SHELTER

Abstract: A shelter for providing shade, especially against UV, comprises a canopy (10) and an extension (40). The canopy (10) is of part-dome shape supported and extended by flexible poles (20, 22, 28) received within sleeves (30, 34). The extension (40) provides a roof (46), floor (42) and one wall (44) extending from an opening (14) of the canopy (10). The canopy (10) and extension (40) are of nylon fabric with an opaque, reflective coating. The interior of the canopy (10) provides a space which is well shielded from UV but provides a feeling of openness.

Description: shelter This invention relates to a collapsible portable shelter and is particularly, but not exclusively, useful in providing a shelter from UV radiation for infants. In general, portable shelters have hitherto fallen into two main types: small and lightweight such as umbrellas and windbreaks, and larger and heavier in the form of various types of tent. The former provide limited protection, while the latter provide, in most conditions, total shelter. There are instances where the former type is inadequate while the latter is too heavy, complex and enclosing. One such instance is on the beach. This particularly affects pre-crawling infants who are particularly liable to excessive UV on the beach. An object of the present invention is to provide a shelter which gives the occupant near total shelter from the elements, including UV solar radiation, heat, light and wind and, to a limited extend, rain, while being sufficiently open and lightweight to offer some of the openness and immediacy of an umbrella/ parasol or windbreak. Another object is to provide a shelter which is small, light and convenient. The invention provides a portable and collapsible shelter for providing protection from climatic elements, the shelter comprising a canopy having a dome-like shape, the canopy having a shaded opening at one side thereof and being formed from an opaque fabric supported by flexible poles held in compression. Preferably, said opening is shaded by an extension having floor, side and roof components, the extension further comprising an opening on the further side thereof which provides access to the opening of the canopy. The canopy and the extension are preferably made of a cloth fabric which is both opaque and reflective. The fabric, which is suitably nylon, may be rendered both opaque and reflective by coating with a gold coloured metallic paint. Said side component may be reversible, thereby being locatable on either side of the opening of the canopy. The canopy may have an integral floor. Preferably, the canopy is comprised of several panels of cloth sewn together. Preferably also, the extension is releasably fastened at the foot, one side and the top of the canopy opening and the extension tapers to an apex spaced from the canopy. The shelter preferably has a plurality of flexible poles each of which has at least a major portion of its length receivable in a respective fabric sleeve formed in the canopy. Each sleeve may be open at one end and closed at the other, and taper in width from the open to the closed end; this eases insertion and also assists in biasing the pole exteriorly of the canopy for tensioning the canopy. An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front view of one form of shelter in accordance with the invention, without an extension; Fig. 2 is a perspective view from the front and one side of the shelter of Fig. 1, with an extension attached; Fig. 3 shows fabric panel shapes used in making up the shelter of Figs. 1 and 2; and Fig. 4 is a rear view of the shelter. The shelter comprises a fabric canopy 10 having the general shape of half of a dome tent defining an interior space 12 and a front opening 14, and an extension 16 projecting forwardly from the opening 14. The canopy 10 is formed by stitching together shaped fabric panels, such as the panels 18 seen in Fig. 3, and is supported and extended by poles received in sleeves. The canopy 10 has an integral floor 11. Two poles 20 and 22 cross diagonally from rear corners 24 to the ends of a top edge 26 of the opening 14. A third pole 28 spans the canopy 10 between lower corners of the opening 14, which corners are provided with webbing loops 29 for tent pegs (not shown) . The poles 20, 22, 28 may suitably be of a type known per se of GRP of about 8 mm diameter, the shorter poles 20, 22 being made in three sections and the long pole 28 in five sections. The poles are received in fabric sleeves sewn to the canopy 10, as best seen in Fig. 4. The long pole 28 is received in a continuous sleeve 30 which is closed at one end 32. The short poles 20, 22 have most of their length received in sleeves 34, and their free ends in pockets 36 at the top edge 26. The sleeves 34 are closed at the rear corners 24. The corners 24 are provided with webbing loops 25 for tent pegs (not shown) . The sleeves 30 and 34 taper in width from their open to their closed ends. The canopy 10 may be formed from any convenient fabric, such as 1067B ripstop nylon or 130T nylon. The canopy fabric is coated with a commercially available opaque coating, suitably a gold-coloured aliphatic polyurethane elastomer. Coatings of this nature are known for use in rendering hot air balloons opaque. The coating is preferably applied to the exterior of the canopy 10, thus rendering the canopy both opaque and reflective. For use as an infant shelter, the canopy 10 may suitably have dimensions of about: width 1.0 metre depth 0.9 metre height 1.1 metre This is safe for an infant, while providing sitting height for an adult. Other dimensions may be used for other purposes. Half-dome tents and shelters are known, for example, for use as fishing shelters, but the known products are not opaque to UV. The shelter further comprises an extension 40 made from three fabric panels sewn together to provide a floor 42, a wall 44, and a roof 46, which taper from the opening 14 to an apex 48. The extension 40 is attached to the canopy 10 around the opening 14, suitably by 'Velcro' (TM) hook-and-loop fastener strips. The loop portion of the fastener is secured to the canopy, and the hook portion to the extension 40. The position of the fastener is indicated by the dashed line 50 in Fig. 2. The apex 48 is provided with a fabric loop 52 to receive a tent peg (not shown) . The extension 40 is reversible so that it may be set up to the left or to the right. The extension 40 is made from the same material as the canopy 10 and has the same coating, either on one side or on both sides of the fabric. The shelter provides a space which gives a very high degree of protection from UV while being airy and having an open effect. In particular, a young child may be put to lie in the shelter and be safe from LTV but within sight and sound of other family members, for example, on the beach. The reversible extension 40 can be positioned toward the sun to maximise shade, while its tapered shape also helps prevent light and UV penetration. The shelter is light and compact to carry, and easy and quick to erect. The pole sleeves being closed at one end allows one person to fit each pole with a single push for ease and speed of erection; this is aided by the use of tapering sleeves. The extension can be positioned and reversed by operation of the 'Velcro' strips and a single tent peg.

Claims: Claims 1. A portable and collapsible shelter for providing protection from climatic elements, the shelter comprising a canopy having a dome-like shape, the canopy having a shaded opening at one side thereof and being formed from an opaque fabric supported by flexible poles held in compression. 2. A shelter as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said opening is shaded by an extension having floor, side and roof components, the extension further comprising an opening on the further side thereof which provides access to the opening of the canopy. 3. A shelter as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said canopy and said extension are made of a cloth fabric which is both opaque and reflective. 4. A shelter as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the fabric is coated with a gold coloured metallic paint. 5. A shelter as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said side component is reversible, thereby being locatable on either side of the opening of the canopy. 6. A shelter as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein the canopy has an integral floor. 7. A shelter as claimed in any of the preceding Claims wherein the canopy is comprised of several panels of cloth sewn together. 8. A shelter as claimed in Claims 2 to 7 wherein the extension is made from a single piece of cloth. 9. A shelter as claimed in any of claims 2 to 7 wherein the extension is releasably fastened at the foot, one side and the top of the canopy opening and the extension tapers to an apex spaced from the canopy. 10. A shelter as claimed in any preceding claim, having a plurality of flexible poles each of which has at least a major portion of its length receivable in a respective fabric sleeve formed in the canopy. 11. A shelter according to claim 10, in which each sleeve is open at one end and closed at the other, and tapers in width from the open to the closed end.

Inventors: BENDIT JONATHAN, BENDIT, JONATHAN
Applicants: BENDIT JONATHAN, BENDIT, JONATHAN
Application year: 1997
Main classification: E04H15
IPC codes: E04H15