Patent ID: 6035875
Filing Date: 2000-03-14
Classification: E04H

Abstract:
A roof tent for automobiles having a pair of spaced transverse grooved rails on a roof, comprising:a substantially rectangular frame including a first half sub-frame and a second half sub-frame each being of U-shaped having a horizontal part and a vertical part, the first and the second half-frames are hinged together at their respective ends with a pair of first pins;a rear, two sides, and a top with its perimeter connected to the frame including one or more entrances, one or more windows on the opposing sides, at least three sleeves equally spaced provided on the canopy each having at least two spaced apart first holes, and one or more strap and clasp assemblies connected between the opposing sides of the canopy;a collapsible pole assembly for supporting the tent including at least three substantially inverse U-shaped poles each having two equal parts of inverse L-shaped each part consisting of a vertical pole and a horizontal pole hinged together in a joint by means of a second pin, the lower ends of the vertical poles further hinged together with the first and the second sub-frames by one of the first pins, each of the horizontal poles having a second hole, and each of the vertical poles having a third hole;a rope assembly having a pair of first spaced ropes with one end of each of the first ropes secured to the horizontal part of the second sub-frame, extended to insert through the second hole of each of the horizontal poles, and the other end of each of the first ropes suspended in front of each of the entrances, and a pair of a second spaced ropes each connecting the vertical poles through the third holes thereof;a slidable attachment mechanism for sliding on the grooved railed of the automobile including a plurality of spaced sliding members of substantially T-shaped section secured to an underside of the first and the second sub-frames with each of the sliding member having an inverse U-shaped upper portion, a lower horizontal portion, a central vertical portion connected between the inverse U-shaped upper portion and the lower horizontal portion, and a plurality of wheels provided on both sides of the central vertical portion;a pair of spaced cushion members provided under a bent portion of the first subframe for enhancing a stability of the first sub-frame; andfour stops of inverse T-shaped section each releasably secured to an end of each of the transverse grooved rails;wherein each of the first ropes is further inserted through the first holes of the sleeves to secure the canopy on the tent, the tent is slidable by means of the sliding members moving along the grooved rails, while the wheels provide a smooth movement of the sliding members on the grooved rails, and the stops are mounted to prevent the tent from being moved further outwardly in a first position, while remove the stops from the grooved rails, push the first sub-frame inwardly until the second sub-frame moving out of the grooved rails, and draw the first ropes to retract the second sub-frame onto the first sub-frame in a second position .