FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to the field of hammocks, more specifically to a system and method for hanging two or more hammocks in a side-by-side configuration.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hammocks are often used for leisure and as a temporary resting platform by hikers and campers. A single hammock is typically hung between two trees (or other sturdy posts). Single-person and two-person hammocks are available. However, sharing a hammock between two people can be uncomfortable, particularly for an extended amount of time. As such, there is a need for suspending two hammocks in a side-by-side configuration. Such a suspension system would be particularly useful if only two trees in close proximately are available. It would also allow two individuals to remain near one another, without the disadvantages of a two-person hammock.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a system and method for suspending two hammocks in a tandem configuration. The system may include: two hammocks, two suspension straps with related hardware, and two tandem hammock bars. The tandem hammock bars maintain a fixed distance between the two hammocks, such that the two hammocks remain in a safe and comfortable position relative to one another.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a tandem hammock assembly comprises a plurality of hammocks coupled to one another by at least two straps, each of the at least two straps being fastened to respective ends of the plurality of hammocks; and at least two elongate bars each comprising two fastening elements on respective ends, the fastening elements being adapted to detachably fasten to respective ones of the at least two straps, wherein the at least two straps are each adapted to be detachably fixed to a respective anchoring structure.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the at least two elongate bars are equal in length.
According to an embodiment of the invention, each of the two elongate bars comprises a plurality of sections that are detachable from one another and the two fastening elements.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the two fastening elements are tethered to each other by an elastic rope.
According to an embodiment of the invention, each of the at least two straps comprises a plurality of strap loops that are evenly spaced apart along a length of each strap.
According to an embodiment of the invention, each of the at least two straps is detachably fastened to one of the respective ends of the plurality of hammocks by forming a loop through a hammock end loop on the one of the respective ends of the plurality of hammocks and detachably fastening two adjacent ones of the plurality strap loops together.
According to an embodiment of the invention, one of the fastening elements is detachably fixed to another one of the plurality of strap loops that is adjacent to one of the two fastened adjacent strap loops
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with references to the accompanying figures, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a tandem hammock bar for use with the disclosed tandem hammock system and method;
FIG. 2 is a side view of the tandem hammock bar of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the tandem hammock bar of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the tandem hammock bar of FIG. 1 in a collapsed configuration;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the tandem hammock system;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a tandem hammock bar for use with the disclosed tandem hammock system and method, in both extended and collapsed configurations; and
FIGS. 7-9 are perspective views of the steps for hanging the tandem hammock system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the above-identified Drawings. However, the Drawings and the description herein of the invention are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. It will be understood that various modifications of the present description of the invention are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. Also, features described herein may be omitted, additional features may be included, and/or features described herein may be combined in a manner different from the specific combinations recited herein, all without departing from the spirit of the invention.
The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the words “may” and “can” are used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words “include,” “including,” and “includes” mean including but not limited to. To facilitate understanding, like reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate like elements common to the figures.
Disclosed is a tandem hammock system and related method for hanging two or more hammocks in a side-by-side configuration. As shown in FIG. 5, in one embodiment, the system is comprised of: two single-person hammocks 505a and 505b, two elongate bars 100a and 100b, and two hammock suspension straps 510a and 510b, which tether the hammocks 505a and 505b to a pair of trees 515a and 515b that serve as anchoring structures. In embodiments, alternative anchoring structures, such as posts, stands, and the like, may be used. FIG. 5 illustrates two (2) hammocks 505a and 505b that are the same in configuration and size. In embodiments, other numbers of hammocks of various configurations may be used. According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, hammocks 505a and 505b are tethered to trees 515a and 515b with sufficient tension such that hammocks 505a and 505b can each receive the body weight of a user without dropping down excessively. Suspension straps 510a and 510b may be made with a polymeric material, such a nylon and the like, with sufficient friction to hold up the body weight of two or more users in respective hammocks 505a and 505b without sliding down trees 515a and 515b. According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, suspension straps 510a and 510b are each a wrapped around trees 515a and 515b a plurality times for the aforementioned friction, with respective ends thereof fastened to hammocks 505a and 505b as described in further detail below. In embodiments, suspension straps 510a and 510b may each be embodied by plural straps that each separately fasten to hammocks 505a and 505b on one end and wrap around trees 515a and 515b on the other end. As shown in FIG. 5, suspension straps 510a and 510b are fastened to hammocks 505a and 505b via loops 520a, 520b, 520c, and 520d on respective ends of hammocks 505a and 505b. And hammocks 505a and 505b are held with tension and separated from each other by bars 100a and 100b. According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, bars 100a and 100b are of equal length. Accordingly, hammocks 505a and 505b are aligned substantially in parallel with each other by bars 100a and 100b. According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, bars 100a and 100b are collapsible for storage, as described in further detail below. In embodiments, bars 100a and 100b, and/or one or more additional bars, may have differing lengths for different arrangements of hammocks 505a and 505b, and any additional hammocks.
Referring now to FIG. 1, collapsible bar 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention is described. As shown in FIG. 1, collapsible bar 100 includes three (3) cylindrical sections 105a, 105b, and 105c that are joined together end-to-end to form a rigid member for use as bars 100a and 100b shown in FIG. 5 and described above. In embodiments, sections 105a, 105b, and 105c may be made from a metal, a polymeric material, or any materials that can provide sufficient mechanical strength and rigidity—in a cylindrical shape, substantially prism shape, and the like—to separate and align hammocks 505a and 505b. Collapsible bar 100 also includes two fastening elements 110a and 110b at respective ends for fastening to suspension straps 510a and 510b. As illustrated in FIG. 1, fastening elements 110a and 110b are formed by loop hook and gate structures, which are similar to carabiners in shape, made from a resilient polymeric material. In embodiments, fastening elements 110a and 110b may be formed by other shapes for releasably fastening bar 100 to suspension straps 510a and 510b.
FIG. 2 is a side view of bar 100 to more clearly illustrate the loop hook and gate structure of fastening elements 110a and 110b. As shown in FIG. 2, each fastening element 110(a and b) includes a loop hook section 205(a and b) and a gate section 210(a and b). These sections may be formed by an integrated loop of the aforementioned resilient polymeric material incorporating an opening 215(a and b). Operatively, gate sections 210a and 210b may be pushed inward by a user for inserting suspension straps 510a and 510b and pushed outward for releasing inserted suspension straps 510a and 510b.
Referring now to FIG. 3, which is a bottom view of bar 100, loop hook sections 205a and 205b and gate sections 210a and 210b incorporate respective curved ends that meet one another at respective tips such that they form closures 305a and 305b that would prevent an inserted suspension strap (510a or 510b) from disengaging during use of the tandem hammock system—such disengagement requiring, as described above, a user applying force to deform resilient gate section (210a or 210b) to temporarily open the closure.
FIG. 4 illustrates bar 100 in a disassembled, collapsed configuration. As shown in FIG. 4, sections 105a, 105b, and 105c are hollow cylinders that can be detached from one another, where middle section 105b includes portions 405a and 405b on its two ends that have smaller outer circumferences for fitting with the inner circumferences on respective ends of sections 105a and 105c. In addition, fastening elements 110a and 110b are tethered to each other with an elastic rope 410. As illustrated in FIG. 4, elastic rope 410 is tied to loop 415 on an insertion end 420 of fastening element 110a that is inserted into section 105a on an opposite end to section 105b while bar 100 is assembled, as shown in FIGS. 1-3. Elastic rope 410 is tied on an opposite end to fastening element 110b in a similar manner. Accordingly, elastic rope 410 tied to fastening elements 110a and 110b exerts an inward force so that sections 105a, 105b, and 105c are held together while bar 100 is assembled—in other words, with portion 405a of section 105b inserted into one end of section 105a, insertion end 420 of fastening element 110a inserted into an opposite end of section 105a, portion 405b of section 105b inserted into one end of section 105c, and an insertion end (not shown) of fastening element 110b inserted into an opposite end of section 105c. The inward force is sufficient for holding bar 100 (i.e., bars 100a and 100b shown in FIG. 5) together while it is assembled but the elasticity of rope 410 would allow a user to disassemble and collapse bar 100 without undue effort. Additionally, as illustrated in FIG. 4, sections 105a, 105b, 105c and fastening elements 110a, 110b remain tethered together in the disassembled, collapsed configuration so that they can be easily reassembled. With its reduced length of approximately one of the sections 105c, 105b, and 105c and a fastening element 110a or 110b, bar 100 can be conveniently stored in the disassembled, collapsed configuration.
The tandem hammock system shown in Fig.5 may be assembled by following the steps set forth in FIGS. 6-9.
With reference to FIG. 6, as step 1, the user begins by extending the tandem hammock bars 100a and 100b, as described above with reference to FIGS. 1-3. The bars may be configured to break-down into multiple segments to facilitate transport and storage, as described above with reference to FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 7, as step 2, the user then attaches the hammock suspension straps 510(a and b) to two trees (515a and 515b shown in FIG. 5), loops straps 510(a and b) through respective loops 520(a, b, c, and d) of hammocks 505(a and b), and secures straps 510(a and b) using a carabiner 705 or other fastening device. As illustrated in FIG. 7, each strap 510(a and b) incorporates a plurality of loops 710 that are spaced apart at regular distances so that carabiner 705 can fasten adjacent loops 710 on strap 510(a and b) while strap 510(a and b) is looped through loop 520(a, b, c, and d) of hammock 505(a and b) in order to fasten strap 510(a and b) to hammock 505(a and b). In embodiments, alternative manners of fastening strap 510 to hammock 505 may be used.
Next, as shown in FIG. 8, as step 3, the user then secures the tandem hammock bars 100(a and b) to the loops 710 of the hammock suspension straps 510(a and b), thus, maintaining the pair of hammocks 505(a and b) at a fixed distance relative to one another. According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, bars 100(a and b) are fixed to the loops 710 that are adjacent to the loops 710 through which carabiners 705 are attached for forming the fastening loops of respective straps 510(a and b) for fastening to hammocks 505(a and b)(via loops 520 thereof). As illustrated in the zoomed in section of FIG. 8 and with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the loops 710 and/or straps 510(a and b) can be slid through openings 215(a and b) of fastening element 110(a and b) by a slight displacement of section 205(a and b) and/or 210(a and b) that thereby forms a temporary opening at closure 305(a and b).
Once bars 100(a and b) are secured to the suspension straps 510(a and b), the tandem hammock system is completed. FIG. 9 illustrates this completion on one end of the fully assembled tandem hammock system. As shown in FIG. 9, hammocks 505a and 505b are fastened to suspension strap 510 by threading strap 510 through loops 520a and 520b of hammocks 505a and 505b, respectively, and fastening adjacent loops 710 on strap 510 together with carabiners 705a and 705b. Bar 100 is secured to strap 510 by securing fastening elements 110a and 110b to respective loops 710 that are adjacent to those secured by carabiners 705a and 705b, respectively. Accordingly, as described above, hammocks 505a and 505b are aligned and held at a predetermined distance by bar 100, with a similar arrangement on the opposite ends of hammock 505a and 505b.
While particular embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described in detail, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements thereon may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications and improvements that are within the scope of this disclosure.
Patent Application
20200046107
