Collapsible campers cupboard

Abstract

A cupboard is formed with a fabric or other collapsible body, and rigid shelf members to which side and rear panels of the body are secured. Provisions for suspension comprise a first strap having its ends secured to the rear edge portions of the top shelf, wherein a ring is slidable on the strap, and a second strap attached to the ring and to the center of the front edge of the top shelf. Attachment to an upright tree trunk is effected via a belt which slidably passes through the ring, and passed around and cinched to the trunk. Such suspension provisions permit the ring suspension point to be accommodated to a trunk that bends from the vertical while permitting the cupboard to hang against the vertical part of the trunk. Stabilizing straps are secured to the rear edge portions of the lowermost shelf and are passed around and cinched to the trunk. Additionally, a collapsible cover is fastened at one end to the top panel of the body, and such cover is a fitted cover, i.e., adapted when the cupboard is hung to snugly embrace the side and bottom panels of the body. Also disclosed are stabilizing straps secured to the rear edge portions of the top shelf.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention.

This invention relates to collapsible storage units suitable for campers' cupboards and the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Collapsible cupboards as heretofore known are not desirably practicable for outdoor use. Such cupboards (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,540,024 and 2,639,819) are adapted to be hung over the low limbs of trees or onto nails driven into tree trunks. Either way, the cupboards are quite unstable and easily blown about or accidentally hit to spill their contents. Stability in another collapsible unit (U.S. Pat. No. 2,244,887) is achieved via a non-circular ring slipped over and secured to a tent pole of the same cross-section, such ring being secured to flaps integral with the fabric body of the cupboard. However, such stabilizing means cannot be used when the cupboard is hung on a limb or a nail in a trunk.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention embraces a collapsible body having panels secured to spaced shelf members, suspension means having straps secured to the top shelf and adjustable to permit the body to be hung from a tree trunk portion that curves or bends from the vertical while maintaining the body against the vertical trunk, and stabilizing straps secured to the bottom shelf and of sufficient length to be passed around tree trunks of varying diameters and cinched in place. Also embraced are additional stabilizing straps secured to the top shelf.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible cupboard in accordance with this invention, showing the cupboard opened and suspended on a tree trunk;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the cupboard suspended on a portion of a trunk that bends from the vertical, showing the suspension straps operable to permit the cupboard body to hang vertically and against the vertical portion of the trunk;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the cupboard; and

FIGS. 4-6 are perspective views showing the cupboard successively partially collapsed, collapsed and in process of being wrapped in its integral cover, and wrapped in its cover for storage.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, a cupboard is shown having a body 10 of any suitable flexible material such as canvas, plastic or the like, having side, back, top and bottom panels. Within the body are rigid top and body shelf members 12, 14 and intermediate shelves 16, and the body material is secured to such shelves preferably at their end and back edges. Any suitable fastening means may be employed, including nails or brads, rivets, staples, or adhesives. If desired, the material of the side panels of the body may be slightly wider than the shelves and lapped over onto and secured to the front edges thereof.

The cupboard has a front cover flap which is also collapsible, and which may be made of the same or a different material material as the body 10. The cover flap 20 is integral with the body, and to this end is secured at one end to the top panel of the body. Also, the flap preferably forms a fitted cover, i.e., it has a skirt to snugly lap the front edge portions of the side, top and bottom panels of the body while the cupboard is suspended.

The cupboard of this invention is adapted to be maintained in a vertical position against a vertical portion of a tree trunk, whether it is suspended on a vertical or curved portion of the trunk. To this end, a ring 22 is slidable on a strap 24 that is secured at its ends to ends of the top shelf 12 at its back edge, as by nails extending through the strap and body material into the shelf. Also, another strap 26 is secured at one end to the center of the front edge of the top shelf 12, and has its other end attached to the ring 22 as by being looped and secured to itself.

Slidably threaded through the ring 22 is a belt 30 which is of sufficient length to encircle and be cinched to a tree trunk, indicated in phantom at 32, so as to permit the cupboard to be suspended from trunks of a great variety of sizes. The belt 30 may be made of any suitable material, e.g., stout open weave canvas type belting, capable of firm frictional engagement with the trunk around which it is tightened. Also, any suitable means may be employed for releasably fastening the ends of the belt together.

With the cupboard anchored to a tree trunk as above described, it is stabilized by straps 32, 34 each having an end secured to a respective end of the bottom shelf 14 adjacent its back edge. As indicated in FIG. 1, the straps 32, 34 are passed around the trunk and their ends secured together, as via well known buckle means, so they are cinched tight to the trunk. If desired, bot the belt 30 and the straps 32, 34 may be secured in place simply by tying them together, in which case buckles and the like are omitted.

If desired, additional stabilizing straps 36, 38 may have ends secured to the rear edge portions of the top shelf 12, such straps also being passed around the trunk and secured together as with the stabilizing straps 32, 34. Still further, the cupboard when hung may be adapted to support items that are normally hung on a rod. For example, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, a strap 40 may be secured at its ends to the ends of the bottom shelf to function as a support rod for any desired items.

The arrangement of the suspension and stabilizing means permits the suspension point, i.e., the ring 22, to be located at an angle with respect to the vertical and still permit the cupboard to hang vertically against the trunk. Such a situation is illustrated in FIG. 2 wherein the belt 30 is cinched around a main branch portion of a trunk that bends away from the vertical. Since the ring 22 is slidable on the strap 24, relative slippage is effected as needed to change the lengths of the legs formed in the strap 24 for centering the cupboard against the vertical portion of the trunk and permitting the cupboard to be maintained in position with its shelves horizontal. With the stabilizing straps -- along or with the stabilizing straps 36, 38 -- cinched in place, the cupboard is firmly held in the desired position and cannot be swung about by winds or accidental bumping to cause its contents to be spilled.

As will be appreciated, a collapsible cupboard in accordance with this invention eliminates the need for and undesirable practice of damaging trees by driving nails into them. Such items are often left in tree trunks when campers move on, and the constitute sharp and dangerous projections on which persons and animals can be injured. With this invention, since only frictional contact of belt and straps with the tree is needed, no such damage to injuries can occur from its use.

The cupboard described herein is easily and simply wrapped for storage and unwrapped for hanging. To this end, the integral flap 20 is adapted for use as a protective cover in which to wrap the cupboard for storage. When the cupboard is removed from the tree for storage, the lower end is set on the ground and, while holding the flap 20 and belt 30 clear, the structure is lowered to permit the side and back panels of the body 10 to collapse (FIG. 4). Then the the belt 30, straps 24, 26 and the free ends of straps 32, 34 (and of straps 36, 38 if used) are laid on top of the collapsed unit (FIG. 5), whereupon the flap is wrapped around the unit to enclose it for storage (FIG. 6).

Claims

I claim:

1. In combination:

a collapsible body of flexible material having side, back, top and bottom panels;

a plurality of spaced rigid shelves within said body, said body being secured to said shelves, the top and bottom shelves being in face to face contact with the respective top and bottom panels of said body;

suspension means including first and second straps, said first strap being secured at its ends to the end portions adjacent the back edge of said top panel and top shelf, said second strap being secured at one end to the center of the front edge portions of said top panel and top shelf;

a ring slidable on said first strap, the remaining end of said second strap being secured to said ring;

a belt slidably threaded through said ring of sufficient length to encircle a tree trunk;

and a pair of stabilizing straps secured respectively to the end portions of said bottom panel and bottom shelf,

and including a collapsible cover flap secured at one end to said top panel, said flop having a skirt to matingly fit said side and bottom panels when said unit is suspended in use and wrappable around said unit when collapsed to enclose it for storage.

2. The combination of claim 1, further including stabilizer straps secured to the end portions of said top panel and top shelf.