Collapsible structures with water delivery

A structure has at least one foldable frame member having a folded and an unfolded orientation, with a fabric material covering portions of the frame member to form at least one panel when the frame member is in the unfolded orientation. A water tube is attached to the fabric material and connected to a water supply, and a water outlet is coupled to the water tube.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to collapsible structures, and in particular, to collapsible structures which incorporate the use or delivery of water.

2. Description of the Prior Art

There are presently many collapsible structures that are being provided for use by children and adults in a number of different applications. Examples of these collapsible structures are illustrated in the following patents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,816,954 (Zheng), 6,006,772 (Zheng), 5,778,915 (Zheng), 5,467,794 (Zheng), 5,975,101 (Zheng), 5,722,446 (Zheng), 4,858,634 (McLeese), 4,825,592 (Norman), 5,964,533 (Ziglar), 5,971,188 (Kellogg et al.), 6,485,344 (Arias), 6,343,391 (LeGette), U.S. Pub. No. 2004/0139997 (Zheng) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,812 (Norman), among others. These collapsible structures are supported by one or more frame members that can be twisted and folded to reduce the overall size of the structure. These collapsible structures can be used in a wide variety of applications, such as containers, tents, play structures, executive toys, shelters, sports structures, and others. As a result, collapsible structures have become very popular.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

It is an object of the present invention to provide a collapsible structure that incorporates the use or delivery of water.

In order to accomplish the objects of the present invention, the collapsible structure according to the present invention provides a structure having at least one foldable frame member having a folded and an unfolded orientation, with a fabric material covering portions of the frame member to form at least one panel when the frame member is in the unfolded orientation. A water tube is attached to the fabric material and connected to a water supply, and a water outlet is coupled to the water tube.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, a structure20is provided that comprises four panels22,24,26and28connected to each other to encircle an enclosed space. Each panel22,24,26,28can have four sides, such as a left side30, a bottom side32, a right side34and a top side36, although each panel22,24,26,28can assume any configuration and have any number of sides. Each panel22,24,26and28has a frame retaining sleeve38provided along and traversing the four edges of its four sides22,24,26,28. A frame member40is retained or held within each respective frame retaining sleeve38to support each panel22,24,26,28. Only the frame member40is shown inFIG. 2; the other frame members are not shown but are the same as frame member40.

The frame members40may be provided as one continuous loop, or may comprise a strip of material connected at both ends to form a continuous loop. The frame members40are preferably formed of flexible coilable steel, although other materials such as plastics may also be used. The frame members should be made of a material which is relatively strong and yet is flexible to a sufficient degree to allow it to be coiled. Thus, each frame member40is capable of assuming two positions or orientations, an open or expanded position such as shown inFIG. 1, or a folded position in which the frame member is collapsed into a size which is much smaller than its open position (seeFIG. 3C).

Fabric or sheet material42extends across each respective panel22,24,26,28, and is held taut by the respective frame member40when in its open position. The term fabric is to be given its broadest meaning and should be made from strong, lightweight materials and may include woven fabrics, sheet fabrics or even films. The fabric should be water-resistant and durable to withstand the wear and tear associated with rough treatment. The frame members40may be merely retained within the respective frame retaining sleeves38without being connected thereto. Alternatively, the frame retaining sleeves38may be mechanically fastened, stitched, fused, or glued to the respective frame members40respectively, to retain them in position.

FIG. 4illustrates one possible connection for connecting adjacent edges of two panels22and24. The fabric pieces42are stitched at their edges by a stitching44to the respective sleeves38. Each sleeve38may be formed by folding a piece of fabric. The stitching44also acts as a hinge for the panels22and24to be folded upon each other, as explained below. The connections for the three other pairs of adjacent edges may be identical. Thus, the connections on the left side30and the right side34of each panel22,24,26,28act as hinge connections for connecting an adjacent panel.

At the top side36and the bottom side32of each panel22,24,26,28, where there is no hinge connection to an adjacent panel, the frame retaining sleeve38may be formed by merely folding over the corresponding fabric piece and applying a stitching46(seeFIG. 2). The fabric piece42for the corresponding panel may then be stitched to the sleeve38.

Openings48and50may be provided in some or all of the panels22,24,26,28. These openings48and50may be of any shape (e.g., triangular, circular, rectangular, square, diamond, etc.) and size and can be designed to allow an individual to pass through them to enter or to exit the structure20(among other functions).

A plurality of tubes are provided on one or more of the panels22,24,26,28via stitching, glue or similar attachment means, or via removable attachment mechanisms such as hooks, straps, ties, VELCRO™ pads and the like. These tubes can be used to form tube systems for delivering water or other liquids to selected locations or outlets. For example, a tube52can have a first end54that extends away from the structure20for connecting to a water supply56, such as a water tap or faucet. The intermediate portion of the tube52can extend along a bottom side32of the panel24and then up along the sides34and32of the panels22and24, respectively, before traversing a portion of the fabric42of the panel22to a shower outlet60positioned above the opening50. The shower outlet60can have a plurality of spray holes to allow water to be sprayed like a mist on to any individual passing through the opening50. Another tube58branches off from the tube52along the fabric42of the panel24, then extends around the circular opening48, and then extends along the top sides36of the panels24and22to a shower head62. Spray holes66can be provided along the circular portion of the tube58to allow water to be sprayed like a mist on to any individual passing through the opening48. A branch of tubing64can connect the tubes52and58along the fabric42of the panel22. Thus, water can be delivered from the supply56through the tubes52,58to outlets such as the spray holes66, shower outlet60and shower head62. This water spraying ability can be both functional and for amusement. For example, the structure20can be placed around a sandbox or other location where it might be desirable for the individuals exiting that location to be washed or showered.

The tubes52,58,64can be made from any conventional soft tubular material that allows water to flow therethrough without leaking. Examples include the materials used for garden hoses, among others. The material is preferably soft and flexible so that the tubes can be folded as the structure20is twisted and folded in the manner described below.

While the structure20ofFIG. 1is shown and described as having four panels, each having four sides, it will be appreciated that the structure20may be made of any number of panels, each having any number of sides, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, each structure may have at least one panel (seeFIG. 5below), and each panel may have three or more sides. Thus, the structures of the present invention may take a variety of external shapes. However, each panel, regardless of its shape, is supported by at least one frame member40.

FIGS. 3A through 3Cdescribe the various steps for folding and collapsing the structure20ofFIG. 1for storage. The first step consists of pushing panels22and24towards panels28and26, respectively, about their hinged connections so that panel22collapses upon panel28and panel24collapses upon panel26. Then, the two panels22and28are folded so as to be collapsed upon the two panels24and26to form a stack of four panels, as shown inFIG. 3A. In the second step, the structure20is then twisted and folded to collapse the frame members40and panels22,24,26,28into a smaller shape. In particular, the opposite border70of the stack of panels22,24,26,28is folded in (see arrow72inFIG. 3A) upon the previous fold to further collapse the frame members40with the panels. As shown inFIG. 3B, the folding is continued so that the initial size of the structure20is reduced until the frame members40and panels are collapsed on each other (seeFIG. 3C) to provide for a small essentially compact configuration having a plurality of concentric frame members40and layers of the panels22,24,26,28so that the collapsed structure20has a size which is a fraction of the size of the initial structure.

FIG. 5illustrates a modification of the structure20, where the new structure20ais essentially comprised of the panel22a, and the other panels24,26,28are omitted. The panel22aand its fabric42a, opening50a, tube52a, tube58a, shower head62aand shower outlet60acan be the same as the corresponding panel22and its fabric42, opening50, tube52, tube58, shower head62and shower outlet60. The structure20afurther includes another shower outlet74a, and two hanging straps76aattached to the top side36a. The straps76aallow the panel22ato be suspended from the top edge of an open door, from the branches of a tree, or any other support member that would allow the panel22ato be suspended in a vertical manner. The panel22acan be folded and collapsed in the same manner as described above in connection withFIGS. 3A-3C. As with the structure20, the structure20aallows for a collapsible structure to incorporate water use or water play, where the ability of the structure20,20ato be reduced in size for storage promotes convenience and ease of storage.

FIG. 6extends the principles ofFIGS. 1-5to different types of collapsible structures. InFIG. 6, the structure100does not have separate panels22, but is instead made up of two crossing frame members102,104that can be made of the same material as the frame member40described above. The frame members102,104cross at an apex106, and their respective ends are secured to the ground or surface, so as to form a domed or apexed configuration for the structure100. Fabric material, which is provided in the form of a shell108, is removably attached to the frame members102,104to form an enclosing structure. Frame retaining sleeves110and112can be stitched to the fabric shell108to retain the frame members102and104, respectively. Openings116and118similar to the openings48,50can be provided in the fabric shell108, and tubes114can be attached to the fabric shell108or the sleeves110,112to form tubing systems. For example, the tube114can have an end120that is adapted to be connected to a water faucet122. The tube114can be partially housed in its own sleeve124which is attached to (e.g., by stitching) and extends along the sleeve110, and then extends along the fabric shell108around the opening116, then along the bottom edge of the fabric shell108where it branches in three directions: towards a tubing section126(having spray holes) that encircles the opening118, towards a spray ring128, and towards a shower head130. The tube114can be made from the same material as the tube52. The structure100can be disassembled by removing and separating the frame members102and104, and then folding the fabric shell108. Since the tube114is flexible and soft, it can be folded together with the fabric shell108.