U.S. patent application number 10/881857 was filed with the patent office on 2005-01-06 for camping tent with improved ventilation.
This patent application is currently assigned to Application Des Gaz. Invention is credited to Besse, Stephane.
Application Number | 20050000555 10/881857 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32696407 |
Filed Date | 2005-01-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050000555 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Besse, Stephane |
January 6, 2005 |
Camping tent with improved ventilation
Abstract
The tent (1) according to the invention comprises a frame
supporting: an inner wall (3) defining with a groundsheet (5) a
room, the inner wall having in its upper part an air-permeable zone
(7), and an outer wall (2) superposed on the inner wall (3) and
defining with the latter a layer of air, the outer wall having at
least one opening (9) facing the air-permeable zone (7) of the
inner wall (3), characterized in that the lower border (13) of the
outer wall (2) is provided with raising means for moving the lower
border from a position in which the border is in contact with the
surface to a position in which the lower border (13) is raised to a
distance from this surface.
Inventors: |
Besse, Stephane; (Oullins,
FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LEYDIG, VOIT & MAYER, LTD.
(SEATTLE OFFICE)
TWO PRUDENTIAL PLAZA
SUITE 4900
CHICAGO
IL
60601-6780
US
|
Assignee: |
Application Des Gaz
Saint Genis Laval
FR
|
Family ID: |
32696407 |
Appl. No.: |
10/881857 |
Filed: |
June 30, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
135/117 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04H 15/14 20130101;
E04H 15/32 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
135/117 |
International
Class: |
E04H 015/14; E04H
015/58 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 1, 2003 |
FR |
03.07980 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A tent, comprising: an outer wall comprising: a lower border; at
least one sleeve extending at least partly upward from the lower
border; a cord extending through the sleeve, the cord having a
first end anchored relative to the sleeve and a free end passing
freely out of the sleeve, so that pulling the free end of the cord
causes the sleeve to contract and raises the lower border of the
outer wall.
2. The tent of claim 1, further comprising an inner wall defining
with a groundsheet a room, the inner wall comprising in its upper
part an air-permeable zone.
3. The tent of claim 1, wherein the cord is attached to the outer
wall at the lower border and passes out at a top end of the
sleeve.
4. The tent of claim 1, wherein the cord is attached to the outer
wall at a top end of the sleeve and passes out of the sleeve at a
lower border of the outer wall.
5. The tent of claim 1, wherein the free end of the cord is
accessible from an outer face of the outer wall.
6. The tent of claim 1, wherein the free end of the cord is
accessible from an inner face of the outer wall.
7. The tent of claim 6, further comprising an inner wall, the inner
wall including an opening facing the free end of the cord.
8. The tent of claim 1, wherein the outer wall comprises at least
one zone of elastic deformation.
9. The tent of claim 1, wherein the cord is provided with a stop
piece.
10. A tent, comprising: an outer wall comprising: a lower border; a
cinching mechanism positioned on the outer wall and arranged and
configured so that operating the cinching mechanism raises the
lower border of the outer wall.
11. The tent of claim 10, further comprising an inner wall defining
with a groundsheet a room, the inner wall comprising in its upper
part an air-permeable zone.
12. The tent of claim 10, wherein the cinching mechanism is
accessible from an outer face of the outer wall.
13. The tent of claim 10, wherein the cinching mechanism is
accessible from an inner face of the outer wall.
14. The tent of claim 13, further comprising an inner wall, the
inner wall including an opening facing the cinching mechanism.
15. The tent of claim 10, wherein the outer wall comprises at least
one zone of elastic deformation.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of French Application
number 03.07980, filed Jul. 1, 2003, incorporated herein by
reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a camping tent and more
particularly to an arrangement for controlling the circulation of
air inside the tent.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Conventionally, a camping tent is composed of at least one
wall of textile material supported by a frame. The frame generally
consists of hoops over which the wall is stretched.
[0004] In the usual way, the tent may also include a part in which
two walls, namely an inner wall and an outer wall are
superposed.
[0005] In such a case, the inner wall together with a groundsheet
defines a closed space which forms a room. The inner wall consists
at least in part of an air-permeable textile material. This
air-permeable part is generally situated in the upper part of the
tent.
[0006] The outer wall is made of a completely impermeable material,
as the function of this outer wall is to protect the occupants from
the weather. The material employed is usually a fabric coated with
PVC or poly-urethane which is totally impermeable not only to water
but also to air. As a consequence, the exchange of air between the
interior and exterior of the tent is extremely limited.
[0007] The temperature can therefore rise to quite uncomfortable
levels for the occupants of the tent. A large amount of
condensation also forms inside the tent.
[0008] This condensation is due to the respiratory gas exchanges of
people present inside the room. It is also due to the condensation
of ambient water vapor which is accentuated by the high temperature
inside the tent.
[0009] The making of openings in the upper part of the outer wall
has, it is true, been considered in the case of both single- and
double-walled tents. These openings, which in the case of a
double-walled tent are opposite the air-permeable zone of the inner
wall, are supposed to ventilate the room.
[0010] In use, it must be observed that these openings do not work
very well and the ventilation effect which they provide is
insufficient for the occupants of the tent.
[0011] It is therefore an object of the invention to improve the
ventilation of a tent.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] In a manner known per se, a tent comprises a frame that
supports a weather-resistant outer wall containing at least one
opening in its upper part.
[0013] According to the invention, the outer wall comprises at
least one sleeve perpendicular to the lower border of the outer
wall, through which it is possible to run a cord, which is attached
at one end to the outer wall, and at the other end passes freely
out of the sleeve, so that pulling the free end of the cord raises
the lower border of the outer wall.
[0014] Since the lower border of the outer wall can be raised it is
possible to create a chimney effect inside the tent. A suction
effect is set up in the openings of the inner wall by which the
interior of the tent is ventilated.
[0015] In one possible embodiment, the tent also comprises an inner
wall defining with a groundsheet a room, the inner wall comprising
in its upper part an air-permeable zone.
[0016] In accordance with one possibility, the cord is attached to
the outer wall at the lower border thereof and passes out at the
top end of the sleeve.
[0017] In accordance with another possibility, the cord is attached
to the outer wall at the top end of the sleeve and passes out of it
at the lower border of the outer wall.
[0018] In one simple embodiment, the sleeve and the cord are
situated on the outer face of the outer wall.
[0019] In an embodiment that allows the lower border to be raised
from inside the tent, the sleeve and the cord are situated on the
inner face of the outer wall and the inner wall has an opening
facing the free end of the cord.
[0020] One advantageous feature is that the outer wall is provided
with at least one zone of elastic deformation.
[0021] To secure the cord in a position in which the sleeve is
contracted, the cord is provided with a stop piece.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] In order that the invention may be understood clearly, it is
described with reference to the appended drawings showing by way of
non-limiting example an embodiment of a tent according to the
invention.
[0023] FIGS. 1 and 2 show in perspective a tent in the
non-ventilation and ventilation positions respectively;
[0024] FIGS. 3 and 4 show in section an embodiment of the means for
raising the lower border of the outer wall of the tent;
[0025] FIGS. 5 and 6 show a second embodiment of this raising
means;
[0026] FIG. 7 shows in section the ventilation effect;
[0027] FIG. 8 shows another possible embodiment of the raising
means; and
[0028] FIG. 9 shows an embodiment in which the tent has only a
single outer wall.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0029] Referring first of all to FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be seen that
the tent comprises a frame that supports an outer wall 2 and an
inner wall 3, these two walls being superposed and defining a layer
of air between themselves.
[0030] The frame of the tent is not the subject of the invention
and will not be described in further detail. Usually, the tent is
also provided with a door shown in dashes in FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0031] Note also that the tent is equipped with a groundsheet 5,
which, with the inner wall 3, defines a room in the tent.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 7, it can be seen that a large part of the
inner wall 3 is an air-permeable zone 7.
[0033] It will also be observed that the outer wall 2 has two
openings 9, these openings 9 also being formed in the upper part of
the outer wall 2 so that the openings 9 face the air-permeable zone
of the inner wall 3.
[0034] These openings 9 which are shown schematically can be opened
or closed at will.
[0035] Notice too that the outer wall 2 is provided with two
sleeves 12; these two sleeves 12 are perpendicular to the lower
border 13 of the outer wall 2 and each receive a cord 14.
[0036] In FIGS. 1 to 4 it can be seen that one end of the cord 14
is permanently attached to the lower border 13 of the outer wall 2;
the other end of the cord 14 passes out of the outer wall 2 at a
distance of about 15 to 20 cm from the lower border 13. The cord 14
may, for example, be provided with a stop piece 15 for securing the
cord 14 when the sleeve 12 is contracted.
[0037] Returning to FIG. 1, it will also be seen that the outer
wall 2 has, on each side of the sleeves 12, an elastic deformable
zone 16. This elastic zone 16 consists of an elastic tape that has
been sewn to the outer wall 2 in an extended state, so that gathers
are created.
[0038] The operation of the tent is therefore as follows.
[0039] When an occupant of the tent wishes to obtain maximum
aeration of the tent, he raises the lower border 13. To do this, he
grasps the end of each of the cords 14 and pulls them. This raises
the lower edge 13 of the outer wall 2. This is illustrated in FIGS.
2 and 4. This raising is assisted by the elastic zones 16, which
permit a local extension of the outer wall 2 and allow its lower
border 13 to be raised.
[0040] FIG. 7 shows the ventilation effect obtained by raising the
lower border 13 of the outer wall 2.
[0041] As can be seen on the right-hand side of this figure, a
chimney effect is set up and the air is set in motion throughout
the tent.
[0042] It can be seen that FIGS. 3 and 4 present an embodiment in
which the tent is provided with skirts 17 along the lower border of
its outer wall.
[0043] FIGS. 5 and 6 show another possible embodiment in which the
cord 14 passes out of its sleeve at the lower border 13.
[0044] Also to be observed in FIG. 8 is another possible embodiment
in which the cord 14 is located on the inside face of the outer
wall 2.
[0045] In this embodiment an opening 20 is made in the inner wall 3
of the tent through which the free end of the cord 14 can be
passed. This arrangement therefore allows the lower border 13 of
the outer wall 2 to be raised from inside the room of the tent.
[0046] FIG. 9 shows an embodiment in which the tent comprises a
single outer wall 3. In this particular case, the chimney effect is
set up between the lower part of the tent which is raised and the
upper part containing openings 9.
[0047] The tent according to the invention therefore has the
numerous advantages described above because in particular it allows
the aeration in its inner space to be controlled.
[0048] The invention is not of course limited to the embodiments
described above by way of non-limiting examples but rather
encompasses all embodiments thereof.
* * * * *