U.S. patent application number 11/846379 was filed with the patent office on 2009-03-05 for shelter system.
Invention is credited to Jerome I. Forman, David J. Stanley.
Application Number | 20090056781 11/846379 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40405535 |
Filed Date | 2009-03-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090056781 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Stanley; David J. ; et
al. |
March 5, 2009 |
Shelter System
Abstract
A shelter system comprising a flexible canopy supported by a
plurality of cylindrical tubular poles where the poles comprise a
novel assembly for attaching the canopy, ground straps and
auxiliary cables to the top of the poles, including an expansion
plug disposed in the top end of each tubular pole for anchoring a
shaft disposed coaxially with the longitudinal axis of the tube
which shaft carries at least one bracket plate and a portion of the
canopy.
Inventors: |
Stanley; David J.; (Colorado
Springs, CO) ; Forman; Jerome I.; (Denver,
CO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HANES & SCHUTZ, LLC
102 SOUTH TEJON ST., SUITE 800
COLORADO SPRINGS
CO
80903
US
|
Family ID: |
40405535 |
Appl. No.: |
11/846379 |
Filed: |
August 28, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
135/122 ;
135/115; 135/120.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04H 15/60 20130101;
E04H 15/64 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
135/122 ;
135/115; 135/120.3 |
International
Class: |
E04H 15/34 20060101
E04H015/34; E04H 15/32 20060101 E04H015/32; E04H 15/54 20060101
E04H015/54 |
Claims
1. A shelter system comprising, at least one cylindrical tube
having a longitudinal axis and first and second ends, an expansion
plug disposed in the first end of the tube and having a shaft
disposed coaxially with the longitudinal axis of the tube, and at
least one bracket plate carried by the shaft.
2. The shelter system of claim 1 and further including a flexible
canopy having at least one perimetrically disposed aperture adapted
to encircle the shaft.
3. The shelter system of claim 2 and further including at least one
cable member having a closed eye terminal end adapted to encircle
the shaft.
4. The shelter system of claim 1 where the cylindrical tube
comprises, a plurality of diametrically identical cylindrical tubes
disposed end to end with a common longitudinal axis, a cylindrical
collar having first and second ends surrounding the juncture of the
ends of the tubes, and hose clamp means surrounding the collar at
each of its ends for clamping the collar to the two adjacent
tubes.
5. The shelter system of claim 1 and further comprising, a covering
cap disposed over the second end of the tube, and an eye attached
to the cap for receiving a ground stake.
6. The shelter system of claim 1 and further comprising, an eye
attached to the second end of the tube for receiving a ground
stake.
7. The shelter system of claim 1 where the shaft is at least
partially threaded and further including a nut threaded onto the
shaft and where the bracket plate is sandwiched between the nut and
the expansion plug.
8. The shelter system of claim 2 where the shaft is at least
partially threaded and further including a nut threaded onto the
shaft and where the bracket plate and the canopy are sandwiched
between the nut and the expansion plug.
9. The shelter system of claim 3 where the shaft is at least
partially threaded and further including a nut threaded onto the
shaft and where the bracket plate, the canopy and the closed cable
eye are sandwiched between the nut and the expansion plug.
10. A shelter system comprising, at least one cylindrical tube
having a longitudinal axis and first and second ends, an expansion
plug disposed in the first end of the tube and having a threaded
shaft disposed coaxially with the longitudinal axis of the tube, a
nut threaded onto the shaft, at least one bracket plate having
means for attachment to tension strands and carried by the shaft
and sandwiched between the nut and the expansion plug, and a
flexible canopy having at least one perimetrically disposed
aperture encircling the shaft and disposed between the bracket
plate and the expansion plug.
11. The shelter system of claim 10 and further including, at least
one cable member having a closed eye terminal end encircling the
shaft and disposed between the canopy and the expansion plug.
12. The shelter system of claim 11 and further including, a
covering cap disposed over the second end of the tube, and an eye
attached to the cap for receiving a ground stake.
13. The shelter system of claim 11 where the cylindrical tube
comprises, a plurality of diametrically identical cylindrical tubes
disposed end to end with a common longitudinal axis, a cylindrical
collar having first and second ends surrounding the juncture of the
ends of the tubes, and hose clamp means surrounding the collar at
each of its ends for clamping the collar to the two adjacent tubes
and form a tube of fixed length.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to a system of
components that cooperate to form a temporary shelter of the type
having perimetrical supporting poles and a fabric canopy structure
for a top.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The prior art is abundantly provided with apparatus and
methods for constructing temporary shelters such as fully enclosed
tents and canopy covers, with or without side panels. The detailed
construction of the supporting poles, or legs, of the structure is
frequently material to the novelty of the structure. Exemplary of
such apparatus is the portable umbrella shelter shown in U.S. Pat.
No. 5,287,872 where the central supporting pole functions in a
number of different capacities. U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,500 discloses a
knockdown canopy shelter in which the extensible support poles are
extended to form support for the canopy structure. U.S. Pat. No.
4,690,161 illustrates a canopy supported by a central pole and a
number of peripheral posts that are held in position by what appear
to be rope stays, however there is no disclosure as to how the
stays are connected to the supporting posts. U.S. Pat. No.
6,516,822 illustrates a conventional method of interconnecting a
canopy and supporting poles where the top ends of the poles are
inserted into receptor sockets in the edges of a canopy forming
tarp.
[0003] In spite of the apparent ease and simplicity of erecting
structures such as those illustrated in the foregoing notations of
exemplary prior art, the biggest difficulty with the prior art
concepts is their inability to withstand unexpected loads such as
those imposed by high wind conditions. Especially in military
service, it is important that the erected structure be able to
remain intact under conditions of snow loads or high winds.
[0004] Accordingly, it is the primary objective of the present
invention to provide a temporary shelter system that is compact for
transportation, easy to erect and will tolerate high wind
loads.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Although the shelter system of the present invention
involves several components, the fundamental element of the system
are the poles that support the perimeter and the center sections of
the fabric canopy that forms the top of the shelter. In their most
basic form, each of the supporting poles comprise at least one
cylindrical tube having an expansion plug disposed in the first end
of the tube. The plug has a shaft disposed coaxially with the
longitudinal axis of the tube which shaft serves as the anchor for
one or more plate brackets that attach to exterior ground lines.
The brackets may also serve as anchor points for horizontal cables
that may support side curtains or the edges of the top canopy while
interconnecting adjacent perimeter poles for additional structural
integrity.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the connector assembly carried
in the top end of each supporting pole.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the
connector assembly carried in the top of each supporting pole.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the plate bracket that is
part of the connector assembly.
[0009] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a shelter system
of the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a typical tubular
perimeter supporting pole having two abutting and aligned sections
that are interconnected by a circumscribing collar.
[0011] FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of a typical tubular ridge
line supporting pole having three abutting and aligned sections
that are interconnected at their joints by circumscribing
collars.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0012] An exemplary shelter system 2 of the present invention is
shown in FIG. 4, to which reference is now made. A fabric, plastic
or composite canopy 4 is supported by a plurality of spaced apart
tubular perimeter support poles 6. The support poles are preferably
made of ABS plastic pipe, or a similar product. Each of the
perimeter poles contains a plate bracket 8 secured by a connector
assembly to the pole's upper end. The bracket 8 is intended to be
the anchor point for one or more ground lines 10. Preferably, the
ground lines are fabric straps; however rope, cables and the like
may be used. The lower ends of the ground lines are secured into
the underlying ground with conventional stakes 13. The center of
the canopy is preferably elevated over the height of the perimeter
to form a ridge 15 through the use of extended length ridge line
supporting poles 16. A horizontally disposed cable 18 may be strung
taught between the connector assemblies of adjacent perimeter
supporting poles from which cable may by hung side panels 20. In
addition to their function as a hanger for side panels, the cables
18 serve to improve the structural integrity of the entire
system.
[0013] The supporting poles 6 and 16 may each be constructed of a
single tubular element. However, packing and transport efficiency
demands that the poles have shorter lengths than the typical six
feet for the perimeter poles 6 and seven and one half to eight feet
for the ridge line poles 16. To serve this demand the perimeter
poles preferably comprise two pieces of identical tubing 6a and 6b
that are stacked, or placed end to end, as shown in FIG. 5. A rigid
collar 22, preferably of the same type of tubing of which the poles
are constructed, is circumscribed tightly around the joint formed
by the abutting ends of the pipe sections 6a and 6b. The collar is
secured in place by one or more hose clamps 24 which, when
tightened, compress the collar around the tube by closing diametric
compression slots 23 cut into the top and bottom ends of the collar
underneath the positions of the hose clamps 24. As shown in FIG. 6,
ridge line poles 16 are constructed in a similar manner to that of
the perimeter poles 6 except that a third section 6c is interposed
in abutting relation to and between the top and bottom sections 6a
and 6b. At each of the two joints formed where the sections 6a and
6c and sections 6b and 6c abut each other, a circumscribing collar
22, with securing hose clamps 24, is employed to maintain the
sections in abutting relation and to provide resistance to bending
at the joints.
[0014] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the bottom sections 6b of both
supporting poles 6 and 16 are provided with end covering caps 26 to
prevent the poles from working their way into the ground. An eye
bolt 28 diametrically inserted into the bottom portion of each of
the poles 6 and 16 receives a stake or spike 30 that is driven into
the ground for providing an anchor for the bottom end of each of
the supporting poles. The stake or spike 30 is equipped with a
laterally extending hook 29 that engages the eye bolt 28 to hold
the pole in its ground contacting position.
[0015] Having described the general aspects of the basic shelter
system we turn to an explanation of the novel connector assembly 30
that is disposed in the upper end of each of the supporting poles 6
and 16, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. In FIGS. 1 and 2 the
supporting pole will be referred to as a perimeter pole 6 however
it should be noted that the connector assembly 30 disposed in the
top end of a ridge line pole 16 is of the same construction.
[0016] The connector assembly 30 is shown in an exploded view in
FIG. 1 and in an assembled state in FIG. 2. The upper end of the
hollow tubular pole 6 receives an expansion plug 32. The expansion
plug itself is of conventional design such as those found in
commercially available pipe plugs. To function in the assembly of
the present invention the plug 32 includes a threaded shaft or pin
35 that, when in position within the tubular pole 6, is coaxial
with the longitudinal center line of the tube. In addition to the
pin 35, which may be the shaft of a carriage bolt, the expansion
plug contains an elastic annular expander ring 37 and upper and
lower expander cups 39 and 41. When tightened, the nut 43 threaded
onto the shaft 35 of the carriage bolt over a lock washer 36 brings
the two oppositely positioned cups 39 and 41 together forcing the
annular ring 37 to expand in a diametrical direction. When the plug
is positioned inside the tubular pole 6 and the nut 43 is
tightened, the ring 37 expands into the interior of the tubular
pole 6 and thus securely anchors the plug and its shaft 35 into the
top end of the pole 6. Onto that portion of the carriage bolt shaft
35 that extends upwardly beyond the tightened nut 43 additional
elements of the shelter system are attached.
[0017] If necessary or desirable, the closed eyes of tension cables
18 may be placed over the shaft 35 providing anchors for the ends
of those cables whose function has been previously described.
[0018] Above the cable eyes, or above the nut 43 if the cables are
not used, a pair of fender washers 46a and 46b are placed on the
shaft 35 between which the shaft 35 receives an aperture 47 in the
edge of the shelter canopy 4. This attachment between the canopy 4
and each of the perimeter poles 6 secures the edges of the canopy
to the poles. A similar attachment between the shaft 35 and an
aperture in the ridge of the canopy secures the canopy to the ridge
line poles 16.
[0019] An aperture 51 in the plate bracket 8 is placed on the
carriage bolt shaft 35 directly above the top fender washer 46a.
The plate bracket may contain a plurality of holes 55 near its
outside edge for attachment of the upper ends of one or more ground
lines 10. "S" hooks 59 are preferred as the intermediate connection
between the ground lines and the bracket 8. The entire connector
assembly is unitized by a nut 61 threaded onto the shaft 35 above
the plate bracket 8.
* * * * *