Abstract:
Canopies traditionally come in the form of canopy kits, and once erected, provide portable shelter for property, outdoor parties, etc. However, while canopies are useful in a wide variety of applications, the erected canopy structure is often restricted to a fixed size. The present invention discloses a canopy structure kit for a canopy that is transversely expandable from a first width, typically wide enough for an automobile, to a second width, typically wide enough for two automobiles. The expandable canopy structure kit includes extension members to expand the frame structure, and at least one cover adapted to fit the erected frame structure, whether the frame structure assumes an expanded or unexpanded configuration.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to portable shelters, and more particularly to expandable canopy structure kits. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Portable shelters, in the form of canopy structures, have a wide variety of consumer applications. For example, these structures provide the consumer with affordable shelter for valuable equipment, such as automobiles, boats, recreational vehicles, etc. However, traditional canopy structures come in fixed sizes, forcing the consumer to purchase an assortment of canopy structures suitable for a variety of applications. As such, there is a need for a more flexible canopy structure, in terms of size, that can be assembled from a canopy kit. 
   SUMMARY 
   The present invention provides a method and apparatus for an expandable canopy structure. The expandable canopy structure kit includes a frame structure and at least one cover adapted to fit the frame structure. The frame structure includes at least two side frames, a ridge member, and a plurality of transversely expandable roof members disposed on opposing sides of the ridge member, between the ridge member and the side frames. 
   The plurality of transversely expandable roof members includes a plurality of first sections and a plurality of second sections. A canopy of a first width, erected with roof members comprising only the first sections, expands to a canopy of a second width by joining at least one second section end-to-end with each of the plurality of first sections. 
   In one embodiment of the present invention, the canopy kit provides at least two covers of different sizes to fit at least two possible frame structure widths. Therefore, each erected frame structure has a separate cover adapted to that frame structure. 
   A second embodiment of the canopy kit provides a transversely expandable or convertible cover comprising a first cover of a first width with an expandable center piece. The expandable center piece comprises at least one expansion panel that converts a cover having a first width to a cover having a second width. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a canopy structure. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an expanded canopy structure. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a portion of a frame structure corresponding to  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a portion of a frame structure corresponding to  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 5  is a plan view of an expandable cover for the canopy kit of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates the cover of  FIG. 5  in an expanded configuration. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
   The present invention comprises a canopy kit that includes an array of components that can be assembled to form a canopy structure  10  such as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . More particularly, the canopy kit of the present invention is designed to enable one to erect a canopy structure of one size or a canopy structure of a second size. In the embodiment illustrated herein, the canopy kit is designed such that a canopy of a first width such as shown in  FIG. 1  can be assembled and erected, or a canopy of a second width, shown in  FIG. 2 , can be assembled and erected. 
   Basically, the canopy kit includes components to form a frame structure  100 , as seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , and one or more covers that are adapted to fit multi-size frame structures. The components forming the frame structure  100  are of the pipe or tubular type, with the individual components adapted to be joined together in conventional fashion. The frame structure components include a series of components that are adapted to form a pair of side frames indicated generally by the numeral  110 , a ridge member  140 , and a series of roof members  130 . Each roof member  130  includes a series of sections adapted to be joined end to end. In the particular kit disclosed herein, each roof member component of the kit includes a first section  132  and a second section  134 . In the larger canopy version, such as shown in  FIG. 2 , each roof member  130  includes both first and second sections  132  and  134  joined together. As will be appreciated from subsequent portions of this disclosure, this permits the assembly and erection of a relatively wide canopy structure  10 . If a more narrow canopy is desired, one of the first or second sections  132  or  134  can be eliminated. This will produce a canopy structure  10  such as that shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   Provided in the canopy kit to form the pair of side frames  110 , is a series of support legs  112  and a series of intermediate horizontal sections  114 . As seen in the drawings, the intermediate sections  114 , when the canopy is assembled and erected, extend generally horizontally between the respective support legs  112 . Also, forming a part of the side frames is a series of connecting joints  116  and  118 . Connecting joints  116  are referred to as three-way side connection joints while the other joints  118  are referred to as four-way side connecting joints. Essentially, the connecting joints  116  and  118  interconnect the respective legs  112  with the intermediate sections  114  and the roof members  130 . 
   Finally, the frame structure of the canopy includes the ridge member  140  which in turn is made up of series of ridge beams  146  connected together by three-way and four-way connecting joints  142  and  144 . As seen in the drawings, the connecting joints  142  and  144  connect the ridge beam components  146  with the roof members  130 . 
   Finally, the kit of the present invention is provided with one or more covers. In the case of one embodiment, the kit is simply provided with two covers  200 ,  202  of different sizes. In another embodiment, the kit is provided with an expandable cover  204  that is adapted to fit frame structures  100  of various sizes. 
   The frame structure  100  illustrated in  FIG. 3  forms a canopy  10  shown in  FIG. 1 . The expandable frame structure  100  of canopy  10  comprises two side frames  110 , a plurality of roof members  130 , and a ridge member  140 . 
   Each side frame  110  comprises support legs  112 , intermediate sections  114 , three-way side connection joints  116 , and four-way side connection joints  118 . Support legs  112  include lower portions that are adapted to be extended into a support surface such as the ground or may be embedded in concrete. A distance generally corresponding to the length of an intermediate section  114  separates each support leg  112  of a side frame  110 . 
   The three-way and four-way side connection joints  116  and  118  interconnect the intermediate sections  114  to the support legs  112  such that the intermediate sections  114  are generally perpendicular to the support legs  112  and generally parallel to the underlying ground or support surface. Each side connection joint  116 ,  118  comprises at least two perpendicular connecting arms. These generally coplanar connecting arms are arranged in an L-shape in the case of a three-way joint and in a T-shape in the case of a four-way joint. In addition, each side connection joint  116 ,  118  comprises a roof connecting arm  120 , generally oriented at an angle less than 90 degrees, relative to the plane of the perpendicular connecting arms. These roof-connecting arms  120  include a port or opening for the roof members  130 . 
   The ridge member  140 , which extends generally parallel to the side frames  110 , comprises a plurality of ridge beams  146  disposed between three-way ridge connection joints  142  and four-way ridge connection joints  144 . The length of the ridge member  140  is generally equivalent to the length of the side frames  110 . A frame structure  100  of a first width, shown in  FIG. 1 , is completed when opposite ends of each first section  132  are inserted between the ridge connection joints  142 ,  144  and side frame connection joints  116 ,  118 . See  FIG. 3 . 
     FIG. 4  illustrates an expanded frame structure  100 . Disposing a second section  134  between the first section  132  and the ridge connection joint  142  or  144  of each roof member  130  expands the frame structure to a second width. While this detailed description will focus on expandable canopy kits comprising frame structures  100  that are expandable from one width to a second width, it should be apparent to one skilled in the art that adding more sections to the roof member  130  will further expand the width of the frame structure  100 . 
   Once the frame structure  100  is erected, a cover may be secured to the frame structure  100 . In one embodiment, the canopy kit includes two separate covers  200  and  202  manufactured to fit different size different frame structures  100 .  FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate this embodiment. In this embodiment, the respective covers  200 ,  202  are sized to fit two different size frame structures  100 . Basically, the frame structures of  FIGS. 1 and 2  are of the same length but the width of the canopy structure  10  in  FIG. 2  is wider than the width of the canopy structure  10  shown in  FIG. 1 . Consequently, the two covers  200  and  202  are particularly sized to fit the two different sized frame structures  100 . Details of these cover designs are not dealt with herein because such cover designs are well-known and appreciated by those skilled in the art. For a more complete and unified understanding of the structure and design of such covers, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,280, which is expressly incorporated herein. 
   The canopy kit of the present invention includes an alternative cover design which utilizes a single cover that is expandable to fit frame structures of various widths.  FIG. 5  illustrates an expandable cover  204  of a first width. The expandable cover  204  comprises a first panel  210 , a second panel  212 , tie cords  218 , and an expansion or insert panel  230  ( FIG. 6 ). A panel fastener such as a zipper  214  connects the first panel  210  with the second panel  212 . When the two panels  210  and  212  are connected together, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the formed cover  204  is adapted to fit a frame structure  100  of a first width or size. 
   The cover  204  can be converted to a second width. This is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . To convert the cover  204  shown in  FIG. 5  to a second width, the expansion panel  230  is connected between the first and second panels  210  and  212 . The expansion panel  230  includes fasteners for connecting to the panels  210  and  212 . In one embodiment the fasteners comprise zipper assemblies. In one case, the zipper  214  utilized for connecting the two panels  210  and  212  together can be utilized to work in conjunction with zipper halves or components that are formed on each edge of the expansion panel  230 . Alternatively, the zipper halves or components formed on opposite sides of the expansion panel  230  can be adapted to connect to entirely different zipper halves or components formed on the interior edges of the panels  210  and  212 . 
   As seen in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the expandable cover  204  includes opposed tie cords  218  that extend through closed seams formed on opposite ends of the panels  210  and  212 . When the insert panel  230  is inserted between panels  210  and  212 , it follows that a segment of the tie cord  218  on each end of the cover  204  may be exposed. To enclose the segments of the tie cords  218  that extend between the panels  210  and  212  in the expanded version of the cover  204 , as shown in  FIG. 6 , the insert or expansion panel  230  is provided with a pair of opposed flaps  234 . The flaps  234  are adapted to fold back and attach to the insert panel  230  at a point inwardly of the tie cords  218 . Thus, when the flaps  234  are so folded and secured, the tie cords  218  extending between the panels  210  and  212  are concealed. To secure the flaps  234  in the folded position, various fasteners may be used. In one embodiment, the fasteners include hook and loop fasteners  235  and  236  as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
   Therefore, it is appreciated that the canopy kit of the present invention enables at least two different size canopy structures  10  to be assembled and erected from the components therein. In the case of the embodiment illustrated herein, the size of the canopies are adjustable transversely. That is, the kit can be utilized to assemble and erect canopies of various widths. To accomplish this, the present invention provides a frame structure  100  that includes an expandable roof structure. More particularly, the kit of the present invention provides a plurality of roof members  130  that extend from the respective side frames  110  to the ridge member  140 . In the embodiment illustrated herein, the roof members  130  are said to be expandable. They are expandable in terms of the embodiment disclosed since each roof member  130  includes two separate sections  132  and  134 . The two sections  132  and  134  can be joined together to form an expanded frame structure  100  such as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 . Alternatively, one section of each roof member  130  can be eliminated from the canopy structure  10  and this will form a relatively narrow canopy structure  10  such as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . It should be understood that there are other structures and designs that can be utilized in lieu of the multi-sectional roof members  130 . For example, each roof member  130  could be expandable through a telescoping structure. In addition, it should also be appreciated that the length of the canopy structure  10  can be extended or retracted by adding or removing ridge members  140  and the corresponding roof members  130 , support legs  112 , and intermediate horizontal sections  114 . 
   The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.