Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Design patent application 29/378,814 filed Nov. 10, 2010, entitled “TIE-DOWN CLIP.” 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure is directed to the field of tent construction and assembly and, more specifically, to a connector plate for simplifying such assembly. 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0003]    Tents have long been used as shelter in many parts of the world. More recently, tents of varying sizes have begun to be used for recreational purposes, such as marquee tents for wedding receptions, outdoor parties, and corporate hospitality events. Smaller high peak frame tents, often used without sidewalls, may be used for tailgating parties, family gatherings, smaller corporate hospitality events, and the like. 
         [0004]    Conventionally, tent set-up has been labor-intensive and has required specialized knowledge and/or tools. The assembly of an event tent typically involves spreading the tent fabric across the ground, erecting tent poles and stakes in the ground around the perimeter of the tent, and securing the fabric to the stakes using a combination of tent straps and ropes. For example, the tent fabric may be provided with straps or ropes that are connected to tensioned ratchets and to the stakes, thus creating tension on the tent fabric. 
         [0005]    Given that tent construction may require specialized tools and skills, a tool for simplifying the assembly of a tent would be beneficial. Further, constructing a tent without the need for separate stakes would be advantageous. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    Provided herein is a connector plate for quickly and easily securing tent guide ropes and/or straps for facilitating a tent&#39;s assembly. The connector plate, which is generally planar, includes a base portion, a trunk portion extending longitudinally from the base portion, and a number of branches extending radially from the trunk portion. The base portion has dimensions that are greater in the transverse direction than the longitudinal direction (that is, has a greater width than length) and defines therethrough a slot opening that receives a tent strap. The branches, which may be grouped as oppositely disposed pairs, terminate in geometric shaped end portions, around which end portions a tent guide rope may be wrapped. 
         [0007]    A method of assembling a tent using the present connector plate is also provided. A tent fabric is provided with a strap, which is secured through the slot in the base portion of the connector plate. A rope is threaded between branches on a first longitudinal half of the connector plate. The rope is then wrapped around the terminal end of the connector plate (opposite the slot) and between branches on a second longitudinal half of the connector plate. The rope next traverses the trunk of the connector plate and is positioned between a branch and the base portion to anchor the tent fabric. Once the tent is anchored, the rope is wrapped around the base portion to secure the assembly. Finally, the rope is tied to a tent pole or stake to complete the assembly. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    A full and detailed disclosure is set forth in the accompanying specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a connector plate of the present disclosure; 
           [0010]      FIGS. 2A through 2E  are schematic plan views of various terminal ends, which may be potentially useful with the connector plate of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an elevational plan view of the connector plate of  FIG. 1 , illustrating a first step in a method of using the same; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is an elevational plan view of the connector plate of  FIG. 1 , illustrating a second step in a method of using the same; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is an elevational plan view of the connector plate of  FIG. 1 , illustrating a third step in a method of using the same; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is an elevational plan view of the connector plate of  FIG. 1 , illustrating a fourth step in a method of using the same; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a tent assembly using the connector plate of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0016]      FIGS. 8 and 9  are plan views of alternate embodiments of the connector plate of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    Reference is now made to the drawings for illustration of various components of the present connector plate. The connector plate is adapted to connect a tent strap to a guide rope, thereby facilitating tent assembly. While the particular illustrations provided herein are directed to a tent assembly, various elements and embodiments may be equally applicable to coverings constructed using a tarp (regardless of whether they have the structural similarity to a tent). It should be noted that, although the connector plate is shown as having a substantially flat construction residing within a single plane, a non-planar connector plate (for example, a plate having up- or down-turned branches) may instead be employed. 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  illustrates a connector plate  2 , which may be constructed of any durable, relatively non-malleable material, such as stainless steel. The connector plate  2  includes a base portion  10 , a longitudinally extending trunk portion  40 , a first pair of radially extending branches  20 ,  22 , and a second pair of radially extending branches  30 ,  32 . The base portion  10  has dimensions that are greater in the longitudinal direction than in the transverse direction (that is, the base portion  10  has a greater width than length). A slot-shaped opening  16  is defined in a transverse direction through the base portion  10 . The slot  16  receives a tent strap (e.g.,  102 , shown in  FIGS. 3-6 ). A single slot  16  may be used, as shown, or a pair of slots  16  may be employed, in the event that a pair of tent straps is used. The trunk portion  40  defines a central longitudinally extending region and a central longitudinal axis (shown in dashed lines in  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0019]    The first pair of branches  20 ,  22  is positioned proximate the base portion  10  and between the base portion  10  and the second pair of branches  30 ,  32 . A crevice  26  is formed on a first longitudinal half of the connector plate between the base portion  10  and the branch  20 . Likewise, on the second (opposite) longitudinal half of the connector plate  2 , a corresponding crevice  28  is formed between the base portion  10  and the branch  22 . The first pair of branches  20 ,  22  may be provided with an irregular edge portion  24 , such as a saw-tooth or serrated edge, proximate the base portion  10 . The irregular edge portions  24  engage a rope ( 100 , shown in  FIGS. 3-6 ) threaded around the connector plate  2 . Other types of profiles or surface modifications may be used for irregular edges  24 , such as an undulating surface, a hook-shaped surface, a spiked surface, or a surface treated with a friction-increasing coating. 
         [0020]    A second pair of branches  30 ,  32  extends radially from the trunk portion  40 , the branches  30 ,  32  being oppositely disposed from one another. Crevices  36 ,  38  are defined between the second branches  30 ,  32  and the first branches  20 ,  22 , respectively. The edges of the branches  30 ,  32  may be provided with irregular edge surfaces, similarly to the branches  20 ,  22 , although such modification is not required. Distal to the base portion  10  is a terminal end  37  of the connector plate  2 , the terminal end  37  being integral with the branches  30 ,  32 . As shown, the terminal end  37  is slightly concave for ease of manipulating a rope therearound and is narrower (in a transverse direction) than the base portion  10  (also in the transverse direction). The connector plate  2  may be provided with a straight or convex end portion, if so desired. 
         [0021]    As shown in  FIG. 2A , the terminal end portion of the branches (e.g.,  32 ) possesses a generally triangular geometric shape. The triangular shape is shown in dashed lines in  FIG. 2A , noting that the edges are somewhat rounded for ease of manufacturing and use.  FIG. 2B  through  FIG. 2E  illustrate alternate geometric shapes that may be employed as the terminal end portions of the branches (e.g.,  32 ). In  FIG. 2B , a branch  232  possesses an oval or oblong terminal end. In  FIG. 2C , a branch  332  is provided with a circular terminus. A branch  432  is provided with a terminal end portion in the shape of a parallelogram, such as a rectangle, in  FIG. 2D .  FIG. 2E  illustrates a branch  532  having a trapezoidal terminal end portion. Other geometric- or organic-shaped terminal ends may be used, as needs or preferences dictate, the previously described drawings being provided merely as examples. 
         [0022]    A method of using the connector plate  2  is illustrated in  FIGS. 3 through 6 . A tent fabric (not shown) is provided with a strap  102 , which is secured through the slot  16  in the base portion  10  of the connector plate  2 . As a first step shown in  FIG. 3 , a user slides the rope  100  between branches  32 ,  22  on a first longitudinal half of the connector plate  2 . Said differently, the rope  100  is threaded into the crevice  38  between adjacent branches  22 ,  32 . The rope  100  may be threaded from the back of the plate  2  to the front of the plate  2  and on the left longitudinal half of the plate, as shown, or the rope  100  may be similarly positioned on the opposite half of the plate and/or threaded from the front of the plate  2  to the back of the plate  2 . 
         [0023]    In a second step shown in  FIG. 4 , the rope  100  is then wrapped around the terminal end  37  of the connector plate  2  (opposite the base portion  10 ) and between the adjacent branches  30 ,  20  on a second longitudinal half of the connector plate  2 . As depicted, the rope  100  is wrapped over the front of the connector plate  2  and is positioned into the crevice  36  from the back of the connector plate  2 . In the event that the user began wrapping the rope  100  from the front of the connector plate in the previous step, the directionality of the second, holding step would be reversed (front-to-back instead of back-to-front). 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the rope  100  positioned between the branches  30 ,  20  next traverses the trunk  40  of the connector plate  2  (across the front side of the plate  2 ) and is positioned in the crevice  28  between the branch  22  and the base portion  10  to anchor the tent fabric. The serrated teeth on the irregular edge  24  help to secure the rope  100  in position. 
         [0025]    Once the tent awning is anchored, the rope  100  is wrapped around the trunk portion  40  proximate the base portion  10  to secure the assembly, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . The rope  100  is threaded from the crevice  28  around the back of the connector plate  2 , enters the crevice  26  from the back, and is wrapped across the front of the connector plate  2  and back onto itself in the crevice  26 . 
         [0026]    Finally, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the loose ends of the rope  100  are tied to a tent pole or stake  103  to complete the tent assembly  105 . 
         [0027]    Although the connector plate  2  shown and described herein has included branches  20 ,  22  and  30 ,  32  that are arranged as oppositely disposed pairs, other arrangements are possible. For instance, the branches may be off-set axially from one another, as shown in  FIG. 8 , in which like elements are numbered in the “600” series, or may be arranged in an X-shape, as shown in  FIG. 9 , in which like elements are numbered in the “700” series. In addition, one or both pairs of branches may be oriented in different plane from the base portion and trunk portion. For instance, the branches may be up-turned or down-turned relative to the base and trunk portions. 
         [0028]    Alternately to the method of use described previously, the connector plate  2  may be used in an inverted position, in which the rope  100  being wound around the connector plate  2  is attached to the tent awning material and the strap  102  is connected to a ratcheting device, which itself is secured to a stake in the ground. Yet another variation of use occurs when the rope  100  is attached to the tent awning material and the straps  102  are positioned within the closed doors or windows of two adjacent vehicles, such as trucks or cars. 
         [0029]    The preceding discussion merely illustrates the principles of the present connector plate. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements, which, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are included within its spirit and scope. Furthermore, all examples and conditional language recited herein are principally intended expressly to be only for educational purposes and to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the inventions and the concepts contributed by the inventor(s) to furthering the art and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. 
         [0030]    Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents and equivalents developed in the future. 
         [0031]    This description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the figures of the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire description of the invention. In the description, relative terms such as “lower”, “upper”, “horizontal”, “vertical”, “above”, “below”, “up”, “down”, “top” and “bottom”, as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally”, “downwardly”, etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. Likewise, numerical-based terms, such as “first” and “second”, are used merely for identifying particular components and are not to be construed as limiting the invention to a particular number of components. These relative terms are for convenience of description and do not required that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation, unless otherwise indicated. 
         [0032]    The foregoing description provides a teaching of the subject matter of the appended claims, including the best mode known at the time of filing, but is in no way intended to preclude foreseeable variations contemplated by those of skill in the art.

Technology Category: 4