Abstract:
A tent having one or more features including a condensation barrier, removable insulated floor, reinforced portions, retractable vestibule, vent elements and vent cowling, insulated walls, and split outer vent is disclosed. The condensation barrier restricts frozen condensation to only a small portion of the tent. The removable insulated floor is efficiently installed in the tent to provide added comfort and safety for the occupants. The reinforced portions facilitate assembly of the tent poles from the inside of the tent and provide an efficient means of installing the removable insulated floor. The retractable vestibule may be extended to provide added shelter and retracted in extreme weather to protect the tent from damage. The vent elements facilitate the circulation of air through the tent and reduce stress on the tent seams during higher winds. The insulated walls provide added warmth in extremely cold climates without compromising the weather resistance of the tent. The split outer door vent provides ventilation without adding significant additional weight or complexity to the tent or allowing precipitation to enter the tent.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional patent application No. 60/618,359 filed Jul. 16, 2004, and No. 60/618,359 filed Oct. 13, 2004, both of which are fully incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to tents and their components and more particularly, to a tent having a condensation barrier, removable insulated floor, reinforced corner portions, a retractable vestibule, pressure relief openings, insulated walls, and split outer door vent.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART  
       [0003]     One classic problem with tents in the winter season or cold climates is waking up after a cold night with frozen condensation or frost on the inside of the tent. A person can loose as much as a liter of water or more through the moisture in their breath when exhaling during a normal night&#39;s sleep in a cold, dry environment. As a result, the tent may be lined with frozen condensation in the morning. Even in a well-ventilated tent with breathable fabrics, much of this moisture ends up condensing and freezing to the inside of the tent walls. In the morning, when the tent occupants awake, this frozen condensation is both a nuisance and potential hazard. Even a slight shaking or disturbance of the tent walls will likely cause ice crystals to fall, melting on contact with any warm surface, including the inside of sleeping bags or the occupant&#39;s clothing. This causes the inside of the tent and items in the tent to get wet, which can be very dangerous in extreme environments. It is also uncomfortable to wake up to ice crystals falling on your face.  
         [0004]     Most approaches to solving these problems in the prior art have involved trying to improve the breathability of the fabrics and the air circulation within the tent. However, even the most breathable fabrics cannot prevent vapor from freezing to the inside tent walls when the tent occupants are asleep in highly insulative sleeping bags. The sleeping bags trap body heat, the only source of heat in the tent in a mountaineering situation, so that the air inside the tent will be about the same temperature as the air outside. Therefore, if it is below freezing outside, the tent walls will likely be below freezing, causing vapor inside the tent to condense and freeze before it can pass through a breathable fabric membrane.  
         [0005]     Another problem with prior art tents is that they often are set up in very cold environments, such as on snow. In those conditions, there is nothing between the occupant&#39;s sleeping bag and a thin fabric covering the snow.  
         [0006]     Many tents are provided with vestibules or other structures which extend from the outer shell of the tent. Although vestibules serve a useful purpose in protecting the opening of the tent from snow and wind, they may also add vulnerability to the tent by catching the wind and exposing the seams of the tent to high stress. Especially in the case of a partial vestibule, which does not extend to the ground, high winds could lead to stresses on the seams of the tent severe enough to ultimately tear the tent apart. Accordingly, what is needed is a pressure relief method, such as an opening at the seams, which serves to release air pressure on cowlings, canopies, vestibules or other wind catching portions of the tent to relieve strain on tent seams and mitigate the risk of the tent being torn apart.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention is a tent having one or more of a condensation barrier, removable insulated floor, reinforced corner portions, retractable vestibule, pressure relief openings, insulated walls, and split outer door vent. In one embodiment, the present invention is a more effective and novel approach to prevent or at least reduce frozen condensation or frost from forming on the inside of a significant portion of the tent. A condensation barrier or curtain is operatively attached to the inside of the tent, which isolates the moisture exhaled or generated by the tent occupants. An area of the tent above the occupants&#39; heads is isolated or separated from the remaining portion of the tent when the occupants are in the tent usually in the sleeping position. When the occupants are lying down, the condensation barrier or curtain is deployed and hangs down proximate a predetermined position on the occupant, such as proximate the upper torso area or roughly shoulder level of the occupants. The condensation barrier or curtain is operatively connected to the ceiling and walls of the tent and hangs down and loosely over the occupants, sleeping bags, and the floor of the tent. Vents in the tent walls on both sides of the curtain keep air circulating throughout the entire tent.  
         [0008]     Although frozen condensation, or frost, may form on the inside of the tent on colder days, the condensation barrier or curtain contains or isolates most of the frozen condensation to only a portion of the tent. When the tent occupants wake up in the morning, they simply move into the larger, dry area of the tent by sliding under the curtain or they can carefully roll up the curtain and secure it to the inside wall of the tent. In this way, they are able to get dressed and pack their equipment without the annoyance and hazard of the falling condensation. After they exit the tent, they can roll up the detachable condensation barrier or curtain, remove it from the tent and shake it out. This will serve to remove most of the frost from the inside of the tent, which is very difficult to do with ordinary tents when the entire inside of the tent is covered with ice crystals. During a longer expedition, this will reduce the overall weight of moisture trapped in the fabrics of the tent.  
         [0009]     In another embodiment of the present invention, the removable insulated floor is efficiently installed in the tent to provide added comfort and safety for the occupants. The floor is constructed of first and second thin sheets of material which encapsulates a foam core. The corners of the insulated floor include circular holes with grommets which are reinforced to receive tent poles. In this embodiment, the tent has internal poles, which in addition to speeding up the setup of the tent, also allow the ends of the poles to be inserted into the grommets on the removable insulated floor, spreading the floor pad out and holding it in place inside the tent. The reinforced inside corners of the tent protect the tent from the ends of the poles, facilitating setup and use of the removable insulated floor. The retractable vestibule may be extended to provide added shelter and retracted in extreme weather to protect the tent from damage, or in nicer weather to allow sunlight into the tent. The tent vent elements facilitate the circulation of air through the tent. The insulated walls provide added warmth in extremely cold climates without compromising an outer layer of the tent. The split outer door vent provides ventilation without allowing precipitation or snow to enter the tent.  
         [0010]     It is important to note that the present invention is not intended to be limited to a device, which must satisfy one or more of any stated objects or features of the invention. It is also important to note that the present invention is not limited to the preferred, exemplary, or primary embodiment(s) described herein. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description, taken together with the drawings wherein:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a tent with a condensation barrier operatively attached therein according to one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a removable insulated floor being secured by tent poles according to one aspect of the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a tent with removable insulated floor secured inside the tent which has reinforced portions according to the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4   a  is a perspective view of a tent with a retractable vestibule in an extended or use position, showing the pressure relief openings at the seams according to yet another aspect of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4   b  is a perspective view of a tent with a retractable vestibule in a retracted or nonuse position according to one aspect of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5   a  is a perspective view of a tent having insulated walls according to the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 5   b  is a cross-section of the insulated walls shown in  FIG. 5   a ; and  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a tent with a split outer door vent therein according to the yet another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0020]     The present invention includes a tent  10 ,  FIG. 1 , having one or more of a condensation barrier or curtain  12 , removable insulated floor  20 , reinforced portions  30 , retractable vestibule  40 , pressure vents or vent cowlings  50 , insulated walls  60 , and a split outer door vent  70 .  
         [0021]     The condensation barrier  12  is operatively attached to inside surfaces of the tent  10 ,  FIG. 1  in one or more regions. In the preferred embodiment, the condensation barrier  12  is made of very lightweight, thin material that does not readily absorb water and dries quickly in the sun. For example, the condensation barrier  12  may be a lightweight fabric such as a 40 denier polyester ripstop.  
         [0022]     The condensation barrier  12  is attached to a top surface  14  and sides  16  of the tent  10 . In one embodiment, the condensation barrier  12  is attached to the top surface  14  and the sides  15  with fasteners  18 . In one embodiment, the fasteners  18  are hook &amp; loop fasteners; however, other types of fasteners, such as snaps, buttons, zippers, etc., may be substituted. In one embodiment, the condensation barrier  12  hangs down to an area  68  proximate the occupants&#39; upper torsos or heads although this is not a limitation of the present invention as the condensation barrier can be moved anywhere within area  69  within the tent  10  as the user or occupants desire.  
         [0023]     The condensation barrier  12  thus segregates the tent  10  into two portions. A first portion  22  is a “moisture chamber” that confines or isolates the moisture exhaled by the occupants. In use, the occupants&#39; heads or other moisture producing items such as the openings of the occupants&#39; sleeping bags are positioned in the first portion  22  of the tent  10 . A second or remaining portion  24  of the tent  10  is separated from the first portion  22  by means of the condensation barrier  12 . Normally, however, it is desirable to have a smaller area  22  to contain the frost and a larger area  24  into which the user(s) can withdraw to continue their activities without fear of getting their clothes or equipment wet from the frost, or frozen condensation. In addition, it is not necessary to have a perfect seal between the condensation barrier  12  and the tent sidewall as it is only necessary that the condensation barrier  12  prevent the majority of the moisture from migrating to the second interior tent portion.  
         [0024]     When the occupants are lying down in the tent  10 , the condensation barrier  12  is deployed and hangs down on the upper torso area or at roughly shoulder level of the occupants. The condensation barrier  12  hangs down from the tent  10  over the occupants, sleeping bags, and the floor of the tent  10 . The occupants&#39; heads are contained in the first portion  22  of the tent  10  and the remaining portion of the occupants are contained in the second portion  24  of the tent  10 .  
         [0025]     The condensation barrier  12  causes the moisture exhaled from the occupants to be contained in the first portion  22 . In colder climates, the exhaled moisture will freeze on the inside surface of the first portion  22  of the tent  10 . The remaining or second portion  24  of the tent  10  remains relatively free of frozen condensation. When the occupants of the tent  10  awake in the morning, they move into the second portion  24  that is larger and dryer than the first portion  22  of the tent  10 . In this way, they are able to get dressed and pack their equipment without the annoyance and hazard of the falling or melting condensation.  
         [0026]     After exiting the tent  10 , they can detach the condensation barrier  12  from the tent  10  by unfastening the fasteners  18 . The condensation barrier  12  may be rolled up to avoid the condensation or moisture from falling into the tent  10 . Thereafter, the condensation barrier  12  may be shaken out and hung out to dry while the remainder of the tent can be left to be aired out and dry. This is much less feasible with ordinary tents when the entire inside of the tent  10  is covered with ice crystals. The tent  10  material in the first portion  22  will also dry quickly from any condensation.  
         [0027]     Moisture producing items in a tent are not limited to human occupants. As previously described, this embodiment of the present invention is directed at containing moisture from breathing and evaporation into a first compartment. Moisture can also come from hiking and or expedition gear which is placed inside the tent, especially in the case where it is placed inside the sleeping bag with the occupant in order to dry it out. In addition, although the present invention illustrates using a condensation barrier  12  that is attached generally straight from the top or sidewall regions of the tent to the bottom portion, this is not a limitation of the present invention as the bottom portion of the condensation barrier  12  may be moved within the interior of the tent to be closer to the occupant&#39;s face or further away from the occupant&#39;s face extending further down the torso of the occupant. As long as two generally isolated compartments are formed, moisture in one compartment will be generally restricted or prevented from traveling to the other compartment and condensing and freezing on those surfaces.  
         [0028]     Vents  26  may be located throughout the tent  10  in order to reduce the overall level of moisture trapped in the tent  10 . These vents  26  keep air circulating through the tent  10 . In one embodiment, the moisture reducing vents  26  have a mesh fabric to maintain breathability while keeping out snow and insects. A cover or cowling is placed over the mesh fabric to preclude rain, snow, or the like from entering the tent  10 . In other embodiments, a zipper or hook and loop fastener is used to secure the cover or cowling to the tent  10  to close the vents and reduce airflow.  
         [0029]     The tent  10  in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention has a removable insulated floor  20 ,  FIG. 2 . The removable insulated floor  20  is readily integrated with the tent  10 . The removable insulated floor  20  is constructed of two “halves”  21 ,  23  separated by a sewed region  25 . The insulated floor  20  also has four corners  28 . The four corners  28  have grommets  32  into which ends of poles  72  for the tent  10  are inserted. After the ends of the poles  72  of the tent  10  are inserted into the grommets  32 , the poles  72  extend from one of the corners  28  across the ceiling to the diagonally opposite corner  28   a  or  28   b  of the tent  10 .  
         [0030]     When setting up the tent  10 , the ends of the tent poles  72  tend to extend to the corners  28  of the tent  10 . This is because the longest dimensions inside the tent  10  are diagonally from corner  28  to corner  28   a  and  28  to  28   b . Further, because the grommets  32  are placed in the corners  28  of the removable insulated floor  20 , the ends of the poles  72  are easily placed in the grommets  32  of the removable insulated floor  20 , such that the poles  72  hold the removable insulated floor  20  in the proper position from corner  28  to corner  28 .  
         [0031]     Each half of the removable insulated floor  20  is, preferably, made of a thin layer of closed-cell EVA foam  27  placed between two layers  29 ,  31  of thin synthetic fabric, such as nylon or polyester. The layers of synthetic fabric are sewn or bound together around outer edges of the foam and along the center line  25 . In the preferred embodiment, the top layer  29  of the fabric is made from an abrasion resistant material to withstand abrasion from occupants weight and gear on top of the floor pad. The bottom layer  31  may also be made of an abrasion resistance material although this may not necessary. The grommets  32  may be metal or plastic and are added to the removable insulated floor  20  by punching holes in the four corners  28 . The tent poles  72  have locking end tips for attaching to the grommets  32 .  
         [0032]     To store or pack the insulated floor  20 , after all of the tent poles  72  have been removed, the first floor portion  21  is folded on top of the second floor portion  23  as shown by arrow  33 . Next, the two floor halves are rolled into a small cylindrical package and inserted into a stuff sack for storing and carrying to the next location.  
         [0033]     The tent  10 ,  FIG. 3 , has corners  34  on the inside of the tent  10  that have the reinforced portions  30  thereon. The reinforced portions  30  are liners made of a highly abrasion resistant and very strong material, such as Hypalon. The reinforced portions  30  protect the tent  10  from the ends of the tent poles  72 . There are tents  10  in the prior art that use pockets or the grommets  32  to locate the poles  72  in the corners  34  of the tent  10 , but it is not efficient to locate the poles  72  in the grommets or pockets. The present invention provides efficient installation of the tent poles  72  because the poles  72  tend extend to the corners  34 . The reinforced portions  30  improve setup time of the tent  10  and improve the durability and strength of the tent  10  especially during extreme winds or when the tent is setup on abrasive terrain.  
         [0034]     It is known in the art to use fixed vestibules to shield the tent&#39;s  10  entryway, to provide a protected area for packs and gear, or to allow the user a place to cook protected from the rain or snow. The fixed vestibules offer ideal protection from the elements, but they add weight to the tent and, during nice weather conditions, the fixed vestibule may block out sunshine and inhibit air circulation. Further, these fixed vestibules are prone to damage during high winds. Specifically, in extremely windy conditions, the fixed vestibules, canopies, and vent cowlings may be torn off the tent or even worse, may provide so much stress at their attachment point to the tent that the entire tent is torn apart by the wind, seriously endangering the lives of its occupants.  
         [0035]     In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the present invention incorporates a retractable vestibule  40 ,  FIG. 4   a , that may be extended into a use position ( FIG. 4   a ) and subsequently folded up and secured against the tent  10  in a nonuse position,  FIG. 4   b . Although the retractable vestibule  40  is shown in the drawings, the present invention also includes and contemplates other retractable elements such as retractable canopies and vent cowlings.  
         [0036]     The retractable vestibule  40  prevents precipitation from entering the tent and allows a user to sit in the tent  10  with the door open when cooking a meal. This is especially useful in cold or inclement weather, when the protection of the tent  10  provides a more comfortable cooking area. When the weather is nice, the retractable vestibule  40  may be retracted to allow sunshine in through the door and to improve air circulation. Also, during stormy or windy weather, the retractable vestibule  40  may be retracted and secured to the tent  10 ,  FIG. 4   b  reducing the overall profile of the tent  10  and mitigating risk of wind related damage.  
         [0037]     The retractable vestibule  40  has one or more supporting poles or frame element(s)  36  operatively mounted to the tent  10  by means of hinges  38 . The supporting pole(s)  36  help define the edge or opening of the vestibule or cowling which is freestanding and away from the tent. The hinges  38  may be sleeves having pockets for receiving the supporting pole(s)  36 . One feature of this invention is that the vestibule or other structure can be retracted with the pole  36  in place. One or more guy-outs  42  and fasteners  44  are operatively connected between the ground and the retractable vestibule  40  to hold the retractable vestibule  40  in the use or extended position. The guy-outs  42  are staked to the ground providing stability to the retractable vestibule  40 .  
         [0038]     Alternatively, a pole or other device could be utilized between the tent sidewall and the frame  36  to hold the vestibule in the extended position. If a high wind should quickly materialize, the user simply needs to unfasten fastener  44  and while remaining under cover of the tent, push the vestibule  40  flat against the tent and secure the vestibule with a securing strap(s)  39 ,  FIG. 4   b.    
         [0039]     The present invention also includes pressure relief openings  50  on the retractable vestibules  40 , canopies, and vent cowlings or other tent extensions. The pressure relief openings  50  for the retractable vestibule  40 , canopies, and vent cowlings or the like are scalloped or other similar shaped openings in seams  48  between the tent extension and the tent wall. To prevent rain or snow from passing through the pressure relief openings  50 , a flap of fabric  49  is sewn over them. The openings  50  allow air (especially high wind or wind gusts) coming up from under the vestibule or other tent extensions  40  to partially escape, reducing the stress on the tent seams, and potentially preventing the tent from being torn apart or at the very least, ripped. The flow of air under the retractable vestibule  40  moving through the relief openings  50 , creates a local low-pressure area in front of the tent  10  door or vents, which if open, will help draw air out of the tent  10 .  
         [0040]     The present invention also includes, in another embodiment, a tent  10  having insulated walls  60 ,  FIG. 5   a . The insulated walls  60  include three layers of material  52 ,  54 ,  56 ,  FIG. 5   b . An outer or first layer  52  is made from a waterproof/breathable material. A middle or second layer  54  is made of 3M Thinsulate, Aerogel, or another type of thin insulation. An inner or third layer  56  is made from a breathable nylon ripstop. In alternative embodiments, the materials may vary and one or more layers may be combined into one layer.  
         [0041]     The layers of material  52 ,  54 ,  56  are joined together in a novel way. Specifically, the layers of materials  52 ,  54 ,  56  are joined together without stitching through the outer layer  52  of the tent  10 . This is significant because it does not compromise the waterproofness of the tent  10 .  
         [0042]     The inner layer  56  is stitched to the middle layer  54 . The stitched inner and middle layers  54 ,  56  are welded, heat taped or otherwise fastened  74  without stitching to the outer layer  52 . Bemis tape may be used in the heat taping process. The combined layers  52 ,  54 ,  56  form the insulated walls  60  without any stitching through the outer layer  52 .  
         [0043]     Achieving good ventilation in a single wall tent design is difficult. Single wall tents are potentially lighter and easier to use than double wall designs, but they are more difficult to make waterproof and well ventilated than tents with rain flies. To achieve this, single wall tents may have several different types of vents, double doors, and vestibules to incorporate rainproof venting.  
         [0044]     In yet another embodiment, the present invention features a split outer tent vent  70 ,  FIG. 6  for a tent  10  to provide improved ventilation and/or access. The split outer vent  70  has a first section  62  and a second section  64 . The first section  62  is strutted or otherwise kept open by means of a plastic or similar “strut”  67  which creates an opening  65  between section  62  and section  64  to a mesh screen/door  66 . The split outer vent  70  is advantageous because there is already a mesh layer underneath, so the split outer vent  70  does not require a significant amount of material or complex design. The split outer vent  70  allows air to enter the tent  10  while precluding rain from entering the tent  10 . The vent may include a window or a door. In a variation of this embodiment, the split outer vent  70  may also be incorporated into a doorway. In order to get into the tent in the case where the vent is used as a door, the two portions are displaced apart and the user crawls into or out of the tent. When not entering the tent, the split nature of the opening provides good ventilation while preventing precipitation from entering the tent.  
         [0045]     This embodiment also includes a support strap  69  which is attached from the top portion of lower section  64  to the inside upper seam of section  62 . The purpose of the support strap  69  is to prevent the strut  67  from simply pushing down the lower section  64  and not causing an effective opening  65 . The strap  69  is typically made from webbing material approximately ½ to ¾ inches in width.  
         [0046]     As mentioned above, the present invention is not intended to be limited to a system or method which must satisfy one or more of any stated or implied object or feature of the invention and should not be limited to the preferred, exemplary, or primary embodiment(s) described herein. Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention, which is not to be limited except by the allowed claims and their equivalents.