SUSPENDABLE TENT
This invention relates to a suspendable tent (1) comprising a tent body (2) and a support (4) for connecting the tent body to a point from which the tent body can be suspended.
The present invention relates to a suspendable tent.
In the area of children's play dens and tree houses, new versions are constantly sought to provide new and interesting features for their users.
A way of ameliorating this problem has been sought.
According to the present invention there is provided a suspendable tent comprising a tent body and a support for connecting the tent body to a point from which the tent body can be suspended. By providing a tent which can be suspended, for example above the ground in a garden, an alternative to a tree house can be made available which is easy to assemble and take apart. There is no need for a flat surface such as that required for normal tents. In addition, large, bulky and heavy components, such as those used in tree house construction, are not generally required. In use, the suspendable tent can act as a swing, play pen or tree house. The term tent is used to mean a shelter formed from a sheet supported by a tent frame. In some embodiments, the tent frame may comprise a resilient member, for example a flexible resilient member or flexible linkage, such as a strap.
In certain embodiments, the tent body may comprise a base comprising a rigid frame. This can provide a stronger tent body. In some embodiments, the rigid frame may be provided at a perimeter of the base. In some embodiments, the rigid frame may be foldable using hinges.
In certain embodiments, the base and the rigid frame may be square. In some embodiments, the square rigid frame may comprise a supporting frame member that connects two opposite sides of the square rigid frame such that the square rigid frame defines two areas. This can make it possible for two people to lie next to each other on the base on either side of the supporting frame member without rolling into each other.
In some embodiments, the base and the rigid frame may be circular.
In certain embodiments, the support may comprise at least one flexible linkage connected at a first end to the tent body and at a second end releasably connected to the point from which the tent body can be suspended. In some embodiments, the tent body may comprise a base comprising a rigid frame and the at least one flexible linkage is connected at its first end to the rigid frame.
In certain embodiments, the at least one flexible linkage may comprise at least one strap. In some embodiments, the at least one flexible linkage may comprise two straps, each strap being connected at each of its ends to the base such that they form two loops.
In certain embodiments, the support comprises a releasable connector that connects the two loops to the point from which the tent body can be suspended. In some embodiments, the releasable connector may be a carabiner.
In certain embodiments, one or more guy lines may be attached to the tent body. In some embodiments, the one or more guy lines may be attached to the base.
In certain embodiments, the base has a trampoline-style floor. The term trampoline-style floor is used to mean a floor having elastic properties similar to or the same as those of a trampoline. In some embodiments, the trampoline-style floor may have a sheet mounted on the rigid frame by a plurality of resilient members. The sheet may be formed from a resilient material such as canvas. The resilient members may be springs or elastic loops.
The Treepee (trademarked) hanging tent. To be hung from a tree or other suitable support (see
The Treepee comes with either a round or a square trampoline style base (see
Common problems encountered when trying to construct/assemble a hand built or pre-manufactured tree house or children's play den as well as traditional tents are:
- 1. That a large space is often required.
- 2. Complicated assembly/construction is required, normally by an experienced adult.
- 3. The structure cannot be easily disassembled for storage when not in use.
- 4. Price is often prohibitive to many potential customers.
- 5. A flat and level surface is required, particularly in tent usage.
- 6. Large, bulky, heavy components are normally used, particularly in tree house building.
- 7. Wooden constructions, particularly in tree house building, require regular maintenance to sustain the safety and functionality.
Features of the Treepee that aim to resolve these problems are:
- 1. The Treepee comes in a variety of sizes ranging from 0.5 m diameter for the ‘Twigwam’ (trademarked) to 2.0 m diameter for the ‘Giant Treepee’. And being suspended does not require a larger space than the size of the product.
- 2. The Treepee is ready to use, it is supplied folded into four sections, for ease of transport/storage and can be easily assembled by an unqualified adult or older child.
- 3. The Treepee can easily be folded back into four sections for easy storage when not in use.
- 4. The simple, cost effective design allows a more affordable price bracket.
- 5. Because the Treepee is hung off the floor, it can be suspended above any quality or gradient of terrain.
- 6. The Treepee is supplied in an easy to carry box that can easily be lifted by a single adult.
- 7. Being constructed of steel tubing and 600×600D polyester with fire retardant, UV, PU and water resistant coating, the Treepee requires little or no maintenance to sustain its safety and functionality.
It is constructed to include, if required, a ‘scramble net’ for easy access (see
A bag on a rope with pulley system allows goods to be pulled up from ground level through the window (see sheet
The windows are covered in bug mesh with roll-up clear plastic to the outside to allow air to circulate (see
The 2.0 m ‘Giant Treepee’ has a central base frame support (see
A zip up, drop down ‘bag’ is included on the ‘Giant Treepee’ for storage (see
All fabric used is fire retardant, UV coated and water resistant.
The Treepee supports a maximum weight of 150 kg.
There are tethers connected to each of the four corners for extra support (see
Pockets on the inside provide storage areas (see
The Treepee is a hanging tent that can be suspended in a tree or similar support (see
In an alternative embodiment, the invention relates to a construction whereby a solid steel rimmed base (see
600×6000 polyester fabric with fire retardant, UV, PU and water resistant coating is double stitched to the high strength straps to create an enclosed ‘tent’ with zipped entrance.
In some embodiments, the zipped entrance has a double skin, one of 600×600D polyester as claimed in claim 1, and one of the bug gauze, also zipped.
In certain embodiments, the only solid element of the construction exists as the steel frame as claimed in claim 1. The construction contains no rigid components above the steel rim level.
In some embodiments, bug gauze panels are fitted to all or some of the ‘window’ openings.
In certain embodiments, square or round clear plastic canvas ‘windows’ connected at the top section (see
In some embodiments, a small polyester bag may be connected to a rope, threaded through a pulley mechanism inside one or more windows to allow goods to be pulled up from ground level.
In certain embodiments, high strength tethers are connected by means of an adjustable loop fastening to the corners, or spaced appropriately around the steel rim (see
In some embodiments, the steel rim frame can be folded into four corner sections for easy transportation and storage.
The present invention will be further described in greater detail by reference to the following Figures of the accompanying drawings which are not intended to limit the scope of the invention claimed, in which:
Square base 10 has four corners 80, only three of which are shown in
One of the walls 5 of tent body 2 comprises door opening 30. Door opening 30 is edged with a zip (not shown) to allow it to be opened and closed.
As shown in
In addition, window opening 35 comprises clear plastic sheet 45 which is connect to the top of window opening 35 and covers mesh 40. In this way, clear plastic sheet 45 can inhibit the ingress of water into the tent body 2. In
As shown in
Also shown in
As depicted in
The net 101 can assist the user when climbing into the tent body 2 when it is suspended.
The suspendable tent 200 of the second embodiment also differs from that of the first embodiment in that it comprises bag 110 attached to one end of rope 115. The other end of rope 115 is attached to a wall 5 of tent body 205. This allows the user pull the bag, and any contents, up to the tent body 205 when suspended. A pulley system (not shown) may be provided inside the tent body 205 in order to assist the user in pulling up the bag.
A further difference between the suspendable tent 1 of the first embodiment and the suspendable tent 200 of the second embodiment is that pockets 120 are provided on an inner surface 125 of one of the walls 5 of tent body 205. The pockets 120 can assist the user when storing items in the tent body 205.
The suspendable tent 300 of the third embodiment differs from that of the first embodiment in that tent body 305 comprises a circular base 130 instead of a square base 10. Thus, as shown in
In addition, guy lines 75 are provided at the edge of circular base 130 in order to inhibit the movement of the tent body 305 when it is suspended.
Circular frame 135 is formed at the perimeter 310 of circular base 130 where circular base 130 meets cone-shaped wall 135.
Claims
1. A suspendable tent comprising a tent body and a support for connecting the tent body to a point from which the tent body can be suspended.
2. A suspendable tent as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tent body comprises a base comprising a rigid frame.
3. A suspendable tent as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rigid frame is provided at a perimeter of the base.
4. A suspendable tent as claimed in claim 2, wherein the base and the rigid frame are square.
5. A suspendable tent as claimed in claim 4, wherein the square rigid frame comprises a supporting frame member that connects two opposite sides of the square rigid frame such that the square rigid frame defines two areas.
6. A suspendable tent as claimed in claim 2, wherein the base and the rigid frame are circular.
7. A suspendable tent as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support comprises at least one flexible linkage connected at a first end to the tent body and at a second end releasably connected to the point from which the tent body can be suspended.
8. A suspendable tent as claimed in claim 7, wherein the tent body comprises a base comprising a rigid frame and the at least one flexible linkage is connected at its first end to the rigid frame.
9. A suspendable tent as claimed in claim 8, wherein the at least one flexible linkage comprises at least one strap.
10. A suspendable tent as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one flexible linkage comprises two straps, each strap being connected at each of its ends to the base such that they form two loops.
11. A suspendable tent as claimed in claim 10, wherein the support comprises a releasable connector that connects the two loops to the point from which the tent body can be suspended.
12. A suspendable tent as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more guy lines are attached to the tent body.
13. A suspendable tent as claimed in claim 2, wherein one or more guy lines are attached to the base.
14. A suspendable tent as claimed in claim 2, wherein the base has a trampoline-style floor.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 12, 2008
Publication Date: Oct 7, 2010
Applicant: LIVE LIFE OUTDOORS INTERNATIONAL LIMITED (London)
Inventor: Belinda Ogle (Surrey)
Application Number: 12/678,210
International Classification: E04H 15/04 (20060101); E04H 15/34 (20060101);