U.S. patent number RE29,264 [Application Number 05/552,771] was granted by the patent office on 1977-06-14 for tent for rear-doored vehicle.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Bernice B. Thornber, Donald Thornber. Invention is credited to Frederick W. Woodward.
United States Patent |
RE29,264 |
Woodward |
June 14, 1977 |
Tent for rear-doored vehicle
Abstract
A tent for use with automobiles having a rear door which opens
upwardly about a horizontal hinge attached to its top edge. The
tent has a prism shape including a pair of substantially parallel
triangular ends joined on two sides by quadrangles with the third
side being open. One side fits over the top of the open door so
that the other side hangs down from the top open end of the door in
a substantially horizontal plane with its lower edge joined to the
rear of the vehicle adjacent its bumper. The free edges of the ends
seal against the rear quarter panels of the car. The ends are
secured to the vehicle by elastic straps having hooks on their free
edges which clip under convenient points on the car body.
Inventors: |
Woodward; Frederick W. (Fenton,
MI) |
Assignee: |
Thornber; Donald (Yale, MI)
Thornber; Bernice B. (Yale, MI)
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Family
ID: |
26955614 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/552,771 |
Filed: |
February 24, 1975 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
272587 |
Jul 17, 1972 |
03746386 |
Jul 17, 1973 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
296/159;
135/88.16; 135/117; 135/119; 296/165; 296/167 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60P
3/38 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60P
3/38 (20060101); B60P 3/32 (20060101); B60P
003/34 () |
Field of
Search: |
;135/1A,3A,4A
;296/26,23MC,27 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Schroeder; Werner H.
Assistant Examiner: Berman; Conrad L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Harness, Dickey & Pierce
Claims
Having thus described my invention, I claim:
1. A frameless tent for a passenger type vehicle having a rear door
supported in an opening, the vehicle body providing access to the
passenger compartment of the vehicle which door is hinged about a
horizontal axis at the upper edge of the opening so that when in a
closed position its free edges project downward and rearwardly and
seal against the edges of the opening and when in an opened
position they project upward and rearwardly, said tent comprising:
a pair of spaced end panel portions having a triangle shape formed
by first, second and third edges, said second edge forming a base
of the triangle and being generally vertically disposed and being
substantially longer than the other two edges, said first edge
extending downward and forward from the top of said second edge
along the edge of the open door, said third edge extending upward
and forward from the bottom of said second edge generally along the
edge of the door opening, said first and third edges adapted to be
connected at the axis of the door and forming an apex of the
triangle shape, said second edge of each end panel portion
connected together by a first generally vertically disposed
quadrangular panel effectively enclosing the space formed within
the combined vehicle and tent structure and acting to limit the
spacing between the end panels to the width of the vehicle, the
first edge of each end panel part connected together by a second
generally quadrangular panel and adapted to entirely cover the
opened door and to be supported thereby, and fastener means for
retaining the third edges of the end panel portions in contact with
the vehicle as well as the lower portion of the first quadrangular
panel in contact with the vehicle whereby the tent is securely held
against the vehicle during movement thereof solely by said
fasteners and the door of the vehicle.
2. The frameless tent of claim 1 wherein the end panel portions and
the quadrangular panels are flexible so that the entire tent
structure may be folded for storage. .Iadd. 3. A frameless tent for
a passenger type vehicle having a rear door supported in an opening
in the vehicle body providing access to the passenger compartment
of the vehicle which door is hinged about a horizontal axis at the
upper edge of the opening so that when in a closed position its
free edges project downward and rearwardly and seal against the
edges of the opening and when in an opened position they project
upward and rearwardly, said tent comprising: a pair of spaced end
panel portions having a triangle shape formed by first, second and
third edges, said second edge forming a base of the triangle and
being generally vertically disposed, said first edge extending
downward and forward from the top of said second edge along the
edge of the open door, said third edge extending upward and forward
from the bottom of said second edge generally along the edge of the
door opening, said second edge of each end panel portion connected
together by a first generally vertically disposed generally
quadrangular panel effectively enclosing the space formed within
the combined vehicle and tent structure and acting to limit the
spacing between the end panels to about the width of the vehicle,
the first edge of each end panel part connected together by a
second generally quadrangular panel and adapted to entirely cover
the opened door and to be supported thereby, and means for
retaining the third edges of the end panel portions in contact with
the vehicle as well as the lower portion of the first quadrangular
panel in contact with the vehicle whereby the tent is securely held
against the vehicle during movement thereof solely by said means
and the door of the vehicle. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 4. A frameless tent
for a passenger type vehicle having a rear door supported in an
opening, the vehicle body providing access to the passenger
compartment of the vehicle which door is hinged about an axis at
the upper edge of the opening so that when in a closed position its
free edges project downward and rearwardly and seal against the
edges of the opening and when in an opened position they project
upward and rearwardly, said tent comprising: a pair of spaced end
panel portions having a triangular shape formed by first, second
and third edges, said second edge forming a base and being
generally vertically disposed and being substantially longer than
the other two edges, said first edge extending downward and forward
from the top of said second edge along the edge of the open door,
said third edge extending upward and forward from the bottom of
said second edge generally along the edge of the door opening, said
first and third edges adapted to be connected near the axis of the
door, said second edge of each end panel portion connected together
by a first generally vertically disposed approximately quadrangular
panel effectively enclosing the space formed within the combined
vehicle and tent structure and acting to limit the spacing between
the end panels to approximately the width of the vehicle, the first
edge of each end panel part connected together by a second
generally quadrangular panel and adapted to entirely cover the
opened door and to be supported thereby, and fastener means for
retaining the third edges of the end panel portions in contact with
the vehicle as well as the lower portion of the first quadrangular
panel in contact with the vehicle whereby the tent is securely held
against the vehicle during movement thereof by said fasteners and
the door of the vehicle. .Iaddend..Iadd. 5. A frameless tent for a
passenger type vehicle having a rear door supported in an opening,
the vehicle body providing access to the passenger compartment of
the vehicle which door is hinged about an axis at the upper edge of
the opening so that when in a closed position its free edges
project downward and rearwardly and seal against the edges of the
opening and when in an opened position they project upward and
rearwardly, said tent comprising: a pair of spaced end panel
portions having a shape formed by at least first, second and third
edges, said second edge forming a base and being generally
vertically disposed and being substantially longer than the other
two edges, said first edge extending downward and forward from the
top of said second edge along the edge of the open door, said third
edge extending upward and forward from the bottom of said second
edge generally along the edge of the door opening, said first and
third edges adapted to be connected near the axis of the door, said
second edge of each end panel portion connected together by a first
generally vertically disposed panel which is approximately
perpendicular to each said end panel and effectively enclosing the
space formed within the combined vehicle and tent structure and
acting to limit the spacing between the end panels to approximately
the width of the vehicle, the first edge of each end panel part
connected together by a second panel which is approximately
perpendicular to each said end panel and adapted to entirely cover
the opened door and to be supported thereby, and fastener means for
retaining the third edges of the end panel portions in contact with
the vehicle as well as the lower portion of the first panel in
contact with the vehicle whereby the tent is securely held against
the vehicle during movement thereof by said fasteners and the door
of the vehicle. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 6. The tent of claim 3
wherein,
all the panels of the tent are flexible so that the entire tent may
be folded for storage. .Iaddend..Iadd. 7. The tent of claim 4
wherein,
all the panels of the tent are flexible so that the entire tent may
be folded for storage. .Iaddend..Iadd. 8. The tent of claim 5
wherein,
all the panels of the tent are flexible so that the entire tent may
be folded for storage. .Iaddend.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to tents adapted to be used with vehicles to
form compartments suitable for sleeping and camping purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In recent years a wide variety of devices have been developed for
use in connection with automobiles, trucks and other vehicles to
form enclosed compartments in association with the vehicle suitable
for use as sleeping or camping quarters.
In the last few years a number of small cars have been marketed
which have a pair of side doors and a third rear door. The rear
door is hinged for movement about a horizontal line on its upper
end and when closed generally is inclined downward and to the rear.
When opened, it projects upwardly and to the rear so as to allow
access to the rear compartment of the vehicle.
The present invention contemplates a tent attachment which may be
used with vehicles having rear doors of this type to form an
enlarged compartment in the rear of the vehicle which is useful for
sleeping or camping purposes or simply to provide an enlarged
storage area.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention broadly takes the form of a four-sided tent
having two triangular, parallel disposed end sections joined on two
of their mutual edges by a pair of sides. The third side of the
triangular prism thus formed by the tent is left open. The tent may
be formed of woven or non-woven fabric or plastic or any other
suitable material. One of the sides has a configuration similar to
the rear door of the vehicle with which it is to be used and is
adapted to be arrayed over the outer side of that rear door when
the door is in an open position so that the other side of the tent
projects in a downward generally vertical attitude.
The lower edge of this generally vertical side is disposed adjacent
to the rear bumper of the vehicle. The two triangular sides have
their free edges extending along the upper window and/or quarter
panel of the vehicle between the hinged edge of the door and the
rear bumper. The tent thus encloses a compartment which extends
outwardly from the rear of the vehicle. Windows or doors may be
formed in either end or the sides of the tent to provide access to
the compartment, light and ventilation.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention the free edges of the
tent are retained in abutment with the vehicle by means of hooks
which are fastened to the edges of the tent by elastic straps.
These hooks fasten under appropriate points of the trim and
underbody of the vehicle in order to securely retain the tent in
place. By means of the hooks the tent may be quickly and easily
attached to and removed from the vehicle.
The tent of the present invention thus forms a simple low-cost
compartment which may be used with little effort to provide
sleeping, living or storage space in a vehicle having a third
door.
Other objectives, advantages and applications of the invention will
be made apparent by the following detailed description of a
preferred embodiment of the invention. The description makes
reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the rear section of a vehicle
equipped with a tent formed in accordance with the preferred
embodiment of the invention, taken from the left rear side;
FIG. 2 is a side view of the tent in extended form;
FIG. 3 is a rear view of the tent in extended form showing one edge
of a flap formed over the window lifted for purposes of
illustration taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a top view of the tent taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 2;
and
FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view through the rear section of a
vehicle equipped with the tent taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 3,
with the vehicle illustrated in phantom.
Referring to the drawings, the tent constituting the preferred
embodiment to the general invention, generally indicated at 10 in
FIG. 1, is intended for use in connection with an automobile,
generally indicated at 12, of the type having a rear door 14 (FIG.
5) which swings about a hinge 16 extending horizontally across the
rear of the body and disposed at the upper edge of the door
opening. Conventional means (not shown) are provided for retaining
the door in its full open position, as illustrated in FIG. 5,
wherein it projects rearwardly and upwardly with respect to the
body of the vehicle so that its free edge is disposed approximately
over the rear bumper of the vehicle. In its closed position, the
door generally slants rearwardly and downwardly to close the
opening in the vehicle.
The main body of the tent is preferably formed of canvas duck
material although other suitable sheet materials may be employed.
Alternate embodiments of the tent might also be formed using rigid
sheets with suitable means for folding them into a closed
position.
One of the sides 18 of the tent has the same shape as the door of
the vehicle. This may be generally rectangular or trapezoidal.
While a rectangular section is illustrated in the drawings, it
should be recognized that the shape of the section 18 is dependent
upon the shape of the door 14. The section 18 is adapted to be
arrayed over the outer side of the door 14 while it is in an open
position. A second, rear side of the tent 20 is generally
rectangular in configuration and is attached to the side 18 at
their upper edges. The side 20 is of sufficient height so that its
lower edge extends to the bottom of the door opening.
The tent is completed by a pair of sides 22 and 24 which each have
two of their edges joined to edges of the sides 18 and 20
respectively.
It should be recognized that the exact configuration of the tent is
a function of the shape of the vehicle door 14 and the other
dimensions of the vehicle. As has been noted, the door 14 may be
trapezoidal in which case the ends 22 and 24 would not extend
exactly parallel. The door might also have curvilinear edges.
The tent is secured to the vehicle by means of a plurality of hooks
attached to elastic straps retained to the free edge of the
vehicle. A pair of straps 26 having hooks 28 on their free ends are
attached to points along the bottom of the rear side 22 and are
adapted to engage the edge of the under-frame of the vehicle.
Another pair of straps 30 are affixed at the lower rear corners of
the tent and their hooks 32 are adapted to engage the bumper. A
pair of side straps 34 are affixed to the center of the free edges
of the ends 22 and 24 and their hooks 36 engage the edges of the
rear wheel wells. A pair of shorter straps 38 are affixed to the
lower front corners of the tent and the hooks 40 affixed to their
free ends engage under the rain gutters 42 of the car.
For purposes of light and ventilation, a rectangular window opening
44 is formed in the center of the rear side 20. A canvas flap 46
with slightly larger dimensions than the window has its upper edge
attached above the opening so that it extends downward to cover the
opening. The flap may be retained in its closed position by means
of fasteners 48 of the hook and eye type which are affixed to the
canvas around the sides and lower edge of the opening and which
engage complementary members (not shown) on the flap 46.
Alternately the flap 46 may be retained in its rolled up position
by means of tie strings 50.
* * * * *