Patent ID: 8622066

Claim:
A portable expandable shelter, comprising: an enclosure having a fixed portion and a movable portion that comprises one or more of a side and an end of the enclosure, the movable portion of the enclosure being movable between a substantially vertical position and a substantially horizontal position; a flexible cover connected to the enclosure such that while changing the movable portion between the substantially vertical position and the substantially horizontal position the flexible cover remains attached to the enclosure; a rigid, load bearing, foldable frame to which the flexible cover is connected, the rigid, load bearing, foldable frame being connected to the movable portion and to the fixed portion of the enclosure in both the substantially vertical position and the substantially horizontal position, and the rigid, load bearing, foldable frame changing between a stowed position and a deployed position in response to the movable portion of the enclosure changing between the substantially vertical position and the substantially horizontal position such that the flexible cover comprises a top portion of an additional volume of the shelter and encloses the additional volume when the foldable frame is in the deployed position, and wherein: the rigid, load bearing, foldable frame comprises a first frame element and a second frame element; the first frame element hingedly folds onto the second frame element when in the stowed position; and the rigidity of the foldable frame provides load bearing support to the movable portion when the movable portion is in the substantially horizontal position.