Abstract:
A private tanning enclosure for permitting a user to tan in privacy. The private tanning enclosure includes a collapsible frame enclosed by a porous material designed for permitting ultraviolet light in for tanning purposes, but does not allow the user inside to be seen.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to private tanning enclosures and more particularly pertains to a new private tanning enclosure for permitting a user to tan in privacy. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of private tanning enclosures is known in the prior art. More specifically, private tanning enclosures heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,750; U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,580; U.S. Pat. No. 5,837,000; U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,212; U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,347; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 208,383. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new private tanning enclosure. The inventive device, includes a collapsible frame enclosed by a porous material designed for permitting ultraviolet light in for tanning purposes, but does not allow the user inside to be seen. 
     In these respects, the private tanning enclosure according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of permitting a user to tan in privacy. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of private tanning enclosures now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new private tanning enclosure construction wherein the same can be utilized for permitting a user to tan in privacy. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new private tanning enclosure apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the private tanning enclosures mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new private tanning enclosure which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art private tanning enclosures, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a collapsible frame enclosed by a porous material designed for permitting ultraviolet light in for tanning purposes, but does not allow the user inside to be seen. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is, it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new private tanning enclosure apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the private tanning enclosures mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new private tanning enclosure which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art private tanning enclosures, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new private tanning enclosure, which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new private tanning enclosure, which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new private tanning enclosure which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such private tanning enclosure economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new private tanning enclosure which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new private tanning enclosure for permitting a user to tan in privacy. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new private tanning enclosure which includes a collapsible frame enclosed by a porous material designed for permitting ultraviolet light in for tanning purposes, but-does not allow the user inside to be seen. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new private tanning enclosure that would allow a user to tan in complete privacy wherever they wanted to. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new private tanning enclosure that is collapsible, thus making it compact and portable. 
    
    
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty, which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a new private tanning enclosure in the fully closed position. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention with the top wall in the open position. 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a collapsible leg of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the frame and guide wires of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4 thereof, a new private tanning enclosure embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the private tanning enclosure  10  generally comprises a frame  12  that has a plurality of legs  14 . The legs  14  are designed for engaging a support surface such that the frame  12  is held upright by the legs  14 . 
     A screen member  16  that has a perimeter wall  18  coupled to the frame  12 . The perimeter wall  18  defines an interior space  20  of the screen member  16  when the perimeter wall  18  is coupled to the frame  12 . 
     The perimeter wall  18  has a top wall  22 , which has an aperture  24 . The aperture  24  permits access to the interior space  20  by the user when the user desires privacy. The aperture  24  is designed for permitting light to pass through to the user when the user is positioned in the interior space  20 . 
     The frame  12  has a plurality of guide wires  26 . Each of the guide wires  26  is coupled between a pair of adjacent legs  14 . Each of the guide wires  26  is for maintaining the perimeter wall  18  of the screen member  16  in an erected position when the user is positioned within the interior space  20  of the screen member  16 . 
     Each of the guide wires  26  comprises a flexible material. The flexible material of the guide wires  26  facilitates collapsing of the screen member  16  and the frame  12  for more compact storage. 
     Each of the legs  14  has a first portion  28  and a second portion  30 . The first portion  28  of each of the legs  14  are hingably coupled to the second portion  30  of an associated one of the legs  14  such that each of the legs  14  is foldable into a compact position for facilitating storage of the frame  12  and the screen member  16 . 
     A cover member  32  is selectively couplable to the top wall  22  of the perimeter wall  18 . The cover member  32  is for selectively closing the aperture  24  through the top wall  22  when the user is positioned within the interior space  20  of the screen member  16 . 
     The top wall  22  has a plurality of first portions of hook and loop fasteners  34 . The cover member  32  has a plurality of second portions of hook and loop fasteners  36 . Each of the first portions of hook and loop fasteners  34  of the top wall  22  is selectively couplable to one of the second portions of hook and loop fasteners  36  of the cover member  32  for selectively securing the cover member  32  to the top wall  22  of the perimeter wall  18  of the screen member  16 . 
     The screen member  16  and the cover member  32  comprise a substantially porous material  38 . The porous material  38  is designed for permitting ultraviolet light to pass through the screen member  16  and the cover member  32  for facilitating tanning of the user when the user is within the interior space  20  of the screen member  16 . 
     The porous material  38  inhibits viewing of the user when the user is within the interior space  20  of the screen member  16 . 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.