Patent Application
20190048613
The present disclosure relates to hammocks and tents, and more specifically to a self-supporting frame for supporting a hammock and a tent.
Hammocks are popular around the world for relaxation and sleeping. They can be used for leisure or as a lightweight bed on camping trips. Hammocks offer the advantage of not sleeping on the ground, and because the ground can be hard, bumpy, wet, cold, and dirty, hammocks provide a potentially more comfortable sleeping situation. Hammocks also generally allow users to access areas that would be difficult or inconvenient to access using a tent (e.g., because of rough, hilly, or wet terrain).
Conventional hammocks are traditionally deployed by suspending the hammock material between two fixed anchor points, such as trees, thereby allowing a user to lie, sit, or otherwise recline in. The sling portion of the hammock is generally made from a fabric sheet, such as nylon or cotton. The hammock may be used for swinging, sleeping, or resting. Anchor points are generally either existing structures or natural structures that are strong enough to support the weight of the user and that are an appropriate distance apart. While certain conventional hammock systems have man-made support frames, these conventional support frames are rather large, heavy and can be difficult to transport. Additionally, conventional hammocks do not offer any protection from nature (e.g., do not provide shelter from the elements, such as wind, insects, sun, or rain).
In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides a hammock-tent apparatus. The hammock-tent apparatus includes a frame that is self-supporting, wherein a hammock is configured to be coupled to the frame, wherein the hammock is configured to be suspended and supported by the frame, according to various embodiments. The hammock-tent apparatus also includes a tent configured to be coupled to the frame, wherein the tent is configured to be disposed around the hammock, according to various embodiments.
The tent may include one or more tent poles, and the one or more tent poles may be configured to be coupled to the frame. For example, the frame may include two end brackets that each comprises an interface for receiving the one or more tent poles. The interface may be an opening defined by and extending through each end bracket. In various embodiments, each of the two end brackets has an A-shaped structure, wherein the opening is a window defined by a top portion of the A-shaped structure, wherein the one or more tent poles are configured to extend through the window. In various embodiments, the top portion of the A-shaped structure has a gap through which the one or more tent poles are configured to be bent so as to be retained within the window. In various embodiments, each of the two end brackets comprises a retention feature configured to facilitate retention of the one or more tent poles within the window and thus prevent the one or more tent poles from springing outwards through the gap.
In various embodiments, the tent is exclusively coupled to the frame via the one or more tent poles being received within the interface of each of the end brackets of the frame. In various embodiments, the frame has two elongate shafts that are configured to extend between the two end brackets. Each of the two elongate shafts may include multiple sections that are configured to be detachably coupled together. The multiple sections may include a base portion and angled end portions. The hammock-tent apparatus may further include one or more tension straps configured to extend between respective base portions of the two elongate shafts. In various embodiments, multiple sections comprise an interconnecting tether system that allows the multiple sections to be collapsed while remaining interconnected. In various embodiments, each end bracket of the two end brackets has a first arm configured to be coupled to a first elongate shaft of the two elongate shafts and a second arm configured to be coupled to a second elongate shaft of the two elongate shafts. The first arm and the second arm may be configured to be detachably coupled together. For example, relative rotation between the first arm and the second arm may enable attachment and detachment of the first arm and the second arm. In various embodiments, the first arm of each of the two end brackets remains interconnected, via the interconnecting tether system, with the first elongate shaft and the second arm of each of the two end brackets remains interconnected, via an interconnecting tether system, with the second elongate shaft. The hammock may be coupled to and suspended between the two end brackets.
Also disclosed herein, according to various embodiments, is a method of assembling a hammock-tent apparatus. The method may include coupling multiple first shaft sections together to form a first elongate shaft having a first base portion and two first angled end portions. The method may also include coupling multiple second shaft sections together to form a second elongate shaft having a second base portion and two second angled end portions. Still further, the method may include coupling one first angled end portion of the two first angled end portions to one second angled end portion of the two second angled end portions via a first end bracket and coupling the other first angled end portion of the two first angled end portions to the other second angled end portion of the two second angled end portions via a second end bracket. Also, the method may include coupling a hammock to the first end bracket and the second end bracket and coupling one or more tent poles of a tent to the first end bracket and the second end bracket. Coupling the one or more tent poles of the tent to the first end bracket and the second end bracket may comprise receiving the one or more tent poles within interfaces respectively defined within the first end bracket and the second end bracket of the frame.
The forgoing features and elements may be combined in various combinations without exclusivity, unless expressly indicated herein otherwise. These features and elements as well as the operation of the disclosed embodiments will become more apparent in light of the following description and accompanying drawings.
The subject matter of the present disclosure is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. A more complete understanding of the present disclosure, however, may best be obtained by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the drawing figures.
The detailed description of exemplary embodiments herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which show exemplary embodiments by way of illustration. While these exemplary embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical changes and adaptations in design and construction may be made in accordance with this disclosure and the teachings herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Thus, the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation.
Disclosed herein, according to various embodiments, is a hammock-tent apparatus.
Generally, the hammock-tent apparatus is a self-supporting structure that supports a hammock and a surrounding tent. As described above, conventional hammocks have various shortcomings, especially pertaining to their portability, storability, adaptability, and versatility. Accordingly, the present disclosure provides a self-supporting hammock-tent apparatus that has various portability, storability, adaptability, and versatility features, among others. In various embodiments, the hammock-tent apparatus disclosed herein is self-supporting (i.e., supports a hammock without requiring trees or other anchoring pillars) and also includes a fully enclosed shelter/tent disposable around the hammock which can provide shelter for a user and/or provide storage for equipment and protection from external elements.
In various embodiments, and with reference to
While one or more stakes or other such anchors may be used to secure the tent 130 and/or the apparatus 100 to the ground, the hammock-tent apparatus 100 is self-supporting in that it does not require a tree or other such elevated anchor point. Accordingly, the hammock-tent apparatus 100 may be deployed in areas where there are few or no trees. Additionally, the hammock-tent apparatus 100 not only provides for self-supporting hammock use, the hammock-tent apparatus 100 also protects the user and/or gear of the user, as gear (such as packs, food, etc.) may be stored within the confines of the tent 130. For example, gear may be stored beyond/below the upturned portions of the frame 110 in the corner pockets. In various embodiments, and with reference to
In various embodiments, and with reference to
The frame 110 may be constructed from various materials which have sufficient structural properties to withstand the expected loads exerted on the hammock-tent apparatus. For example, the frame may be constructed from wood, aluminum, steel, titanium, magnesium, fiberglass, plastics, carbon fiber, composite materials, etc. In various embodiments, for example, the frame may be made from a carbon fiber material, which provides a lightweight, durable, and high strength frame. In various embodiments, as described in greater detail below, the frame may include portions that are made from aluminum (e.g., the elongate shafts) and portions that are made from steel (e.g., the end brackets that connect the elongate shafts).
In various embodiments, and with continued reference to
In various embodiments, the frame 110 may also include one or more tension fasteners or tension straps 113 that extend between the first and second elongate shafts 111, 112. For example, two tension straps 113 may extend between base portions 111B, 112B of the elongate shafts 111, 112 to help structurally reinforce the frame 110 by preventing the elongate shafts 111, 112 from spreading too far apart in response to a load (e.g., a user's weight) on the hammock 120 that is supported by the frame 110. In various embodiments, base portions 111B, 112B of the elongate shafts 111, 112 extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 101 of the hammock-tent apparatus 100.
In various embodiments, and with momentary reference to
In various embodiments, and with continued reference to
In various embodiments, and with reference to
In various embodiments, and with reference to FIGS.
In various embodiments, and with specific reference to
In various embodiments, and with reference to
In various embodiments, and with reference to
In various embodiments, and with reference to
In various embodiments, and with reference to
Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described herein with regard to specific embodiments. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in a practical system. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any elements that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of the disclosure.
The scope of the disclosure is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more.” It is to be understood that unless specifically stated otherwise, references to “a,” “an,” and/or “the” may include one or more than one and that reference to an item in the singular may also include the item in the plural. All ranges and ratio limits disclosed herein may be combined.
Moreover, where a phrase similar to “at least one of A, B, or C” is used in the claims, it is intended that the phrase be interpreted to mean that A alone may be present in an embodiment, B alone may be present in an embodiment, C alone may be present in an embodiment, or that any combination of the elements A, B and C may be present in a single embodiment; for example, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C. Different cross-hatching is used throughout the figures to denote different parts but not necessarily to denote the same or different materials.
The steps recited in any of the method or process descriptions may be executed in any order and are not necessarily limited to the order presented. Furthermore, any reference to singular includes plural embodiments, and any reference to more than one component or step may include a singular embodiment or step. Elements and steps in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been rendered according to any particular sequence. For example, steps that may be performed concurrently or in different order are illustrated in the figures to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure.
Any reference to attached, fixed, connected or the like may include permanent, removable, temporary, partial, full and/or any other possible attachment option. Additionally, any reference to without contact (or similar phrases) may also include reduced contact or minimal contact. Surface shading lines may be used throughout the figures to denote different parts or areas but not necessarily to denote the same or different materials. In some cases, reference coordinates may be specific to each figure.
Systems, methods and apparatus are provided herein. In the detailed description herein, references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “various embodiments”, etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. After reading the description, it will be apparent to one skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement the disclosure in alternative embodiments.
Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element is intended to invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f) unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for.” As used herein, the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.
This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/542,620, filed Aug. 8, 2017 entitled “SELF-SUPPORTING HAMMOCK SYSTEM,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62542620 | Aug 2017 | US |
