Patent Publication Number: US-2006016467-A1

Title: Bell folding tent

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a tent, and more particularly to a bell folding tent in umbrella-style.  
      2. Description of Prior Art  
      In accordance with the conventional tent being common outfit used for mountaineering, fishing and camping, and so on, they can be divided into A-shaped, bell, house, cave styles. According to the pitching or striking way of a tent, they may be divided into conventional pole framework folding tent and umbrella framework folding tent.  
      For the bell folding tent, the pitching or striking way is similar to the way of opening or shutting an umbrella. The common structure, as shown in  FIG. 1 , includes poles and awnings A, wherein a top rib-hub  10  is set upon the top end of the main stick, and hanged on with radial ribs  40 , which is combined of several segments (most commonly being three segments) connected with rib couplers  60  for facilitating to fold up, and said awnings A are fixed on the radial ribs  40  respectively, and the bottom ends of said radial ribs  40  is fastened with the rims of the awnings from the outside by rivets, so that the bell tent can be opened as same as the way of opening an umbrella.  
      Referring to  FIG. 2 , below the said top rib-hub  10 , a low rib-hub  20  is fit on the main stick in easy slide fit, as similar as the top rib-hub  10 , said low sliding rib-hub  20  is hanged on with radial braces  30  for strutting the first segment of ribs  40 . A spring  50  is put on the main stick between the top static rib-hub  10  and the low sliding rib-hub  20 , as in shutting state, said spring  50  is in compressed state; and as opening, under the restoring force of the spring  50  the low sliding rib-hub  20  is pushed to slide down meanwhile the braces  30  brace the first segments of the radial ribs  40  up automatically.  
      Referring to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , said rib coupler  60  is pivoted by the first coupling piece  61 ′ and the second coupling piece  62 ′, and they are respectively retained on the tip ends of the adjacent segments  41  of radial ribs  40 , for carrying out the folding function. Said first coupling piece  61 ′ is drilled an open slot at the external end, and a hanging hole  611 ′ is built upon the sides of the open slot crossly, and a pair of guide slots  612 ′ on the internal sides of the open slot respectively, and a locating pin  614 ′ is built on the blind end of the open slot outward; said second coupling piece  62 ′ having a slide slot  621 ′ is inserted into the open slot of the first coupling piece  61 ′ with external end, and pivoted by hanging the slide slot  621 ′ on a pin to said hanging hole  611 ′, so that they are connected together in hanging joint, for locating coordinating to the locating pin  614 ′ a retaining hole  622 ′ is built upon the tip end of the second coupling piece  62 ′, and coordinating to the guide slots  612 ′ a pair of sliding pins  623 ′ are respectively built upon the both sides of the second coupling piece  62 ′ for sliding in by sliding the sliding pins  623 ′ into the guide slots  612 ′ from the open to the blind end, the retaining hole  622 ′ of the second coupling piece  62 ′ is fit on the locating pin  614 ′ of the first coupling piece  61 ′, the tow coupling pieces  61 ′  62 ′ of said rib coupler  60  are locked, therefore plugging or withdrawing and turning the two adjacent segments  41  can carry out stretching or folding the ribs  40 .  
      According to above description, we can find some shortcomings existing in the conventional bell folding tent as followings: 
          1. after said spring  50  is released in free state to open the tent, all the braces  30  are kept in level state so that the radial ribs  40  can not be braced in the final place for staying out completely, so the user has to pull down the low rib-hub  20  along the main stick so that the braces  30  are inclined to outward up for bracing the radial ribs  40  in place completely, hence two steps have to be gone for opening the tent, it is not very convenience to operating;     2. if tending to open the tent completely in one step, after opening the tent, the spring  50  has to be kept a certain compressed rest for pushing the low sliding rib-hub  20  down continuously to make the braces  30  strut the first segments  41  of ribs  40  in place completely; but even if getting the certain compressed rest, and a holding device has to be built on a proper position for holding the low sliding rib-hub  20  in, the rest compressing force of the spring  50  and the strutting force coming from the braces  30  require the holding device strong enough to stand up, but in practicing, after a long time, the holding device is often worn out so that the strutting braces  30  can not stand on, so the tent is fell down;     3. due to exposing to the air, the spring  50  is easy to be etched by rain to rusty, further to stick the rustiness into the cloth of awnings to affect the exterior of the tent, also affect the service life;     4. said low sliding rib-hub  20  is put on the main stick in free sliding and turning, although it is unable to be turned as bracing up the tent under the restrict coming from the braces  30 , but as shutting the awnings are folded surrounding the main stick, said low sliding rib-hub  20  may be turned an angle relatively to the top static rib-hub  10  pivoting round the main stick, and because the outer end of the braces  30  is connected with the radial ribs  40 , so the braces  30  is distorted as the low sliding rib-hub  20  is turned, and is easy to occur the roots of the braces  20  pivoted on the low sliding rib-hub broken off, further to affect the use in normal;     5. the two adjacent segments  41  of the rib  40  is connected and located by sliding and holding the sliding pins  623 ′ and the locating pin  614 ′ into corresponded guide slots  612 ′ and retaining hole  622 ′, so the connector  60  should stand the strutting force as bracing up the tent, especially to the tent much bigger than an umbrella, the strutting force is also much bigger so that during a long term the sliding pins  623 ′ and the locating pin  614 ′ are worn out and broken off to damage, further to affect the service life of the tent; on the other hand, the similar strutting points may be exerted an extra force as shown in  FIG. 4 , the both coupling pieces  61 ′  62 ′ are easy to be fell off, so that the tent is fell down too;     6. the unfolding volume of said conventional bell folding tent is commonly not big, due to the sake of the rib set  40 ; if enlarging the unfolding volume of the tent, one way is to extend the segments of the rib, and another way is to increase the number of the segments of the rib; so the former way increases the axial volume in shutting state, the later way may increase the radial volume in shutting state; therefore the lengthen and number of the segments should be in a balance, recommend in here as the segment in a proper lengthen, the number of them should be three, so that the shutting volume of the tent is not too big.        

     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      It is therefore a main object of the present invention to provide a bell folding tent that is pitched or stroked as an umbrella, especially to open the tent just only one action in one time without building up a holding device.  
      It is a next other object of the present invention to provide a bell folding tent, in which all the adjacent segments of the ribs can be connected tightly and smoothly with longer service life.  
      It is a next other object of the present invention to provide a bell folding tent, which&#39;s extend area is further enlarged without increasing the volume of the folded tent.  
      For achieving the above-mentioned objects, the present invention provides a resolution, which is typically comprised of awnings and framework consisted of poles, wherein the framework includes a top static rib-hub built upon the top end of a main stick setting on the center vertically, and hanged on with radial ribs, which is combined of several segments and connectors connecting said adjacent segments together, a low sliding rib-hub put on the main stick in sliding fitting for hanging up one ends of braces, the another ends of said braces pivoted on the first segments of the ribs respectively; a spring is set upon the main stick between said low sliding rib-hub with the top end and the bottom end of the main stick with the low end.  
      Said main stick is a tube with an open bottom end, a pair of axial opposite through slots are built upon the side wall, whereby said low sliding rib-hub is attached on the main stick with a joint screw setting on the low sliding rib-hub over the diameter crossing the two axial slots; said spring is set on the hollow cave of said main stick, and fastened on the joint screw with the top end.  
      A bottom cap is used for setting on the open bottom end of the main stick with another joint screw; meanwhile the low end of the spring is fastened on the bottom cap at the bottom end of the main stick by the joint screw too.  
      A connector connecting the second and third segments of rib includes the first coupling piece and the second coupling piece, within the first coupling piece has an open slot with a pair of retaining holes on the side walls built upon the outer end, said second coupling piece can be plugged into the open slot of the first coupling piece, and has a long slotted hole pivoted on the retaining holes of the first coupling piece via a pivot pin; said first coupling piece extends a pair of projected steps built upon the insides of side walls of the open slot from the round of the retaining holes to the inner; said second coupling piece has a couple of catching beds built upon the both sides below said long slotted hole for touching against the projected steps of the first coupling piece.  
      Said first and second segments are connected by a dual-pivot connector.  
      Said rib is combined of four segments, the last two segments are in contraction joint as telescoping jib, and a locating device set upon the both parts for preventing them from slipping relatively.  
      Said locating device is comprised of a spring and catcher set upon the inside of the inner segment, and a hole corresponding to the catchers built upon the outer segment.  
      As utilizing above-mentioned project, there are following advantages existing: 
          1. because the restore energy of the spring is saved under stretching state, as opening the tent, also by taking the advantages of restoring force, the bell tent is not only opened automatically, but also the elastic piece continuously pulls the low sliding rib-hub downward without any extra force coming from human assistance, to keep the inner ends of the braces be pulled downward to strut the first segments of ribs upward with the outer ends stably without falling down happened, and said holding device is not needed any more, and the service life is increased, pitching the tent is only in one step;     2. because the elastic piece is set up in the hollow cave of the inside of the main stick in sealing state without exposing to air, it not only protects the elastic piece and increases the service life, but also efficiently preventing the elastic piece from staining and printing on the cloth of the awnings;     3. by a joint screw crossing the axial slots, said low sliding rub-hub is mounted on the main stick in sliding fit without turning, it is not only to give the play to guiding function, but also to prevent the low sliding rib-hub from turning, further to avoid braces breaking off occurred by yawing;     4. as opening the tent, the second coupling piece is fastened on the first coupling piece by the catching beds touching against the projected steps fully, so that the both coupling pieces can not be turned any more relatively, the much bigger contacting area than the conventional similar strutting point can make the connection of the segment connector more stability and toughly, overcoming the shortcoming of the strutting pin wearing out, the service life is increased greatly.     5. the rib of the present invention is comprised of four segments, and the last two segments are in contraction joint as telescoping jib, and a locating device set upon the both parts for preventing them from slipping relatively, so as pitching the tent, the volume of the tent is greatly increased, but as shutting, due to the contraction joint of last two segments, the folded volume of the tent may not be increased.        

    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a scheme of the prior art.  
       FIG. 2  is a side view showing the pitching or striking structure of the upper portion of the prior art.  
       FIG. 3  is an exploded sectional view showing the coupling pieces of the connector of segments of the prior art.  
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view showing the connected state of the connector of the prior art.  
       FIG. 5  is a scheme of the present invention.  
       FIG. 6  is an exploded view showing the pitching or striking structure of the upper portion of the present invention.  
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view showing the folding state of the pitching or striking structure of the present invention.  
       FIG. 8  is a sectional view showing the opening state of the pitching or striking structure of the present invention.  
       FIG. 9  is an exploded view showing the connector of the present invention.  
       FIG. 10  is a side view showing the connector in stretching state of the present invention.  
       FIG. 11  is an exploded view showing the telescopic segments at the last end of the rib of the present invention.  
       FIG. 12  is a sectional view showing the combined telescopic segments of the present invention.  
       FIG. 13  is a scheme showing the pitching or striking action of the present invention.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Referring to  FIG. 5 , a bell folding tent provided by the present invention is typically comprised of framework and awnings A, wherein the framework includes a top static rib-hub  1  built upon the top end of a main stick  7  setting on the center vertically, and hanged on with radial ribs  4 , which is combined of several segments and connectors connecting said adjacent segments together for facilitating to striking, and said awnings A are fixed on the radial ribs  4  respectively, and the bottom ends of said radial ribs  4  is fastened with the rims of the awnings from the outside by rivets, so that the bell tent can be opened as same as the way of opening an umbrella.  
      Referring to  FIG. 6 , said top static rib-hub  1  is a disk with a central connecting hole  13 , and proper number of hanging notches  12  built upon the rim in uniform distribution, on each hanging notch  12  has a pair of catching points  11  built upon the opening opposite sides respectively, and there are several retaining holes  14  set upon the circumference; said top static rib-hub  1  has a cap  16  covering on the top side, via said retaining holes  14  the cap  16  is fastened on top side of the top static rib-hub  1  with screws.  
      Via the connecting hole  13 , the top static rib-hub  1  is retained on the tip end of said main stick  7 . Said main stick  7  has an opened bottom end and a pair of axial opposite through slots  71  built upon the side wall, and a securing hole  72  drilled on the center of the blind end for securing said top static rib-hub  1  with the connecting hole  13 .  
      Said main stick  7  is put on with a low sliding rib-hub  2  at the outside, a joint screw  23 , crossing the diameter of the low sliding rib-hub  2  and passing through the two axial slots  71 , connects the opposite two points of the low sliding rib-hub  2  to hold it on the main stick  7  in sliding fit; said low sliding rib-hub  2  is a collar with proper number of hanging notches  22  built upon the rim in uniform distribution, on each hanging notch  22  has a pair of catching points  21  built upon the opening opposite sides respectively.  
      Said main stick  7  is attached with an elastic piece  5 , in which the top end is fixed on said joint screw  23  and the bottom end on the second joint screw  73 . As striking the tent, said elastic piece  5  will pull the low sliding rib-hub  2  from the top end of the axial slots  71  of the main stick  7  to the bottom along the slots  71  under the restoring force until the tent is completely opened automatically. As pitching or striking the tent, said low sliding rib-hub  2  slides down or up along the axial slots  71 , which works as guiding slots, meanwhile prevents the low sliding rib-hub  2  from turning, further to avoid the braces  3  yawing.  
      Additionally, said main stick  7  has a bottom cap  74 , which is secured on the open end of the main stick  7  by the second joint screw  73 ; said cap  74  has a hook  75  built upon the bottom end for tying on the rope Al connecting to the top-end of the awnings A.  
      By catching the first segment  41 A into the notches  12  with said catching points  11  respectively latching into pivot recesses set upon the tip end of the first segment  41 A, the rib  4  is pivoted on said top static rib-hub  1  separately; a pivot base  412  is built upon the middle of the first segment  41 A for pivoting with one end of the brace  3 , and the another end of the brace  3  built with pivot recesses  31  at the tip sides respectively is pivoted on the notch  22  of the low sliding rib-hub  2  by inserting into the space between the both catching points  21 ; said brace  3  can be made of elastic Nylon or glass-fiber. Said first segments  41 A construct ribs  4  by connecting with other segments.  
      Said connection of adjacent segments is commonly divided into two kinds, one is dual-pivot connector used for connecting the first and second segments  41 A  41 B, as shown in  FIG. 7 , thereby creates a striking angle so as to reduce the torsion force between the segments of the rib  41  and to facilitate to strike other segments; on the other hand, said connector  8  may provide the folding space for the third segment  41 C.  
      Referring to  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10 , the another kind of connector  6  used for connecting the second and the third segments  41 B  41 C include the first coupling piece  61  set upon the tip end of the second segment  41 B and the second coupling piece  62  on the third segment  41 C.  
      Said first coupling piece  61  has an open slot with a pair of retaining holes  611  on the side walls built upon the outer end, and a pair of projected steps  612  built upon the insides of side walls of the open slot from the round of the retaining holes  611  to the inner.  
      Said second coupling piece  62  can be plugged into the open slot of the first coupling piece  61 , and has a long slotted hole  621  pivoted on the retaining holes  611  of the first coupling piece  61  via a pivot pin  63 ; said second coupling piece  62  has a couple of catching beds  622  built upon the both sides below said long slotted hole  621  for touching against the projected steps  612  of the first coupling piece  61 .  
      Said connector  6  can be pivoted on with the first and the second coupling pieces  61   62  for folding or unfolding them.  
      Referring to  FIG. 11  and  FIG. 12 , in this embodiment said rib  4  is consisted of four segments, for not increasing the folded volume of the tent the present invention utilizes a method: in which the last two segments—the third and the fourth segments  41 C  41 ′ are connected in contraction joint as a telescopic jib. The detail as follows:  
      The third segment is a tube as same as others, but on the bottom side a square tube adapter  91  is fastened by fastening screw S, on the side wall the adapter  91  has a setting hole  911  for containing a spring  912  and a dog  913  at inside; the last segment  41 ′ is fit over the adapter  91  (applying square fitting is used for preventing them from relatively turning, certainly if applying other non-circle fitting it is possible), for preventing them from sliding off a bushing  92  is attached on the top end of the last segment  41 ′ by catching the projected lugs  921  of the bushing  92  into the coordinating holes of the last segment  41 ′, coordinating to the dog  913  on the adapter  91  the last segment  41 ′ has a through-hole  419 ′ drilled on the side wall.  
      After assembling said third segment  41 C and the last segment  41 ′, the adapter  91  of the third segment  41 C is embedded into the inside of the last segment  41 ′ below the bushing  92  located on the top end of the last segment  41 ′ so as to prevent the third segment  41 C sliding off from the inside of the last segment  41 ′; on the other hand, said dog  912  extended out from the setting hole  911  under the pushing force from the spring  912  is also extended out from the through-hole  419 ′ for locating the both segments.  
      When striking the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 13 , firstly close the last two segments  41 C  41 ′ of each rib  4  by pressing the dog  913  into the inside of the last segment  41 ′ and sliding the two segment  41 C  41 ′ relatively until the third segment  41 C completely slides into the inside of the last segment  41 ′; then press all the first segments  41 A of the ribs  4  down to the main stick  7 , meanwhile the braces  3  are pressed too to turn an angle so that the low sliding rib-hub  2  is pushed upward along the main stick  7 , because the joint screw  23  connects to the low sliding rib-hub  2  and the top end of the elastic piece  5 , so the elastic piece  5  is stretched to save some restoring energy; next draw the second and the third segments  41 B  41 C out relatively a certain distance respectively and turn back around the pivot pin  93 , then turn the second and the third segment closed with the last segments  41 ′  41 B  41 C around the connector  6  to fold up all the ribs  4 , finally wrap the awnings A around the folded ribs  4  and tie up or place into a box, so the bell tent is stricken.  
      When tenting to pitch the bell tent, as shown in  FIG. 8 , pick up the folded tent from the tent box, and lay on the ground, the tensile elastic piece  5  will restore the original state, so the low sliding rib-hub  2  is pulled down along the main stick  7  to bring one ends of the braces  3  moving down and the another ends spreading upward to brace the ribs  4 ; then draw out the last segments  41 ′ of ribs  4  individually until the dog  913  of the third segment  41 C catches into the through-hole  419 ′ under the pressing force from the spring  912  in locating position; then turn all the segments  41 A  41 B  41 C respectively around the connectors  6   8 , and push all the segments  41  in locating positions; finally, fix the bottom ends of the last segments  41 ′ to the rim of the awnings A with securing screw, so the full bell tent is pitched.  
      Referring to  FIG. 8 , it is showing the first segments  41 A are braced by the braces  3 , but in practicing, the first segments  41 A and the braces  3  are crowned under the force of the elastic piece  5  to improve the struts to all the first segments  41 A so that the tent is braced completely without any falling down, and not need to attach any holding device, and the service life is increased greatly.