Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02550030 2006-06-16
A TENT FRAME
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tent frame.
2. Description of Prior Art
In accordance with prior art, the conventional structure of foldable tent, as
shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. IA, is typically comprised of four poles 1' and roof
cross
braces 2', between two adjacent poles 1' proper number of cross bracing struts
3' 3" are
located, wherein the cross bracing struts 3', as shown in Fig. 1, can be
directly con-
nected to said adjacent poles 1' respectively with the both ends by one hinged
on a
static hub 7' located on the tip end of one pole 1', and another end hinged on
sliding
hub 5' fitting on another pole 1' (as shown in Fig. 3), or three pair of cross
bracing
struts 6' are set upon, as shown in Fig. 2 (for meeting to the necessary of
big scale
frame tent); on the other side, a center bracing strut 4' supporting the roof
brace 2' is
hinged on between the roof brace 2' and the sliding hub 5 with the both ends
respec-
tively (cooperating to refer Fig. 3), so that two cross bracing struts 3' 3"
and the center
bracing strut 4' are hinged on one sliding hub 5' at side wall and corner
individually.
But there are some shortcomings existing in said tent frame as follows:
1. because said center bracing strut 4' are in a plane structured with said
roof cross brace 2' and said pole 1', so as pitching or folding up, said
center bracing strut 4' just only exerts supporting effect in this plane, but
not generate side supporting force to the roof brace 2', hence the whole
unfolded frame is not stable as expected, especially to the large size tent,
this problem is more obviously, due to the more load exerting on the cen-
ter bracing strut 4' via the roof brace 2', the single pressure in this plane
often makes the center bracing strut 4' swing so as to be unstable.
2. concerning to the folding-up process, the user just exerts all force on the
cross bracing struts 3' 3" so that the sliding hub 5' is indirectly pushed
down along the pole 1', but due to the center bracing strut 4' hinged on
said sliding hub 5', the moved sliding hub 5' has to bring the center brac-
ing strut 4' to draw the roof brace 2' to fold in this process, so the sliding
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CA 02550030 2006-06-16
hub 5' should be bore exact resistance force coming from the center
bracing strut 4', for this sake, the sliding hub 5' has to be made of high-
strength material, so that the production cost is gone up, on the other
hand, even so, the folding force exerting on the roof brace 2' is not so big
that the roof brace 2' is folded smoothly.
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ASPECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a main aspect of the present invention to provide a stable
tent
frame that can be pitched up and folded up easily and smoothly.
For achieving the above-mentioned aspect, the present invention provides a
tent frame that is typically comprised of poles and roof braces, and cross
bracing
struts located between two adjacent poles, and center bracing struts hinged on
between the roof brace and the sliding hub of the pole, in which each roof
brace is
supported with a center bracing strut, the top end of the center bracing strut
is hinged
on the roof brace, and the low end is hinged on the cross bracing strut
approaching the
sliding hub end.
Wherein, two center bracing struts are arranged on two opposite sides of the
diagonal line of the frame, the both top ends of them are hinged on the roof
brace, and
the low ends of them are respectively hinged on the two cross bracing struts
approaching the sliding hub ends.
Said cross bracing strut is attached with a tip bearing for pivoting the low
end
of the center bracing strut on.
The low end of the center bracing strut can be hinged on the side wall of the
sliding hub beyond the pivoting point of the low end of the cross bracing
strut on.
As utilizing above-mentioned project, because the low end of the coordinated
center bracing strut is hinged on the cross bracing strut, the center bracing
strut is not
located in the plane structured by the roof brace and the pole, so that when
pitching or
folding up, the center bracing strut not only generates support force in the
plane
structured by the roof brace and the pole, but also exerts side support force
to the roof
brace so as to keep the roof brace stable without any swinging as in unfolding
state,
especially to large size of frame tent the support is more stability.
On the other hand, as folding up, the cross bracing strut can directly draw
the
center bracing strut bending to the inward, but not via the sliding hub, so
the sliding
hub bears less force, meanwhile exert more force on the roof brace so as to
facilitate
to fold up more easily. And the requirement of the material of the sliding hub
is
relatively reduced, and the production cost is gone down too.
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According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a tent
frame
comprising a plurality of poles, each pole including at least one sliding hub
having
opposed ends; a plurality of roof braces; a plurality of cross bracing struts
located
between two adjacent poles; and a plurality of center bracing struts, each of
said
center bracing struts having an upper and lower end, each of said center
bracing struts
being hinged between a corresponding roof brace and the sliding hub of the
pole,
wherein each of the plurality of roof braces is supported by a corresponding
center
bracing strut with the top end of the center bracing strut being hinged on the
roof
brace and the low or lower end of the center bracing strut being hinged on the
cross
bracing strut adjacent the sliding hub.
In accordance with the above aspect, wherein crossing the diagonal line of the
frame, two of the center bracing struts are hinged on the roof brace with the
top ends,
with the lower ends of the center bracing struts being tilted to an opposite
side of the
diagonal line, and hinged on the respective cross bracing strut approximate
the sliding
hub end.
In accordance with the above aspect, further including a tip bearing, wherein
said cross bracing strut is attached with the tip bearing for pivoting the
lower end of
the center bracing strut thereon.
In accordance with the above aspect, wherein the low end of the center bracing
strut is adapted to be hinged on a side wall of the sliding hub beyond the
pivoting
point of the lower end of the cross bracing strut.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a scheme of the prior art.
Fig. 2 is a scheme of another prior art.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged view showing the structure of the sliding hub of the
prior
art.
Fig. 4 is a scheme of the present invention.
Fig. 5 is an enlarged view showing the hinging method of the center and cross
bracing struts of the present invention.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged view showing another hinging method of the center and
cross bracing struts of the present invention.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to Fig. 4, a frame tent provided by the present invention is
typically
comprised of poles 1 and roof braces 2, cross bracing struts 3 located between
two adja-
cent poles 1, and center bracing struts 4 hinged on between the roof brace 2
and the slid-
ing hub 5 of the pole, in which the cross bracing struts 3, as shown in Fig.
1, can be di-
rectly connected to said adjacent poles I respectively with the both ends by
one hinged
on a static hub 7 located on the tip end of one pole 1, and another end hinged
on sliding
hub 5 fitting on another pole I (as shown in Fig. 3, Fig. 5 and Fig. 6), or
three pair of
cross bracing struts 6 are set upon, as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 (for
meeting to the
necessary of big scale frame tent); on the other side, the center bracing
strut 4 is hinged
on the roof brace 2 with the top end.
Wherein each roof brace 2 is supported with a center bracing strut 4, the low
end
of the center strut 4 is hinged on the cross bracing strut 3 approaching the
sliding hub
end.
Referring to Fig. 4, crossing the diagonal line of the frame, the two center
brac-
ing struts 4 are hinged on the roof brace 2 with the top ends, but the low
ends of them
are tilted to opposite side of the diagonal line, and hinged on the
coordinated cross brac-
ing strut respectively approaching to the sliding hub 5 end, so that the two
center brac-
ing struts 4 support the roof brace 2 from the both sides crossing the
diagonal line of the
frame to make the frame rigidify without swinging as pitching up.
For making the hinging connection more smoothly, the cross bracing strut 3, as
shown in fig. 5, is attached with a tip bearing 8 for pivoting the low end of
the center
bracing strut 4 on; also referring to Fig. 6, the low end of the center
bracing strut 4 can
be hinged on the sliding hub 5 pivoting end of the cross bracing strut 3; or
directly
hinged on the side wall of the sliding hub 5 (not shown in drawing).
So, as folding up, the cross bracing strut 3 can directly draw the center
bracing
strut 4 bending to the inward, but not via the sliding hub 5, so the sliding
hub 5 bears
less load, meanwhile exert bigger force on the roof brace 2 so as to
facilitate to fold up
more easily.
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