Patent ID: 8448656

Claim:
A hub assembly for opening and closing a tent between an open configuration and a closed configuration, said tent comprising: a hub having a substantially circular base, the base having a planar engaging surface extending radially outward from a central longitudinal axis of the hub, the plane defining the engaging surface being perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the hub; a plurality of slots formed on the base, the plurality of slots uniformly spaced apart radially, each slot formed by first and second walls, each of the first and second walls extending substantially normal from the plane of the engaging surface and integrally formed on the base and substantially parallel to each other, each of the first and second walls having a hole to form a pair of holes extending normally through the walls of each slot, the pair of holes being substantially aligned; a plurality of substantially tubular poles corresponding to the number of slots, each pole having at least two sections coupled by a joint, each pole having an inner end and an outer end, a plurality of substantially tubular caps, each cap having a length and fixed to the inner end of each pole, each opposing side of each cap having a hole such that the opposing holes are substantially aligned, a plurality of feet, each foot corresponding to and fixed to the outer end of each pole; a plurality of pins corresponding to the number of slots, each pin of each slot defining a pivoting axis by extending through the hole of the first wall, the corresponding holes of each pole and cap, and the hole of the second wall, such that each pole is pivotally connected therein each corresponding slot over a portion of the engaging surface of the base; wherein in the open configuration the feet of the poles engage the ground surface and the length of the caps substantially engages the engaging surface of the base such that the inner ends of the poles are restricted from pivotal movement beyond the engaging surface, and in the closed configuration the inner ends of the poles are pivoted to a position substantially perpendicular to the base and the at least two sections of the poles are folded into a position substantially perpendicular to the base.