Collapsible shelter

Abstract

A collapsible shelter. One embodiment may include a lower shelter portion that has substantially rigid lower walls and a floor therein. An upper shelter portion that has substantially rigid upper walls and a roof is telescopingly coupled to the lower shelter portion such that the upper shelter portion is selectively vertically moveable relative to the lower shelter portion between a first collapsed position and a second extended position. In addition, the shelter may include a selectively releasable retainer assembly for selectively supporting the upper shelter portion relative to the lower shelter portion in the second extended position.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The various embodiments of the subject invention relate to shelters and, more particularly, to collapsible shelters that may be readily portable and may have self-contained fresh water storage and sanitary water storage capabilities, among other things.

2. Description of the Invention Background

Over the years, man has designed a variety of different shelter arrangements that are suited to satisfy particular needs and environmental conditions. For example, in some applications, it is desirable to have a shelter that is relatively portable and easy to erect. Perhaps one of the earliest of such shelters is the tent. While being relatively portable and easy to erect, tents have many shortcomings in that they are not particularly durable and are susceptible to damage by harsh weather and other environmental conditions. Moreover tents cannot typically be made secure.

In an effort to solve some of the shortcomings of tents, a variety of different portable shelters have been designed. Some of such shelters are constructed from components that are interconnected by hinges and may be moved from a folded position to an erected position. Examples of such shelters may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,103,709 to Bolt; U.S. Pat. No. 3,555,749 to Aitken; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,653,165 to West. Other structures have been designed such that their components are movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position. Examples of such structures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,765,499 to Couse and U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,525 to Cook.

SUMMARY

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a collapsible shelter. One embodiment may include a lower shelter portion that has substantially rigid lower walls and a floor therein. An upper shelter portion that has substantially rigid upper walls and a roof is telescopingly coupled to the lower shelter portion such that the upper shelter portion is selectively vertically moveable relative to the lower shelter portion between a first collapsed position and a second extended position. In addition, the shelter may include a selectively releasable retainer assembly for selectively supporting the upper shelter portion relative to the lower shelter portion in the second extended position.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a collapsible shelter that may include a lower shelter portion and a sub floor structure that is attached to the lower shelter portion. The embodiment may further have a floor supported on the sub floor structure and at least one of a sink, a shower and a toilet is supported on the floor. At least one of a fresh water holding tank is supported on the sub floor structure and a drain water holding tank is supported on the sub floor structure beneath the floor. An upper shelter portion may be telescopingly coupled to the lower shelter portion such that it is selectively vertically moveable relative to the lower shelter portion between a first collapsed position and a second extended position.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate, however, that these and other details, features and advantages will become further apparent as the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments proceeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying Figures, there are shown present preferred embodiments of the invention wherein like reference numerals are employed to designate like parts and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the collapsible shelter of the present invention in an extended position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a collapsible shelter of the present invention in a collapsed position;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of a collapsible shelter of the present invention in a partially collapsed position;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of a collapsible shelter of the present invention in an extended position;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of a collapsible shelter of the present invention in an extended position;

FIG. 5A is another front elevation view of the embodiment of FIG. 5 with the upper and lower door segments open and the access door open;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of a collapsible shelter of the present invention in a collapsed position;

FIG. 6A is an end view of two embodiments of a collapsible shelter of the present invention stacked on a tractor trailer truck;

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of a collapsible shelter of the present invention in a collapsed position and with the upper door segment thereof in an open position;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a lower shelter portion of one embodiment of a collapsible shelter of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a sub floor arrangement of an embodiment of a collapsible shelter of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional elevational view of an embodiment of a lower shelter portion of a collapsible shelter of the present invention taken along line X-X in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is an elevational view of one cabinet/storage assembly of one embodiment of a collapsible shelter of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a partial cross-sectional view of wall assemblies of an embodiment of the lower shelter portion of the collapsible shelter of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a partial cross-sectional view of wall assemblies of an embodiment of the upper shelter portion of a collapsible shelter of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a plan view of a portion of one sub floor arrangement of one embodiment of the present invention illustrating one cable system embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a side elevational view of the sub floor structure and cable system of FIG. 14 showing the cylinder in a retracted position; and

FIG. 16 is another side elevational view of the sub floor structure and cable system of FIG. 14 showing the carriage assembly in a locked position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings for the purposes of illustrating embodiments of the invention only and not for the purposes of limiting the same, FIGS. 1-7 illustrate one collapsible shelter embodiment 10 of the present invention. As can be seen in those Figures, this embodiment includes a lower shelter portion 20 and an upper shelter portion 220 that is movably supported on the lower shelter portion 20 such that it is selectively “telescopingly” movable between a collapsed position (FIGS. 2, 3, 6 and 7) and an extended position (FIGS. 1, 4 and 5).

To enable the shelter 10 to be transported by conventional tractor-trailer trucks with out the need to obtain special “oversize” road permits, one embodiment of the collapsible shelter 10 is sized to fit on a standard tractor-trailer 11. See FIG. 6A. For example, the overall size of the shelter may be eight feet wide by 20 feet long. When in a collapsed position, the overall height of the shelter may be, for example, approximately five feet—three inches (dimension “A” in FIG. 6). Such size may enable a second like-constructed shelter 10′ to be stacked on top of a first shelter 10, providing an overall stacked height of approximately ten feet—six inches (dimension “B” in FIG. 6A). In one embodiment, the overall exterior height of approximately nine feet—six inches when the upper shelter portion 220 is in the fully extended position. The various shelter embodiments of the subject invention, however, may be fabricated in a myriad of other sizes to suit a particular need or environmental condition. As the present Detailed Description proceeds, it will become apparent that certain embodiments of the present invention are particularly well suited to be transported by other means of transportation such as, for example, boats, airplanes, trains, etc. Thus, the scope of protection afforded to each of the embodiments of the present invention and their respective equivalents should not be limited to a shelter having a specific size or layout. To facilitate easy manipulation of the shelter 10, the shelter may be equipped with means for transporting the shelter utilizing conventional material handling apparatuses. For example, in one embodiment, a pair of cleats 25 may be welded or otherwise attached to the bottom of the lower portion 20 of the to enable the shelter 10 to be transported and lifted by a conventional fork truck.

In one embodiment, the lower shelter portion 20 includes substantially rigid lower sidewalls 22 and 24 and substantially rigid end walls 26 and 28 that are supported on a sub floor structure 80. As will be explained further below, sub floor structure 80 may be fabricated from light gage metal framing materials. The reader will appreciate that use of such light gage metal framing materials offers numerous advantages such as, for example, they offer a high level of strength at relatively low weights. Such materials are also fire resistant and not susceptible to damage from insects or rotting. It is conceivable, however, that other embodiments of the present invention could be fabricated from other materials such as wood, composite materials, etc. without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

FIGS. 8 and 9 are plan views of the lower shelter portion 20 of one embodiment of the present invention with the upper shelter portion 220 removed therefrom. As can be seen in those Figures, this embodiment may include a sink 40 and a shower 50 which are supplied with fresh water from a fresh water holding tank 42 supported on the sub floor structure 80. In one embodiment, for example, a fresh water holding tank 42 that contains 60 gallons of fresh water may be employed. However, other tank sizes may also be used. In this embodiment, a fill plug, generally designated as 44 is supported within one of the lower sidewalls 22, 24 or end walls 24, 26 and is piped to the tank 42 by means of a fill line 45. To fill the tank 42, the user simply removes the plug 44 and attaches a source of fresh water thereto to pump the water into the tank 42. After the tank has been filled, the source of fresh water is removed and the plug 44 is replaced. One unique and novel aspect of this embodiment of the present invention is that when the shelter 10 is in the collapsed position, the upper shelter portion 220 covers the fill plug 44 and prevents access thereto. Such arrangement may be particularly useful in applications wherein sabotage or vandalism may occur when the structure is not in use or unattended, by thereby preventing unauthorized access to the fresh water supply.

Fresh water may be pumped from the tank 42 to the sink 40 by a conventional pump 46. Pump 46 may pump the fresh water through supply lines 47 and 48 attached thereto and located in the sub floor structure 80. Likewise, pump 46 may pump fresh water from tank 42 to the shower 50 through lines 47 and 49. In one embodiment, pump 46 is battery powered (i.e., 12 volt). However, other pump arrangements could be used.

As can also be seen in FIG. 9, this embodiment of the present invention may also have a holding tank 60 for collecting drain water from the sink 40 and the shower 50. Also in this embodiment, toilet 70 may comprise a commercially available recalculating or re-circulating toilet. For example, those toilets sold by JABSCO of 20 Icon, Foothill Ranch, Calif. 92610 may be employed. Such toilets employ the use of chemicals for facilitating the breakdown of waste material and controlling odor. The chemicals are metered and pumped into the toilet 70 as needed by a chemical pump 72. The chemical pump 72 may also be battery powered (i.e., 12 volt).

In one embodiment, the toilet 70 discharges into the holding tank 60, which may have a capacity of, for example, 300 gallons. However, other sizes of holding tanks may be employed. To facilitate the eventual clean out of the holding tank 60, an access plug 62 is provided in one of the side walls or end walls of the lower shelter portion 20 and which is piped to the holding tank 60. The access plug 62, when removed, enables a conventional evacuation pump commonly employed to pump out septic tanks and the like to be coupled thereto to pump out waste materials and drain water the holding tank 60. In one embodiment, the plug 62 is mounted in one of the sidewalls 22, 24 or end walls 26, 28 of the lower shelter portion 20 such that when the shelter 10 is in the collapsed position, the upper shelter portion 220 prevents unauthorized access to the plug 62. In other embodiments, the drain water from the sink 40, shower 50 and/or toilet 70 may be piped directly to an external tank if desired. The holding tank 60 may be equipped with a vent fan that is ducted through one of the walls 22, 24.

FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view of the lower shelter portion 20 taken along line X-X in FIG. 8. In this embodiment, the sub floor structure 80 includes two lateral C-shaped rims 82, 84. The rims 82, 84 may comprise, for example, 12 gage C-studs-227⅛ inches×16 inches with a 2½ inch legs. However, other types and configurations of framing members could also be used. It is also conceivable that the sub floor structure 80 may be fabricated from wood and/or composite materials without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The ends of the sub floor structure 80 may be formed from other C-shaped joists 86 that may be attached to the rims 82, 84 by sheet metal fasteners, welding, etc.

A corner brace 85 may be welded or otherwise attached between the rims 82, 84 and the end joists 86 at each corner to provided added strength and stability. In one embodiment, the corner braces 85 may comprise, for example, 6 inch×4 inch tubing that is one quarter of an inch thick. See FIG. 12. In addition, for leveling purposes, a leveling pad assembly 90 may be attached to each corner brace 85. A leveling pad assembly 90 may include a leveling pad 92 and a piece of threaded rod 94 that is threaded into on or more nuts 95 welded onto the corner braces or threaded holes formed therein to act as a screw jack. The pads 92 may be adjusted by threading the rods 94 into or out of the nuts 95. See FIGS. 5 and 12.

The sub floor structure 80 may also include a first sub floor 100 that is formed by cross braces 102 that extend between the lower legs of the lateral rims 82, 84 and are attached thereto by welding, screws etc. See FIG. 10. In one embodiment, the cross braces 102 may comprise fourteen gage hat channel members that are located on 16″ centers. In one embodiment, the fresh water holding tank 42 and the drain tank 60 may be supported on the cross braces 102 and may be retained in position by angle clips 103 welded or otherwise attached to the cross braces 102. Also in this embodiment, a plurality of cross-braces 120 are supported on and attached to the upper legs of the rims 82, 84 by welding, screws, etc. In one embodiment, the cross members 120 may comprise fourteen gage hat channel members that are located on 16″ centers. The floor 122 may be formed from metal, wood or various composite material that is attached to the cross braces 120 by, for example, screws or the like. If desired, carpet, tile, linoleum, hardwood or composite flooring may also be attached to the upper surface of the floor 122.

The reader will appreciate that the floor plan and arrangement of amenities in the floor plan will vary with the particular application. In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 8 and 10, the sink 40 may be supported in a cabinet structure 130 that is supported on the floor 122 and which may be attached to the inner surface of wall 22. The cabinet structure 130 may include an elongated support counter 132 define a storage area 134 thereunder that is accessible through one or more cabinet doors 136. The cabinet structure 130 may be fabricated from wood, composite material or other suitable materials. The support counter 132 may serve to support the sink 40 and, if desired, a gas burner or other cooking assembly 140 which may be powered by, for example, a propane tank 142 located in the storage area 134. To supply hot water to the sink 40 and shower 50, a commercially available hot water heater unit 150 may also be stored in the storage area 134. The hot water heater unit 150 may be propane powered and obtain propane from the propane tank 142. The chemical metering pump 72 may also be located within the storage area 134 to provide ready access thereto for chemical replacement and servicing.

Also in the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 8, 10 and 11, a bed/storage assembly 150 may be employed. Such assembly may include a lower storage portion 152 that contains a series of drawers 154 therein. Also in this embodiment, a central storage unit 156 containing a series of shelves 158 may also be employed. The central storage 156 unit separates the two bed surfaces 159 and may also function as a ladder. See FIG. 11. A vertical wall 157 may be provided to define an area for shower 50 between the wall 157 and the end wall 28. To enable the upper shelter portion 220 of the shelter 10 to move to a fully collapsed position, the wall 157 should not extend beyond the upper ends of the walls 22 and 24 which would bring it into contact with the inner surface of roof 240 of the upper shelter portion 220. For example, in one embodiment as shown in Figure, distance “C” may be approximately 32 inches”. Distance “D” between the top of wall 157 and the inner surface of roof 240 of the upper shelter portion 220 when in the fully extended position may be, for example, 49 inches. However, other arrangements could successfully be employed.

In this embodiment, the lower sidewalls 22, 24 may be formed as illustrated in FIG. 12. Attached to the ends of each lateral C-shaped rim 82, 84 are additional C-shaped channel members 104 which form a channel to receive a lower sidewall panel 110 therein. Channel members 104 may extend around the entire perimeter of each wall panel 110 to form a protective frame therearound. In one embodiment, the channel members 104 may comprise, for example, encasement of all walls and roof materials.

Depending upon the application and environment into which the shelter 10 is to be placed, a variety of different types of wall panels may be used. In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 10 and 12, a wall panel 110 may comprise a foam thermal insulation material 112 that is received between two outer polymer skins 114. For example, those panels manufactured by Galvamet of 400 N. Sam Houston Parkway, Suite 208, Houston, Tex. 77060 may be used. Other panels such as those manufactured by Fiber-Tech Industries of Washington Court House, Ohio 43160 may be employed. The panels 110 may be retained in the channels 104 by screws, adhesive etc.

The end walls 26, 28 may also be constructed in a similar manner. FIG. 12 illustrates one construction for end wall 28. It will be understood that end wall 26 may be similarly constructed. As can be seen in FIG. 12, the end wall 28 includes a C-shaped channel 104′ that is oriented at 90 degrees with respect to channel 104. An internal angle 118 may be oriented as shown and attached to the channels 104, 104′. Angle 118 may comprise an L channel on the interior corners and be attached to channels 104, 104′ to form rigid corners. Panels 110 may be installed in the channels 104′ in the same or similar manner as was described above. To complete the corner assembly in this embodiment, an exterior corner angle 119 may be attached to channels 104 and 104′ as shown in FIG. 12.

The upper shelter portion 220 is sized to slidably move upward (arrow “E”) relative to the lower shelter portion 20 to an extended position (FIGS. 1, 4 and 5) and downward (arrow “F”) relative to the lower shelter portion 20 to a collapsed position (FIGS. 2, 3, 6 and 7). In one embodiment, the upper shelter portion 220 includes lateral walls 222, 224 and two end walls 226, 228. The upper shelter portion 220 may be fabricated from the same or similar materials that are used to fabricate the lower shelter portion 20. For example, as shown in FIG. 13, the lateral walls 222, 224 may each be fabricated from C-shaped channel members 230 that may comprise, for example, incase panels_. The channel members 230 may extend completely around the perimeter of a wall panel or wall panels 110 which may be of the type and construction described above. Likewise, end walls 226, 228 may be fabricated from channel members 230′ and panels 110. At the vertical corners, an exterior corner member 232 in the form of an exterior L-channel corner may be attached to the adjacent channel members 230, 230′ by screws or welding. An interior corner member 234 in the form of an L channel for securing the corners together may also be attached to the channel members 230, 230′ as shown in FIG. 13.

The roof 240 of the upper shelter portion 220 may also be fabricated from panel members 110 that have C-shaped channel members 240 extending around their perimeters. Channel members 240 may be welded or otherwise attached to the channel members 203, 230′ of the walls 22, 224, respectively. By utilizing a flat roof arrangement, additional shelters 10 may be stacked on top of the roof for transportation and storage purposes. See FIG. 6A. However, other roof arrangements and configurations may also be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The upper shelter portion 220 is slidably mounted and supported relative to the lower shelter portion 20 by a plurality of commercially available linear bear assemblies 250. For example, those linear guide assemblies manufactured by HET Parts of 145 Elm Street, Butler, Ohio 44822 may be employed. However other bearing arrangements could be used. In one embodiment, three linear bearing assemblies 250 are employed on each lateral wall 22, 24 of the lower shelter portion 20. In particular, one portion of each linear bearing 250 is attached to one of the lateral walls 22, 24 of the lower shelter portion 20 and another portion of each linear bearing 250 is attached to a corresponding portion of a wall 222, 224 of the upper shelter portion 220. Thus, the linear bearings 250 facilitate sliding telescoping travel of the upper shelter portion 220 relative to the lower shelter portion 20. To prevent the infiltration of moisture and or insects between the walls 222, 224, 226, 228 of the upper shelter portion 220 and the walls 22, 24, 26, 28, respectively of the lower shelter portion 20, a wiper seal 199 may be attached to the bottom of each wall 222, 224, 226, 228. See FIG. 5.

As can also be seen in FIGS. 1, 2, and 6, windows 260 may be mounted in one or more walls 222, 224, 226, 228 of the upper shelter portion 220. In addition, if desired, skylights 249 may be mounted in the roof 240. However, when employing skylights 249 that protrude above the exterior surface of the roof 240, additional precautions and protective structures may be warranted if it is likely that a second shelter 10 may be stacked on top of the first shelter 10 to prevent damage to the skylight 249 when a second shelter 10 is stacked thereon. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 6A, the skylight 249 protrudes above the roof surface a distance that is less than the height of the cleats 25 and the skylight is so located such that the cleats of a second shelter avoid contact with the skylight 249 of the shelter upon which the second shelter is stacked. Also, to provide light within the shelter, commercially available battery operated lights (not shown) may be employed. In alternative embodiments, lights may be permanently mounted within the enclosure and hard wired to a receptacle or receptacle mounted in one of the walls 22, 24, 26, 28 in the lower shelter portion 20 and accessible from the outside of shelter 10 and into which a source of electricity may be coupled. For example, a generator or other external source of electrical power may be plugged into the receptacle for supplying power to the shelter.

To gain entry into the shelter 10 after it is moved to the extended position, a unique and novel door arrangement 270 may be employed. One door arrangement 270 is depicted in FIGS. 1-6. As can be seen in those Figures, a lower door segment 32 is provided in the lower end wall 26. The lower door segment 32 in this embodiment is attached to the end wall 26 of the lower shelter portion 20 by a hinge segment 34 such that the lower door segment may be opened and closed within a lower door opening 30 in the end wall 26.

Likewise in this embodiment, an upper door segment 274 is attached to the end wall 226 of the upper shelter portion 220 by a hinge 276 such that the upper door segment 274 may be opened and closed within an upper door opening 272. When in the extended position, lower door opening 30 cooperates with upper door opening 272 to form an entryway 280 into the shelter 10. In one embodiment, a magnetic latch 275 is affixed to the frame around the lower door opening 30 to enable the lower door segment 32 to remain closed as the upper door segment 274 is opened. The lower door segment 32 may also be equipped with a deadbolt arrangement 283. In addition, to prevent water from leaking between the upper door segment 274 and the lower door segment 32, when the door segments 274, 32 are closed (FIG. 5), a conventional wiper seal 276 may be attached to the bottom surface of the upper door segment 274. See FIG. 4. Also in this embodiment, the upper door segment 274 may be equipped with a standard doorknob 277 and a deadbolt lock 278 for locking the upper door segment 274 in the closed position. Also, if desired, door segment 274 may be provided with a window assembly 279. In one embodiment, the lower door segment 32 is provided with an interior deadbolt lock 281.

Various embodiments of the present invention may employ a unique and novel lifting system 300 for moving the upper shelter portion 220 to the extended portion and retaining it there and thereafter returning the upper shelter portion 220 to a collapsed position. In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 14-16, the lifting system 300 may include a carriage assembly 310 that is coupled to a cylinder 302 or other actuator supported within the sub floor structure 80. The cylinder 302 has a selectively extendable piston 304. In one embodiment, the cylinder 302 is hydraulically powered. In other embodiments the cylinder may be pneumatically powered. In other embodiments, a motorized lead screw or stepper motor could be used to move the carriage assembly 310 in the manners described in further detail below.

In one embodiment, a pair of spaced C-shaped metal joists 88 extend between the rims 82, 84 and are attached thereto by welding, screws, etc. See FIG. 14. The cylinder 302 is located between the joists 88 and is supported in position by a series of braces 89 which may be fabricated from metal angles or the like. In one embodiment, the carriage assembly 310 may comprise a piece of metal angle or the like which serves as a mounting bracket for the ends of four cables.

More particularly and with reference to FIG. 14, a conventional cable adjustment device such as, for example, a turnbuckle or similar device 312 may be attached to the carriage assembly 310 and also be coupled to a first end 322 of a first cable 320. Cable 320 is also received on a central pulley 330 that may be mounted to one of the braces 89. The cable 320 is also received on a first pulley 332 that may be mounted on support brace 331 that is attached to the floor braces 102 as shown. First pulley 332 may be mounted on the support brace 331 such that the axis about which the pulley 332 rotates is substantially parallel to the axis about which central pulley 330 rotates. Cable 320 is also received on a third pulley 334 that is attached to rim 84 as shown. The cable 320 extends through a passage 23 provided in the wall 24 and passes between the exterior of wall 24 of the lower shelter portion 22. The second end 324 of cable 320 is attached to the bottom of wall 224 of the upper shelter portion 220. See FIGS. 15 and 16.

As can be seen in FIG. 14, an end 342 of a second cable 340 is attached to a second cable adjustment mechanism 314, which is attached to the carriage assembly 310. Second cable 340 is also received on a central pulley 350 may be attached to a brace 89. Second cable 340 loops around the central pulley 350 and is also received on a first pulley 352 that is attached to the web 83 of the rim 82 such that the axis about which the first pulley 352 rotates is substantially parallel to the axis about which the central pulley 350 rotates. The second cable 340 is also received on a second pulley 354 that is mounted to a brace 353 that is attached to floor braces 102. The second cable 340 is also journaled on a third pulley 356 that is attached to the web 83 of rim 82 such that the axis about which the third pulley 356 rotates is substantially perpendicular to the axes of pulleys 350 and 352. The second cable 340 passes through a passage 27 in the wall 22 of lower shelter portion 20 and then passes between the exterior of lower wall 22 and the interior surface of wall 222 of upper shelter portion 220. The second end 342 of the second cable 340 is attached to the bottom portion of wall 222 of the upper shelter portion 220. See FIGS. 15 and 16.

Also in this embodiment, an end 362 of a third cable 360 is attached to a third cable adjustment device 316 that is coupled to the carriage assembly 310. The third cable 360 is journaled on a central pulley 370 that is attached to brace 89. Third cable 360 loops around central pulley 370 and is also journaled on a first pulley 372 that is attached to the web 83 of rim 82 such that the axis about which first pulley 372 rotates is substantially parallel to the axis about which central pulley 370 rotates. Third cable 360 then passes around a second pulley 374 that is attached to a cross brace 371 that is attached between floor braces 102 such that the axis of the second pulley 374 is substantially parallel to the axes of pulleys 372, 370. Third cable 360 passes around a third pulley 376 that is attached to the web 83 of rim 82 such that the axis about which the third pulley 376 rotates is substantially perpendicular to the axes of pulleys 372, 374. The third cable 360 extends through a passage 29 in wall 22 and out of the upper end of wall 22. Cable 360 passes between the exterior surface of wall 22 and the interior surface of wall 222. The other end of cable 360 is attached to the bottom of wall 222.

An end 382 of a fourth cable 380 is attached to a fourth cable adjustment device 382 that is attached to the carriage assembly 310. Fourth cable 380 extends around a central pulley 390 that is attached to a brace member 89. Fourth cable 380 is also journaled on a first pulley 392 that is mounted on a cross brace 391 attached to floor braces 102 such that the axis of the first pulley 392 is substantially parallel with the axis of central pulley 390. Fourth cable 380 extends around the first pulley 392 and is also journaled on a second pulley 394 that is attached to the web 85 of rim 84 such that the axis of second pulley 394 is substantially perpendicular to the axes of pulleys 390, 392. Fourth cable 380 extends through a passage 31 in wall 24 and out of the top of wall 24. Fourth cable 380 passes between the exterior surface of wall 24 and the interior surface of wall 224 and its second end is attached to the bottom end of wall 224.

The movement of the upper shelter portion 220 between extended and collapsed positions will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16. FIG. 15 illustrates the upper shelter portion 220 in the collapsed position. As can be seen in that Figure, the cylinder 302 is actuated to retract the piston 304 inward (direction “H”). The piston 304 moves the carriage assembly 310 in the “H” direction and thereby moves the ends 322, 342, 362, 382 of cables 320, 340, 360, 380, respectively such that the cables 320, 340, 360, 380 slacken to permit the upper shelter portion to move in the “F” direction under its own weight.

To move the upper shelter portion 220 to the extended position, the cylinder 302 is actuated to extend the piston 304 in the direction represented by arrow “I” in FIG. 16 until the carriage assembly 310 contacts a stop assembly 399 attached to the web 83 of rim 82. Such movement of the carriage assembly 310 moves the ends 322, 342, 362, 382 of the cables 320, 340, 360, 380, respectively and thereby causes the opposing ends of cables 320, 340, 360, 380 to pull the bottom of the walls 222, 224 of the upper shelter portion 220 in the “E” direction. In this embodiment, when the carriage assembly 310 contacts the stop assembly 399, the upper shelter portion 220 is in the upper most extended position.

The cable adjustment mechanisms 312, 314, 316, 382 provide a means for maintaining a desired amount of tension in each of the cables 320, 340, 360, 380 by enabling one to compensate for inadvertent stretching of the cables. In one embodiment, a removable panel is provided in the floor surface to enable easy access to the adjustment mechanisms. The reader will appreciate, however, that it is particularly advantageous to locate the lifting assembly 300 in the sub floor structure 80 to protect it from damage during transportation or sabotage in the field. It is conceivable, however, that lifting assembly could me located in other areas of the shelter 10 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In addition, while lifting system 300 employs four cables, it is conceivable that other numbers of cables and pulley configurations could be employed. For example, one or more cables could conceivably be used.

One or more embodiments of the present invention may also employ a locking assembly 400 to automatically retain the carriage assembly 310 in the extended position shown in FIG. 16 and thereby prevent the inadvertent release of the upper shelter portion 220 which could permit it to inadvertently move to the collapsed position. One embodiment of the locking assembly 400 includes a retainer lock 402 that has a retainer groove 404 therein that is adapted to retainingly engage a portion of the carriage assembly 310 therein. The retainer lock 402 may be pivotally attached to the stop assembly 399 such that it may pivot about a pivot axis K-K defined by a pivot rod or pin 392. As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, such arrangement permits the retainer lock 402 to pivot between a locked position (FIG. 16) and an unlocked position (FIG. 15). In one embodiment, at least one spring 406 is attached between the retainer lock 402 and the stop assembly 399 to urge and retain the retainer lock 402 in the locked position. The leading portion 403 of the retainer lock 402 may be shaped such that, upon contact with a portion of the carriage assembly 310 as it moves in the “I” direction, the retainer lock pivots 402 upward to enable a portion of the carriage assembly 310 to snap into a retainer notch 404 provided in the retainer lock 402. Thus, the retainer lock 402 automatically retains and engages the carriage assembly 310 when it is moved into the extended position.

To move the upper shelter portion 220 to a collapsed position, the retainer lock 402 must be disengaged from the carriage assembly 310. In one embodiment, a release cable 420 is attached to the retainer lock 402. By pulling on the release cable 420, the retainer lock 402 is pivoted out of engagement with the carriage assembly to permit the carriage assembly to be moved in the “H” direction by actuating the cylinder 302.

In at least one embodiment of the present invention, cylinder 302 is actuated by a commercially available hydraulic pump 430 that is supported on the sub floor structure 80. As can be seen in FIGS. 5A and 9, the hydraulic pump 420 may be situated adjacent an access opening 440 in the end wall 26 of the lower shelter portion 20. As can be seen in FIG. 5A, in one embodiment, access opening 440 is located below the lower door opening 30 in the end wall 26 and has an access door 442 attached thereto by a hinge or hinges 444, etc. The access door 442 may also have a locking mechanism 446 thereon to prevent unauthorized access to the hydraulic pump 430 and release cable 420. In one embodiment, the hydraulic pump 430 may be powered by a battery or batteries 450. The battery 450 may be located on the sub floor structure 80 adjacent to the access door opening 440 and hydraulic pump 430 for replacement and or recharging. In the event that battery power is lost or insufficient to operate the hydraulic pump 430, the hydraulic pump 430 may be of the type that may also be manually actuated by means of pumping a handle mechanism attached to the pump 430. In alternative embodiments, the pump 430 may be hard wired to an outlet into which an external power source (generator or other source of electricity) may be attached to supply actuation power to the pump 430. In yet another embodiment, pump 430 may only be manually actuatable. As indicated above, the release cable 420 may also be situated such that it may be accessed through the access opening 440.

The arrangement of the access opening 440 under the lower door opening 30 in the lower shelter portion 20 provides other advantages. For example, as can be seen in FIG. 6, when the shelter 10 is in the collapsed position, the upper door segment 274 covers the access door 442 and access opening 440. By locking the upper door segment 274, unauthorized access to the actuation opening 440 and hydraulic pump 430 is prevented.

For ease of transportation and storage, the shelter 10 may be shipped to its final destination in the collapsed position. With the upper door segment 274 locked, unauthorized access to the pump is prevented. After the shelter 10 has been transported to a desired location, the user unlocks the lock 278 on upper door segment 274 and pivots the upper door segment 274 to the open position to gain access to the access door 442. See FIG. 7. If the access door 442 is also locked, the user unlocks the lock 446 and opens access door 442. See FIG. 5A. The user then activates the pump 430 to cause the piston 304 of hydraulic cylinder 302 to move the carriage assembly 310 into contact with the stop assembly 399 thereby “telescopingly” moving the upper shelter portion 220 to the extended position. When the carriage assembly 310 contacts the front portion 402 of the retainer lock 402 as it moves to contact the stop assembly 399, the retainer lock 402 pivots to enable a portion of the carriage assembly 310 to snap into the retainer groove 404 in the retainer lock 402. The spring 406 retains the retainer lock in that “locked” position until the user pulls on cable 420 to bias the retainer lock 402 out of engagement with the carriage assembly 310. Thus, when in this position, the upper shelter portion 220 is retained in the extended position by virtue of cables 320. 340, 360, 380. The retainer lock 402 mechanically prevents the upper shelter portion 220 from inadvertently moving to the collapsed position in the event that hydraulic power is lost to hydraulic pump 430. When in the extended position, to permit easy access into the interior of the shelter 10 a portable step stool 500 may be provided. See FIG. 1. Stool 500 may be stored inside of the shelter 10 when the shelter is in the collapsed position and not in use. After the shelter 10 has been moved into the extended position, the user can lock the access door 442, to permit unauthorized access to the pump 430 and release cable 420.

To move the upper shelter portion to the collapsed position from the extended position, the user pulls on the release cable 420 and actuates the pump 430 to move the carriage assembly 310 in the opposing direction and thereby slacken cables 320, 340, 360, 380 to permit the upper shelter portion 220 to move to the collapsed position under the influence of gravity. Once the shelter 10 has been positioned in the collapsed position, the user closes the access door 442 and the upper door segment 274 and locks the upper door segment 274. The shelter is then ready to be transported to another location.

The reader will appreciate that various embodiments of the present invention may be actuated between the extended and collapsed positions without the use of tools. In the event that battery power is lost to pump 430, pump 430 may be of the type that can be manually actuated to manually extend the piston 304 of the hydraulic cylinder 302 to move the upper shelter portion to the extended position. A handle for manually actuating the pump 430 may be stored with the pump 430 inside the access opening 440. The battery or batteries 450 may be of the rechargeable type and be rechargeable by a solar power panel 460 that may be removably supported on the roof 240 or other portion of the shelter 10.

The various embodiments of the present invention may also provide a myriad of other advantages over prior shelter configurations. Various embodiments of the present invention, for example, are readily transportable with conventional material handling equipment such as forklifts and the like. The shelter embodiments may be advantageously sized to fit on conventional tractor-trailers and may be stacked on top of each other. The various embodiments of the present invention may also have a self-contained fresh water system complete with a sink, shower and toilet if desired. In addition, various embodiments may also be provided with a drain water holding tank for collecting drain water for eventual removal therefrom to a disposal truck or other medium for disposing and/or treating the drain water to prevent environmental contamination. Various embodiments of the present invention may also be actuated between the collapsed and extended positions without the use of tools.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will, of course, appreciate that various changes in the details, materials and arrangement of parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention may be made by the skilled artisan within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A collapsible shelter, comprising:

a lower shelter portion having substantially rigid lower walls and a floor therein;

an upper shelter portion having substantially rigid upper walls and a roof and being telescopingly coupled to said lower shelter portion such that the upper shelter portion is selectively vertically moveable relative to said lower shelter portion between a first collapsed position and a second extended position;

a selectively releasable retainer assembly for selectively supporting said upper shelter portion relative to said lower shelter portion in the second extended position.

2. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 further comprising an actuation system coupled to said lower and upper shelter portions for selectively moving said upper shelter portion between said collapsed and said extended positions.

3. The collapsible shelter of claim 2 wherein said actuation system is powered by a battery.

4. The collapsible shelter of claim 3 further comprising a solar panel on said shelter and coupled to said battery.

5. The collapsible shelter of claim 2 wherein said actuation system comprises:

a cylinder supported in one of said upper and lower shelter portions, said cylinder having a selectively extendable and retractable piston; and

at least one cable having one end thereof attached to said extendable and retractable piston and another end thereof attached to said upper shelter portion such that movement of said extendable and retractable piston relative to the cylinder causes the upper shelter portion to move between the first collapsed position and the second extended position.

6. The collapsible shelter of claim 5 wherein said cylinder is supported in said lower shelter portion under said floor.

7. The collapsible shelter of claim 5 wherein said cylinder is hydraulically powered.

8. The collapsible shelter of claim 7 wherein said cylinder is powered by a hydraulic pump is supported in said lower shelter portion under said floor and accessible through a portion of said lower shelter portion.

9. The collapsible shelter of claim 7 wherein said hydraulic pump is powered by a battery.

10. The collapsible shelter of claim 9 wherein said hydraulic pump is also manually actuatable.

11. The collapsible shelter of claim 9 further comprising a solar panel supported on said collapsible shelter and coupled to said battery.

12. The collapsible shelter of claim 10 further comprising a solar panel supported on said collapsible shelter and coupled to said battery.

13. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 wherein said lower shelter portion comprises:

a plurality of lower upstanding wall sections interconnected to define a floor area therebetween; and

a floor supported in said floor area.

14. The collapsible shelter of claim 13 wherein said upper shelter portion comprises a plurality of interconnected upper wall portions and a roof coupled thereto.

15. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 wherein said lower shelter portion comprises:

a lower front wall portion;

a lower rear wall portion;

two lower side wall portions coupled to said lower front wall portion and said lower rear wall portion and extending therebetween to define a floor area; and

a floor supported in said floor area.

16. The collapsible shelter of claim 15 wherein said upper shelter portion comprises:

an upper front wall portion corresponding to said lower front wall portion;

an upper rear wall portion corresponding to said lower rear wall portion;

two upper side wall portions corresponding to said lower side wall portions and coupled to said upper front wall portion and said upper rear wall portion and extending therebetween to define an upper area therebetween such that upper ends of each of said lower front wall portion, said lower rear wall portion and said lower side wall portions can be movably received within said upper area to enable said shelter to assume said collapsed position; and

a roof coupled to said upper front wall, said upper rear wall and said upper sidewalls and extending therebetween.

17. The collapsible shelter of claim 16 further comprising an actuation system coupled to said first and second shelter portions for selectively moving said upper shelter portion between said collapsed and said extended positions.

18. The collapsible shelter of claim 17 wherein said actuation system is powered by an actuator supported in said lower shelter portion and accessible through an access opening in said lower front wall portion.

19. The collapsible shelter of claim 16 further comprising:

a lower door segment mounted in said lower front wall portion; and

an upper door segment mounted in said upper front wall portion and cooperating with said lower door portion to form a unitary door into said shelter when said upper shelter portion is in said extended position.

20. The collapsible shelter of claim 19 wherein said lower door portion is pivotally coupled to said lower front wall portion and supported within a lower door opening in said lower front wall portion and wherein said upper door portion is pivotally coupled to said upper front wall portion and supported within an upper door opening in said upper front wall portion.

21. The collapsible shelter of claim 19 wherein said upper door portion is latchable to said lower door portion to form a unitary door portion when said upper shelter portion is in said extended position.

22. The collapsible shelter of claim 18 further comprising:

a lower door segment movably mounted in a lower door opening in said lower front wall portion; and

an upper door segment movably mounted in an upper door opening in said upper front wall portion and cooperating with said lower door portion to form a unitary door into said shelter when said upper shelter portion is in said extended position.

23. The collapsible shelter of claim 22 wherein said upper door is movably mounted within said upper door opening and movable between open and closed positions, said upper door opening being oriented in said upper front wall portion such that when said upper shelter portion is in said collapsed position, said access opening coincides with at least a portion of said upper door opening to provide access to said access opening therethrough when said upper door portion is in said open position.

24. The collapsible shelter of claim 23 wherein said upper door portion is lockable in said closed position to prevent unauthorized access to said access opening when said upper shelter portion is in said collapsed position and said upper door portion is in said closed position.

25. The collapsible shelter of claim 16 further comprising at least one bearing assembly between one of said lower sidewalls and said upper sidewall which corresponds to said lower sidewall.

26. The collapsible shelter of claim 25 further comprising at least one other bearing assembly between another one of said lower side walls and said upper side wall which corresponds to said another one of said lower side walls.

27. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 wherein at least one of said upper and lower shelter portions is thermally insulated.

28. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 wherein said upper and lower shelter portions each include bulletproof panels.

29. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 further comprising at least one window in said upper shelter portion.

30. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 further comprising a fresh water-holding tank supported within said lower shelter portion.

31. The collapsible shelter of claim 30 further comprising a sub floor structure in said lower shelter portion and wherein said fresh water holding tank is supported within said sub floor structure.

32. The collapsible shelter of claim 30 further comprising:

at least one of a sink, a shower and a toilet mounted within said shelter; and

a pump coupled to said fresh water holding tank and said at least one of a sink, a shower and toilet for supplying fresh water thereto from said fresh water holding tank; and

a drain water holding tank supported within said lower shelter portion for collecting drain water from said at least one of a sink, a shower and a toilet.

33. The collapsible shelter of claim 32 further comprising means for adding chemicals to said toilet.

34. The collapsible shelter of claim 32 wherein said fresh water holding tank has at least a sixty gallon capacity and wherein said holding tank has at least a three hundred gallon capacity.

35. The collapsible shelter of claim 32 wherein said pump is powered by a pump battery.

36. The collapsible shelter of claim 35 further comprising at least one solar panel supported on said shelter and being electrically coupled to said pump battery for recharging said pump battery.

37. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 further comprising at least one bed/storage assembly supported on said floor, said bed/storage assembly having at least one upper surface which forms a sleeping surface.

38. The collapsible shelter of claim 5 wherein said selectively releasable retainer comprises:

a retainer lock movably coupled to a portion of said lower shelter portion such that when said extendable and retractable piston is moved to an extended position which causes said upper shelter portion to be in said extended position, said retainer lock retains said extendable piston in said extended position; and

a release mechanism in said lower shelter portion and communicating with said retainer to move said retainer lock out of retaining engagement with said extendable piston.

39. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 further comprising means on said lower shelter portion for cooperating with material handling means for manipulating the shelter.

40. The collapsible shelter of claim 39 wherein said means for cooperating comprises cleats on said lower shelter portion and wherein said material handling means comprises a fork truck.

41. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 further comprising means for leveling the lower shelter portion.

42. The collapsible shelter of claim 41 wherein said means for leveling comprises a plurality of adjustable jacks attached to said lower shelter portion.

43. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 wherein said collapsible shelter has an overall exterior height of not more than substantially nine feet six inches when said upper shelter portion is in said extended position and an overall exterior height of not more than substantially five feet three inches when said upper shelter portion is in said collapsed position.

44. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 wherein said upper shelter portion and said lower shelter portion define an interior space and wherein a height of said interior space is not more than substantially seven feet eight inches wherein said upper shelter portion is in said extended position and wherein a height of said interior space of said shelter portion is substantially forty inches when said upper shelter portion is in said collapsed position.

45. The collapsible shelter of claim 14 further comprising at least one skylight mounted to the roof.

46. A collapsible shelter, comprising:

a lower shelter portion;

a sub floor structure attached to said lower shelter portion;

a floor supported on said sub floor structure;

at least one of a sink, a shower and a toilet supported on said floor;

at least one of a fresh water holding tank supported on said sub floor structure and a drain water holding tank supported on said sub floor structure beneath said floor; and

an upper shelter portion telescopingly coupled to said lower shelter portion and being selectively vertically moveable relative to said lower shelter portion between a first collapsed position and a second extended position.

47. The collapsible shelter of claim 46 further comprising a selectively releasable retainer assembly for selectively supporting said upper shelter portion relative to said lower shelter portion in the second extended position.

48. The collapsible shelter of claim 46 further comprising an actuation system coupled to said lower and upper shelter portions for selectively moving said upper shelter portion between said collapsed and said extended positions.

49. The collapsible shelter of claim 48 wherein said actuation system is powered by a battery.

50. The collapsible shelter of claim 49 further comprising a solar panel on said shelter and coupled to said battery.

51. The collapsible shelter of claim 48 wherein said actuation system comprises:

a cylinder supported in one of said upper and lower shelter portions, said cylinder having a selectively extendable and retractable piston;

at least one pulley attached to an end of said extendable and retractable piston;

a plurality of other pulleys supported on one of said upper and lower shelter portions; and

a cable member extending through said at least one pulley and said plurality of other pulleys, said cable having one end attached to said upper shelter portion and another end attached to said upper shelter portion.

52. The collapsible shelter of claim 51 wherein said cylinder is supported in said lower shelter portion under said floor.

53. The collapsible shelter of claim 51 wherein said cylinder is powered by a hydraulic pump.

54. The collapsible shelter of claim 53 wherein said hydraulic pump is supported in said lower shelter portion under said floor and accessible through a portion of said lower shelter portion.

55. The collapsible shelter of claim 53 wherein said hydraulic pump is powered by a battery.

56. The collapsible shelter of claim 55 wherein said hydraulic pump is also manually actuatable.

57. The collapsible shelter of claim 55 further comprising a solar panel supported on said shelter and coupled to said battery.

58. The collapsible shelter of claim 46 further comprising a cable system supported on said sub floor structure and coupled to said upper shelter portion to support said upper shelter portion in said extended and collapsed positions.

59. The collapsible shelter of claim 46 wherein said sub floor structure comprises:

at least two metal rims; and

a plurality of metal braces extending between and coupled to at least two of said at least two metal rims.

60. The collapsible shelter of claim 46 wherein said lower shelter portion further comprises a plurality of lower upstanding wall sections interconnected to said sub floor structure.

61. The collapsible shelter of claim 60 wherein said upper shelter portion comprises a plurality of interconnected upper wall portions and a roof coupled thereto.

62. A collapsible shelter comprising:

means for forming a lower shelter portion;

floor means within said means for moving a lower shelter portion;

means for moving an upper shelter portion that is telescopingly coupled to means for forming a lower shelter portion and being selectively vertically moveable relative to said means for forming said lower shelter portion between a first collapsed position and a second extended position;

means for selectively moving said means for forming an upper shelter portion between said extended and collapsed positions; and

means for selectively retaining said means for forming said upper shelter portion in said extended position.

a selectively releasable retainer coupled to said lower shelter portion for selectively supporting said upper shelter portion relative to said lower shelter portion.

63. A method for establishing a shelter in a desired location, comprising:

fabricating a first shelter that can be collapsed for transportation purposes and selectively expanded to an extended position for accommodating personnel therein after the first shelter has been transported to the desired location;

transporting the first shelter to the desired location; and

extending the first shelter to the extended position, without the use of tools.

64. The method of claim 63 wherein said transporting comprises placing the first shelter on a trailer and securing it thereto when the first shelter is in a collapsed position.

65. The method of claim 64 wherein said placing comprises lifting the first shelter with a forklift and placing it onto the trailer.

66. The method of claim 64 further comprising stacking a second shelter on the first shelter after the first shelter has been placed on the trailer.

67. The method of claim 63 wherein the first shelter has a first lower shelter portion and a first upper shelter portion telescopingly mounted to the lower shelter portion and being movable between a collapsed position and an extended position and wherein said extending comprises actuating a lift system coupled to the first upper and first lower shelter portions to move the first upper shelter portion to the extended position.

68. The method of claim 67 wherein the lift system comprises a cable system actuated by a battery-powered pump and wherein said actuating comprises starting the battery powered pump.

69. The method of claim 68 wherein the cable system is coupled to an extendable and retractable piston such that when the piston is extended, the cable system causes the first upper shelter portion to move to the extended position and when the piston is retracted, the cable system causes the first lower shelter portion to move to the collapsed position.

70. The method of claim 69 further comprising mechanically locking the piston in the extended position.