Not applicable.
The present disclosure relates to a modular tent with an inflatable airframe and an inflatable door for a tent.
Inflatable tents have been around for years, but there are limitations on their modularity. Tents have had various doors for entering and exiting a tent. Primarily, it is a loose piece of fabric that is zipped into place and when not zipped droops loosely from where it is attached. There have been some tent doors that are able to maintain a door structure that can be hinged open, but they require structural elements built into the tent to achieve this.
Accordingly, there is a need for a modular tent with an inflatable airframe to provide more usages of the tent and an inflatable door for a tent.
The present disclosure is directed to a modular tent. The modular tent includes an airframe that is inflatable to provide structural support to the modular tent and an inner tent supported on an inside part of the airframe. The modular tent also includes an outer shell supported on an outside part of the airframe.
The present disclosure is also directed to a tent that has a tent body with a doorway disposed therein. The tent also includes an inflatable door hingedly connected to the tent body.
The present disclosure relates to a modular tent 10 with an inflatable airframe 12 shown in more detail in
The airframe 12 can be comprised of multiple tube sections 18 to hold air and support the inner tent 14 and the outer shell 16. Furthermore, the airframe 12 can have any shape such that the inner tent 14 and the outer shell 16 are properly supported by the airframe 12. All components of the airframe 12 can also be pneumatically connected such that the entire airframe 12 can be inflated from a single point. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the airframe 12 can have a primary tube 24 that connects a front frame 20 of the airframe 12 and a back frame 22 of the airframe 12. The front frame 20 can support the front part 26 of the inner tent 14 and the back frame 22 can support the back part 28 of the inner tent 14.
The inner tent 14 can have a front 30 with a doorway 32 disposed therein, a back 34 opposite the front 30, a first and second side 36 and 38 extending from the front 30 to the back 34, and a floor 40 connecting the front 30, back 34 and the sides 36 and 38. In one embodiment, the inner tent 14 is disposed entirely within the airframe 12. The inner tent 14 can have mesh windows 42 in the front 30, back 34 or sides 36 or 38 that include window covers that can be open or closed from inside the inner tent 14.
Referring now to
In another embodiment of the present disclosure shown in more detail in
Referring back to
In one embodiment, the primary tube 24 can be substantially horizontally disposed and extend from the back 34 of the inner tent 14 to the front 30 of the inner tent 14 when the modular tent 10 is set up and be the only part of the airframe 12 that extends from the back frame 22 to the front frame 20. The airframe 12 can include a first front tube 66 that is general alignment with the front 30 of the inner tent 14. In a further embodiment, the primary tube 24 can extend beyond the front 30 of the inner tent 14, and the first front tube 66, to provide a covered area 68 adjacent to the front 30 of the inner tent 14. To have proper support for the covered area 68, the primary tube 24 can extend to a second front tube 70 that supports the outer shell 16 that provides the covered area 68. The first and second front tubes 66 and 70 can be separated by any desired distance such that the covered area 68 has a desired size. Similar to the first and second back tubes 58 and 60, the first and second front tubes 66 and 70 can be arched and extend from the primary tube 24, which is the apex of the arched first and second front tubes 66 and 70, to the ground. In one embodiment, the first and second front tubes 66 and 70 terminate at the ground. In another embodiment, the ends 72 of the first and second front tubes 66 and 70 are connected by ground tubes 62. In addition to the primary tube 24, the airframe 12 can also include lateral tubes 65 extending from the back frame 22 to the front frame 20. It should be understood and appreciated that when the first and second back tubes 58 and 60 and the first and second front tubes 66 and 70 are arched, this will cause the sides 36 and 38 of the inner tent 14 to have an arched shape. Similarly, the outer shell 16 will have an arched cross-sectional shape.
The sides 36 and 38, the back 34 or the front 30 of the inner tent 14 can include vent ports 74 disposed therein. The vent ports 74 are created by a mesh opening in the inner tent 14. The inner tent 14 can have a piece of material that is bigger than the mesh opening on the outside that covers the mesh opening on a majority of the sides and top, but leaves the bottom open to allow some air flow through the vents, but prevents precipitation from entering the inner tent 14 via the mesh opening. The inner tent 14 can also include pockets secured to the inside thereof to provide a place to store items. Further, a divider 76 can be secured to each shelf 48, extend upward therefrom and expand between the walls 46 and the sides 36 and 38 of the inner tent 14 to help maintain position of items on the shelves 48. The divider 76 can also be secured to the walls 46 and the sides 36 and 38 of the inner tent 14 in addition to the shelves 48 themselves.
Referring now to
The doorway 32 can be defined by a top 92, sides 94 and a bottom portion 96. The bottom portion 96 can extend upward from the floor 40 of the inner tent 14. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the bottom portion 96 can be selectively moved between an upright position (
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the modular tent 10 can include a bag 98 that all parts of the modular tent 10 can be stored and transported in. After the contents of the modular tent 10 are removed from the bag 98, the bag 98 can be secured to an inside part of the inner tent 14 to provide a place for things to be collected. In an exemplary embodiment, the bag 98 could be used as a laundry hamper and dirty clothes could be placed in it. The bag 98 can be secured to any part of the inside of the inner tent 14 desirable and attached to the inside of the inner tent 14 in any manner desirable. For example, the bag could be held in place with clips, buckles, hook and loop strips, etc. The bag 98 can also include shoulder straps 100 to make carrying the tent 10 in the bag 98 easier.
From the above description, it is clear that the present disclosure is well-adapted to carry out the objectives and to attain the advantages mentioned herein, as well as those inherent in the disclosure. While presently preferred embodiments have been described herein, it will be understood that numerous changes may be made which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and which are accomplished within the spirit of the disclosure and claims.
The present application is a conversion of U.S. Provisional Application having U.S. Ser. No. 63/524,093, filed Jun. 29, 2023 and U.S. Provisional Application having U.S. Ser. No. 63/609,181, filed Dec. 12, 2023, which claim the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119 (e). The disclosures of which are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63524093 | Jun 2023 | US | |
63609181 | Dec 2023 | US |