CONNECTOR FOR TENT POLES

Abstract

Disclosed herein a connector for connecting end portions of a plurality of tent poles that intersect with one another. In one embodiment, a connector for tent poles includes a body and first, second and third pole insertion holes formed in the body. In the connector for tent poles, the first and second pole insertion holes maintain a central angle of less than 180 degrees at an intersection point at which the center lines of the first and second pole insertion holes intersect with each other, the radius direction outsides of the first and second pole insertion holes from the intersection point are opened so as to be first and second openings, respectively, and first and second wall portions are formed at the radius direction insides of the first and second pole insertion holes, respectively. The third pole insertion hole is disposed within the range of the central angle, the radius direction inside of the third pole insertion hole is opened so as to be a third opening, and a third wall portion is formed at the radius direction outside of the third pole insertion hole.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from and the benefit of Korean Utility Model Application No. 20-2009-0013937, filed on Oct. 27, 2009, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

Disclosed herein is a connector for connecting end portions of a plurality of tent poles that intersect with one another. More particularly, disclosed herein is a connector for tent poles, in which a pole insertion holes are arranged in a fan shape so that an entire body is formed in the fan shape, thereby obtaining high flexural rigidity and light weight.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, a tent includes a waterproof fabric and a plurality of poles so that a user can temporarily stay at the tent in the open air when going climbing or camping. Various types of tents are formed by assembling such tent poles.

Tent poles are intersected or connected to one another to construct a frame capable of maintaining the external shape and rigidity of a tent. A connector is used at an intersection point of tent poles as a combining means that binds and integrate intersecting tent poles together.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a related art connector for connecting end portions of three intersecting tent poles.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the related art connector 10 has a structure in which three tubular connecting portions 11, 12 and 13 are radially extended from the intersection point P of three tent poles 21, 22 and 23. The tent poles 21, 22 and 23 are inserted from radius direction outsides to radius direction insides of the tubular connecting portions 11, 12 and 13 of the connector 10 from the intersection point P, respectively.

Since the related art connector 10 has a structure in which all the tubular connecting portions 11, 12 and 13 are simply ‘radially’ extended from the intersection point P, the length L of the connector 10 is increased, and therefore, the connector 10 is very weak to a flexural load.

In order to make up for the weakness to the flexural load, many additional reinforcements are necessarily performed by increasing the thickness of reinforcing ribs 14, and the like. Therefore, the weight of the connector 10 is increased, and its price is increased.

As the length of the connector 10 is increased, the arrangement area occupied by the reinforcing ribs 14 is increased, and accordingly, the weight of the connector 10 is increased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments provide a connector for tent poles, having high flexural rigidity and light weight.

In one embodiment, there is provided a connector for tent poles, including: a fan-shaped body; and first, second and third pole insertion holes formed in the body, wherein: the first and second pole insertion holes maintain a central angle of less than 180 degrees at an intersection point at which the center lines of the first and second pole insertion holes intersect with each other, the radius direction outsides of the first and second pole insertion holes from the intersection point are opened so as to be first and second openings, respectively, and first and second wall portions are formed at the radius direction insides of the first and second pole insertion holes, respectively; and the third pole insertion hole is disposed within the range of the central angle, the radius direction inside of the third pole insertion hole is opened so as to be a third opening, and a third wall portion is formed at the radius direction outside of the third pole insertion hole.

The body may include a base that constitutes an end portion of the radius direction inside, and first, second and third tubular cylinders that are connected to the base and have the first, second, third pole insertion holes respectively formed therein.

The connector for tent poles may be configured by selecting or combining one or more of a first transverse reinforcing rib formed to transversely connect end portions of the radius direction outsides of the first, second and third tubular cylinders, a second transverse reinforcing rib formed between the base and the first transverse reinforcing rib, a first parallel reinforcing rib formed in a space between the first and second transverse reinforcing ribs, first radius direction reinforcing ribs respectively formed at both front and back of the first parallel reinforcing rib, and a second parallel reinforcing rib formed between the second transverse reinforcing rib and the base.

The first, second and third tubular cylinders may be more extended to the radius direction outside than the first transverse reinforcing rib.

According to a connector for tent poles disclosed herein, the insertion direction of tent poles is newly and variously formed, and a body of the connector is configured in a fan shape to decrease the arrangement area of the tent poles, so that the flexural rigidity of the connector can be enhanced and its weight can be decreased.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features and advantages disclosed herein will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a related art connector for tent poles;

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating the related art connector for tent poles;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a connector for tent poles according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a front sectional view of the connector for tent poles according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating a state that poles are connected to the connector for tent poles according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a connector for tent poles according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the connector for tent poles according to the second embodiment; and

FIGS. 8 to 12 are perspective views illustrating various modifications of the connector for tent poles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Exemplary embodiments now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments are shown. This disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth therein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of this disclosure to those skilled in the art. In the description, details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the presented embodiments.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. does not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denotes the presence of at least one of the referenced item. The use of the terms “first”, “second”, and the like does not imply any particular order, but they are included to identify individual elements. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. does not denote any order or importance, but rather the tell is first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising”, or “includes” and/or “including” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

In the drawings, like reference numerals in the drawings denote like elements. The shape, size and regions, and the like, of the drawing may be exaggerated for clarity.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment

FIGS. 3 to 5 illustrate a connector for tent poles according to a first embodiment.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5, the connector 101 for tent poles according to this embodiment includes a fan-shaped body 200 and three pole insertion holes formed in the body 200. The connector 101 for tent poles is frequently made of plastic through injection molding. If necessary, the connector 101 for tent poles may be made of metal.

Specifically, the three pole injection holes include first, second and third pole injection holes 220, 230 and 240. The first and second pole insertion holes 220 and 230 are formed so that their center lines respectively correspond to the center lines of first and second tent poles 21 and 22 in the state that they are established. The first and second pole insertion holes 220 and 230 are formed so that their center lines maintain a central angle θ of less than 180 degrees at the intersection point P at which their center lines intersect with each other. The radius direction outsides of the first and second pole insertion holes 220 and 230 from the intersection point P are opened so as to be first and second openings 221 and 231, respectively. First and second wall portions 222 and 232 are formed at the radius direction insides of the first and second pole insertion holes 220 and 230 from the intersection point P, respectively. Thus, the first and second tent poles 21 and 22 are inserted toward the center (i.e., the intersection point P) from the radius direction outsides through the openings 221 and 231 to the first and second wall portions 222 and 232, respectively.

The third pole insertion hole 240 is disposed within the range of the central angle θ made by the first and second pole insertion holes 220 and 230 respectively positioned at both left and right sides thereof. The third pole insertion hole 240 is formed in the opposite direction to the first and second pole insertion holes 220 and 230. That is, the radius direction inside of the third pole insertion hole 240 is opened so as to be a third opening 241, and a wall portion 242 is formed at the radius direction outside of the third pole insertion hole 240. Thus, a third tent pole 23 is inserted in the opposite direction to the insertion direction of the first and second tent poles 21 and 22, i.e., from the radius direction inside to the radius direction outside from the intersection point P. In this embodiment illustrated in these figures, the center line of the third pole insertion hole 240 passes the intersection point P of the center lines of the first and second pole insertion holes 220 and 230. However, the center line of the third pole insertion hole 240 may not necessarily pass the intersection point P.

As described above, the insertion direction of the first and second tent poles 21 and 22 is opposite to the insertion direction of the third tent pole 23, so that the three pole insertion holes 220, 230 and 240 can be formed in the fan-shaped body 200 having a short length L and a small arrangement area. That is, in the connector 101 for tent poles according to this embodiment, the body 200 is formed in a fan shape with a short length L, and the opening directions of the first and second pole insertion holes 220 and 230 and the third pole insertion hole 240 and the insertion directions of the first and second tent poles 21 and 22 and the third tent pole 23 are set opposite to each other, so that the three tent poles 21, 22 and 23 that intersect with one another can be connected to the fan-shaped body 200.

As such, since the connector 101 for tent poles according to this embodiment is formed in a fan shape, its length is short and its arrangement area is small, so that its flexural rigidity is high. Also, since the flexural rigidity of the connector 101 for tent poles has high flexural rigidity, additional reinforcements can be reduced, and its weight can be decreased.

Second Embodiment

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a connector for tent poles according to a second embodiment. In this embodiment, the shape of a body is different from that of the first embodiment, but other components including pole insertion holes are identical to those of the first embodiment. In this embodiment, portions identical to those in the first embodiment are designated by like reference numerals.

The connector 102 for tent poles according to this embodiment includes a base 201 that constitutes an end portion of the radius direction inside of a body; first, second and third tubular cylinders 211, 212 and 213 respectively extended along the center lines of first, second and third tent pole 21, 22 and 23 in the state that they are established; and a first transverse reinforcing rib 251 formed to transversely connect end portions of the radius direction outsides of the first, second and third tubular cylinders 211, 212 and 213 to one another. It will be apparent that first, second and third pole insertion holes 220, 230 and 240 are formed along the center lines of the first, second and third tubular cylinders 211, 212 and 213, respectively.

The connector 102 for tent poles according to this embodiment has a structure in which many vacant spaces are formed in the body of the connector 102 for tent poles, so that its weight is decreased, and its external shape looks better.

In this embodiment, the connection of the tent poles 21, 22 and 23 to the connector 102 and the configuration and function of the first, second and third pole insertion holes 220, 230 and 240 are identical to those of the first embodiment.

Other Embodiments

FIGS. 8 to 12 illustrate other embodiments of the connector for tent poles. The embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 12 are modifications of the second embodiment described above. In these embodiments, portions identical to those in the first embodiment are designated by like reference numerals.

In a connector 103 for tent poles illustrated in FIG. 8, a second transverse reinforcing rib 261 is further formed between the base 201 and the first transverse reinforcing rib 251 in the connector 102 according to the second embodiment, so that the first, second and third tubular cylinders 211, 212 and 213 can be more reinforced.

In a connector 104 for tent poles illustrated in FIG. 9, a second transverse reinforcing rib 261 is further formed between the base 201 and the first transverse reinforcing rib 251 in the connector 102 according to the second embodiment, and a first parallel reinforcing rib 262 is further formed between the first and second transverse reinforcing ribs 251 and 261.

In a connector 105 for tent poles illustrated in FIG. 10, first radius direction reinforcing rib 263 are further formed on both front and back of the first parallel reinforcing rib 262 in the connector 104 illustrated in FIG. 9, respectively, and a second parallel reinforcing rib 264 is further formed between the second transverse reinforcing rib 261 and the base 201.

In a connector 106 for tent poles illustrated in FIG. 11, the first, second and third tubular cylinders 211, 212 and 213 are more extended to the radius direction outside than the first transverse reinforcing rib 251 in the connector 104 illustrated in FIG. 9. This is similar to that the first transverse reinforcing rib 251 is not formed at end portions of the first, second and third tubular cylinders 211, 212 and 213 but formed at a central portions of the first, second and third tubular cylinders 211, 212 and 213.

In addition, a second parallel reinforcing rib 264 is further formed between the second transverse reinforcing rib 261 and the base 201.

In a connector 107 for tent poles illustrated in FIG. 12, the first, second and third tubular cylinders are modified into first, second and third tubular cylinders 211a, 212a, 213a having a circular section.

As illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 12, in the connector for tent poles disclosed herein, the shapes of the reinforcing rib and the tubular cylinder may be properly modified or combined according to the required rigidity, required weight and required external shape of the tent pole.

As described above, according to a connector for tent poles disclosed herein, the insertion direction of tent poles is newly and variously formed, and a body of the connector is configured in a fan shape, so that the flexural rigidity of the connector can be enhanced and its weight can be decreased.

Accordingly, in a case where the connector for tent poles disclosed herein is applied to a tent, the structurally strong and light tent poles and tent can be established.

While the disclosure has been described in connection with certain exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, and equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A connector for tent poles, comprising:

a body; and

first, second and third pole insertion holes formed in the body, wherein:

the first and second pole insertion holes maintain a central angle of less than 180 degrees at an intersection point at which the center lines of the first and second pole insertion holes intersect with each other, the radius direction outsides of the first and second pole insertion holes from the intersection point are opened so as to be first and second openings, respectively, and first and second wall portions are formed at the radius direction insides of the first and second pole insertion holes, respectively; and

the third pole insertion hole is disposed within the range of the central angle, the radius direction inside of the third pole insertion hole is opened so as to be a third opening, and a third wall portion is formed at the radius direction outside of the third pole insertion hole.

2. A connector for tent poles, comprising:

a body; and

first, second and third pole insertion holes formed in the body, wherein:

the first and second pole insertion holes maintain a central angle of less than 180 degrees at an intersection point at which the center lines of the first and second pole insertion holes intersect with each other, the radius direction outsides of the first and second pole insertion holes from the intersection point are opened so as to be first and second openings, respectively, and first and second wall portions are formed at the radius direction insides of the first and second pole insertion holes, respectively;

the third pole insertion hole is disposed within the range of the central angle, the radius direction inside of the third pole insertion hole is opened so as to be a third opening, and a third wall portion is formed at the radius direction outside of the third pole insertion hole; and

the body comprises a base that constitutes an end portion of the radius direction inside, and first, second and third tubular cylinders that are connected to the base and have the first, second, third pole insertion holes respectively formed therein.

3. The connector for tent poles according to claim 2, wherein a first transverse reinforcing rib is formed to transversely connect end portions of the radius direction outsides of the first, second and third tubular cylinders.

4. The connector for tent poles according to claim 2, wherein a first transverse reinforcing rib is formed to transversely connect end portions of the radius direction outsides of the first, second and third tubular cylinders, and a second transverse reinforcing rib is further formed between the base and the first transverse reinforcing rib.

5. The connector for tent poles according to claim 2, wherein a first transverse reinforcing rib is formed to transversely connect end portions of the radius direction outsides of the first, second and third tubular cylinders, and a parallel reinforcing rib is formed in spaces between the first, second and third tubular cylinders.

6. The connector or tent poles according to claim 2, wherein:

a first transverse reinforcing rib is formed to transversely connect end portions of the radius direction outsides of the first, second and third tubular cylinders;

a second transverse reinforcing rib is formed between the base and the first transverse reinforcing rib; and

a first parallel reinforcing rib is formed in a space between the first and second transverse reinforcing ribs.

7. The connector for tent poles according to claim 6, wherein first radius direction reinforcing ribs are formed at both front and back of the first parallel reinforcing rib, respectively.

8. The connector for tent poles according to claim 6, wherein a second parallel reinforcing rib is further formed between the second transverse reinforcing rib and the base.

9. The connector for tent poles according to claim 3, wherein the first, second and third tubular cylinders are more extended to the radius direction outside than the first transverse reinforcing rib.