Foldable frame
A foldable frame includes: inverted U-shaped rods aligned in a folding direction, each inverted U-shaped rod having opposite first and second upright portions; and first and second connecting units. Each of the first connecting units interconnects the first upright portions of two adjacent ones of the inverted U-shaped rods. Each of the second connecting units interconnects the second upright portions of two adjacent ones of the inverted U-shaped rods. Each of the first and second connecting units includes two connecting rods that intersect and that are pivoted to each other, and that are respectively pivotable with respect to the respective ones of the first and second upright portions of two adjacent ones of the inverted U-shaped rods, and two sleeves respectively and slidably sleeved on the respective ones of the first and second upright portions of the two adjacent ones of the inverted U-shaped rods, and respectively pivoted to the connecting rods.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a foldable frame for a tent, more particularly to a foldable frame including inverted U-shaped rods and sleeves sleeved respectively on the U-shaped rods.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
Each upright rod 111 is formed with a guiding groove 112. Each connecting unit 12 includes a pair of pivot rods 121 crisscrossing and pivoted to each other through a pivot axle 125, a pair of upper pivot pins 122, studs 123 protruding respectively from the pivot rods 121 and disposed slidably in the guiding groves 112, and a pair of lower pivot pins 124. Each pivot rod 121 is pivoted to a respective one of the upright rods 111 of the rod units 11 through a respective one of the upper pivot pins 122, and to a respective one of the pivot rods 121 of an adjacent one of the connecting units 12 through one of the lower pivot pins 124.
Each stretch rod unit 13 includes a pair of stretching rods 131 that are pivoted to each other through a pivot pin 132 and that are respectively pivoted to adjacent ones of the upright rods 111.
When the pair of the stretching rods 131 of each stretch rod unit 13 are unfolded, the foldable frame 1 is disposed at an extended state. When the pivot pins 132 are moved upward, the stretching rods 131 of the stretch rod units 13 are moved toward a folded state. As such, the connecting units 12 are also folded at the same time, and the studs 123 of the connecting units 12 slide downward along the guiding grooves 112.
However, during folding operation, the pivot pins 132 are required to be moved upward one by one so as to permit folding of the connecting rods 121, which is relatively inconvenient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONTherefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a foldable frame capable of overcoming the aforesaid drawback associated with the prior art.
Accordingly, a foldable frame of the present invention for a tent comprises: a plurality of inverted U-shaped rods aligned in a folding direction, each of the inverted U-shaped rods having opposite first and second upright portions; and a plurality of first and second connecting units. Each of the first connecting units interconnects the first upright portions of two adjacent ones of the inverted U-shaped rods. Each of the second connecting units interconnects the second upright portions of two adjacent ones of the inverted U-shaped rods. Each of the first and second connecting units includes a pair of connecting rods that intersect and that are pivoted to each other at an intersection therebetween and that are respectively pivotable with respect to the respective ones of the first and second upright portions of the two adjacent ones of the inverted U-shaped rods, and a pair of sleeves that are respectively and slidably sleeved on the respective ones of the first and second upright portions of the two adjacent ones of the inverted U-shaped rods, and that are respectively pivoted to the connecting rods.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
Referring to
At least one of the first and second upright portions 31 of each of the inverted U-shaped rods 4 is formed with a retaining hole 312 (see
Referring to
Referring to
With the inclusion of the sleeves 5 in the foldable frame 2 of this invention, folding of the foldable frame 2 is easier and more convenient as compared to the aforesaid conventional foldable frame.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
Claims
1. A foldable frame for a tent comprising:
- a plurality of inverted U-shaped rods aligned in a folding direction, each of said inverted U-shaped rods having opposite first and second upright portions; and
- a plurality of first and second connecting units, each of said first connecting units interconnecting said first upright portions of two adjacent ones of said inverted U-shaped rods, each of said second connecting units interconnecting said second upright portions of two adjacent ones of said inverted U-shaped rods, each of said first and second connecting units including a pair of connecting rods that intersect and that are pivoted to each other at an intersection therebetween and that are respectively pivotable with respect to the respective ones of said first and second upright portions of said two adjacent ones of said inverted U- shaped rods, and a pair of sleeves that are respectively and slidably sleeved on the respective ones of said first and second upright portions of said two adjacent ones of said inverted U-shaped rods, and that are respectively pivoted to said connecting rods.
2. The foldable frame as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second upright portions of each of said inverted U-shaped rods is formed with a retaining hole, said foldable frame further comprising a positioning unit that includes at least one positioning pin that is insertable into said retaining hole so as to be disposed underneath and to abut against a respective one of said sleeves of a respective one of said first and second connecting units when said foldable frame is positioned at an extended state, thereby preventing downward sliding movement of the respective one of said sleeves on the respective one of said first and second upright portions of the respective one of said inverted U-shaped rods.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 7, 2006
Publication Date: Jan 10, 2008
Inventor: Chuen-Jong Tseng (Chiayi Hsien)
Application Number: 11/483,160
International Classification: E04H 15/50 (20060101);