Patent Publication Number: US-2007095377-A1

Title: Curved base tent

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention generally relates to tents, and more particularly to collapsible tents having base poles.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      It is known to provide a tent having a base pole that forms a round or curved base of the tent. However, many prior art tents with a round or curved base pole are “self-erecting”, such as U.S. Pat. No. Re. 35,571, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,672,323 and 5,601,105. Such tents are easy to erect because, typically, the frames are made of one or more continuous curved loops of steel wire or the like. These loops enable the tent frame to automatically spring open when released and be easily folded to collapse the tent. Thus, the tent frame is made up of loops, not conventional poles separate from the shell and that typically require assembly of the pole, passing the pole through sleeves or hooking the pole to the tent shell. Among other drawbacks with such self-erecting tents, they are size limited, meaning they have very limited interior space.  
      There are also other more conventional tents with a curved base pole, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,450,187 and 5,842,495. However, such tents are not easy to assemble and/or are overly complicated in their construction. Thus, there is a need for an easy to assemble, simple tent that has the advantages of curved or round base tents.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly, one aspect of the invention is a tent comprising a shell and a frame for supporting the shell and including a base pole for at least partially defining a base of the tent. The base is at least partially curved and the base pole includes a curved section for defining a curved section of the base. The shell includes a sleeve having a selectively openable end for receiving the base pole.  
      In another aspect, the frame includes at least two base poles for defining at least a portion of a base of the tent. The shell includes at least two sleeves spaced from one another to facilitate assembly, each sleeve having a selectively openable end for receiving one of the base poles.  
      Various refinements exist of the features noted in relation to the above-mentioned aspects of the present invention. Further features may also be incorporated in the above-mentioned aspects of the present invention as well. These refinements and additional features may exist individually or in any combination. For instance, various features discussed below in relation to any of the illustrated embodiments of the present invention may be incorporated into any of the above-described aspects of the present invention, alone or in any combination. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective of a tent of one embodiment of the invention;  
       FIG. 1A  is an enlarged portion of the tent of  FIG. 1  showing an end of a base pole;  
       FIG. 2  is a front perspective of only the frame of the tent of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a front perspective of a tent of another embodiment of the invention; and  
       FIG. 4  is a plan view of the frame of the tent of  FIG. 3 . 
    
    
      Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.  
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1-2 , a tent of one embodiment is designated in its entirety by the reference numeral  11 . A flexible fabric shell generally designated  13  may include a door  23  and mesh windows  24 . The shell  13  may be suitably supported by a collapsible frame  15  (best shown in  FIG. 2 ) including four resilient poles  17  that form an upper portion of the frame. In this embodiment, each pole  17  is resilient and bent into an arched configuration when erected, though the poles may also be formed in the arched shape. Each pole may be collapsible, e.g., conventionally constructed of several sections joined together by elastic cord, each section including suitable means at one end for receiving an end of the adjacent section. Pairs of the poles  17  extend over each side of the tent  11 , and the pair generally share endpoints ( FIG. 1A ). The upper portion of the frame  15  may also include brow or auxiliary poles  18 , similar to poles  17  but shorter. The poles  17 ,  18  are suitably secured to the shell  13 , as by being positioned in sleeves  19 , and/or secured by hooks  21  that are attached to the shell. Many other configurations, types and numbers of poles, and other types of connectors for securing the poles to the shell  13  are contemplated within the scope of the invention. Note the scope of the invention does not include self-erecting tents. Accordingly, the poles are not made of spring steel or similar wire, and the poles must be attached to the shell during assembly. The poles are suitably collapsible poles made of fiberglass, aluminum, composites or the like.  
      A base  33  of the tent  11  is at least partially curved. In this embodiment, the base  33  has an oval shape, though many other shapes are contemplated. The frame  15  of this embodiment includes two base poles  31  for at least partially defining the base  33  of the tent. Each of the base poles  31  extends around a curved portion of the base  33 , e.g., around the right and left sides of the tent  11  (as viewed. Base poles  31  of this embodiment do not extend around the entire base  33 , e.g., they extend around 40% to 80% of the base. The front and back sections of the shell  13  have no base pole. Thus, the base poles  31  are spaced from one another. However, base poles  31  of other embodiments of the invention may extend around more of the base  33 . Also, other embodiments may have any number of base poles  31 , including only one.  
      Upon assembly with the shell  13 , each base pole  31  includes at least one curved section, e.g., a curved section fitting the curve of the shell. Each base pole  31  may be made up of separate pole sections (not shown, suitably similar to poles  17  described above). Each pole section may be straight or curved when not joined to the shell  13 . In one embodiment, the sections are straight and the pole  31  is sufficiently flexible to bend in its curved section to fit the curve defined by the shell  13 , the pole bending as it is attached to the shell  13 .  
      In this embodiment, base sleeves  35  are attached to the base of the shell  13  at each side thereof for receiving the base poles  31 . One end  37  of the sleeve is open to receive the pole  31 , and the opposite end (not shown) of the sleeve is closed, e.g., by a permanent or a removable closure, so that the opposite end is secured in the sleeve  35 . A flap  39  selectively covers or closes the open end of the sleeve  35  for securing the pole in the sleeve. The flap may have a fastener section, e.g. a VELCRO™ patch, on its end for engaging a mating fastener section on the outside of the sleeve. In other embodiments, a pocket (not shown) near the open end of the sleeve may receive one or both ends of the pole  31  for securing the pole in the sleeve  35 .  
      The base sleeves  35  are attached, as by sewing or other suitable means, to the floor of the shell  13  at the seam between the wall and the floor (the outside corner of the shell). The sleeves  35  lie between the ground and the floor of the shell and are thereby hidden from view, or substantially hidden from view, after the tent is assembled. Such positioning makes the tent more aesthetically pleasing while retaining the benefits of a base pole. However, the base sleeves may alternatively be located so as to be more visible, e.g., at the corner but attached to the wall. Also, the base poles and sleeves could be located inside the shell at the corner so that neither can be seen from outside the living space of the tent. Further, the sleeves may be made integral with the shell, rather than being attached to the shell.  
      In one method of assembling the tent  11 , the respective base poles  31  are pushed or inserted into the respective sleeves  35  until the opposite end of the pole engages the closed end of the sleeve. The free end is secured by closing the flap  39  over the end of the sleeve  35 , or by insertion in the pocket described above. In this embodiment, there is ample space between the base poles  31  to facilitate easy assembly. Each sleeve  35  and pole  31  may be sized so that the resilient pole must be bent into the curved shape in order to be inserted in the sleeve and secured by the flap pocket  39 , the pole thereby exerting an outward force against ends of the sleeve  35  and the flap or pocket when the tent  11  is assembled. This force may assist in further stabilizing the tent. The upper portion of the frame  15  is then assembled, as by sliding the poles  17 ,  18  through the sleeves  19 . Alternatively, the upper portion may be assembled prior to inserting the base poles  31  in the base sleeves  35 . The tent may also be staked to the ground. Many other methods of assembly are contemplated within the scope of this invention. Sleeves can be under the tent as shown or placed on the outer side of the corner so as to be visible. The sleeves may alternatively be sewn to the inside of the shell so that the base pole(s) are installed from inside the shell. In this method, the poles would be passed into the living space inside the shell  13  through the door  23 , and thereafter inserted in the base sleeves.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 3-4 , a tent  11 ′ of another embodiment comprises a collapsible frame  15 ′ having a base frame including two semicircular (broadly, partially circular) shaped poles  31 ′, the centers of which are offset from one another ( FIG. 4 ). The base poles may be secured to a shell  13 ′ of the tent by sleeves, or other suitable means. In one embodiment, open ends of the sleeves are at the outermost sections of the tent to facilitate easier assembly. The shell of this embodiment includes two alcoves  45 ′ as shown, one or both of which may include a storage receptacle  47 ′. Such receptacle may be similar to that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,186, which is incorporated herein by reference. This embodiment includes three U-shaped poles  49 ′, the central pole including extensions  51 ′ for supporting the alcoves. The poles may be made up of separate sections as described above. A door  23 ′ of the shell may also include an awning  53 ′ as shown. The tent  11 ′ may be assembled using methods similar to those discussed above.  
      As will be understood, the tents  11 ,  11 ′ are only two embodiments of many possible embodiments of the invention. Embodiments of the invention are advantageous because they enable more interior room due to more vertical walls. The curved base can also increase usable floor space and eliminate sharp corners that reduce usable space in the tent. Embodiments of the invention are advantageous as compared to the prior art because they enable easier, quicker assembly and disassembly of the tent. These embodiments are also simpler constructions than those of the prior art. At the same time, the base pole(s) typically make the tent more stable. The stability is due at least in part to tension in the base poles.  
      When introducing elements of the present invention or the preferred embodiments(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.  
      As various changes could be made in the above constructions, products, and methods without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawing[s] shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.