Patent Publication Number: US-8991412-B2

Title: Portable folding shelter

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Various umbrellas, tents, canopies and similar designs have been used to provide shelter. These devices typically have a fabric material supported on a folding framework. Typical umbrellas and canopies may be folded or collapsed, although they also tend to be bulky even when folded. Apart from the folded size, disadvantages also remain relative to weight, versatility, strength or durability, and ease of use of these types of shelters. Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved foldable shelter. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A new portable and foldable shelter has now been invented which overcomes various disadvantages in existing designs. This new design is lightweight, highly compact when folded, easy to use, and easy carry. In one aspect, this new shelter a canopy frame with an arm hub adjacent to a top end of a canopy pole, and a sliding collar on the pole. The canopy also includes a plurality of arms with each arm having an outer arm segment attached to an inner arm segment via an arm hinge joint. When the shelter is unfolded, the arm hinge joint may be locked out, to hold the arm in a straight locked-out position. A strut may be provided on each of the arms, with the strut pivotally attached to the inner arm segment of the arm and to the collar. A flexible cover is attached to or supported on canopy frame. Other and further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings, the same element number indicates the same element in each of the views. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a new folding shelter in the erected or unfolded position, with the canopy section upright. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the canopy section of the foldable shelter as shown in  FIG. 1 , with the flexible material cover removed for purpose of illustration, to show the canopy frame alone. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the canopy frame of  FIG. 3  in a folded position. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an arm of the canopy frame in the unfolded position. 
         FIG. 5  is a top and left side perspective view of the hinge joint shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a top and right side perspective view of the hinge joint shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a top and right side perspective view of the inner fitting of the hinge joint shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 8  is a top and front perspective view of the inner fitting of the hinge joint shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 9  is a top and back end perspective view of the outer fitting of the hinge joint shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 10  is a top and front end perspective view of the outer fitting of the hinge joint shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the slider shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Turning now in detail to the drawings, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a portable shelter  20  has a canopy frame  40  which supports a flexible cover material  26 . The cover material  26  is typically a sun blocking and weather resistant fabric. A layer of sun blocking material may be applied to the fabric. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the canopy pole  30  may include multiple sections that can be fitted together. The canopy pole  30  may optionally include a pivot joint  38 , to allow the canopy section  22  to tilt over. 
       FIG. 2  shows the canopy frame  40  of the canopy section  22 , but with the flexible cover material  26  removed for illustration. The canopy frame  40  includes the canopy pole  30  and a slide collar  42  on the pole  30 . An arm hub  66  is provided at or near the top end of the pole  30 . Arms  50  extend radially out from the arm hub  66 . In the design shown, four equal length arms  50  are used, and the arms are oriented to hold the flexible cover  26  into a square shape. Of course, other numbers of arms  50  of varying lengths and orientations may be used with flexible covers of varying shapes and sizes. 
     The arms  50  each have an outer arm segment  56  attached to an inner arm segment  52  via a hinge joint  54 . The inner end of each inner arm segment is pivotally attached to the arm hub  66  at a hub pivot joint  68 . The arm hub  66  may be a separate piece including pivot joints for the inner ends of the inner arm sections. Alternatively the arm hub may be formed on or with the upper end of the pole  30 , for example by attaching pivot joints to the pole  30 . 
     An outer end of a strut  44  may be pivotally attached to the inner arm segment  52  of each arm  50  at a pivot collar  64 . The pivot collar may be fixed in place, e.g., riveted, adhered, pressed, etc. on the inner arm segment  52 . The inner end of each strut  44  is pivotally attached to the slide collar  42  at a collar pivot joint  46 . A latch button  48  may be provided on the bottom end of the slide collar  42 , for latching and releasing the slide collar  42  relative to the pole  30 . 
     The pole  30 , arms  50  and struts  44  may be a lightweight but strong and rigid material such as aluminum tubes, sections, bars, rods or extrusions. Alternatively, they may be made of fiberglass, wood, plastic or similar materials. While the arm hub  66 , collars  62  and hinge joint  54  are shown as separate components, they may alternatively be provided with or as part of one of the other elements. 
       FIG. 2  shows the canopy frame  40  fully unfolded or erected. In this position, in the example shown, the flexible cover may take the form of four triangular flat panels extending downwardly and outwardly from the arm hub  66 , or the peak of the shelter  20 , generally in the shape of a rectangular four-sided pyramid. The cover  26  may of course also be provided in other shapes and polygons. The slide collar  42  is held up in position on the canopy pole  30  by the latch button  48 , or via a lever, pin, or similar device. The canopy section  22  is collapsed or folded by releasing the latch button  48 . This allows the slide collar  42  to slide down on the canopy pole  30 , lowering the arms  50  towards the canopy pole. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , as the canopy frame  40  is folded, the outer arm segments  56  are folded upwardly about the hinge joints  54 . Since the outer arm segments  56  fold in a direction opposite to the inner arm segments  52 , the canopy section is highly compact when in the folded position. the canopy pole  30 , or the folded or dismantled sections of the pole  30 , may be equal to or only slightly longer than the rest of the folded canopy section  22 . Specifically, the length of the canopy pole  30  may be less than or equal to the length of the folded canopy section  22 . Or it may be up to 5%, 10% or 20% longer than the canopy pole. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , rings or eyelets  80  may be provided to attach tie down cords  82  to the shelter  20 . The rings  80 , if used, may be attached directly to the cover  26  or to the frame  40 . One or more springs or other elastic or resilient elements may be included in the pole  30  or in the pole sections, to allow the pole to more quickly and easily assembled. 
     The hinge joint  54  may be designed to allow the outer arm segment  56  to pivot or fold up into a compact configuration, while also rigidly attaching and locking the outer arm segment  56  to the inner arm segment  52  when the shelter is unfolded. As shown in  FIGS. 5-8 , a tube section  122  of an inner fitting  120  is attached to the outer end of the inner arm segment  52 . The inner fitting  120  may have spaced apart shoulders  124  with a pin  128  extending into or through pin holes  126  in the shoulders  124 . The inner fitting  120  may also have a plate section  130  extending out from between the shoulders  124 . The plate section  130  may be concave and curve upwardly, as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , a slot  132  may be provided between the shoulders  124 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , an arm cap  90  is attached to the outer end of the outer arm segments  56 . The arm cap  90  may include a bottom plate  92  and a top plate  100  optionally connected to the bottom plate  92  via a hinge or strap section  98 . In the example shown, the top and bottom plates  100  and  92  are generally triangular and of equal size and shape. A T-leg may be attached to the top plate  100  and extend inwardly on top of the outer arm segment  56 . Inner and outer hooks  104  and  106  may be provided at the inner and outer ends of the T-leg  102 . A cup  96  on the bottom plate  92  may be fitted over the outer tip of the outer arm segments. 
     The cover fabric or material  26  is captive between the top and bottom plates  100  and  92  of the arm cap  90 . Stitching  110  passing through holes  94  in the top and bottom plates, and through the fabric  26 , secures the fabric in place. Stitching may similarly also attached the inner end of the T-leg  102  onto the outer arm segment  56 . The stitching may be replaced by equivalents, such as fasteners, clips, adhesives, etc. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , an outer fitting  140  is pivotally attached to the inner fitting  120 . Referring to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the inner end of the outer arm segment  56  is attached to a tube section  142  of the outer fitting  140 . The tube section  142  may have one or more side slots  144  and rails  146 . The tube section  142  is joined to or integral with a base section  148 . The pin  128  shown in  FIG. 5  extends through a hole  152  in the base, to pivotally attach the outer fitting  140  to the inner fitting  120 . A tab or stop  150 , optionally having an angled bottom surface, may extend inwardly from the base  148 . A slider stop  168  may be provided on a top surface of the outer end of the tube section  142 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 ,  6  and  11 , a slider  160  is secured onto the tube section  142  of the outer fitting  140 . The slider  160  may have a rail slot  162  engaged over each rail  146  on the tube section  142 . The slider may also have slot tracks  164  that protrude into the side slots  144  of the tube section  142  of the outer fitting  140 . The slider can slide on the tube section  142  from the inner or locked position shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , to an outer or unlocked position where the slider  160  is over or adjacent to the slider stop  168 . 
       FIG. 3  shows the frame  40  in the folded position. Typically, during storage or transport, a lower section of the pole  30  is detached from the frame  40 , to provide a more compact design. In use, the lower pole section is attached to the frame  40 , and then the frame  40  is unfolded or erected. Specifically, the shelter  20  is removed from its carrying bag, if any. The outer arm segments  56  are flipped or folded down. The tab  150  moves into the slot  132 , if used. The slide collar  42  is pushed up towards the arm hub until it reaches an upper locking position engaged by the latch button  48 . In designs where the slide collar  42  also has a lower locking position, this movement may first require pressing in on the latch button  48  to release the slide collar from the lower locking position. 
     With the arms extended, the slider  160  is pushed in towards the base  148  of the outer fitting  140 . The slider  160  slides over the plate section  130  of the inner fitting. This locks the arm segments together. The tab  150 , the plate section  130  and/or the inside surface of the slider  160  may optionally have angled or tapered surfaces to provide a camming or wedging action between the inner and outer fittings. The erected shelter  20  accordingly has rigid structure. The fabric  26  may be dimensioned so that it fits tightly over the frame  40  when the frame is in the unfolded or erected position. The hooks  104  and  106  on the arm caps  90  allow the corners of the shelter  20  to be conveniently tied to the ground, to another shelter, or another structure using cord or rope. The shelter  20  may be folded and stored using the reverse of the sequence described above. 
     Thus, a novel foldable and easily portable shelter has been shown and described. Various changes and substitutions may of course be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention, therefore, should not be limited except to the following claims and their equivalents.