Abstract:
A portable structure having a frame which is foldable between a stored position and a deployed position is provided in the form of a dog house. Preferably the dog house includes a peaked roof construction and the material forming the walls, floor and roof all are self-contained with the frame in the stored position and is defines the confines of the dog house in the deployed position.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to provisional U.S. application 61/591,623, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In accordance with this disclosure, generally stated, a portable animal shelter is provided having a frame structure which is adaptable to a variety of configurations and sizes. While the disclosure is described in particular with respect to a portable dog house, those skilled in the art will recognize the wider applicability of the inventive constructions disclosed hereinafter. 
         [0004]    Owners love their pets. Dog owners in particular will go to great lengths to provide comfortable accommodations for the animals in their care. While applicants&#39; are not sure the animal appreciates the overall appearance of the structure, they are sure that aesthetic features are important in the selection of a product by the animal owner. For example, dog houses that look like a conventional house, i.e., with a sloped roof construction, are more popular than box or crate shaped structures for use by the animal. Foldable portable dog house are known in the art. However, to our knowledge, the constructions of the foldable constructions are not easily adaptable over a range of either house sizes or of house configurations. We have developed a construction which is easily adaptable to a variety of sizes and configurations. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In accordance with this disclosure, generally stated, a foldable support structure is provided having a flexible material attached or attachable to it which can be configured, during manufacture, into a variety of size and style of structures. In the preferred embodiment, the structure resembles a house having a sloped roof. The basic frame structure however, is adaptable to a flat roof configuration. House size also is easily adjusted during manufacture to accommodate a variety of animal sizes. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The objects of the invention are achieved as set forth in the illustrative embodiments shown in the drawings which form a part of the specification. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a view in perspective of one illustrative embodiment of collapsible shelter of the present disclosure in its folded condition; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a view in perspective of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  in an associated carry bag; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2   a  is a view in perspective of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  after removal of from its associated carry bag; 
           [0010]      FIGS. 2   b - 2   k  are views in perspective of the set up procedure of the structure of the present disclosure for the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a view in perspective of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  in its erected or unfolded condition; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3A  is a view in perspective of the rear side of the embodiment of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3B  is an enlarged detail view in perspective taken about the line  3 B of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3C  is an enlarged detail view in perspective taken about the line  3 C of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged view, partly broken away illustrating one illustrative attachment method for attaching the roof of the structure to corresponding roof trusses for the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view in perspective, partly broken away of a preferred floor pad arrangement for the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
       [0017]    Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
       [0018]    The following detailed description illustrates the invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. This description will clearly enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives and uses of the invention, including what we presently believe is the best mode of carrying out the invention. As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 
         [0019]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  2 A, reference numeral  1  refers to a portable structure which in the preferred embodiment includes a carry bag  2  for holding a collapsible doghouse  3 , a mat  4  and a cross bar  5 . The doghouse  3  includes a frame  8  and a cover  9 . 
         [0020]    The frame  8  includes a first pair of opposed leg poles  10 , a second pair of opposed leg poles  11 , a first foldable structure  12  extending between one of the first pair of opposed leg poles and one of the second pair of opposed leg poles, a second foldable structure  13  extending between the second one of the first pair of opposed leg poles  10  and a second one of the second pair of opposed leg poles  11 , a third of foldable structure  14  extending between expect respective ones of said second pair of opposed leg poles  11 ; a first roof truss  15  rotatably mounted to the first pair of opposed leg poles  10 , and a second roof truss  16  extending between the second pair of opposed leg pairs  11 . 
         [0021]    Each leg pole of the opposed members  10 , and  11  of the frame  8  generally is similar to one another and in the embodiment illustrated all are tubular structures constructed from metal or fiberglass. Other materials are compatible the broader aspects of this disclosure. 
         [0022]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 3A  each roof truss  15  and  16  include respective first and second arms  18  and  19  joined at their center by a pivot part  20 . The second ends of each truss is also pivotally attached at  21  to a top end of the respective opposed leg poles  10  and  11 , top being referenced to  FIG. 3 . 
         [0023]    The foldable structures  12 ,  13  and  14  provide side support to the frame  8 , each foldable structure has two cross members  23  and  24  respectively pivotally attached to one another along their mid-point  25 . Each cross member in turn also is fixed to one of the opposed leg poles at its lower end as shown at  26  and slide ably attached to the opposite leg pole along a movable connection  27 . As latter described, this frame arrangement permits the frame  8  to move easily between a compacted stored condition, as shown in  FIG. 1 , to the erected condition shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0024]    The material  29  forming the walls, bottom, sides and roof of the structure  1  is an integral composite also attached to the fixed ends of the opposed side pole pairs  10  and  11 . Attachment may be accomplished in any convenient method. For example, the material may be sandwiched between or riveted to the fixed ends  26 . Other attachment methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Any suitable tent material, for example, may be used in conjunction with the frame  8  system. In any event, the front wall  30  of the structure  1  includes an entrance opening  31  and both the front wall  30  and the back wall  32  have a ventilation opening  33  formed in them. 
         [0025]    In order to provide structural stability to the structure  1 , a stability or cross bar  5  is provided with open mouth clips  35  sized to receive the respective ones of the leg poles  10 . The bar  5  is attached between the leg poles  10  prior to the final deployment of the material  29  to provide the completed structure  1 . While the bar  5  is shown as a clip on addition, those skill in the art will recognize that the bar  5  also can be permanently attached to the leg poles  10 , provided it is constructed as a two piece part which are interconnected with a pivot part similar to the pivot part  20  employed with the roof trusses  16  and  18 . 
         [0026]    Deployment of the structure  1  from its stored condition to its operational position is illustrated in  FIGS. 2  B through  2  K. As there shown, as the roof trusses are raised vertically, referenced to  FIGS. 2  C and  2  D, the foldable structures  12 ,  13  and  14  allow the opposed leg poles  10  and  11  to expand horizontally until the bar  5  can be attached ( FIGS. 2  D and  2  E). Once attached, the bar  5  stabilizes the frame  8  structure permitting the material  29  to be attached easily to the frame  8 . 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the material  29  has a pair of clamps  38  attached to it at each end of the material  29  to from the desired roof pitch. The material  29  also has four corner attaching tubes  40  sized to receive the free ends  42  of the roof trusses  15  and  16  as seen in  FIGS. 2  G and  3  B. 
         [0028]    The embodiment illustrated also provides ground stake loops  44  for receiving conventional ground stakes to attach the structure  1  to the ground, if desired. Ground stakes are used in outdoor situations, commonly when camping, for example. 
         [0029]    As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, other embodiments of the structure  1  easily can be made. For example, merely by having the roof trusses extend between oppositely opposed ones of the leg poles  10  and  11  will convert the frame to a flat roof configuration. This configuration requires additional roof trusses and consequently addition cost for a design having less appeal to the potential customer. 
         [0030]    After deployment of the structure  1 , mat  4  is position within the structure  1  through the opening  31 . The mat  4  is intended to be easily removable for cleaning or replacement. 
         [0031]    In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects and advantages of the present invention have been achieved and other advantageous results have been obtained. Numerous variations within the scope of the appended claims will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the forgoing description and accompanying drawings. Merely by way of example, the size of the structure  1  can be altered merely by changing the length of the various elements defining the frame. Likewise, various attachment techniques with respect to the material  29  and the frame  8  maybe altered in other embodiments of the structure  1 . These variations are merely illustrative.