Foldable frame for instant tent

Disclosed is a foldable frame which can be widely applied to instant tents which are easily installed or uninstalled and have a rectangular or square bottom surface of various sizes. With a head (100) of the foldable frame, a top plate (110) and a bottom plate (120) are engaged to each other in such a way that the center portion can be rotated in a state in which an upper ends (one end of the first rod) of the poles are respectively engaged to the rod engaging holes (111 and 111′; 121 and 121′) of the top and bottom plates (110 and 120) in a diagonal direction, so that the top and bottom plates of the head are automatically rotated according to various shapes of the rectangular or square bottom surface, thereby forming an intersection angle between the pole coupling portions formed on the head (an angle of intersection between both pole coupling portions of the head). Therefore, the foldable frame can be widely applied to the instant tent, regardless of the rectangular or square shape of the bottom surface of various sizes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a foldable frame for an instant tent, and more specifically, to a foldable frame which can be widely applied to instant tents which are easily installed or uninstalled and have a rectangular or square bottom surface of various sizes.

Background of the Related Art

In general, an instant tent includes a skin (referred to as a body) which is stitched to four sides of a rectangular or square bottom surface and extending to an upper portion, and foldable frames which are inserted in frame fixing loops provided on the outside of the skin.

The bottom surface of the skin is released in various shapes, such as a rectangular shape of 1400×2000 mm or a square shape of 2000×2000 mm.

The foldable frame for the instant tent according to the present invention is an integrated frame of a foldable type, in which upper ends of four foldable poles are connected to a center head, and when the tent is set up, the poles are spread in a cross shape, and in which lower ends of the four poles are respectively connected to the respective corners of the bottom surface.

However, a foldable frame head for the instant tent of the related art has coupling portions of different shapes according to the shape of the bottom surface of the tent, in which upper ends of four poles are connected to the coupling portions in a diagonal direction of the bottom surface.

Specifically, since an intersection angle between the pole coupling portions formed on a head (an angle of intersection between both pole coupling portions of the head) is varied depending upon the shape of the bottom surface, the head made of plastic through molding should be manufactured to have various shapes according to the shapes of the rectangular or square bottom surface, which causes waste of budget due to preparation of a new mold or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a foldable frame which can be widely applied to instant tents which are easily installed or uninstalled and have a rectangular or square bottom surface of various sizes.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a foldable frame for an instant tent which is an integrated frame of a foldable type, in which upper ends of four foldable poles are connected to a center head, and when the tent is set up, the poles are spread in a cross shape, and in which lower ends of the four poles are respectively connected to the respective corners of the bottom surface, wherein the head includes a top plate of a circular container type having a recessed inner portion, and a bottom plate of a circular container type having a recessed inner portion; the top plate and the bottom plate are formed with rod engaging holes of a tunnel shape which are formed parallel to each other in an opposite direction, with one end being opened, while the other end being closed; each of the rod engaging holes is formed with a fixing hole, and a locking bolt is engaged to the fixing hole; the bottom plate of the head is formed with a rotation groove at a center portion thereof, and a center portion of the top plate is formed with a rotation protrusion protruding downwardly to correspond to the rotation groove, in which the rotation protrusion of the top plate is inserted into the rotation groove of the bottom plate; and a skin loop is formed with a threaded portion at an upper portion thereof, in which the upper portion of the skin loop is rotatably inserted from a lower portion of the bottom plate to an upper portion of the top plate, and a nut is engaged to the threaded portion of the skin loop in a nut groove of the top plate.

Preferably, the top plate and the bottom plate of the head are engaged to each other in such a way that the center portion can be rotated in a state in which an upper ends (one end of the first rod) of the poles are respectively engaged to the rod engaging holes of the top and bottom plates in a diagonal direction, so that the top and bottom plates of the head are automatically rotated according to various shapes of the rectangular or square bottom surface, thereby forming an intersection angle between the pole coupling portions formed on the head (an angle of intersection between both pole coupling portions of the head).

Preferably, the pole includes a first joint which has a body formed with rod coupler engaging grooves at both ends thereof, upper and lower rod couplers which are engaged to the rod coupler engaging groove to be able to rotate by an angle of 90 degrees, and engaging shafts for rotatably connecting the body and the rod couplers, in which a lower end of the first rod is inserted and fixed to the upper rod coupler of the first joint, and an upper end of the second rod is inserted and fixed to the lower rod coupler; a second joint which has an upper opening which penetrates a body of the second joint in a vertical direction, and receives the lower end of the second rod, a lower opening to which an upper end of the third rod is inserted and firmly adhered, a holding hole for the second rod which is formed at a portion of the inside, and a guider which is engaged to a portion of an upper portion of the second joint, in which the lower end of the second rod is inserted into an upper opening of the guider to be able to freely move, and the lower end of the second rod is positioned in a hollow portion, in which a cylindrical stopper having an outer diameter which is equal to an inner diameter of the third rod is engaged to the lower end of the second rod positioned in the hollow portion, thereby preventing the second rod from being released when the second rod moves in the vertical direction, and in which the guider guides the lower end of the second rod to the holding hole when the tent is set up, and guides the lower end of the second rod to the inside of the third rod when the tent is folded; and a third joint which has a telescopic structure, and is fixed to an upper end of the fourth rod, in which the third rod is freely inserted into the inside of the fourth rod, and is fixed by a snap button.

With the above configuration, the foldable frame according to the present invention can be widely applied to instant tents which are easily installed or uninstalled and have a rectangular or square bottom surface of various sizes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Now, a foldable frame for an instant tent according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1is a perspective view of a head of a foldable frame for an instant tent according to one embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 2is an exploded perspective view illustrating the head inFIG. 1.FIGS. 3A and 3Bare views illustrating the operation of the head inFIG. 1.FIG. 4is a view of a primary joint.FIG. 5is a view of a secondary joint.FIG. 6is a view illustrating a set-up state of the instant tent employing the foldable frame according to the embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 7is a view illustrating a process of folding one pole.

As illustrated inFIG. 6, a foldable frame1for an instant tent according to the embodiment of the present invention is an integrated frame of a foldable type, in which upper ends of four foldable poles P are connected to a center head100, and when the tent is set up, the poles P are spread in a cross shape, and in which lower ends of the four poles P are respectively connected to the respective corners of the bottom surface.

The head100includes, as illustrated inFIGS. 1 to 3, a top plate110of a circular container type having a recessed inner portion, and a bottom plate120of a circular container type having a recessed inner portion, and the top plate110and the bottom plate120are rotatably engaged to each other.

As illustrated inFIG. 2, the top plate110and the bottom plate120of the head100are formed with rod engaging holes111and111′;121and121′ (111′ and121′ shown in broken lines) of a tunnel shape which are formed parallel to each other in an opposite direction, with one end being opened, while the other end being closed. Each of the rod engaging holes111and111′;121and121′ is formed with a fixing hole h, and a locking bolt b is engaged to the fixing hole h.

The bottom plate120of the head100is formed with a rotation groove122at a center portion, and a center portion of the top plate110is formed with a rotation protrusion112protruding downwardly to correspond to the rotation groove122.

The rotation protrusion112of the top plate110is inserted into the rotation groove122of the bottom plate120, and a skin loop130is formed with a threaded portion131at an upper portion thereof, in which the upper portion of the skin loop130is rotatably inserted from a lower portion of the bottom plate120to an upper portion of the top plate110, and a nut115is engaged to the threaded portion131of the skin loop in a nut groove114of the top plate110.

The bottom plate120is formed with an inner guide wall124along a circumference thereof, and the inner guide wall124has a stepped portion123formed on an outer surface, except for a circumference of the rod engaging holes121and121′ of the bottom plate120, and having a half thickness.

The top plate110is formed integrally with stoppers113of a desired length at an outer circumference of a half thickness.

When the top plate110is engaged to the bottom plate120, the stopper113is guided by the guide wall124, and is smoothly rotated on the circumference of the bottom plate120along the stepped portion123of the bottom plate120.

The foldable frame of the present invention has four poles P, and each pole P has four segment rods200and three joints300for connecting the rods to form the pole P.

Hereinafter, the four rods constituting the pole P have a first rod210, a second rod220, a third rod230, and a fourth rod240in order from a top, and the three joints for connecting the rods have a first joint310, a second joint320, and a third joint330.

Since the configuration of the four poles is equal to each other, one pole P will now be described in detail for convenience.

One end of the first rod210is engaged to any one of the rod engaging holes111and111′;121and121′ of the head100, and the other end is engaged to an upper rod engaging hole of an upper rod coupler313of the first joint310.

The first joint310has, as illustrated inFIG. 4, a body311formed with rod coupler engaging grooves312at both ends thereof, upper and lower rod couplers313and314which are engaged to the rod coupler engaging groove312to be able to rotate by an angle of 90 degrees, and engaging shafts315for rotatably connecting the body and the rod couplers.

Preferably, a bottom surface of the body311may be formed with a locking member.

A lower end of the first rod210is inserted and fixed to the upper rod coupler313of the first joint310, and an upper end of the second rod220is inserted and fixed to the lower rod coupler314.

The second joint320is disclosed by Korea Patent No. 10-1561779 (registered on Oct. 13, 2015), entitled (Instant Tent Pole) and assigned to the applicant. The second joint320of the present invention has an upper opening321which penetrates a body of the second joint in a vertical direction, and receives the lower end of the second rod220, a lower opening322to which an upper end of the third rod230is inserted and firmly adhered, a holding hole323for the second rod220which is formed at a portion of the inside, and a guider324which is engaged to a portion of an upper portion of the second joint.

The lower end of the second rod220is inserted into an upper opening of the guider324to be able to freely move, and the lower end of the second rod220is positioned in a hollow portion. A cylindrical stopper221having an outer diameter which is equal to an inner diameter of the third rod230is engaged to the lower end of the second rod220positioned in the hollow portion, thereby preventing the second rod220from being released when the second rod220moves in the vertical direction.

The guider324guides the lower end of the second rod220to the holding hole323when the tent is set up, and guides the lower end of the second rod220to the inside of the third rod230when the tent is folded.

The third joint330has a telescopic structure, and is fixed to an upper end of the fourth rod240. The third rod230is freely inserted into the inside of the fourth rod240, as illustrated inFIG. 4, and fixed by a snap button.

Specifically, one pole P has the first joint310which has the body311formed with the rod coupler engaging grooves312at both ends thereof, the upper and lower rod couplers313and314which are engaged to the rod coupler engaging groove312to be able to rotate by the angle of 90 degrees, and the engaging shafts315for rotatably connecting the body and the rod couplers; the first joint310in which the lower end of the first rod210is inserted and fixed to the upper rod coupler313of the first joint310, and the upper end of the second rod220is inserted and fixed to the lower rod coupler314; the second joint320which has the upper opening321which penetrates the body of the second joint320in the vertical direction, and receives the lower end of the second rod220, the lower opening322to which the upper end of the third rod230is inserted and firmly adhered, the holding hole323for the second rod220which is formed at the inside thereof, and the guider324which is engaged to the upper portion of the second joint320, in which the lower end of the second rod220is inserted into the upper opening of the guider324to be able to freely move, and the lower end of the second rod220is positioned in the hollow portion, in which the cylindrical stopper221having the outer diameter which is equal to the inner diameter of the third rod230is engaged to the lower end of the second rod220positioned in the hollow portion, thereby preventing the second rod220from being released when the second rod220moves in the vertical direction, and in which the guider324guides the lower end of the second rod220to the holding hole323when the tent is set up, and guides the lower end of the second rod220to the inside of the third rod230when the tent is folded; and the third joint330which has a telescopic structure, and is fixed to an upper end of the fourth rod240, in which the third rod230is freely inserted into the inside of the fourth rod240, and is fixed by the snap button.

The operation of the foldable frame for the instant tent according to the embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail.

As illustrated inFIG. 6, the foldable frame1for the instant tent according to the embodiment of the present invention is the integrated frame of the foldable type, in which the upper ends of four foldable poles P are connected to the center head100, and when the tent is set up, the poles P are spread in the cross shape, and in which the lower ends of the four poles P are respectively connected to the respective corners of the bottom surface.

First, the instant tent is positioned at the center region of a desired set-up area of the tent.

The lower portions of the four poles P which are folded to the first joint310are sequentially unfolded.

As will be understood fromFIG. 6, the third rods230are telescopically withdrawn from the fourth rods240one by one of the four poles P while lifting the head100by a hand, and then the snap buttons are locked. The second rods220are withdrawn from the third rod230, and then the lower end of the second rod220is held in the holding hole323of the second rod220in the second joint320, thereby easily completing installation of the instant tent.

In this instance, the top plate110and the bottom plate120of the head100are engaged to each other in such a way that the center portion can be rotated in the state in which the upper end (one end of the first rod) of the poles are engaged to the head in the diagonal direction of the bottom surface. If the foldable frame1according to the present invention is unfolded in the cross shape according to the various shapes of the rectangular or square bottom surface, the top plate110and the bottom plate120of the head100are automatically rotated, as illustrated inFIG. 3, thereby forming an intersection angle between the pole coupling portions formed on the head (an angle of intersection between both pole coupling portions of the head). Therefore, the foldable frame of the present invention can be widely applied to the instant tents, regardless of various rectangular or square shapes of the bottom surface.

On the contrary, in the case of taking down the instant tent, the process is carried out in order opposite to the above process.

Specifically, as illustrated inFIG. 7, the snap buttons of the third joints are unlocked one by one of the four poles P, and then the third rods230are telescopically inserted in the fourth rods240. The second rods220are withdrawn from the holding holes323of the second joints320, and then are inserted into the third rods230.

Next, the four poles P with the rods (second and third rods) being received are folded around the first joints310, respectively, and are aligned parallel to each other in the shape of 11 letters, and the skin are rolled and put in a case, thereby easily completing the clearance.

In this instance, it would be understood fromFIG. 3that since the top plate110and the bottom plate120of the head100are engaged to each other in such a way that the center portion can be rotated in the state in which the upper ends (one end of the first rod) of the poles are engaged to the head in the diagonal direction of the bottom surface, the four poles P received the rods therein can be easily arranged parallel to each other.

While the foldable frame1for the instant tent according to the present invention has been described with reference to the particular illustrative embodiments, it is not to be restricted by the embodiments but only by the appended claims. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. Of course, equivalents thereof are contained in the present invention.