Abstract:
The technology of the present application provides a collapsible canopy shelter having reinforced eaves for additional structural integrity, as well as at least one collapsible ventilation flap in the canopy cover that is capable of moving between a closed position and an open position to ventilate air from beneath the canopy cover as desired. Further, the collapsible canopy shelter comprises a canopy frame with a robust, spring-loaded pull latch, allowing the user to quickly and easily assemble and collapse the shelter without risking injury.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to collapsible canopy shelters and more specifically to collapsible canopy shelters with reinforced eaves, an adjustable ventilation system, and spring loaded pull latches. 
         [0003]    2. Background 
         [0004]    Many tents and canopy shelters with collapsible frames exist. These structures are commonly used to provide portable shelter for outdoor activities such as camping, picnicking, parties, weddings, and more. Such collapsible canopy shelters typically comprise a canopy cover and a canopy frame configured to stand alone when in an assembled position and to collapse into a compact position for storage and transport. 
         [0005]    While conventional collapsible canopy shelters are useful for a variety of purposes, such as providing portable shade and/or shelter from the elements and providing an aesthetically pleasing backdrop for special events, conventional canopy frames lack structural integrity. As a result, they are vulnerable to severe weather and human or animal interference and are prone to bow or sag. 
         [0006]    In addition, the support poles of conventional canopy frames typically have unreliable latches that stick when the user attempts to assemble or collapse the shelter. Moreover, traditional spring-pin latches, or latches comprising a retractable spring pin that the user pushes inward to release, are temperamental to use and can pinch the user&#39;s hands and fingers when he or she attempts to assemble or collapse the shelter. 
         [0007]    Moreover, conventional canopy covers do not allow for adjustable ventilation. They either have no ventilation at all and trap unwanted heat during warm weather, or alternately, they have permanent screens or vents that vent much needed warm air during cool weather. There is therefore a need in the art for a collapsible canopy shelter having a frame with greater structural rigidity and stability and robust, easy to use pull latches, as well as an adjustable ventilation system. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    Embodiments disclosed herein address the above stated needs by providing a collapsible canopy shelter with reinforced eaves to provide greater structural integrity. The technology of the present application also features a collapsible flap capable of moving between a closed and an open position to ventilate air from the collapsible canopy shelter when desired. Another aspect of the technology of the present application includes a sliding, spring-loaded pull latch to lock the eaves in an assembled position. 
         [0009]    The foregoing, as well as other features, utilities, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  shows a front plan view of one embodiment of a canopy frame for a collapsible canopy shelter; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  shows a side plan view of one embodiment of a sliding eave mount slidably coupled to an upwardly extending pole and fixably coupled to the first left cross member; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  shows a sectional view of one embodiment of the sliding eave mount shown in  FIG. 2  with the latch in the locked position; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  shows a sectional view of the embodiment of the sliding eave mount shown in  FIG. 2  with the latch in the unlocked position; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  shows a partial side plan view of one embodiment of the canopy frame and the canopy cover having at least one collapsible flap supported by a pivoting support; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  shows a side plan view of one embodiment of the pivoting support in the open position; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  shows a side plan view of the pivoting support shown in  FIG. 6  in the closed position; 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  shows a side plan view of another embodiment of a pivoting support in the open position; 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  shows a side plan view of the embodiment of the pivoting support shown in  FIG. 8  in the closed position; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  shows a front plan view of one embodiment of a fulcrum. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    The technology of the present application will be further explained with reference to  FIGS. 1 through 10 .  FIG. 1  shows a front plan view of one embodiment of a canopy frame  10  for a collapsible canopy shelter. In this embodiment, canopy frame  10  comprises a plurality of eaves  12  linking a plurality of upwardly extending poles  14 . Each eave  12  may comprise a series of pivotally coupled scissor-jacks  18   1-n . Each scissor-jack  18   1-n  may include a left cross member  20   1-n  and a right cross member  22   1-n , crossed and pivotally coupled at a cross point  24 . To provide additional rigidity to improve the structural integrity of canopy frame  10 , two reinforcing cross members  26  may be crossed and pivotally coupled to left cross members  20   1-n  and right cross members  22   1-n  at each intersection  28  of scissor jacks  18   1-n . All pivoting joints may be pinned, bolted, riveted, joined by rotational fasteners, or otherwise rotatively connected as is known in the art. 
         [0021]    Each eave  12  may be collapsibly coupled to a pair of upwardly extending poles  14  through two fixed eave mounts  30  and two sliding eave mounts  32 . Fixed eave mounts  30  may be fixably coupled to the top ends  34  of upwardly extending poles  14 , and sliding, eave mounts  32  may be slidably coupled to poles  14 , such that sliding eave mounts  32  slide over the length of upwardly extending poles  14  from the bases  36  of poles  14  to just below fixed eave mounts  30 . In turn, a first left cross member  20   1  and a final right cross member  22   N  may be pivotally coupled to sliding eave mounts  32  while a first right cross member  22   1  and a final left cross member  20   N  may be fixably coupled to fixed eave mounts  30 , allowing scissor-jacks  18   1-N  to collapse in a manner similar to the compression of an accordion when one or more of sliding eave mounts  32  are released and slid in a downward direction denoted by arrow A. 
         [0022]    Of course, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily understand that several alternative mechanisms could be used to collapsibly couple eaves  12  to upwardly extending poles  14 . For example, eaves  12  could be coupled to upwardly extending poles  14  through locking channel systems or a quick release for scissor-jacks  18   1-N , as is generally known in the art. 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  shows a side plan view of sliding eave mount  32  slidably coupled to upwardly extending pole  14  and fixably coupled to first left cross member  20   1 . In this embodiment, sliding eave mount  32  may comprise a sliding body  38 , a plurality of arms  40  to fixably attach to eaves  12 , and a latch  42 . In further detail, latch  42  may comprise a spring-loaded lever  44  with a locking pin  46  that is pivotally coupled to sliding body  38  through a hinge pin  48  that may be press fit into sliding body  38 . A torsion spring  50  ( FIGS. 3 ,  4 ) may encircle hinge pin  48 , such that a first leg  52  and a second leg  54  of torsion spring  50  compress when lever  44  is pulled in the direction of arrow B. Lever  44  and locking pin  46  may be configured to allow locking pin  46  to mate with a pin hole  56  located in upwardly extending pole  14  when latch  42  and locking pin  46  are slid into alignment with pin hole  56 . 
         [0024]      FIGS. 3 and 4  show sectional views of one embodiment of sliding eave mount  32  with latch  42  in the locked and unlocked positions, respectively. To unlock latch  42 , a user may swivel latch  42  in the direction of arrow C, thereby withdrawing locking pin  46  from pin hole  56  and compressing torsion spring  50 . As a result, sliding eave mount  32  may slide in a downward direction along upwardly extending pole  14  ( FIG. 1 ) and allow eave  12  to collapse as upwardly extending pole  14  is moved inward towards the remaining upwardly extending poles  14 . 
         [0025]    To lock latch  42 , a user may slide sliding eave mount  32  upward into alignment with pin hole  56 . Once in alignment, torsion spring  50  automatically pivots latch  42  in the direction of arrow D ( FIG. 4 ), thereby snapping locking pin  46  into pin hole  56  and locking sliding eave mount  32  into an assembled position. While described as a torsion spring here, other elastically deformable devices are possible, including, for example, helical or coil springs, leaf springs, or the like. These deformable devices may be formed of spring metals such as music wire or metal alloys, plastics, composites, or any other suitable material known in the art. 
         [0026]    To ventilate air from the collapsible canopy shelter, one embodiment of the collapsible canopy shelter may include at least one collapsible flap that may be opened and closed as desired.  FIG. 5  shows a partial side plan view of one embodiment of canopy frame  10  having a cover support member  73 , as well as a canopy cover  60  having at least one collapsible flap  62  supported by a pivoting support  70 ,  100  ( FIGS. 9 ,  10 ). To ventilate air from beneath canopy cover  60 , pivoting support  70 ,  100  may be used to pivot collapsible flap  62  in the direction of arrow E into an open position. Alternately, collapsible flap  62  may be pivoted in the direction of arrow F into a closed position to prevent air flow. One of ordinary skill in the art will readily understand that a user may also position collapsible flap  62  in any intermediate position between the open and closed positions. 
         [0027]    In further detail,  FIGS. 6 and 7  show side plan views of one embodiment of pivoting support  70  in the open and a closed positions, respectively. In this embodiment, pivoting support  70  may comprise a cantilever  72  attached to collapsible flap  62  through a set of cover straps  63  or any other means of attachment generally known in the art, including, for example, a sheath formed of canopy material, snaps, VELCRO®, and the like. Cantilever  72  may also be pivotally coupled to cover support member  73  through a fixed fastener  74  and an adjustable fastener  76 , each of which may intersect cover support member  73  and cantilever  72  along an axis that is perpendicular to cantilever  72 . Fixed fastener  74  may be set at a fixed height y and held in position by a nut  78 . Adjustable fastener  76  may comprise a handle  80  and be threaded into a threaded receiving hole  82  in cantilever  72 , such that rotating handle  80  in a first direction pivots cantilever between the closed position and the open position in the direction of arrow G, and rotating adjustable fastener in a second, opposite direction pivots the cantilever between the open position and the closed position in the direction of arrow H. 
         [0028]    A first flexible spacer  84  may encase fixed fastener  74  between a top surface  86  of cover support member  73  and a bottom surface  88  of cantilever  72 , while a second flexible spacer  90  may encase adjustable fastener  76  between a top surface  86  of cover support member  73  and a bottom surface  88  of cantilever  72 . First and second flexible spacers  84 ,  90  stabilize cantilever  72  and allow it to pivot between the closed and open positions in response to the rotation of adjustable fastener  76 . Flexible spacers may be formed of rubber or any other suitable elastic material with a density sufficient to withstand the downward force exerted by the weight of cantilever  72  and collapsible flap  62 . 
         [0029]    Fixed fastener  74  and adjustable fastener  76  may consist of a variety of rotational fasteners, including, for example, screws, bolts, adjustable pins, or any other suitable fastener as is generally known in the art. Optionally, pivoting support  70  may further comprise a sleeve  92 . Sleeve  92  may provide aesthetic benefits as well as protect cover support member  73  from exposure to light and moisture at the points where it has been drilled to accommodate fixed fastener  74  and adjustable fastener  76 . 
         [0030]      FIGS. 8 and 9  illustrate side plan views of another embodiment of pivoting support  100  in the open and closed positions, respectively. Pivoting support  100  may comprise a cantilever  102  that is attached to cover support member  73  in the same manner discussed with respect to cantilever  72  above. Moreover, cantilever  102  may be pivotally coupled with cover support member  73  through a pivoting bracket  104  located at a pivot point  105 . Pivoting bracket  104  may be offset a distance x from a pivot end  106  of cantilever  102 , such that pivot end  106  serves as a hard stop to prevent cantilever  102  from rotating beyond the open position shown in  FIG. 8 . In addition, a fulcrum  108  may be slidably coupled to cover support member  73  such that it restrains cantilever  102  when in the closed position and props cantilever  102  when in the open position or any position between the closed and open positions. 
         [0031]      FIG. 10  shows a front plan view of one embodiment of fulcrum  108 . In this embodiment, fulcrum  108  may comprise a cantilever hole  110  sized to frictionally engage cantilever  102  when cantilever  102  is in the closed position shown in  FIG. 9 . Fulcrum  108  may further comprise a roof support hole  112  configured to slidably engage with roof support member  73 , such that it props cantilever  102  when in the open position shown in  FIG. 8 . Of course, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily understand that fulcrum  108  may prop cantilever  102  in any intermediate position between the closed and open positions to provide varying levels of air flow. Cantilever  102 , bracket  104 , and fulcrum  108  may be formed of metal, plastic, or any other material of suitable strength as is generally known in the art. 
         [0032]    The previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.