Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02800441 2014-08-08
MULTI-FUNCTIONAL INSTANT TENT
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a foldable or collapsible tent, and
more particularly to
a multi-functional instant tent for separate uses as an enclosed tent as well
as an open shelter
while maintaining ease in opening and collapsing the instant tent.
[0003] 2. Background
[0004] For novice campers and camping families, among others, foldable tents
are a popular
alternative to conventional assemble-to-use tents. Foldable tents, which are
commonly
referred to as "instant tents," "one-touch tents" or "pop-up tents," are sold
preassembled,
making opening and closing of the tent easy and less time consuming. Thus, the
demand (and
prices) for instant tents have increased. Along with the demand increase,
campers have
developed higher expectations for the features of instant tents.
[0005] One essential feature of instant tents is protection from weather
elements. Tents are
manufactured by attaching several sections of tent cloth and thus seams are
formed between
adjoining sections. Even though the seams are reinforced (often with weather-
proof tape),
leakage may occur, especially during severe weather conditions. Therefore, a
rain fly is
necessary to cover the seams and to provide the tent with additional
protection from weather
elements such as rain and snow.
[0006] A rain fly is also required for instant tents having ceilings
constructed with permeable
fabric for increased ventilation. In this instance, the rain fly not only
covers the seams of the
tent to prevent leakage, but it also protects the top portion of the tent from
inclement weather.
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[0007] There are also other uses for rain flies. Rain flies provide additional
shade for the tent
to prevent temperatures of the tent interior from rising to uncomfortable
levels.
[0008] Some instant tents are sold with a separate rain fly. These rain flies
are separately
installed and secured on an outer portion of the tent frame after the instant
tent is fully opened
and set up for use. Moreover, the rain fly must be disassembled before folding
the tent.
These extra steps are time consuming and cumbersome for the user.
[0009] A newer design of an instant tent, as shown in U.S. Patent Application
Publication No.
2012/0055525A1, provides a rain fly integral to the instant tent. In this
design, separate poles
are dedicated to supporting the rain fly so that the inner tent and rain fly
can be collectively
opened and folded during operation. Even though the new design does not
require separate
installation of the rain fly, manufacturing costs are increased due to the
additional poles
required to support the rain fly which results in increased cost to the
consumer.
[0010] With either of rain flies described above, however, the use of the rain
fly is one-
dimensional. That is, it can only be used as a rain fly in the traditional
sense ¨ to provide the
tent with additional protection from weather elements. However, it would be
desirable to the
consumer if the rain fly could serve multiple functions. The product described
in U.S. Patent
No. 6,681,786 ("the '786 Patent"), attempts to do this. In the '786 Patent, an
instant tent is
provided with a detachable inner tent and a separate rain fly. After the
instant tent is opened,
the inner tent can be detached from the frame and the rain fly can be
separately installed over
the frame to form an open shelter. Even though the instant tent of the '786
Patent provides
multiple uses of the rain fly, it is cumbersome for the user because the user
is still required to
separately install the rain fly ¨ a time-consuming and difficult task
especially when the frame
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is large. Furthermore, it is not possible to fold the shelter while the rain
fly is attached to the
frame.
[0011] Thus, if a user desires an easily erectable open shelter (i.e., a
shelter with one-touch
capability), the instant tents of the prior art cannot be used. Instead, she
must separately
purchase a one-touch or instant shelter. Instant shelters (also known as
"instant canopies")
are available in the market and are popular for recreational use. Much like
instant tents, these
shelters are sold preassembled, making opening and closing of the shelter easy
and less time
consuming. They provide shade and generally provide protection from non-severe
weather
conditions such as light rain. However, in more severe conditions an enclosed
setting such as
a tent is desired. Thus, instant shelters alone are not viable for multi-
purpose use.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The present invention is intended to overcome at least the above-
described
disadvantages and to provide further improvements to instant tents in the
prior art. The
objects and advantages of the present invention, more specifically, are to
provide a multi-
functional instant tent that can be used as a safe and comfortable enclosed
quarters on one
hand, and an open shelter on the other hand, while maintaining ease in opening
and folding
the instant tent as a whole.
[0012a] Certain exemplary embodiments can provide an instant tent collapsible
from an open
configuration to a collapsed configuration, the instant tent comprising: a
frame comprising at
least one hub and a plurality of poles extending from the at least one hub; an
outer fly having
an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer fly having a top section and
a plurality of side
sections extending downwardly therefrom, the outer surface of the outer fly
slidably coupled
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to the frame by a plurality of pole engaging assemblies; an inner tent having
an inner surface
and an outer surface, the inner tent having a top section, a plurality of side
sections extending
therefrom and a bottom section connecting lower portions of said side
sections, the inner
surface of the inner tent defining an enclosed interior of the inner tent; a
plurality of upper
coupling assemblies, each upper coupling assembly comprising a first coupling
member and a
second coupling member, each of the first and second coupling members having a
first end
and a second end, the first coupling member first end coupled to the outer fly
inner surface,
the second coupling member first end coupled to the inner tent outer surface,
the second ends
of the first and second coupling members adapted to be detachably coupled to
each other; and
a plurality of lower coupling assemblies, each lower coupling assembly
comprising: an inner
member having an inner end and an outer end, said inner end fixedly coupled to
a lower
portion of the inner tent; an outer member having an inner end and an outer
end, said inner
end detachably coupled to the inner member outer end, a lower portion of the
outer fly fixedly
coupled to the outer member between the inner and outer ends of the outer
member; and a
pole engaging member having an inner end and an outer end, the pole engaging
member inner
end coupled to the outer member outer end, a pole orifice disposed between the
inner and
outer ends of the pole engaging member, a lower end of a corresponding pole
secured within
the pole orifice; wherein the frame, outer fly and inner tent remain coupled
together in the
collapsed configuration.
[0012b] Certain exemplary embodiments can provide an instant tent collapsible
from an open
configuration to a collapsed configuration, the instant tent comprising: a
frame comprising at
least one hub and a plurality of poles extending from the at least one hub; an
outer fly having
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an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer fly comprising a plurality of
sections fixedly
attached together, a first set of seams formed between said fixed plurality of
sections, the
outer surface of the outer fly slidably coupled to the poles of the frame
along the first set of
seams; an inner tent having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner
tent comprising a
plurality of sections fixedly attached together, a second set of seams formed
between said
fixed plurality of sections, the inner surface of the inner tent defining an
enclosed interior of
the inner tent, a plurality of upper coupling assemblies, each upper coupling
assembly
detachably connecting the inner surface of the outer fly and the outer surface
of the inner tent
at portions of the first and second sets of seams, respectively; and a
plurality of lower
coupling assemblies, each lower coupling assembly comprising: an inner member
having an
inner end and an outer end, said inner end fixedly coupled to a lower portion
of the inner tent;
an outer member having an inner end and an outer end, said inner end
detachably coupled to
the inner member outer end, a lower portion of the outer fly fixedly coupled
to the outer
member between the inner and outer ends of the outer member; and a pole
engaging member
having an inner end and an outer end, the pole engaging member inner end
coupled to the
outer member outer end, a pole orifice disposed between the inner and outer
ends of the pole
engaging member, a lower end of a corresponding pole secured within the pole
orifice;
wherein in the open configuration the first and second coupling members of
each upper
coupling assembly and the inner and outer members of each lower coupling
assembly are
separately engaged to form an inner tent with an outer fly; and the first and
second coupling
members of each upper coupling assembly and the inner and outer members of
each lower
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coupling assembly are separately disengaged and the inner tent is removed to
form a stand-
alone shelter.
[0012c] Certain exemplary embodiments can provide an apparatus for detachably
coupling
an inner tent and an outer fly of an instant tent, the apparatus comprising:
an inner member
having an inner end and an outer end, the inner member inner end fixedly
coupled to a lower
portion of the inner tent; an outer member having an inner end and an outer
end, the outer
member inner end detachably coupled to the inner member outer end, a lower
portion of the
outer fly fixedly coupled to the outer member between the inner and outer ends
of the outer
member; and a pole engaging member having an inner end and an outer end, the
pole
engaging member inner end coupled to the outer member outer end, a pole
orifice disposed
between the inner and outer ends of the pole engaging member for securing a
lower end of a
pole of the instant tent.
[0013] Various embodiments provide a one-touch frame with a rain fly attached
thereto and
an enclosed inner tent detachably attached to the rain fly to form a multi-
functional instant
tent and shelter. The multi-functional instant tent is opened with the frame,
rain fly and inner
tent attached together allowing the user to quickly set up the tent and rain
fly collectively and
simultaneously without further assembly. If the user desires to use the
instant tent as an open
shelter, the user could detach and remove the inner tent without affecting the
other
components (i.e., the frame and the rain fly) of the instant tent. The user
can easily re-attach
the inner tent to the rain fly and collectively collapse the instant tent into
a compact state for
easy storage and transport.
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[0014] More specifically, in one embodiment, the present invention provides a
multi-
functional instant tent collapsible from an open configuration to a collapsed
configuration.
The instant tent comprises a frame having a central hub and a plurality of
poles extending
from the central hub. The instant tent also comprises a rain fly having an
inner surface and an
outer surface. The outer surface of the rain fly is coupled to the frame by a
plurality of pole
engaging assemblies. The instant tent further comprises an inner tent having
an inner surface
and an outer surface. The outer surface of the inner tent is detachably
coupled to the inner
surface of the rain fly by a plurality of coupling assemblies. The inner
surface of the inner
tent defines an enclosed interior of the inner tent. The frame, rain fly and
inner tent remain
coupled together in the collapsed configuration, and the rain fly and inner
tent are detachable
for multi-purpose use in the open configuration.
[0015] In another embodiment, the instant tent comprises a frame having a
central hub and a
plurality of poles extending from the central hub. The instant tent further
comprises a rain fly
having an inner surface and an outer surface. The rain fly comprises a
plurality of sections
fixedly attached together to form a first set of seams. The poles of the frame
are coupled to
the outer surface of the rain fly along the first set of seams. The instant
tent further comprises
an inner tent having an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner tent
comprises a
plurality of sections fixedly attached together to form a second set of seams.
The inner
surface of the inner tent defines an enclosed interior of the inner tent and
the outer surface of
the inner tent is detachably coupled to the inner surface of the tent fly
along opposing first and
second sets of seams by a plurality of coupling assemblies. The frame, rain
fly and inner tent
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remain coupled together in the collapsed configuration, and the rain fly and
inner tent are
detachable for multi-purpose use in the open configuration.
[0016] In another embodiment, the present invention provides an apparatus for
detachably
coupling an inner tent and a tent fly of an instant tent. The apparatus
comprises a first
coupling member and a second coupling member. Each of the first and second
coupling
members have a first end and a second end. The first coupling member first end
is coupled to
the tent fly and the second coupling member first end is coupled to the inner
tent. The second
ends of the first and second coupling members are adapted to be detachably
connected to each
other. The rain fly and inner tent remain coupled together in a collapsed
configuration, and
the rain fly and inner tent are detachable for multi-purpose use in an open
configuration.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] Fig. 1 is a side view of the multi-functional instant tent of the
present invention in an
open configuration;
[0018] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the frame of Fig. 1;
[0019] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the rain fly of Fig. 1;
[0020] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the inner tent of Fig. 1;
[0021] Fig. 5 is a side view of the connections between the frame, rain fly
and inner tent of
the multi-functional instant tent of Fig. 1, which is denoted "A" in Fig. 1;
[0022] Fig. 6A is a side view of a coupling assembly in a disengaged state;
[0023] Fig. 6B is a side view of the coupling assembly of Fig. 6A in an
engaged state;
[0024] Fig. 7A is a side view of an alternative coupling assembly in a
disengaged state;
[0025] Fig. 7B is a side view of the coupling assembly of Fig. 7A in an
engaged state;
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[0026] Fig. 8 is a side view of yet another coupling assembly connecting
bottom portions of
the frame, rain fly and inner tent of the multi-functional instant tent of
Fig. 1, which is
denoted "B" in Fig. 1;
[0027] Fig. 9A is a perspective view of the coupling assembly of Fig. 8 in a
disengaged state;
[0028] Fig. 9B is a perspective view of the coupling assembly of Fig. 8 in an
engaged state;
[0029] Fig. 10 is a partial perspective view of a corner of the multi-
functional instant tent of
Fig. 1;
[0030] Fig. 11 is a partial bottom perspective view of an upper portion of the
inner tent
having a partial mesh surface and rain fly;
[0031] Fig. 12 is a side view of the multi-functional instant tent of Fig. 1
with the inner tent
detached;
[0032] Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the multi-functional instant tent of
Fig. 1 in a partially
collapsed configuration; and
[0033] Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the frame of Fig. 2 in a collapsed
configuration.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0034] Referring to Fig. 1, a multi-functional instant tent 1 of the present
invention is shown.
The instant tent 1 comprises a frame 3 as shown in Fig. 2, a rain fly 5 as
shown in Fig. 3 and
an inner tent 7 as shown in Fig. 4. The frame 3, rain fly 5 and the inner tent
7 are coupled
together where the rain fly 5 is positioned radially inward from the frame 3,
and the inner tent
7 is positioned radially inward from the rain fly 5. The frame 3, rain fly 5
and inner tent 7 are
collectively opened or erected to an open configuration as shown in Fig. 1,
and also
collectively folded or collapsed to a collapsed configuration as shown in Fig.
13 (shown
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,
partially collapsed) and Fig. 14 (only frame shown), without requiring
assembly or
disassembly of any parts.
[0035] Referring to Fig. 2, the frame of the instant tent 3 is a one-touch
type or instant tent
frame comprising a central hub 9 and a plurality of extendable and foldable
poles 11 pivotally
attached to the central hub 9. In the preferred embodiment, the one-touch
frame is that of the
type described in U.S. Patent No. 7,861,736. The central hub 9 of the one-
touch frame 3
includes a movable lower base portion with a hollow, enclosed shaft extending
upwardly
therefrom. The shaft is movable within an upper hub portion. A biasing member
is housed
within the shaft and facilitates the opening and closing of the frame 3. The
forces exerted on
the poles 11 from the biasing member allow the tent frame 3 to maintain its
open and
collapsed states without a locking mechanism.
[0036] One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other instant tent
frames can be used
without departing from the present invention. For example, another type of a
one-touch tent
frame is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0073147A1.
This one-
touch frame does not require a central shaft, sub-braces or locking mechanism.
The poles are
pivotally connected directly to a substantially flat hub, and pivot to and
from open and closed
configurations without additional components. Another type of an instant tent
frame is
manufactured and sold as a structure similar to that of a conventional
umbrella as shown, for
example, in U.S. Patent No. 6,581,617. In those structures, the tent is opened
and collapsed
by movable sub-braces which are pivotally connected to an elongated central
shaft. These
structures often times have locking mechanisms on the central shaft to
maintain the tent in the
open state.
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[0037] Referring to Figs. 2 and 14, the poles 11 of the frame 3 include an
upper portion 13
and a lower portion 15. The lower portion of the poles 15 include two sections
that are
telescopically connected such that when the frame is in the open configuration
the two
sections are fully extended and locked in an extended position as shown in
Fig. 2, and when
the frame is in the collapsed configuration one section of the pole lower
portion 15 is
retracted within the other section as shown in Fig. 14. The upper portion of
the poles 13 are
pivotally coupled to the central hub 9 on one end and pivotally coupled to the
pole lower
portion 15 on another end by a pivotal coupling member 17 such that when the
frame 3 is in
the open configuration the pole upper and lower portions 13, 15 are stably
maintained as
shown in Fig. 2, and when the frame 3 is in the collapsed configuration the
pole lower
portions 15 are pivoted about the pivotal coupling member 17 and folded inward
toward the
pole upper portions 13 as shown in Fig. 14.
[0038] One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the number of
poles, the number of
pole sections, as well as the folding methods of the frame could vary without
departing from
the present invention. It is also possible to add extensions to the poles to
provide more
stability to the overall structure of the instant tent.
[0039] Referring to Figs. 3 and 12, the rain fly 5 includes a plurality of
sections fixedly
attached together by conventional sewing or stitching methods. The adjoining
sections form
seams 19 which, in the preferred embodiment, generally extend along each
corner of the rain
fly 5 from a bottom portion to a top portion. Additional seams 19 are formed
from adjoining
sections on the top portion of the rain fly 5. The rain fly 5 includes an
inner surface 21 and
an outer surface 23. A continuous flexible adhesive tape (not shown) is
applied to the seams
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19 on the inner surface 21 of the rain fly 5 to prevent rain water, other
liquids or debris from
penetrating the rain fly 5 through the seams 19 from the outer surface 23. In
the preferred
embodiment, the rain fly 5 is water and flame resistant, and is a fabric
constructed from
materials such as cotton, polyester or nylon, or any combination thereof. The
rain fly 5 can
also be constructed with heat reflecting material. Other materials could be
used for the rain
fly 5 without departing from the present invention.
[0040] Referring to Fig. 4, the inner tent 7 of the present embodiment also
includes a plurality
of sections fixedly attached together by conventional sewing methods, which
forms an
enclosed shelter. The adjoining sections form seams 25 which, in the preferred
embodiment,
generally extend along each corner of the inner tent 7 from a bottom portion
to a top portion.
Additional seams 25 are formed from adjoining sections on the top portion of
the inner tent 7
as well as adjoining sections that form the windows and doors. In the
preferred embodiment,
the seams 25 of the inner tent 7 and the seams 19 of the rain fly 5 are
generally aligned with
and are opposite each other when the inner tent 7 and the rain fly 5 are
connected, as
described below. As shown in Fig. 11, an upper portion of the inner tent 7
includes a
permeable portion such as mesh. The permeable portion is covered by the rain
fly 5 so that
constant ventilation is provided to the inner tent 7 while protecting the
permeable portion
from any precipitation. The inner tent 7 includes an inner surface 27 (shown
in Fig. 11) and
an outer surface 29. A continuous flexible adhesive tape (not shown) is
applied to the seams
25 on the inner surface 27 of the inner tent 7 to prevent rain water, other
liquids or debris
from penetrating the inner tent 7 through the seams 25 from the outer surface
29. In the
preferred embodiment, the inner tent 7 is water and flame resistant, and is a
fabric constructed
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from materials such as cotton, polyester or nylon, or any combination thereof.
The inner tent
7 can also be constructed with heat reflecting material. Other materials could
be used for the
inner tent 7 without departing from the present invention.
[0041] Referring to Figs. 3, 5, 10 and 12, the frame 3 and the rain fly 5 are
coupled together
by a plurality of pole engaging assemblies 51. Referring specifically to Fig.
5, each pole
engaging assembly 51 includes strap 53 (which is also used for the coupling
assembly 31
described below) having an inner end 55 and an outer end 57. In the preferred
embodiment,
the strap 53 is an elongated woven nylon material for increased strength and
durability, but
other materials such as bungee cord (or shock cord) could be used without
departing from the
present invention. The elongated woven nylon is folded substantially in half
axially to form a
transverse loop on the strap outer end 57 while opposing ends of the elongated
woven nylon
are joined together on the strap inner end 55. Other methods for forming a
loop at the strap
outer end 57 could be used, including folding the elongated woven nylon
material such that
the material only overlaps partially and fixedly attaching part of the
overlapping portion, or
by using multiple layers of fabric and fixedly attaching corresponding ends of
the layers.
Each strap 53 can also include an extension and buckle between the inner and
outer ends 55,
57 for adjusting the length of each strap 53.
[0042] Referring to Fig. 5, the inner end of the strap 55 is fixedly attached,
preferably by
conventional sewing methods, to a seam of the rain fly 19 and extends outward
toward the
frame 3. Alternatively, a larger coupling extension or webbing 45 (as shown,
e.g., in Figs.
6A-7B, and described in more detail below) can be sewn into the seam of the
outer surface of
the rain fly 23 and the inner end of the strap 55 can be sewn onto the webbing
45 to provide
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additional strength and to prevent possible over-stressing that the smaller
strap 55 may
produce on the rain fly 5 if the strap 53 was directly coupled to the seam of
the rain fly 19. A
ring 59 is secured to the outer end of the strap 57 from which a pole engaging
member or
hook 61 extends. The hook 61 and the ring 59 are preferably formed of a tough,
molded
plastic but can also be constructed with other materials (such as metal) and
other methods
without departing from the scope of the invention. Even though the ring 59
shown in Fig. 5 is
semi-circular, rings of other shapes as well as other types of attachments can
be used. The
hook 61 is shaped substantially similar to the poles 11 and is sized slightly
larger than the
poles 11 such that the hook 61 is engaged with the poles 11 in the open
configuration of the
instant tent 1 and slidable along the poles 11 in the closed configuration of
the instant tent 1.
The pole engagement assemblies 51 could be replaced by other fastening means
including
detachable fastener assemblies such as a hook-and-loop fastener (or Velcro ),
snap-fit
buttons or other hook-and-eye type fasteners, as shown in Figs. 9A and 9B.
[0043] Referring to Figs. 4-7B, 10 and 11, the rain fly 5 and the inner tent 7
are coupled
together by a plurality of coupling assemblies 31, each of which include a
first coupling
member 33 and a second coupling member 39 detachably connectable to each
other. Each of
the coupling assemblies 31 are sufficiently spaced apart from one another, and
each of the
pole engaging assemblies 51 are sufficiently spaced apart from one another.
This spacing
provides adequate support for the overall structure of the instant tent 1 and
also ensures that
the rain fly 5 and inner tent 7 are sufficiently taut when the frame 3 is
fully expanded in the
open configuration as shown, for example, in Figs. 5, 10 and 11. Each coupling
member 33,
39 is positioned opposite each other between the rain fly 5 and inner tent 7,
along opposing
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seams of the rain fly and the inner tent 19, 25. Furthermore, as best shown in
Figs. 5 and 10,
the positions of the coupling assemblies 31 correspond to the positions of the
pole engaging
assemblies 51 such that opposing tensions are exerted on the rain fly 5 at or
around the same
area thereby reducing the overall stress and also minimizing the number of
stress points on
the rain fly 5.
[0044] Referring to Figs. 5-6B, generally, the first coupling member 33 has a
first end 35 and
a second end 37, and the second coupling member 39 has a first end 41 and a
second end 43.
Each coupling member 33, 39 includes a strap 53 having an inner end 55 and an
outer end 57
(as described above), which is disposed between the first and second ends 35,
37 and 41, 43
of each coupling member 33, 39. Each first coupling member second end 37
includes a first
engaging member 34 which is permanently coupled to the strap outer end 57.
Similarly, each
second coupling member second end 43 includes a second engaging member 40 for
detachably coupling with the first engaging member 34. One of ordinary skill
in the art will
recognize that the coupling assembly 31 could be configured such that the
first coupling
member 33 receives the second engaging member 40 and the second coupling
member 39
receives the first engaging member 34 without departing from the present
invention.
[0045] Referring to Figs. 6A and 6B, in one embodiment of the coupling
assembly 31, the
first engaging member is a circular ring 34 and is coupled to the loop of the
outer end of the
strap 57 of the first coupling member 33. The second engaging member is a
solid cylinder 40
greater in length than the diameter of the ring 34 and includes a slit (not
shown) extending
axially through a center portion of the cylinder 40. The loop of the outer end
of the strap 57
of the second coupling member 39 is coupled to the cylinder 40 through the
slit. Referring to
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Fig. 6B, the coupling assembly 31 is in an engaged state when the cylinder 40
is inserted
through the ring 34 so that the cylinder 40 and its corresponding strap 53 are
on opposite sides
of the ring 34 for a secure engagement, thus forming a hook-and-eye type of
engagement.
The ring 34 and cylinder 40 are preferably formed of a tough, molded plastic
but can also be
constructed with other materials (such as metal) and other methods without
departing from
the scope of the invention. This embodiment requires less material to
manufacture the ring 34
and cylinder 40 and thus is particularly advantageous due to reduced
manufacturing costs.
[0046] Referring to Fig. 7A and 7B, in another embodiment, the coupling
assembly 31 is a
buckle assembly or a side release buckle. The first engaging member is a
female buckle
member 75 and the second engaging member is a male buckle member 77. The
female
buckle member 75 consists of a center guide rod forwardly extending from the
front side with
two spring arms equally spaced from the center rod. The two spring arms each
have a
retaining block that terminates at the front end. The male buckle member 77
has a front open
side and two side holes which hold and secure the two spring arms of the
female buckle
member 75 to form a secure engagement, as shown in Fig. 7B.
[0047] The first and second engaging members 34, 40 could be replaced by other
detachable
fastener assemblies such as a hook-and-loop fastener (or Velcro ), snap-fit
buttons or other
hook-and-eye type fasteners, as shown in Figs. 9A and 9B.
[0048] Referring to Figs. 8-9B, the bottom portions of the poles 11, rain fly
5 and inner tent 7
are also coupled together with the coupling assemblies 31 with a few
modifications. In this
embodiment, referring to Figs. 9A and 9B, the strap inner end 55 of the second
coupling
member 39 extends from a bottom portion of the outer surface of the inner tent
29. As
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described in more detail below, the strap inner end 55 of the second coupling
member 39
could be coupled directly to the inner tent outer surface 29 or to a webbing
45 extending from
the inner tent outer surface 29. The strap outer end 57 of the second coupling
member 39
includes a rectangular shaped ring 63 coupled with the loop of the strap outer
end 57. A snap
hook closure 65 is coupled to the rectangular shaped ring 63 to form the
second end 43 of the
second coupling member 39.
[0049] Referring again to Figs. 9A and 9B, the strap 53 of the first coupling
member 33 is
formed by folding the elongated woven nylon material such that the material
only overlaps
partially on each end 55, 57, and each overlapping portion is fixedly
attached, preferably by
conventional sewing methods, to form a transverse loop on each end 55, 57. A
bottom
portion of the rain fly is fixedly attached to a mid-portion of the strap 53
of the first coupling
member 33. A semi-circular ring 67 is coupled to the loop on the first
coupling member strap
outer end 57 for coupling with the snap hook closure 65 of the second coupling
member 39.
A pole securing member 69 having an inner end 71 and an outer end 73 is
coupled to the first
coupling member strap inner end 55 through a slit 75 which is formed on the
pole securing
member inner end 71. The pole securing member 69 includes a pole receiving
hole 85 at a
center portion of the pole securing member 69 for securing a bottom portion of
the pole 11,
and a stake hole 81 at the outer end 73 for receiving a stake (not shown) to
further secure the
instant tent 1 to a surface. Additional auxiliary apertures 83 are included
between the pole
receiving hole 85 and the inner end 71. The configuration of the pole securing
member 69 is
particularly unique and advantageous because the stake hole 81 is integral to
the pole securing
member 69 and therefore a separate component is not required to secure a
stake.
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CA 02800441 2014-08-08
[0050] Referring to Fig. 5, in one embodiment, the first ends of each of the
first and second
coupling members 35, 41 of each coupling assembly 31 are fixedly attached
directly to the
seams 19, 25 of the inner surface 21 of the rain fly 5 and the outer surface
23 of the inner tent
7, respectively.
[0051] Referring to Figs. 6A-7B, in another embodiment, securing members or
webbings 45
are used to couple the rain fly 5 with each first coupling member 33, and the
inner tent 7 with
each second coupling member 39. The larger webbing 45 distributes the stresses
exerted on
the rain fly 5 and inner tent 7 over a larger area thereby preventing possible
over-stressing
that the smaller first and second coupling members 33, 39 may cause on the
rain fly 5 and
inner tent 7, respectively, if they were directly coupled to the seams 19, 25.
The webbing 45
is preferably triangular and constructed with high-strength vinyl but other
shapes and
materials, as well as multiple layers of fabric, could be used without
departing from the
present invention. Each webbing 45 includes a proximal end 47 and a distal end
49. Each
proximal end 47 is fixedly attached, preferably by conventional sewing
methods, to each
inner surface of the rain fly 23 and each outer surface of the inner tent 27
at or near the seams
19, 25. Each distal end 49 is fixedly attached, preferably by conventional
sewing methods, to
the corresponding inner ends 55 of the strap 53.
[0052] As an alternative to providing more strength and durability to the
areas of the inner
tent 7 and the rain fly 5 having contact with the coupling assemblies 31, a
high-strength
fabric, such as the vinyl material used for the webbing 45, could be fixedly
attached to the
surfaces of the inner tent and rain fly 29, 21, and the coupling assemblies 31
could be attached
directly to the high-strength fabric.
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CA 02800441 2014-08-08
[0053] In operation, the instant tent 1 is opened to its open configuration as
shown in Fig. 1,
with the frame 3, rain fly 5 and inner tent 7 attached together with the
coupling assemblies 31
in the engaged state. The poles 11 are extended outward such that the rain fly
5 and the inner
tent 7 are substantially taut and such that the area under the rain fly 5 and
the area inside the
inner tent 7 are maximized. The instant tent 1 could be further secured to the
surface by
driving stakes (not shown) through the stake holes 81 of the pole securing
members 69 shown
in Figs. 9A and 9B. In this configuration (Fig. 1), the instant tent 1 is used
as a traditional tent
where the inner tent 7 is an enclosed dwelling unit with the rain fly 5
providing further
protection from inclement weather.
[0054] Referring to Fig. 12, when a user desires to use the instant tent 1 as
an open shelter,
the first and second coupling members 33, 39 of the coupling assemblies 31 are
disengaged
and the inner tent 5 is detached from the rain fly 7 and removed from the
instant tent 1. In
this configuration, the instant tent 1 is used as an open shelter while
providing open air
ventilation and shade.
[0055] Referring to Figs. 13 and 14, to store and transport the instant tent
1, corresponding
first and second coupling members 33, 39 of the coupling assemblies 31 are
engaged and the
inner tent 7 is reattached to the rain fly 5. The pole lower portions 15 are
retracted and are
then folded radially inward toward the pole upper portions 13 and the central
hub 9 as shown
in Fig. 13. The pole lower and upper portions 15, 13 are then folded radially
inward into a
compact, collapsed configuration as shown in Fig. 14 (only the frame 3 is
shown, without the
rain fly 5 and inner tent 7, for purposes of clarity).
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CA 02800441 2014-08-08
[0056] The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms. The
described
embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not
restrictive. The
scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather
than by the
foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of
equivalency
of the claims are to be embraced.