Patent Application
20230085227
Tents and tent-type structures are widely used in a very broad spectrum of applications. Indeed, tents are used for a multitude of activities including applications such as camping, beach time, sun protection, wind and rain protection, play tents, pet enclosures, and even shower or changing enclosures. Depending upon the design and covering, such structures and coverings provide protection from wind, rain, and, especially in the beach environment, protection from the sun and ultraviolet light. One important feature for most all tent structures used in an outdoor temporary setting is that the structure must be readily portable so that it can be transported to where it will be used, and readily storable when not in use. A further feature often demanded by users is flexibility of the tent structure for different uses.
To date, most tent structures are predominantly single structure housings. Such tents or housing are limited in that, no matter what size the housing or tent is, there is limited ability to separate activities within the tent. For example, a family on a camping trip could not easily provide a separate sleeping area for children except through the assembly and pitching or setting up of one or more separate tents. Even with such setting up of separate tents, the result is just that: separate tents; separate areas. The desire for flexibility of a tent or series of tents is simply lacking.
For many users, and for many applications, users may wish to be able to customize the size, configuration, and shape of the tent structure depending upon the users' particular needs or activities. For example, in addition to the camping example noted above, sometimes the need may be for a smaller single person or child's tent; and at other times, there may be a need for a larger, multi-person configuration and structure, or even for a separate changing area or privacy area, or safe enclosure for one or more pets. While some designs provide for some flexibility with respect to the structure and size of the tent, such size and configuration flexibility is very limited, and generally does not provide any means for flexibility in the configuration or structure.
Many different types of tent-type structures and assembly systems have been created and commercialized to address some of these concerns and issues. While there have been many such designs, and indeed, new designs continue to evolve, none appear to provide an optimal or even widely accepted solution for a tent module design that is readily reconfigurable with respect to configuration and size of the tent modules, and still retains features of being lightweight, easily transported, readily storable, easily assembled, and easily disassembled.
One example of such a prior art system includes U.S. Pat. No. 7,316,238 for a Tent With A Repositionable Floor, by Sumner. The Sumner '238 patent, discloses a tent having a repositionable floor, with the floor preferably including a pair of subpanels that mate together and form a water-resistant seam, and further where the subpanels can be repositioned within the interior of the tent or exteriorly of the tent. The Sumner patent however does not disclose or teach any modular aspect of any side panels of the tent to allow full customization of the tent size and shape.
Accordingly, it would be useful to have a multi-sectional, multi-module tent structure and system, that allows for complete customization of the tent structure and system by the user in a rapid and easy assembly procedure. Such customization should include the ability to readily interconnect modules to form different tent configurations having different tent module areas that may be separated or divided, but are still or may be readily interconnected into a single structure. Moreover, the tent modules should be lightweight, and in the disassembled or folded configuration, be easy to store and transport. Such a multi-sectional, multi-module tent structure and system having detachable modules does not appear to have been designed, developed, or commercialized that satisfactorily meets each of these criteria. While certain of these problems may be addressed by one or more examples of the prior art, a complete solution to all of these problems does not appear to have been specifically designed or used in the relevant prior art.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art and fulfills the needs described above by providing a modular tent structure that includes a plurality of side panels that may be detached from each other, or added to the structure to provide for a wide variation of tent configurations and shapes for varied uses.
One preferred embodiment of the invention is a modular tent system, comprising at least two interconnectable tent modules, with each at least two interconnectable tent modules having a plurality of side panels, wherein each of said at least two interconnectable tent modules have at least one of said plurality of side panels with a first interconnecting section that is removably interconnecting with a second interconnecting section on a separate interconnectable tent module.
A second preferred embodiment of the invention is an expandable modular tent system, comprising a plurality of interconnectable modules, with each of said plurality of interconnectable modules having a plurality of side panels, and wherein each of said plurality of interconnectable modules have at least one of said plurality of side panels with an interconnecting element that is removably interconnecting with an interconnecting element and side panel on a separate interconnectable module.
A third preferred embodiment of the invention is an expandable modular tent system, comprising a plurality of interconnectable modules as described above, and further comprising a roof or top cover, and/or a floor or bottom cover.
Another preferred embodiment of the invention is an expandable modular tent system, comprising a plurality of interconnectable modules as described above, and further comprising in one or more of the side panels, one or more doors, windows, or similar type openings to allow access between adjacent modules.
A still further preferred embodiment of the invention is an expandable modular tent system, comprising a plurality of interconnectable modules as described above, wherein the modules have dissimilar shapes, configurations, and sizes, to provide users with wide flexibility in the creation of their desired multi-sectional, multi-module tent system.
To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act, consistent element numbers refer to such elements in different figures.
A modular, customizable tent structure and sectional tent system is disclosed. At its core, the modular tent structure and system 10, as illustrated in one embodiment in
As further detailed in
In further configurations and embodiments, illustrating the flexibility and benefits of the modular tent structure and system 10,
While the modules 20, 21, 22, 23 are shown as being identical or consistent sizes and configurations, in different embodiments, the tent system 10 may be assembled using different size and/or different configuration modules. As shown in
As shown in
Given the intended option to connect separate modules, and thereby provide separate uses for the connected modules, there may still be a further need or desire to allow for partial or completely open access between connected modules. For example, in certain embodiments, the side panels 100 that connect to each other using the interconnecting elements 200 may each incorporate one or more windows or doors that allow users to have access an adjacent module.
The incorporation and use of such window and door openings, provides users a wide variety of design options for configuring and building their multi-sectional tent systems 10. As illustrated in
An example of a window 400 incorporated into a side panel 100 is also shown in one embodiment in
In a similar fashion, one or more cutouts may be incorporated into the flexible cover 90, for example near the top of the cover 90 to allow for release of air pressure when wind blows into the tent structure 10 thereby helping to maintain the tent structure from inadvertently ballooning like a parachute, and moving when the wind blows and catches within the tent opening.
A further embodiment allows for complete opening and access between adjacent modules, as shown in
In further embodiments, the multi-sectional tent system 10 may also include a separate roof or top panel 500 and/or a floor or bottom panel 600, as shown in
The construction of the side panels may be flexible, such as a flexible covering or cover 90 that is shaped into a side panel 100 through use of a structurally resilient rib 91, as shown in
For the embodiment using a flexible cover 90, such cover may be manufactured from most any type of lightweight, flexible textile, such as nylon ripstop or similar types of polyester fabrics. Alternative and additional materials that may be used to manufacture the cover 90 include polyester, canvas, polyethylene, flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC), as well as other flexible textiles, synthetic plastic polymers, and poly-type materials.
In order to balance strength, durability, and weight, the ribs 91 may be manufactured from any type of resilient thermoplastic or composite material. With the ribs 91 being manufactured from a resilient thermoplastic, each side panel 100, and in turn, the entire multi-module tent structure and system 10 may be easily collapsed or folded into a compact size for transport and storage. More particularly, in addition to being fully flexible in terms of configuring and customizing the size and shape of any tent structure, the design of the multi-module tent system, and in particular ability to collapse and stack the side panels 100 on top of each other provides ease of disassembly, folding, transport and storage.
The folding or collapsing of each module 20, 21, 22, 23 is easy and intuitive. The user can simply separate each module from the other interconnected modules, and then simply collapse or rotate adjacent side panels 10 to overlay each other. To assist with the transport and storage of the stacked side panels 10, and stacked modules 20, 21, 22, 23, further ties or securing elements 95 may be used to secure or hold the stacked side panels and stacked modules to each other. The ties or securing elements 95 may be one or more of clips, buttons, snaps, or other similar type of securing mechanism.
When fully collapsed, the multi-sectional tent system 10 is fairly compact, and the collapsed modules may be placed within a storage bag or sack (not shown) to be used to hold the collapsed modules and stacked side panels 100.
The multi-sectional and module tent system 10 may also include pockets or bags (not shown) for use to weigh down or provide ballast to the modules. For example, at the beach, sand can be easily placed in the bag sections, whereas for use with camping or non-beach activities, stones or a plurality of smaller rocks can be placed in the bag sections or pockets to provide additional weight or ballast. When it is time to collapse and transport the multi-module tent system 10, the sand, stones, or small rocks may be readily removed from the bag sections, and disassembly or folding is easily achieved. For additional positional support and stability, the ends of the leg sections of the tent structure can be anchored to the ground with removable stakes (not shown).
The drawings and disclosed embodiments are but a limited set of examples of how the inventive multi-sectional, multi-module tent structure and system 10 may be configured and used. Uses for such a tent structure and system 10, are as noted limitless. Uses may include, without limitation, beach, camping, and other outdoor activities, such as use within a garden, at sporting events, a party shelter, a reading spot, a safe enclosure for pets, a leisure/quiet place, and/or set up and used by various commercial entities such as temporary covered spots by restaurants, spas, or resorts.
While preferred embodiments of the inventive multi-sectional tent structure and system 10 have been described and disclosed, in particular by reference to certain figures and exemplary embodiments relating to particular shapes, sizes, and configurations for the interconnecting modules, such embodiments and designs for the tent structures and systems 10, are not to be construed as limiting the scope of application of the inventive devices or systems. For example, as described and claimed, the multi-sectional tent structure and system 10 may be configured, as shown, using different sizes and shapes for the modules. Such variations to the modules and the module side panels may include smaller dimensions, or larger dimensions, or side panels having multiple doors or windows incorporated into the modules and side panels. All such alternate embodiments are deemed to be within the scope of the inventive design and below claims.
It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that other modifications, substitutions, and/or other applications are possible, and all such modifications, substitutions and applications are within the true scope and spirit of the present invention. It is likewise understood that the above disclosure and attached claims are intended to cover all such modifications, substitutions, and/or applications.
