U.S. patent application number 10/600604 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-23 for foldable shelter.
Invention is credited to Tremblay, Michel J..
Application Number | 20040255526 10/600604 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34137152 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040255526 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tremblay, Michel J. |
December 23, 2004 |
Foldable shelter
Abstract
There is provided a shelter foldable between an open, operative
position and a closed, storage or carrying position. The shelter
comprises first and second elongated planar side sections, each
formed from elongated rear and front members; and cross members
extending between and secured to the rear and front members of each
side section to rigidify each side section. A collapsible cross
brace structure pivotably and slidably secured to the rear members
joins the planar side sections and permits them to be moved between
closed position adjacent each other and open position spaced from
each other. The shelter also comprises a bench secured to one of
the cross members and pivotable therewith between a storage
position parallel to its corresponding side section when the
shelter is in closed position, and a seating position extending
over to and supported on a corresponding cross member on the other
side section when the shelter is in open position. The bench is
provided with means for releasably securing the bench on the
corresponding cross member thereby locking the side sections in
open position. Fabric material is secured to the elongated rear and
front members so as to provide, when the shelter is in open
position, a protective covering for a person seated on the bench
from above, behind and the two sides.
Inventors: |
Tremblay, Michel J.;
(Greely, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DICKSTEIN SHAPIRO MORIN & OSHINSKY LLP
2101 L STREET NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20037-1526
US
|
Family ID: |
34137152 |
Appl. No.: |
10/600604 |
Filed: |
June 23, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/79.5 ;
52/79.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01K 97/01 20130101;
E04H 15/48 20130101; E04H 15/001 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/079.5 ;
052/079.1 |
International
Class: |
E04H 015/48 |
Claims
1. A shelter foldable between an open, operative position and a
closed, storage or carrying position, the shelter comprising: first
and second elongated planar side sections, each formed from
elongated rear and front members; cross members extending between
and secured to said rear and front members of each side section to
rigidify each said side section; a collapsible cross brace
structure pivotably and slidably secured to said rear members to
join said planar side sections and permit them to be moved between
closed position adjacent each other and open position spaced from
each other; a bench secured to one of the cross members and
pivotable therewith between a storage position parallel to its
corresponding side section when the shelter is in closed position,
and a seating position extending over to and supported on a
corresponding cross member on the other side section when the
shelter is in open position, the bench provided with means for
releasably securing the bench on said corresponding cross member
thereby locking the side sections in open position; and fabric
material secured to the elongated rear and front members so as to
provide, when the shelter is in open position, a protective
covering for a person seated on the bench from above, behind and
the two sides.
2. A shelter as defined in claim 1, wherein said rear and front
members are spaced apart and a top portion of said rear member is
curved over and secured to a corresponding top portion of the
corresponding front member.
3. A shelter as defined in claim 1, wherein said cross brace
structure comprises a pair of elongated arms centrally pivotally
secured to each other, one end of each arm being pivotally secured
to an opposite of said rear members and the other end of each arm
being slidably secured to the other of said rear members.
4. A shelter as defined in claim 3, wherein said slidable ends of
said arms are provided with sleeves secured to said ends so as to
permit said ends to slide on their corresponding rear members
between a first position when the shelter is in open position and a
second position when the shelter is in closed position.
5. A shelter as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for
releasably securing the bench on said corresponding cross member
comprises pins downwardly depending from the bench to be
operatively received in apertures located in the corresponding
cross member.
6. A shelter as defined in claim 1 further comprising post members
extending downwardly from each of said elongated rear and front
members to embed in the ground or snow to anchor the shelter.
7. A shelter as defined in claim 1, wherein said fabric material is
a water proof and wind resistant material.
8. A shelter as defined in claim 1, wherein said fabric material
covering each side section is provided with a window section.
9. A shelter foldable between an open, operative position and a
closed, storage or carrying position, the shelter comprising: first
and second elongated planar side sections, each formed from
elongated rear and front members; cross members extending between
and secured to said rear and front members of each side section to
rigidify each said side section; a collapsible cross brace
structure pivotably and slidably secured to said rear members to
join said planar side sections and permit them to be moved between
closed position adjacent each other and open position spaced from
each other, said cross brace structure comprising a pair of
elongated arms centrally pivotally secured to each other, one end
of each arm being pivotally secured to an opposite of said rear
members and the other end of each arm being slidably secured to the
other of said rear members; a bench secured to one of the cross
members and pivotable therewith between a storage position parallel
to its corresponding side section when the shelter is in closed
position, and a seating position extending over to and supported on
a corresponding cross member on the other side section when the
shelter is in open position, the bench provided with means for
releasably securing the bench on said corresponding cross member
thereby locking the side sections in open position; fabric material
secured to the elongated rear and front members so as to provide,
when the shelter is in open position, a protective covering for a
person seated on the bench from above, behind and the two sides;
and post members extending downwardly from each of said elongated
rear and front members to embed in the ground or snow to anchor the
shelter.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to foldable shelters for use
for example by hunters or ice fishermen and more particularly to a
collapsible and foldable shelter which incorporates a bench.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Hunters, ice fishermen or persons practicing other outdoor
activities frequently need shelters to protect themselves during
periods of inclement or cold weather. In general, situations arise
where the shelter needs to be transported from one location to
another, and in order to satisfy these needs, lightweight
collapsible enclosures have been provided in the art. For example,
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,628,338; 6,021,794; 3,865,429; 3,845,985;
3,155,425; Canadian Patent Application S.N. 2,296,120; 5,368,057;
4,186,507; 3,874,398; and Canadian Patent No. 1,237,624, which are
of general background interest to the present invention, describe
shelters with structures, mainly collapsible, but which are very
different from the structure of the shelter of the present
invention. For example, most of these shelters do not incorporate a
bench as part of their structures.
[0003] Lightweight collapsible enclosures incorporating benches are
also known in the art, as described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos.
6,296,002; 5,133,378; 4,083,601; 4,971,089; 3,509,891; 3,131,704;
3,120,978; 3,034,523; 2,811,977; 3,027,189; 3,010,464; 1,046,299;
1,061,270; 829,281; and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US
2003/0046855. Some of these prior art references show structures
which collapse from side-to-side and others show structures which
collapse from front to back. Of particular interest in this group
are U.S. Pat. No. 829,281 to William Ernest Monro issued Aug. 21,
1906 and U.S. Pat. No. 1,046,299 to Charles A. Hyde issued Dec. 3,
1912, wherein the shelter is provided with hinged seat supports.
The shelter according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,002 is adapted to
attach to a folding chair and collapses from side-to-side.
[0004] It is also desirable to provide a shelter which can be
anchored to the ground or snow in order to prevent the shelter from
moving for example due to the wind. Canadian Patent Application
S.N. 2,296,120 listed above describes and illustrates a structure
which comprises a plurality of spikes molded or attached therein,
to be embedded into the ground or snow for anchoring the shelter.
However, this shelter is not easily transportable by a user from
one location to another, rather, it needs to be pulled or
towed.
[0005] While each of these devices satisfy the functional need of
providing a shelter and for some, also the need of being foldable
and lightweight in order to be transported by the user from one
location to another, there remains a need for an efficient shelter
which can be easily installed without the need of performing any
additional assembly, and which is easily transportable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is thus an object of one embodiment of the present
invention to provide an economic, lightweight, collapsible and
portable shelter, which is easy to manufacture and to operate.
[0007] In accordance with the present invention, there is provided
a shelter foldable between an open, operative position and a
closed, storage or carrying position. The shelter comprises first
and second elongated planar side sections, each formed from
elongated rear and front members. Cross members extend between and
are secured to the rear and front members of each side section to
rigidify each side section. A collapsible cross brace structure is
pivotably and slidably secured to the rear members to join the
planar side sections and permit them to be moved between closed
position adjacent each other and open position spaced from each
other. A bench is secured to one of the cross members and pivotable
therewith between a storage position parallel to its corresponding
side section when the shelter is in closed position, and a seating
position extending over to and supported on a corresponding cross
member on the other side section when the shelter is in open
position. The bench is provided with means for releasably securing
the bench on the corresponding cross member thereby locking the
side sections in open position. A fabric material is secured to the
elongated rear and front members so as to provide for a person
seated on the bench, when the shelter is in open position, a
protective covering from above, behind and the two sides.
[0008] According to a preferred embodiment, the cross brace
structure comprises a pair of elongated arms centrally pivotally
secured to each other, one end of each arm being pivotally secured
to an opposite of the rear members and the other end of each arm
being slidably secured to the other of the rear members. The
slidable ends of the arms are preferably provided with sleeves
secured thereto, so as to permit them to slide on their
corresponding rear members between a first position when the
shelter is in open position and a second position when the shelter
is in closed position.
[0009] The rear and front members of the shelter according to the
present invention can be spaced apart and a top portion of the rear
member can be curved over and secured to a corresponding top
portion of the corresponding front member. Preferably, the means
for releasably securing the bench on the corresponding cross member
comprises pins downwardly depending from the bench to be
operatively received in apertures located in the corresponding
cross member.
[0010] The shelter according to the present invention is simple,
lightweight and economical construction and efficient and easy to
operate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] These and other objects and advantages of the invention will
become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and
upon referring to the drawings in which:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the shelter according to the
present invention in full open position;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the shelter according to the
present invention, half open;
[0014] FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the shelter in full
open position; and
[0015] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the shelter according to the
present invention in full closed position.
[0016] While the invention will be described in conjunction with
the illustrated embodiment, it will be understood that it is not
intended to limit the invention to such embodiment. On the
contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications
and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of
the invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0017] In the following description, similar features in the
drawings have been given similar reference numerals.
[0018] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a foldable shelter 10 in
a full open, operative position. The shelter comprises first and
second elongated planar side sections 12,14, each of which is
formed from rear and front elongated members 16,18 (for side
section 12) and 20,22 (for side section 14), best shown in FIG. 3.
Each of the side sections 12 and 14 is rigidified by a cross member
24 and 26 respectively, secured thereto and extending between the
corresponding rear and front members. Thus, cross member 24 extends
between rear and front members 16 and 18, and cross member 26
extends between rear and front members 20 and 22.
[0019] The elongated rear members 16 and 20 are joined together by
a collapsible cross brace structure 28, which permits them to be
moved between a closed position wherein they are adjacent to each
other, as illustrated in FIG. 4, and an open position wherein they
are spaced from each other, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The brace
structure 28 is pivotally and slidably secured to the elongated
rear members 16 and 20.
[0020] A bench 30 is incorporated to the structure of the shelter
according to the present invention. It is secured to cross member
26 at 32a and 32b on side section 14, and is pivotable therewith
between a storage position wherein it is parallel to the elongated
rear and front members 20,22, when the shelter is in closed
position (FIG. 4), and a seating position wherein it extends over
to and is supported on cross member 24 on side section 12. Bench 30
is provided with means 34 for releasably securing it on cross
member 24, thereby locking the side sections 12,14 in open
position. A protective covering 58 for a person seated on the bench
of the shelter in open position is provided from an appropriate
material such as a waterproof or water or wind resistant fabric.
Covering 58 is secured to the elongated rear and front members,
thus providing a protective covering for the shelter from above,
behind and the two sides.
[0021] In a preferred embodiment of the shelter according to the
present invention, the cross brace structure comprises a pair of
elongated arms 36,38 which are centrally pivotally secured to each
other at 40. One end of arm 38 is pivotally secured to elongated
rear member 20 at 42, and a corresponding end of arm 36 is
pivotally secured to elongated rear member 16 at 44. The other end
of arm 38 is slidably secured to elongated rear member 16 and the
other end of arm 36 is slidably secured to elongated rear member
20. These ends of arms 36 and 38 are each provided with a sleeve 46
which permits each of these ends to slide along the corresponding
elongated rear member, between a first position when the shelter is
in open position, and a second position when the shelter is in
closed position, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 3. The
respective elongated rear and front members 16,20 and 20,22 can be
spaced apart and a top portion of each rear member 16,20 can be
curved over and secured to a corresponding top portion of the
corresponding front member 18,22.
[0022] The bench 30 can be provided with pins 34 depending
therefrom, to be operatively received in apertures 52a,52b located
in cross member 24. It should be noted that any mechanism suitable
for effecting such locking can be used.
[0023] In a preferred embodiment, each rear and front elongated
member comprises a post member 54, downwardly extending therefrom,
to embed in the ground or snow to anchor the shelter. This prevents
the shelter from moving when the wind blows. The covering 58 on
each side section 12,14 can be provided with a window section
56.
[0024] Hooks 60 or other conventional securing means may be
provided on the front elongated members 18,22 to releasably receive
camouflage or other material and secure it in position across the
open front of the shelter.
[0025] For carrying the shelter when in closed position, one or
more hand straps 62 or shoulder straps 64 may be provided as
illustrated.
[0026] To keep the shelter locked in closed position and prevent
unwanted opening, appropriate locking straps 66 may be provided to
releasably secure side sections 12 and 14 in adjacent, closed
position.
[0027] In operation, when the shelter is in closed, portable
position, straps 66 are released; the two side sections 12,14 are
pulled apart and the shelter is installed (FIG. 3). Bench 30 is
then pivoted from the vertical position wherein it is parallel to
the elongated members to a horizontal, seated position wherein pins
34 are inserted in apertures 52a and 52b (FIG. 1). When it is
desired to close the shelter, the same sequence is repeated
backward.
[0028] The shelter 10 according to the present invention is
economic, lightweight, collapsible and portable, and easy to
operate. These features make it useful not only as an on-site
outdoor shelter for hunters and fishers, but also as an outdoor
shelter for military or other use in desert or forest areas, and
even for use field-side by parents, in inclement weather, to watch
their children's outdoor sports events such as soccer.
[0029] Thus it is apparent that there has been provided in
accordance with the invention a lightweight portable shelter for
hunters, ice fishermen or for use in other outdoor activities, that
fully satisfies the needs and advantages set forth above. While the
invention has been described in conjunction with illustrated
embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives,
modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in
the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is
intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and
variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the
invention.
* * * * *