TEMPORARY AND PORTABLE SHELTERS FOR MOURNING, CELEBRATION, AND SPIRITUAL USE
An expandable shelter includes a canopy adjustable in length along a longitudinal axis. Legs support the canopy in an A-frame configuration defining an apex angle along an upper ridgeline. A shaded or sheltered area that is variable in length and width is defined. A mobile shelter includes multiple protective structures, each supported by a respective generally vertical supporting column having a lower handle configured to be gripped and supported by a respective bearer. Each handle may be toroidal in shape for use at any angle. Non-level terrain may be traversed by coordinated movements of bearers with regard to each respective handle such that the protective structures are maintained in a desired configuration.
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This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/814,866, filed Apr. 23, 2013 and titled TEMPORARY AND PORTABLE SHELTERS FOR MOURNING, CELEBRATION, AND SPIRITUAL USE, the content of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present disclosure relates generally to shelters and other protective structures. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to expandable, temporary, and/or mobile protective shelters and structures and methods of sheltering processions.
BACKGROUNDProcessions and gatherings of mourning, celebration, and other spiritual and social purposes occur sometimes in outdoor environments, where participants may be subjected to rain, wind, and sun. In both mourning and celebrating situations, the participants may prefer some protection against the elements. Participants in any such gathering may be wearing valued clothing unintended for or vulnerable to precipitation and other outdoor conditions.
Processions may travel over stairs and non-level terrain. Despite weather and terrain conditions, dignity and decorum are often of utmost importance to participants. Participants may walk in formation or procession from indoors to outdoors, or among multiple locations and gather in school yards, church yards, community centers, cemeteries and other locations of spiritual significance.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need to provide shelters that are convenient to use.
SUMMARYThis Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description of Illustrative Embodiments. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
An expandable shelter includes a canopy having pleats, the canopy being adjustable in length along a longitudinal axis between an expanded and a collapsed configuration. Legs support the canopy in an A-frame configuration defining an apex angle along an upper ridgeline, the apex angle being adjustable between an open and closed configuration by angular adjustment of the legs such that a width transverse to the length is adjustable. A shaded or sheltered area that is variable in length and width is defined.
A mobile shelter for carriage by multiple bearers includes multiple protective structures, each supported by a respective generally vertical supporting column having a lower handle configured to be gripped and supported by a respective bearer. Interconnecting structures maintain relative spacings between the multiple protective structures. In at least one example, each handle is toroidal in shape, providing a round comforting gripping surface for use at any angle.
A method of sheltering a procession of people includes supporting by multiple human bearers multiple respective protective structures, each protective structure supported by a respective generally vertical supporting column having a lower handle gripped and supported by a respective human bearer while interconnecting structures maintain relative spacings between the multiple protective structures. In at least one example, the method includes traversing non-level terrain by coordinated movements of the bearers with regard to each respective handle such that the protective structures are maintained in a desired configuration.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purposes of illustration, there are shown in the drawings exemplary embodiments; however, the presently disclosed invention is not limited to the specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed.
While the disclosure of the technology herein is presented with sufficient details to enable one skilled in this art to practice the invention, it is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosed technology. The inventor contemplates that future technologies may facilitate additional embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter as claimed herein. Moreover, although the term “step” may be used herein to connote different aspects of methods employed, the term should not be interpreted as implying any particular order among or between various steps herein disclosed unless and except when the order of individual steps is explicitly described.
Referring again to
The canopy 102 may be a weatherproof covering made of waterproof and/or water repellant material. For example, the canopy 102 may be made of nylon fabric or other textiles that shed rain water and other precipitation. In other examples, canopies can be made of sheer fabrics and heavy fabrics. The canopy 102 may be opaque, translucent, or transparent. For example, substantially opaque black coverings may be used for winter or funeral ceremonies and lacey white coverings may be used for a spring or wedding ceremonies.
Each protective structure 510 includes a respective covering 516. In at least one example, the coverings 516 are weatherproof coverings made of waterproof and/or water repellant material. For example, the coverings 516 may be made of nylon fabric or other textiles that shed rain water and other precipitation. In other examples, the coverings are made of sheer fabrics and heavy fabrics. The coverings may be opaque, translucent, or transparent. For example, essentially opaque black coverings may be preferred for use in a winter or funeral procession and lacey white coverings may be preferred in a spring or wedding procession. The decorum of the coverings may be varied to match the robes of the bearers 502.
Internal structures may be included as part of each protective structure 510 to maintain the coverings 516 in open or stretched configurations extending at least somewhat outward from their respective supporting columns 512. Interconnecting structures such as horizontal spacer beams 518 extend between the protective structures 510 to maintain the spacing between the protective structures 510 and to maintain the overall physical configuration of the mobile shelter 500. In one example of the mobile shelter 500, a respective horizontal beam 518 is rigid and is fixed at its two ends to a neighboring pair of vertical supporting columns 512, such that a rectangular footprint is maintained of the mobile shelter 500 with protective structures 510 at four corners thereof as illustrated in
The coverings 516 may be separate from each other as illustrated in
In
While the embodiments have been described in connection with the preferred embodiments of the various figures, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments may be used or modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiment for performing the same function without deviating therefrom. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments should not be limited to any single embodiment, but rather should be construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the appended claims.
Claims
1. An expandable shelter comprising:
- a canopy having pleats, the canopy being adjustable in length along a longitudinal axis between an expanded and a collapsed configuration; and
- legs supporting the canopy in an A-frame configuration defining an apex angle along an upper ridgeline, the apex angle being adjustable between an open and closed configuration by angular adjustment of the legs such that a width transverse to the length is adjustable.
2. The expandable shelter of claim 1, wherein the canopy is made of one of waterproof and water repellant material.
3. The expandable shelter of claim 1, further comprising a grappling elements for securing one of the canopy and legs to another structure.
4. The expandable shelter of claim 1, wherein the legs comprise a plurality of leg segments connected to each other for providing variable height to the canopy.
5. The expandable shelter of claim 1, wherein the leg comprises an end cap.
6. The expandable shelter of claim 5, wherein the end cap is configured to be removable.
7. A mobile shelter for carriage by multiple bearers, the mobile shelter comprising:
- multiple protective structures, each supported by a respective generally vertical supporting column having a lower handle configured to be gripped and supported by a respective bearer; and
- interconnecting structures maintaining relative spacings between the multiple protective structures.
8. A mobile shelter according to claim 7, wherein each handle is toroidal in shape, providing a round comforting gripping surface for use at any angle.
9. A method of sheltering a procession of people, the method comprising:
- supporting by multiple human bearers multiple respective protective structures, each protective structure supported by a respective generally vertical supporting column having a lower handle gripped and supported by a respective human bearer while interconnecting structures maintain relative spacings between the multiple protective structures.
10. A method according to claim 9, wherein each handle is toroidal in shape, providing a round comforting gripping surface for use at any angle.
11. A method according to claim 9, further comprising:
- traversing non-level terrain by coordinated movements of the bearers with regard to each respective handle such that the protective structures are maintained in a desired configuration.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 22, 2014
Publication Date: Oct 23, 2014
Applicant: (Goldsboro, NC)
Inventor: Bertha SMITH (Goldsboro, NC)
Application Number: 14/258,100