FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of the invention is portable shelters.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various types of portable shelters have been known and used in the past. Generally, these types of shelters have a flexible fabric canopy supported by more rigid elements, such as metal or wood ribs, tubes or arches. While these types of shelters have met with varying degrees of success, engineering challenges remain in providing a portable shelter that for example is lightweight and easily carried, provides a high degree of sun protection, resists wind, avoids excessively blocking the user's view, and is easily put up and taken down, even on various types of surface. Accordingly, an improved portable shelter is needed offering improvements in one or more of these characteristics
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A portable shelter may include a ground assembly, flex poles, and a cover assembly. The ground assembly, such as a ground sheet, strips or pad, can be provided with rigid elements, such as metal ground poles, on opposite sides. The ground poles may optionally be made foldable and extend through sleeves on the ground sheet. The ends of the flex poles are attached to the ends of the ground poles, with the flex poles flexed into an arc when the shelter is set up. The cover assembly includes a flexible material cover. Flex pole attachment devices, such as snap-on clamp fittings, may be spaced apart along opposite ends of the cover for attaching the cover onto the flex poles. Ground pole attachment devices may be spaced apart along opposite sides of the cover for attaching the cover to the ground poles. The ground assembly and the cover assembly may optionally be combined into a single assembly which can be folded and/or rolled up for storage or transport.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings, the same element number indicates the same element in each of the views.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing each of the major components of the present shelter in the storage position.
FIG. 1A is an enlarged perspective view of an angle fitting.
FIG. 2 is a perspective of the shell assembly of FIG. 1 in an unrolled position.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the ground unit and the cover unit of the shell assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2 shown separately, with the ground unit fully unrolled and/or unfolded.
FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the ground unit with the ground poles attached to each other.
FIG. 4B is an enlarged perspective view showing the attachment of the ground poles shown in FIGS. 3 and 4A.
FIG. 5 is perspective view showing installation of the side flex poles of FIG.
1.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view the side flex poles installed on the ground unit.
FIG. 7A is a perspective view of the cover assembly of FIG. 3 attached to one side flex pole.
FIG. 7B is a perspective view of the cover assembly of FIG. 3 attached to one ground pole and two flex poles, and also showing enlarged detail views of the attachments.
FIGS. 8A and 8B are perspective views of the present shelter before installation of the center flex pole of FIG. 1.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the present shelter fully assembled and ready for use.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the present shelter as shown in FIG. 9, and with one end of the cover assembly rolled up to provide a more open design.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 shows the present shelter 20 with the components of the shelter folded and/rolled up, for storage or transport, for example in a carrying case or bag. FIG. 9 shows the present shelter 20 fully assembled and ready for use. FIGS. 2 through 8B present a sequence of assembly of the components shown in FIG. 1 and design features of the components.
As shown in FIG. 1, the portable shelter 20 may include a shelter body 34, two flex side poles 24 and a flex center pole 54. The shelter body 34 in FIG. 1 is shown in the rolled/folded up position, for storage or transport. FIG. 2 shows the shelter body unrolled and folded in half. Referring to FIG. 3, the shelter body 34 includes a cover assembly or unit 30 and a ground assembly or unit 22. FIG. 3 shows the ground assembly 22 unrolled and unfolded, with the cover assembly 30 shown still folded in FIG. 3. In FIG. 1 the cover assembly 30 and the ground assembly 22 are rolled up together, with the ground assembly 22 on the outside and the cover assembly 30 rolled up within the ground assembly 22, so that the cover assembly 30 is not visible in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 3, the ground assembly 22 includes a ground sheet or pad 40 which is typically rectangular, although other shapes may also be used. Left and right side separate sleeves 42 are shown on opposites sides of the pad 40. If used, the sleeves may be provided for example by overlying and stitching an outside layer of material or fabric of the ground pad 40. Corner cutouts 44 can be provided at the corners, so that the sleeves do not extend to the corners of the ground pad 40. Similarly, center cutouts 46 can be located at a center location of the ground pad 40. The shelter 20 may optionally be provided with no ground pad or sheet 40, with only ground strips or webbing 38 extending between the ground poles, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3. As used here, ground sheet and ground pad mean an element extending between the ground poles, including one or more strip, strap, web, sheet or pad.
In the example shown, ground poles 48 and 52 extend through the sleeves 42. The ground poles may be provide as two attachable segments, 48A and 48B, and 52A and 52B, to allow the ground assembly 22 to be folded in half as shown in FIG. 2, with the fold line bisecting the ground poles. If the ground poles are provided in segments, the inner end of each of the ground pole segments 48A and 48B, and 52A and 528, may include an attachment fitting, for attaching the pole segment 48A to the pole segment 48B, and for attaching the pole segment 52A to the pole segment 52B.
For example, the inner ends of ground pole segments 48A and 52A may have a male swage fitting that fits into a female swage fitting on the inner ends of the ground pole segments 48B and 52B, respectively. Referring to FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B, if this design is used, the ground pole segments may be attached together by hand, advantageously without using any tools or additional components, by inserting one into the other. The center cutout 46 leaves the inner ends of the ground pole segments 48 and 52 accessible by hand, to allow them to be quickly and easily attached and removed from each during setup and take-down of the portable shelter 20. Of course, various other types of quick connect devices may be used to attach the ground pole segments 48A and 48B, and 52A and 52B together. For example, the segments may be connected by a spring or hinge device, or a slide collar, which attaches the rigid segments together, yet still allows the ground assembly 22 to be folded as shown in FIG. 2. The ground poles 48 and 52 may alternatively be single full length poles, if folding the ground assembly is not needed.
FIG. 4A shows the ground assembly 22 with ground pole segments 48A and 48B, and 52A and 52B, attached together to form full length ground poles 48 and 52 within the sleeves 42 along each longer side of the ground pad 40. A fitting 50 is attached to the outer end of the each of the ground poles, as shown in FIG. 3. If the ground poles 48 and 52 are single full length poles, then the fittings 50 at each end of ground poles 48 and 52 captivates the pole within the sleeves 42.
If the ground poles are provided as segments 48A, 48B, 52A and 52B, then the segments may slide into and out of the sleeves 42. Alternatively, the segments may be attached to the ground pad 40 via rivets, fasteners, adhesives, etc., to substantially permanently attach the segments to the ground pad. Allowing the segments to slide within the sleeves may be helpful or necessary where they are attached to each using swaged or similar types of end attachments.
FIG. 5 shows a typical next step in setting up the shelter 20, with one of the flex side poles 24 unfolded, and with the ends of the flex side pole 24 inserted into the fittings 50 on the ground poles 48 or 52, on one side of the ground pad 40. Each of the flex side poles 24 may be formed of fiberglass tube segments 60 with attaching end fittings. A central shock cord 64 may be threaded through the segments 60 to hold the segments together when folded. FIG. 6 shows both flex side poles 24 installed on the ground unit 22.
As shown in FIGS. 6-9, the flex poles 24 are aligned substantially parallel to each other at opposite ends of the ground pad or sheet 40. The flex poles 24 do not cross over or intersect each other. If ground strips, straps or webs 38 are used, they may optionally be attached to the flex poles instead of the ground poles.
Turning now to FIGS. 3, 7A and 7B, the cover assembly 30 includes cover sheet 68, which may be a flexible fabric or material effective to block sunlight and rain. Side clamps 70 are spaced apart along the left and right sides of the cover sheet 68, as it is shown in FIG. 7A. Ground clamps 76 are spaced apart along front and back edges of the cover sheet 68, again as shown in FIG. 7A. The side clamps 70 and the ground clamps 76 each have a base 78 and a head. The base 78 of substantially each of the side clamps 70 and the ground clamps 76 may be attached to the cover sheet 68 by stitching, riveting, etc.
The head 80 of each side clamp 70 is configured to clip onto a flex side pole 24. The side clamp 70 may be made of a resilient plastic material, with the head 80 having a C-shape able to snap over and hold onto a flex side pole 24. The ground clamps 70 may have a similar design, but configured to snap over and hold onto a ground pole 48 or 52, and the sleeve 42 around ground pole. Other devices for attaching the cover sheet 68 to the side poles and/or the ground poles may be used, such as string ties, Velcro hook and loop tape ties, sleeves on the cover sheet 68, etc.
As illustrated in FIGS. 7A, 713, 8A and 8B, in the design shown, the cover assembly 30 is installed onto the flex side poles 24 by snapping the side clamps 70 onto the flex side poles. The cover assembly is installed onto the ground assembly 22 by snapping the ground clamps around the sleeves 42 and the ground poles 48 and 52. Corner ties 74 may be provided at each corner of the cover sheet 68. If used, the corner ties 74 are attached around the flex side poles 24 as well, for example via a snap fitting on each of the ties 74.
In FIG. 9, the center flex pole 54, if used, is unfolded and the ends of the center flex pole 54 are inserted into the center fittings on the flex side poles 24. FIGS. 8A and 8B show the present portable shelter 20 assembled and ready for use, without the center flex pole 54. FIG. 9 shows the present portable shelter assembled and ready for use, with the center flex pole 54.
Referring to FIGS. 1A, 5, 6, 7A and 7B, the fitting 50 may have first and second arms 56 and 58 oriented at an obtuse angle AA ranging from about 95 to 120 degrees opening 56. Consequently, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 7A and 7B, the side flex poles extend upwardly and outwardly away from each other. If the cover assembly 30 is wider than the ground pad 40, the outward tilt of the flex side poles 24 tends to hold the cover assembly out beyond each side of the ground pad 40. This can help to provide a greater shaded area on the ground pad 40.
The portable shelter 20 may be dis-assembled by removing the clamps 70, and the ties 74 if used, from the flex side poles 24, and then removing the flex side poles 24 from the fittings 50. The flex side poles 24 can then be folded up, as shown in FIG. 1. The center flex pole 54, if used, is simply removed from the center fittings 66 and folded up. The ground pole segments 48 and 52 are separated from each other. The ground pad 40 can then be folded in half, back to the position shown in FIG. 2, and then rolled up, back to the position shown in FIG. 1. The cover assembly 30 need not be separated from the ground pad 40. Rather, the cover assembly 30 can remain attached to the ground pad 40 via the ground clamps clamping over the sleeves and the ground poles.
As shown in FIG. 10, one end of the cover sheet 68 may optionally be rolled or folded up, and tied in place via roll-up ties or loops on the underside of the cover sheet 68 secured onto hooks 72 on the top side of the cover sheet 68.
Thus, a novel portable shelter has been shown and described. Various changes and substitutions may of course be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention, therefore, should not be limited except by the following claims and equivalents of them.
Patent Application
20120240970
