COLLAPSIBLE AND EXPANDABLE TENT

TENTE A DEPLOIEMENT AUTOMATIQUE ET REPLIABLE

English Abstract

A COLLAPSIBLE AND EXPANDABLE TENT
Abstract
A tent is disclosed that is readily
collapsible into a unitary flat package which can
be readily stored on a hanger in a closet. When
it is desired to "set up" the tent, a pair of
latches are released and the tent automatically
assumes or expands into a fully "set up" or erect
condition. The tent comprises a fabric or canvas
body mounted on corner posts secured to the ends
of a pair of flexible bent rods arranged in
criss-crossed relation. The inherent tension in
the bent rods automatically expands the tent body
into its fully erect position. The tent can be
readily collapsed into a flat package by manually
moving the front and back corner posts and rods
together so that they lie in intersecting planes
that define a small acute angle therebetween.
Latches are provided on the rods for latching the
two rods and tent in its collapsed condition.

Claims

Claims:
1. A collapsible and expandable tent comprising
a tent body of fabric or canvas having four corners;
a first flexible bent rod having one end portion secured
to a first corner and its opposite end portion secured to a
second corner diagonally across from the first corner;
a second flexible bent rod having one end portion secured
to a third corner and its opposite end portion secured to a
fourth corner diagonally across from the third corner whereby
the first and second rods are arranged in criss-crossed
relation; and
means for coupling the first and second bent rods for
releasably holding the first and second rods substantially
parallel to each other with the tent body in a collapsed
condition and the first and second rods in a more tensioned
condition, the first and second rods automatically moving to a
less tensioned condition and thereby automatically fully
expanding the tent body when the coupling means is released.
2. A collapsible and expandable tent according to claim
1, wherein said coupling means comprise releasable latch means
on said rods, said releasable latch means being mounted on one
of said rods and engageable with the other rod for releasably
holding the first and second rods adjacent to each other along
their length when the tent body is in its collapsed condition.
3. A collapsible and expandable tent according to claim
2 wherein the latch means comprises a hook member having one
end secured to one of the first and second rods and a hook at
its opposite end for engaging the other of the first and
second rods.
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4. A collapsible and expandable tent according to
claim 3, wherein a pair of hook members are provided, one
hook member on each side of a point approximately half way
between the end portions of the first and second rods.
5. A collapsible and expandable tent according to
claim 4, wherein the one end of each hook member is
slidably mounted on one of the first and second rods.
6. A collapsible and expandable tent according to
claim 1 wherein each corner has a pocket for receiving the
free end of one of the first and second rods.
7. A collapsible and expandable tent according to
claim 6, wherein the tent body has a ridge pole, and a
flexible lace secures the ridge pole to the criss-crossed
first and second rods.
8. A collapsible and expandable tent according to
claim 1, wherein each of the first and second rods is of
one diameter, and has a cylindrical portion at each end
thereof of a greater diameter than the one diameter.
9. A collapsible and expandable tent according to
claim 8, wherein the cylindrical portion comprises a
tubular member, and further comprising means for coupling
each end of the first and second rods to an end of a
complementary tubular member.
10. A collapsible and expandable tent according to
claim 8, comprising a coupling member having a flexible
finger attached at each end of the first and second rods,
said finger having a laterally extending lug, and a
radially extending opening at an end of each tubular
member for receiving the lug.
11. A collapsible and expandable tent according to
claim 8, and further comprising hang means connected to
the first and second rods for hanging the collapsed tent
on a hook.
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12. A method for collapsing and expanding a tent for
children having a tent body made of fabric or canvas
having four corners, first and second flexible bent rods,
each rod having its end portion secured to diagonally
opposed corners of the tent body, comprising:
moving said rods to a position adjacent to each other
with the ends of each rod positioned more closely to each
other than when the tent is expanded, and the rods are in
an increased tensioned condition two sides of the tent are
collapsed and the tent is reduced to a substantially flat
state;
retaining said rods in said increased tensioned
position; and
expanding said tent to an erected condition by
releasing said rods so that said rods are moved to a less
tensioned condition in which the ends of each rod are at a
greater distance from each other and the rods assume a non-
adjacent criss-crossed configuration whereby the tent is
expanded to a useable position.
13. The method of claim 12 further comprising
supporting an upper portion of said tent body from an
intermediate portion of said bent rods when said tent is
in said expanded position.
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Description

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Background of the Invention
.___________________________
Field of the Invention
_____________ ________
This invention relates generally to tents, and more
particularly to a readily collapsible and expandable tent.
Description of the prior art
.____________________________
One of the most enjoyable and relatively inexpensive
recreational pursuits indulged in by families is camping.
In addition to family camping, children generally love to
indulge in organizational camp outings arranged, for example,
by scout groups. When not indulging in the real thing,
children love to act out camping in the home. One problem
is that to date no tents are known that can be automatically
"set up" in seconds to enable the children to enter and leave
the tent with ease, and when they are through camping for
real, or playing, to collapse and store the tent quickly
without the loss of any parts.
Summary of the Invention
.________________________
An object of the present invention is to provide a
collapsible and expandable tent comprising a tent body of
fabric or canvas having four corners; a first flexible bent
rod having one end portion secured to a first corner and its
opposite end portion secured to a second corner diagonally
across from the first corner; a second flexible bent rod
having one end portion secured to a third corner and its
opposite end portion secured to a fourth corner diagonally
across from the third corner whereby the first and second
rods are arranged in criss-crossed relation; and means for
coupling the first and second bent rods for releasably
holding the first and second rods substantially parallel to
each other with the tent body in a collapsed condition and
the first and second rods in a more tensioned condition, the
first and second rods automatically moving to a less
tensioned condition and thereby automatically fully expanding
the tent body when the coupling means is released.
The invention also relates to a method for
collapslng and expanding a tent for children having a tent

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129~)~19


body made of fabric or canvas having four corners, first
and second flexible bent rods, each rod having its end
portion secured to diagonally opposed corners of the tent
body, comprising: moving said rods to a position adjacent
to each other with the ends of each rod positioned more
closely to each other than when the tent is expanded, and
the rods are in an increased tensioned condition two sides
of the tent are collapsed and the tent is reduced to a
substantially flat state; retaining said rods in said
increased tensioned position; and expanding said tent ~o
an erected condition by releasing said rods so that said
rods are moved to a less tensioned condition in which the
ends of each rod are at a greater distance from each other
and the rods assume a non-adjacent criss-crossed
configuration whereby the tent is expanded to a useable
position.
In a more specific object of the invention, each
corner of the tent body has a pocket or sleeve for
receiving the free end of one of the bent rods. The latch
means that couples the rods comprises a hook member having
one end secured to one of the rods, and a hook at its
opposite end for engaging the other rod.
The problem of the unavailability of tents that
may be erected quickly and automatically, merely by
releasing a couple of latches, for both real or imaginary
camping, is solved by this invention. When real or play
camping is concluded, the tent can be quickly collapsed
and latched into a substantially flat package and can be
readily stored in a closet or the like.
The invention and its advantages will become more
apparent from the detailed description of the invention
presented below.
Brief Description of the Drawings
_________________________________
In the detailed description of the invention
presented below, reference is made ~o the accompanying
drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of

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a preferred embodiment of the collapsible and
expandable tent of this invention;
Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the
toy tent in its collapsed condition;
Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the
collapsed tent of Fig. 2; and
Fig. 4 is a segmented exploded view
showing one way of connecting the end of a rod to
the end of a corner tube.
Detailed Description of the Invention
With reference to Fig. 1, a preferred
embodiment of the collapsible and expandable tent
10 of this invention is disclosed in exploded
form. The tent 10 comprises a tent body 12
formed from any suitable fabric material, canvas,
or the like. The tent body has pockets or
sleeves 14 along each corner thereof for receiving
rigid corner posts or tubes 16 of aluminum or
plastic. Flexible fiberglass rods 18 that are
normally straight have one end of one rod inserted
into one of the corner tubes 14 and the opposite
end thereof inserted into a corner tube diagonally
across from the other tube. Each free end 20 of
the rods is inserted into and secured to a blind
bore 22 in a coupling 24. The coupling has a
pair of longitudinally extending fingers 26 spaced
apart with at least one of the fingers being
flexible and being provided with a laterally
extending lug 28. The complementary end of the
tube 16 has a radially extending opening 30 for
receiving lug 28 when coupling 24 at the end of
the rod is inserted into the open end of the
tube. The lug 28 and opening 30 form a detent
means for releasably securing each end of rod 20
to the complementary end of corner tube 16. Each

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rod 20 may be formed of a plurality of small rods,
having aligned, opposite ends secured together by
any suitable connectors 32. The tension of the
flexed or bent rods 20 when the couplings at the
ends thereof are inserted into corner tube 16
forces sleeves 14 of tent body 12 outwardly
expanding the tent into its erect position.
The tent body further has a front end 34,
a rear end, two sides 36 and a gabled roof 38
provided with a sleeve 40 along the ridge for
receiving a ridge pole 42. The ridge pole is
secured to the criss-crossed portion 44 of the
rods by a tie lace 46 passing underneath ridge
pole 42 and tied above the rods after the tie lace
is pulled fairly snug.
The tent 10 is provided with latch means
for coupling mid-portions of rod 18 for releasably
holding tent body 12 in a collapsed condition
against the natural tendence of the rods to
straighten out. The latch means comprise a pair
of hook members 48, each having an opening at one
end 50, through which one end of each of the rods
18 extends. The hook members 48 are slidably
mounted on the rod ends that are on the same side
of the tent to facilitate relasing both hooks from
that side. To collapse the tent, the corners of
the tent at one of the front or rear ends are
pulled together and the hook end 52 of hook member
48 adjacent that end is placed over the other rod
18. The corners of the tent at the other of the
front and rear ends are then pulled together while
stuffing the excess fabric towards the opposite
end of the tent. The hook end 52 of hook member
48 is placed over the adjacent complementary rod
18 for holding the tent in its collapsed condition

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for storage or transporting. In this collapsed
condition, the rods 18 lie in interesting plans
that define a small acute angle therebetween, as
best seen in Fig. 3. Any suitable hanger 54 can
be connected to the criss-crossed portion 44 of
rods 18 for hanging the collapsed tent 10 in any
suitable storage area, such as a closet. When it
is desired to set up the tent, the collapsed tent
is transported to the area where it is to be
erected and the hooks 52 of hook members 48 are
unsnapped, preferably from one side of the tent,
whereupon the tensioned rods 18 automatically pop
the tent into its erected or expanded position.
While a preferrred embodiment of the
invention has been shown and described with
particularity, it will be appreciated that various
changes and modifications may suggest themselves
to one having ordinary skill in the art upon being
apprised of the present invention. It is
intended to encompass all such changes and
modifications as fall within the scope and spirit
of the appended claims.

Representative Drawing