Abstract:
A shelter that includes a slider and a strut mechanism mounted on support posts of the shelter that automatically actuate and extend from the side of the support posts when the shelter is expanded from its collapsed state. The strut mechanism provides support for an eave that extends outside from all or a portion of the perimeter of the shelter defined by the corners of the support posts. An automatic hard-stop mechanism is incorporated into the support posts that prevent the eave sliders and strut mechanisms from becoming over-extended. The support posts are configured and oriented relative to the other components of the shelter frame and shelter boundary so to minimize the footprint or size of the shelter when in the collapsed state.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/092,765 filed Apr. 22, 2011 entitled Shelter With Extended Eaves, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/326,997, filed Apr. 22, 2010, entitled Shelter With Extended Eaves, the contents of both of which are incorporated in their entireties herein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to collapsible shelters and, more particularly, to a collapsible shelter having collapsible eaves and to shelters that are compact when in the collapsed state. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Portable, free standing, shelters that have a collapsible frame structure that supports a canopy are well known. Portable shelters typically employ a cloth or plastic canopy attached to a light-weight, highly foldable skeleton or frame structure. The canopy provides a roof and/or walls for the shelter, and the frame structure provides support for the canopy, for example, the frame structure includes legs to elevate the roof and a system of trusses to support the roof and to generally stabilize the shelter. The frame structure often incorporates a compound, scissor-like, arrangement of a light-weight, tubular material such as aluminum. In order to maximize the usable area under a shelter, the frame structure is often designed so that the roof is supported solely by legs positioned near the perimeter of the roof. Stated alternatively, shelters do not typically employ an interior supporting post or leg such as a leg or post positioned in the center of shelter. An example of such a portable shelter is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,676 to Lynch the contents of which are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference. 
     To further maximize the usable area under the canopy, several portable shelter designs have incorporated eaves or awning-like structures that support the canopy beyond the exterior boundary or envelope defined by the legs of the shelter&#39;s frame. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,718,995 to Dotterweich describes a portable shelter having a canopy extension that extends out from one side of the shelter. The extension is supported by a relatively complex secondary network of trusses and cross-supports independent from that of the main body of the shelter. This single canopy extension design has the disadvantage of increasing the weight and size of the collapsed shelter, decreasing the effective height of the shelter along the outer boundary of the canopy extension, and being susceptible to deformation and damage from environmental forces, such as wind, due to the relatively large, unsupported extension. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,367,348 to Tsai et al., the contents of which are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference, describes a portable shelter having a canopy extension extending from four sides of the shelter. The canopy extension is supported by the end portions of certain of the trusses that support the canopy roof. The end portions supporting the canopy extension are entirely unsupported by secondary trusses or struts. This canopy extension design is also relatively susceptible to deformation and damage from environmental forces, such as wind, due to the unsupported nature of the canopy extension. 
     U.S. Publication No. 2007/0186967 to Zingerle, the contents of which are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference, describes a canopy extension that is supported by primary struts extending from the exterior corner of each support post. The primary strut is supported by one or more support strut that span between the primary strut and a network of side trusses. This canopy extension design has the disadvantage that a relatively large angle is formed between the support strut and the network of side trusses which, in turn, results in less fluid movement of the shelter frame when expanding and collapsing the shelter and increases the likelihood that the support strut will bind and/or kink. Furthermore, the fact that the primary struts extend from the corners of the support posts undesirably increases the collapsed size of the shelter. 
     Chinese Patent Application No. 2009201183292 to Kuanjun, the contents of which are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference, describes a canopy extension that is supported by primary struts extending from the exterior corners of each support post. The primary struts are supported by a support strut that is attached to the primary strut at one end and slidibly attached to the exterior corner of the support post at an opposite end. This canopy extension design has the disadvantages that the strut support is not limited in its upward movement on the support post. In the event that an environmental force, such as wind, acts against the support strut, the support strut will be prone to upward movement which, in turn, causes deformation and damage to the canopy extension and frame generally. Furthermore, the fact that the primary struts and support struts extend from the corners of the support posts undesirably increases the collapsed size of the shelter. 
     What is needed in the art is a shelter design that maximizes the area shaded and protected by the deployed shelter and that does so without sacrificing the stability and strength of the shelter, complicating the operation of the shelter, or increasing the weight, collapsed size or storability, or cost of the shelter. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In light of deficiencies of prior art collapsible shelters, the present invention provides a collapsible shelter that includes a slider and strut mechanism mounted on support posts of the shelter that automatically actuate and extend from the corners of the shelter when the shelter is expanded from its collapsed state. The strut mechanism provides support for an eave that extends outside all or a portion of the perimeter of the shelter defined by the corners of the support posts. In this manner the protected and shaded area offered by the shelter is greatly increased without sacrificing the stability and strength of the shelter, complicating the operation of the shelter, or increasing the weight, storability or cost of the shelter. 
     The present invention also provides an automatic hard-stop mechanism that prevents the eave slider and strut mechanism from becoming over-extended during improper operation of the shelter or during harsh environmental conditions such as high winds. 
     The present invention also provides shelter support posts that are configured and oriented in a manner that minimizes the footprint of the increased awning shelter when in the collapsed state. In a preferred embodiment, the support posts are configured to be oriented at a 45 degree angle so that the eave slider and strut mechanism can be attached to the support posts without increasing the footprint, or envelope, of the shelter when in the collapsed state. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other aspects, features and advantages of which embodiments of the invention are capable of will be apparent and elucidated from the following description of embodiments of the present invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an expanded frame structure of a shelter according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of a collapsed frame structure of a shelter according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2B  is a plan view of a collapsed frame structure of a shelter according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of a peak junction according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a peak truss hinge according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a side truss hinge according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a portion of an expanded frame structure of a shelter according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a portion of an expanded frame structure of a shelter according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8A  is a perspective view of a portion of an expanded frame structure of a shelter according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8B  is a plan view of a portion of a collapsed frame structure of a shelter according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a portion of an expanded frame structure of a shelter according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a portion of an expanded frame structure of a shelter according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a portion of an expanded frame structure of a shelter according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a side elevation view of a portion of a collapsed frame structure of a shelter according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a plan view of an expanded frame structure of a shelter according to the prior art. 
         FIG. 14  is a plan view of an expanded frame structure of a shelter according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 15A  is a side elevation view of a portion of a partially collapsed frame structure of a shelter according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 15B  is a side elevation view of a portion of an expanded frame structure of a shelter according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 15C  is a side elevation view of a portion of an expanded frame structure of a shelter according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view of a portion of an expanded frame structure of a shelter according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The terminology used in the detailed description of the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings is not intended to be limiting of the invention. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements. 
       FIG. 1  shows an expanded, deployed frame  10  of a shelter according to one embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2A  shows the same frame  10  in the collapsed, non-deployed state from a side view, and  FIG. 2B  shows the same frame  10  in the collapsed, non-deployed state from a plan view. For the sake of clarity, in the figures, the present invention is shown without a canopy attached to the frame  10 . Broadly speaking, the frame  10  employs posts  12  extending upward from post bases  13  to corner assemblies  14 . The corner assemblies  14  function to associate the posts  10  with side trusses  16 , peak trusses  18 , and eave assemblies  30 . 
       FIG. 14  is a simplified plan view of the frame  10  shown in  FIG. 1 . For the sake of clarity, an outer perimeter or envelope  72  is shown in  FIG. 14  that represents the outer boundary of the shade or shelter provided by expanded shelter having a canopy according to the present invention. It is noted that while  FIGS. 1 and 14  shows the frame  10  as having an approximately rectangular footprint or floor plan, it is contemplated that the present invention may employ frames  10  that have alternative footprints such as circles, squares, or ovals. In a preferred embodiment, the posts  12  have an approximately rectangular cross-sectional shape. Each post  12  has an interior side  66 , an exterior side  68 , and two intermediary sides  70 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 14 , a peak junction  20  functions to associate the peak trusses  18  to one another at a location in the approximate center of the horizontal area occupied by the shelter at an elevation above a height of the top of the posts  12 . In this manner, the peak junction  20  forms a peak or high-point of the roof of the frame  10 . An expanded view of an underside of the peak junction  20  is shown in  FIG. 3 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the peak trusses  18  employ peak truss hinges  22  that allow the peak trusses  18  to be folded in order that they may achieve a more compact size when the frame  10  is collapsed.  FIG. 4  shows an expanded view of the peak truss hinge  22 . The peak trusses  18  are supported by peak truss supports  19 . A proximal end  17  of the peak truss support  19  is attached to the corner assembly  14  and a distal end  21  of the peak truss support  19  is attached to the peak truss  18 . 
     The side trusses  16  employ a scissor-like assembly spanning between posts  12 . The side trusses  16  have an upper arm  24  and a lower arm  26  that cross one another and attached to one another at a side truss hinge  28 .  FIG. 5  shows an expanded view of the side truss hinge  28 . 
     As best shown in  FIG. 6 , the eave assembly  30  employs an eave strut  32  having a proximal end  34  attached to the corner assembly  14  and a distal end  36  extending outward from the frame  10 . The eave assembly  30  further comprises a strut support  38  having a proximal end  40  attached to the corner assembly  14  and a distal end  42  attached to the eave strut  32 . When the frame  10  is in a collapsed, non-deployed state, such as shown in  FIG. 2 , the distal end  36  of the eave strut  32  pivots towards the post base  13 . When the frame  10  is expanded to an open state, the distal end  36  of the eave strut  32  pivots outward away from the post  12 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the corner assemblies  14  employ an upper coupling  44  fixed to a upper portion  45  of the post  12 , a lower coupling  46  slidably attached to the post  12 , and a eave slider  48  slidably attached to the post  12  between the upper coupling  44  and the lower coupling  46 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8A  in which the frame  10  is in the deployed, expanded state, the upper coupling  44  serves to attach and associate one post  12  with the upper arms  24  of two different side trusses  16 , one peak truss  18 , and one eave strut  32 . These components are attached to the upper coupling  44  by insertion of an end of the component, for example the proximal end  34  of the eave strut  32 , into a receiving portion  50  formed in and/or by the upper coupling  44 . The component end is secured within the receiving portion  50  by passing a member such as a bolt  52  through a first side of the receiving portion  50 , through the component end, such as the proximal strut end  34 , and through a second side of the receiving portion  50 . The bolt  52  may, for example be secured in position by threading a nut  56  over an end of the bolt  52  opposite a bolt head  54 .  FIG. 8B  shows an plan view of the upper coupling  44  when the frame  10  is in the non-deployed, collapsed state. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the lower coupling  46  employs a lower coupling post aperture  58  through which the post  12  is slidably positioned. As seen in  FIG. 9-11 , the lower coupling  46  serves to attach and associate one post  12  with the lower arms  26  of two different side trusses  16  and the proximal end  17  of one peak truss support  19 . These components are attached to the lower coupling  46  as described above regarding the attachment of components to the upper coupling  44 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the lower coupling  46  further employs coupling lock  64  which functions to secure the lower coupling  46  at the desired location along the post  12 . The lower coupling lock  64  is a biased or spring-loaded pin lock that is incorporated into the body of the lower coupling  44 . The coupling lock  64  engages a receiving aperture, not shown, formed in post  12 . It will be understood that while the coupling lock  64  has been shown incorporated into an interior side of the lower coupling  46 , the coupling lock  64  may alternatively be incorporated into any of the exterior sides of the lower coupling  46 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 6, 7, and 9-12 , the eave slider  48  is positioned on the post  12  between the upper coupling  44  and the lower coupling  46 . The eave slider  48  employs a post aperture  60  through which the post  12  is slidably positioned. The eave slider  48  serves to attached and associate the post  12  with the proximal end  40  of the eave strut support  38 . The proximal end  40  of the eave strut support  38  is attached to the eave slider  48  as described above regarding the attachment of components to the upper coupling  44 .  FIG. 12  shows a side view of the eave slider  48  when the frame  10  is in the non-deployed, collapsed state. 
     While  FIGS. 1, 2A, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 12  show that the proximal end  40  of the strut support  38  is attached to the eave slider  48  on the exterior side  68  of the post  12 , it will be understood that other attachment configurations are contemplated. For example, the proximal end  40  of the strut support  38  may alternatively attach to the eave slider  48  on one of the intermediary sides  70  of the post  12 , as shown in  FIGS. 15A-15C . In another embodiment, instead of one longitudinal element, the strut support  38  comprises two longitudinal elements and the proximal ends  40  of the strut supports  38  attach to the eave slider  48  at each of the two intermediary sides  70 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, instead of one longitudinal element, the strut support  38  comprises two longitudinal elements. The proximal ends  40  of the two longitudinal elements of the strut supports  38  pass by each of the two intermediary sides  70  of the post  12  and attach to the eave slider  48  on the interior side  66  of the post  12 , as shown in  FIG. 16 . 
     This configuration provides at least two advantages to the frame  10 . First, by positioning the pivot point for the proximal end  40  of the strut supports  38  on the interior side of the post  12 , a sharper angle is formed at the point where the strut supports  38  attach to the eave strut  32 . This, in turn provides for smoother operation, i.e. smoother expanding and collapsing of the eave assemblies  30  and the frame  10 . Second, employing two longitudinal elements of the strut support  38  increases strength of the eave assemblies  30  and, more particularly, aids in preventing the eave assemblies from moving laterally. This advantage is further enhanced by the increased rigidity provided by passing the longitudinal elements of the strut support  38  on each side of the post  12 . The post  12  serving as a lateral truss between the two longitudinal elements. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the corner assembly  14  and hence the frame  10 , is further improved by employing an eave stop  62 . With reference to  FIGS. 6, 7, 8A, 9-11, and 15A , the eave stop  62  is a projection from the post  12  that is fixed at a desired distance along a length of the post  12  above which it is undesirable for the eave slider  48  to travel. As shown in the figures, in one embodiment of the present invention, the eave stop  62  employs a bolt  52  passed through the post  12  with a nut  56  threaded onto the end of the bolt  52  opposite the bolt head  54 . The eave stop  62  may be positioned on one side of the post  12  but is preferably positioned on two opposite sides of the post  12 . For example, it is contemplated that eave stops  62  be placed on both of the intermediary sides  70  of the post  12  or one eave spot  62  on the interior side  66  of the post  12  and one eave stop on the exterior side  68  of the post  12 . 
     The eave stop  62  is particularly advantageous in that the eave stop  62  assists in securing the eave slider  48  in the desired position on the post  12 . In operation, when the frame  10  is transitioned from a collapsed state to an expanded, deployed state, the lower coupling  46  is urged upward towards the upper portion  45  of the post  12  causing expansion of the truss network comprising the peak trusses  18  and side trusses  16 . The lower coupling  46  contacts the eave slider  48  and urges the eaves slider  48  upward along the post  12 . As the eave slider  48  moves upward along the post  12 , the eave slider  48  causes the eave strut  32  to pivot outward away from the exterior side  68  of the post  12 , thereby providing support for a canopy eave, not shown, that is configured to extend beyond the perimeter of the posts  12  of the frame  10 . The lower coupling lock  64  eventually locks into place on the post  12  when the frame  10  is in the fully expanded, deployed state. 
     In harsh environmental conditions such as high winds, there is a risk that the canopy of the shelter is caught by the wind and is caused move or deform the frame  10  that supports the canopy. This is especially problematic due to cantilever-like configuration of the eave assemblies  30 . In order to prevent the eave assemblies  30  from being forced upward in such a circumstance, the eave stop  62  is disposed on the post  12 . In the event the wind on the canopy urges the eave assembly  30  in the upwards direction, an upper surface of the eave slider  48  contacts the eave stop  62 . The eave stop  62  thereby prevents the upward movement or the eave slider  48  and, hence, the deformation of the eave assembly  30 . 
     Of particular importance to certain embodiments of the present invention is the orientation of the rectangular posts  12  relative to the other components of the frame  10 . As best shown in  FIG. 7-11  and particularly in  FIG. 14 , the posts  12  of the frame  10  of the present invention are rotated approximately 45 degrees relative to the envelope  84  of the deployed frame  10 . Stated alternately, the posts  12  are rotated such that the peak trusses  18  attach to the upper coupling  44  which is attached to the post  12  such that a angle  72  of approximately 90 degrees is formed between the peak trusses  18  and the with the interior side  60  of the posts  12 . Likewise, the eave struts  32  extend perpendicularly from the exterior side  68  of the posts  12 . In contrast, the side trusses  16  attach to the upper coupling  44  and lower coupling  46  which are attached to the post  12  such that a angle  74  of approximately 45 degrees is formed between the side trusses  16  and the with the intermediary sides  70  of the posts  12 . 
     By way of comparison, as shown in  FIG. 13 , prior art collapsible shelter frames  80  employ posts  12  that are positioned such that the sides of the posts  12  are parallel to the sides of the shelter envelope  82 . Likewise, the peak trusses  18  of the prior art shelter frames  80  attach to the posts  12  at a corner of the posts  12  and form an angle of approximately 45 degrees with the sides of the post  12 . 
     The orientation of the posts  12  relative to the envelope  84  and other components of the frame  10  of the shelter of the present invention provides distinct advantages over the prior art shelters. For example, the rotation of the posts of the frame  10  of the present invention results in a space occurring between the exterior side  68  of the post  12  and the corner of the shelter envelope when the frame  10  is in the collapsed state. Within this space, the eave strut  32  and strut support  38  of the eave assembly  30  are disposed, when the frame  10  is in the collapsed state. As a result, a collapsible shelter having an eave feature according to the present invention can be collapsed into substantially the same envelope as that of a shelter that does not provide an eave. Further advantages are provided by the orientation of the post  12  of the frame  10  by imparting increased resistance to lateral forces, such as wind, to the frame  10 . 
     One of skill in the art will understand that the frame structure  10  of the present invention may be constructed from a variety of materials known in the art to facilitate light-weight designs and foldability. For example, the posts  12 , the peak trusses  18 , the peak truss supports  19 , the side trusses  16 , the eave struts  32 , and the strut supports  38  may be formed of an alloy including, but not limited to, tubular and/or solid aluminum. The upper coupling  44 , the lower coupling  46 , the eave slider  48 , the peak junction  20 , the side truss hinges  28 , and other similar components may be formed of, for example, a solid alloy or a molded plastic. 
     Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, various changes may be made in the form, composition, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the examples discussed above should be taken as being illustrative and not limiting in any sense.