, as shown at block 1128, an opening may be formed by detaching one side of the hang space 1100 from an adjacent side. The adjacent sides may be detached by disengaging a connection, such as a zippered connection, hook and loop fastener, button connection, etc. The opening provides access to an interior space of the hang space 1100. In this example, the hang space 1100 is used as a changing room.
As used herein, a phrase referring to “at least one of” a list of items refers to any combination of those items, including single members. As an example, “at least one of: a, b, or c” is intended to cover: a, b, c, a-b, a-c, b-c, and a-b-c.
The methods disclosed herein comprise one or more steps or actions for achieving the described method. The method steps and/or actions may be interchanged with one another without departing from the scope of the claims. In other words, unless a specific order of steps or actions is specified, the order and/or use of specific steps and/or actions may be modified without departing from the scope of the claims.
It is to be understood that the claims are not limited to the precise configuration and components illustrated above. Various modifications, changes, and variations may be made in the arrangement, operation, and details of the methods and apparatus described above without departing from the scope of the claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/664,843, entitled “HANGING ROOM FOR A TEMPORARY SHELTER,” filed on Apr. 30, 2018, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20190330875 A1 | Oct 2019 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62664843 | Apr 2018 | US |