TENT WITH VENTING TRUNCATED CORNERS
A tent includes a venting opening extending through a truncated corner of the tent to allow air flow through the corner between the enclosed living space and outside the tent.
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The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/060,311 filed Jun. 10, 2009, the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUNDThe present disclosure relates to a tent with a vented truncated corner.
SUMMARYIn one aspect, a tent generally comprises a frame comprising poles configured in an erect configuration. A shell is secured to the frame to define an enclosed living space. The shell comprises a floor, two adjacent walls extending upward from the floor, and a truncated corner between the two adjacent walls and having opposite sides secured to and interconnecting the respective adjacent walls. A venting opening extends through the truncated corner to allow air flow through the corner between the enclosed living space and outside the tent.
Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to
The shell 12 of the tent 10 includes truncated corners, generally indicated at 30, between adjacent walls 18. Each of the truncated corners 30 includes a gusset 32 extending upward from the floor 17 toward the roof 20 of the shell 12 and interconnecting the two adjacent walls 18. The gusset 32 is secured to adjacent walls 18 by stitching or other suitable means and, in effect, replaces what would otherwise be a conventional corner defined by adjacent walls intersecting along a longitudinal seam or edge. In effect, the conventional corner is “truncated” by the plane of the gusset. This plane can be vertical or (as shown in
The triangular, truncated corner 30 (e.g., the gusset 32) has an upper apex 33, a lower base 34, and opposite sides 35 secured to respective adjacent walls 18. In the first embodiment, the sides 35 of the truncated corner 30 extend substantially the entire heights of the adjacent walls 18. The upper apex 33 is situated adjacent to the upper ends of the walls 18, and the base 34 is secured to the floor 17. The sides 35 of the truncated corner 30 may be secured to the respective walls 18 of the shell 12 and the base 34 may be secured to the floor 17 by sewing or other suitable fastening ways. Alternatively, the corner 30 and the adjacent walls 18 or the corner, the adjacent walls and the floor 17 may be integrally formed as a one-piece structure. It is understood that the truncated corner(s) 30 may be of other shapes (e.g., rectangular or square-shaped) and may extend only partially along the heights of the respective adjacent walls 18 within the scope of the invention.
Referring to
Referring still to the first embodiment, the venting opening 40 is generally triangular having a truncated upper end and a pair of opposite sides that are generally coextensive with the sides of the truncated corner. It is understood that the venting opening 40 may be of other shapes and sizes than illustrated. The venting opening 40 also has a base that is parallel to and above the base 34 of the corner 30. The venting flap 42 is releasably attachable within the venting opening 40 by a pair of zippers 50 (broadly, a fastening device) extending along the sides of the venting opening and corresponding sides of the venting flap from adjacent the upper end of the venting flap to the base of the venting flap. Accordingly, the venting flap 42 is generally coincident with the venting opening 40, except at the apex of the venting opening, and can substantially close the venting opening and can allow for the venting opening to the partially opened or substantially completely opened. It is contemplated that the venting flap 42 may be substantially completely coincident with the venting opening 40, including having an apex coincident with the apex of the venting opening. Unzipping the zippers 50 from the upper end of the flap 42 downward allows for the flexible venting flap to be folded downward inside the living space to at least partially open the venting opening, as shown in
The venting screen 44 of the first embodiment opposes or overlies, in a generally superposing relation, the venting opening 40. It is understood that the venting screen 44 may be secured in the venting opening 40. The venting screen 44 acts as a barrier to prevent insects and debris from entering the tent 10 through the venting opening 40. The venting screen 44 is made from a mesh fabric material, although other types of materials are within the scope of the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the venting screen 44 is generally coincident with the venting opening 40 or slightly larger than the venting opening so that when the venting opening is opened, the venting screen covers the entire opening. The venting screen 44 may be secured to the truncated corner 30 or it may span between adjacent walls 18 of the shell 12. The venting screen 44 may have other shapes and sizes and does not have to be generally coincident with the venting opening 40.
Referring still to the first embodiment, as mentioned above the hoods 46 on the exterior of the shell 12 cover the venting openings 40 in the truncated corners 30. For ease of explanation, only one hood 46 will be described to hereinafter with the understanding that the teachings and features of this hood apply equally to the other hoods. The hood 46 has an upper end generally adjacent to the apex or upper region of the venting opening 40, and a pitched lower end spaced outward from the corner 30 generally adjacent to the base of the venting opening. The hood 46 covers a majority of the corner 30 because in this embodiment the upper end and the sides of the venting opening 40 are generally coextensive with the apex and the sides of the corner 30. The hood 46 is pitched along its length from its pitched lower end to its upper end to space the hood from the venting opening 40 and define a passageway. The pitched lower end of the hood 46 defines an opening 56 of the passageway that allows for air flow into the passageway to the venting opening 40. The hood 46 prevents rain and above-falling moisture from entering the tent 10 through the venting opening 40. A tensioning component 58 (e.g., a rope or a strap) that has one end secured to the lower end of the hood 46 and an opposite end staked in the ground, holds or maintains the hood in its pitched configuration. In another example, a rib, such as a semi-rigid or rigid rib, runs along at least the lower end of the hood. Other ways of configuring the hood 46 to maintain its pitched configuration are within the scope of the invention.
Although not illustrated, the hood 46 may include a screen in or covering the hood opening 56 to prevent insects and debris from entering the hood. In such an embodiment, the tent may not, although it could, include the venting screen because the hood may adequately prevent moisture, insects and debris from entering the tent through the venting opening. Other configurations are within the scope of the invention.
The tent 10 in the first embodiment may include a rain fly 60 (
Referring to
Another difference between the first tent 10 and the second tent 110 is that corner poles 114 of the frame of the second tent extend generally along a longitudinal centerline of the truncated corners 130, and the hoods 146 in the second tent are secured to the corner poles, such as by sleeves or clips 162 on the hoods, to maintain the hoods in the pitched configuration. In this arrangement, the tent 110 may also include straps 164 (broadly, a corner support) extending outward from adjacent the base 134 of each corner 130. The corner poles 14 are secured to the corner straps 164 (
Referring to
Referring to
Having described the invention in detail, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims. It is also understood that the features presented in each of the embodiments may be combined with one or more of the other embodiments to make different tent embodiment incorporating one or more of the features described herein.
When introducing elements of the present invention or the preferred embodiments thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.
As various changes could be made in the above constructions, products, and methods without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
Claims
1. A tent comprising:
- a frame comprising poles configured in an erect configuration;
- a shell secured to the frame to define an enclosed living space, the shell comprising a floor, two adjacent walls extending upward from the floor, and a truncated corner between the two adjacent walls and having opposite sides secured to and interconnecting the respective adjacent walls,
- a venting opening extending through the truncated corner to allow air flow through the corner between the enclosed living space and outside the tent.
2. A tent as set forth in claim 1 wherein the truncated corner comprises a gusset secured between the two adjacent walls.
3. A tent as set forth in claim 2 wherein the gusset is generally triangular.
4. A tent as set forth in claim 3 wherein the gusset is planar and lies in a plane that is off-vertical.
5. A tent as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a venting portion in registration with the venting opening for selectively regulating air flow through the opening.
6. A tent as set forth in claim 5 wherein the venting portion comprises a generally air-impermeable venting flap releasably fastened to the shell adjacent to the venting opening for selectively regulating air flow through the opening.
7. A tent as set forth in claim 6 wherein the venting flap has opposite sides generally coextensive with respective opposite sides of the venting opening.
8. A tent as set forth in claim 7 further comprising a fastening device extending along the opposite sides of the respective venting flap and venting opening.
9. A tent as set forth in claim 5 further comprising a screen portion in registration with the venting opening for preventing insects and debris from entering the living space through the venting opening.
10. A tent as set forth in claim 9 further comprising a vent hood spaced outward from the truncated corner and at least partially covering the venting opening.
11. A tent as set forth in claim 10 wherein the hood has a pitched lower end spaced outward from the shell and defining a hood opening for allowing air flow to the venting opening.
12. A tent as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a screen portion in registration with the venting opening for preventing insects and debris from entering the living space through the venting opening.
13. A tent as set forth in claim 12 wherein the corner further includes a vent hood spaced outward from the truncated corner and covering the venting screen and the venting opening.
14. A tent as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a vent hood spaced outward from the truncated corner and at least partially covering the venting opening.
15. A tent as set forth in claim 14 wherein the hood has a pitched lower end spaced outward from the shell and defining a hood opening for allowing air flow to the venting opening.
16. A tent as set forth in claim 15 wherein one of the poles of the frame constitutes a corner pole extends generally along a longitudinal centerline of the corner, the hood being secured to said corner pole.
17. A tent as set forth in claim 16 further comprising a corner support extending outward from the truncated corner generally adjacent to the floor of the shell, the corner support being secured to the corner pole.
18. A tent as set forth in claim 17 wherein the corner support comprises at least one of a strap and a flap.
19. A tent as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a fly secured on an exterior of the shell, the fly overlying at least a portion of the venting opening.
20. A tent as set forth in claim 19 further comprising a screen portion in registration with the venting opening for preventing insects and debris from entering the living space through the venting opening.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 10, 2009
Publication Date: Dec 10, 2009
Applicant: AMERICAN RECREATION PRODUCTS, INC. (St. Louis, MO)
Inventor: Robert Cantwell (Leslie, MO)
Application Number: 12/482,195
International Classification: E04H 15/58 (20060101); E04H 15/64 (20060101);