AU618046B2 - Collapsible shelter - Google Patents

Description

;1 618046 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Patent S Act 1Y95 COMIPLETE SPECTFTCATTON (Original) FOR OFFTCF USE Application Number: PT6235 Lodged: 8/01/88 Complete Spec~ification TLodged: Accepted: Pi.i.blished: Priority: Related Art: CIas Int. crT;1sq t TO R1E COMIPTi7TRD RY AFTLTCANTTS Name of Applicant JOFN ATFx?0NDR NICHOLS, both Austalidn cilti-zeis NICThnlTS VAT~r, KTNGCS'PON ,Address of App.1, 5,cants: 18 anksiaa Te:rae, South11 Porth, the State of Western Astralia Commonwealth of Autr.~ia Actual Inventor: Jobn Alexarder Nicols Address for Service:- )110Z 19/ 12/1E J.A. Nichols 18 Banksia Terrace South Perth WA 6151 ce Pa 0030.

Weste35:n 6890.-'- Tnn Complete Specification for the inventi-i entitled: "COLLAPSIBLE SHELTER" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us:- -1- T ~11 3 p- d 2 THIS INVENTION relates to collapsible shelters or tents.

It is an object of this invention to provide a collapsible shelter or tent which is easily transported, is substantially lightweight and is easily erected whereby when in the. erected position it provides a stable structure.

In one form the invention resides in a collapsible shelter or tent comprising a plurality of elongate resiliently flexible ribs interconnected in side by side retlationship 0 a o oo at each end by a hub assembly said ribs supporting between 000 themselves sheet material, said hub assembly providing ao pivotal movement of the ribs thereon, means for causing 0Q movement of the hub assemblies towards each other and to S cause flexing of the ribs said means also causing pivotal movement of the ribs on the hub assemblies and thus 0 0 separation of the ribs on movement of the hub assemblies 0 0 towards each other to cau'-ie extension of the fab ric o1 020 supported by the ribs to define a shell like exnclosure.

o 0 o According to a preferred feature the pivotal movement of 0 the ribs is effected by a pair of elongate link members 006 pivotally interconnected at one end and pivotally 04 o connected at their other ends to the outer ribs of the set of ribs adjacent the hinges said means causing movement of the interconnection of the link members with respect to the hub assembly to cause movement of the ribs towards and away from each other.

According to a preferred feature of the invention said means comprises a chord passing over a pulley wheel supported by or adjacent each hub assembly and being connected at its ends to the interconnection of the link members said chord being capable of being shortened in "the portion between the hub assemblies.

-3- According to a :Further preferred feature of the invention said ribs are extendabl~e and are resiliently flexible at least when fully extended.

According to a further preferred feature of the inventi on said ribs are formed with at :Least one int-ermediate hinge to enable folding of the hinge in a direction opposite to V ~the direction of flexure caused by said means.

The invention will be more fully understood in the light of the following description of one specific embodiment.

The de-script ion. :s made with referenc e to the accompanying 4 t drawings of wbich:- Fi gures I l 1a and 2 b show onc- embod.1 rent i n vori ous 4, 4 staigos of collap~se prior t.-o f--ection; Figure 2 i s rear ei evat2IJ' 0f oF t1)e shelter i nth eretedCondition; F.igure 3 is a s~ e eevat'ion of t eo sl.elt er in the) 4 4 t 420 erected position1; 44 4FA(ignre 4 i s a sieelevat ionr of thDe shel ter anothet erected nosition; Figure 5 is a plan view of the hub assembly of each of the embodiments i~n the collapsed condition, and Figure 6 is a plan view of the hub in the erected position.

The embodiment. shown in the drawings are directed to a collapsibl~e shelter which may be used on the beach or in like leisure activities. The embodiment provides a collapsible shelter which when in the collapsed state is readily portable and yet which can be readily erected to provide a strong stable structure.

4 The embodiment as shown comprises four elongate ribs 11 which are mounted in side by side relationship and are interconnected at each end by a hub assembly 12 such that they lie in substantially parallel side by side relationship when the shelter is in the co3 lapsed condition. Each rib is provided with a pair of intermediate hinges 13 at spaced locations therealong.

The hinges of the ribs are located adjacent each other such that the sets of ribs are capable of being folded about a common transverse axis. Tn addition the hinge interconnection provided by the intermediato hinges 13 provides for pivotal movement between the portions of t'he oO"* ribs substantially aboiut 1.800 and facilitates folding of 0 0 shown at figure la. T.he ribs themselves are formed of a 9 resiliently flexible material whereby when the ribs are unfolded to the configuration- as shown at Ic the ribs are S* capable of being flexed in a direction opposite to the 0 0 4 0 direction of the hinged movement facilitated through the "20 hinges 1.3. The ribs support between themselves fabric o0 material.

S As shown at figures 5 and 6 the hub assembly comprises a base member 15 which pivotally supports to one side four tubular socket elements 16 which are pivotally supported on the base 15 for rotation about parallel axes. The tubular sockets 16 receive the ends of the ribs 11. To effect pivotal movement of the ribs 11 on the hub assembly and thus separation of the ribs, the outermost ribs 11 are interconnected by an articulated linkage which comprises a pair of link members 17 and 18 pivotally interconnected at one end 19 and pivotally mounted at 20 their free endstto the outermost ribs 11. The base plate of the hub assembly 12 supports a pulley wheel 21 having an axis of rotation parallel with the plane of the base 15. A chord 22 extends between the hub assemblies 12 5 and passes over each'pulley wheel 21 therein. The free ends of the chords 22 are connected to the pivotal connection 19 provided between the link members 17 and 18.

The portion of the chord 22 between the hub assemblies 12 is capable of being shortened whereby on that portion being shortened the hub assemblies are caused to be moved towards each other and a force is applied to the pivotal interconnection 19 between the link members 17 and 18 to cause movement of the pivotal interconnection towards the hub assembly and thus separation of the outermost ribs 11.

The shortening of the chord between the hub assemblies 12 and subsequent movements of the hub assemblies 12 towards each other causes the ribs 1.1 to flex while the simultaneously separation of the outermost ribs 11 causes the fabric supported thereby to be extended and stretchi~d.

J The intermediate ribs 11 are carried with the fabric. The consequence of such action results in the producti.on of a substantially part-spheriod shaped she? as shown at figures 2 and 3 which is stable in its configuration provided the chord remains in its shortened condition. If desired the spherical extent of the configuration of the shell may be reduced by fixing the intermediate ribs together as shown at figure 4 by suitable clips or the like.

To facilitate stability of the erected shelter and resistance to wind the fabric covering the ribs 1.1 may be formed with a plurality of pouches 23 adjacent at least one outermost rib which may be filled with sand to weight the base of the erected shelter. The pouches 23 may take any desired form.

The means of shortening the chord between the hub assemblies 12 may comprise the location of a hook and an eye at spaced locations along the chord whereby on engagement with the eye the hub assemblies are at the -6desired spaced relationship to effect the desired flexure and separation of the ribs 11. Tf desired any other appronriate means of shortening the chord and locking the chord in the shortened posiJtion may be provi-ded.

If desired the intermedi ate hingr~es 13 provided on the ribs 11 may provide for pivotal. movement between the portiot)s of the ribs about an arc greater than J.8011 in order that the ribs have a configuration which wfl~l contribute to the curvature of the ribs when flexed.

If esirpd the intermnediat. 10nges 13 provided 'Ti Pach o-F the ribs may be replaced by utilising a rib of t'e 1es cop 1c- Configuration or providi-xig asli ding inrterconnect i.on between the portion.- of thbe rib whereby th-e portions may be broughit into paral .e3 s ide by s;i, de rol.Rationship wlnen in t.he collajsed state.

The eynbodi~ment describ(-d( above provides a coll eps ibi e "0shelter which is lightweight, is -readily potbewhen in 4 a a its collapsed condition and yet which can be sim-'ply erected to provide en enclostvre which is stabl e.

ada 4 4 It should be appreciated that the scope of the present a::~invention need not he limited to the particular scope of a the embodiment described above, In additi'on the invention is not limited to shelters of the form described in relation to the embodiment and is equally app1 i cabi e to I tents.

Claims (4)

1. A collapsible shelter or tent comprising a plurality of elongate resiliently flexible ribs interconnected in side by side relationship at each end by a hub assembly said ribs supporting between themselves sheet material, said hub assembly providing pivotal movement of the ribs thereon, means for causing movement of the hub assemblies towards each other and to cause flexing of the ribs said means also causing pivotal movement of the ribs on the hub 4* t assemblies and thus separation of the ribs on movement of S the hub assemblies towards each other to cause extension Sof the fabric supported by the ribs to define a shell like enclosure. 6 S

2. A collapsjible shelter or tentt as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pivotal movement of the ribs .s effected by a S pair of elongate link members p:ivotally interconnected at one end and pivotally connected at their other ends to the 1 outer ribs of the set of ribs adjacent the hinges said S means causing movement of the interconnection of the link members with respect to the hub assembly to cause movement of the ribs towards and away from each other.

3. A collapsible shelter or tent as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein said means comprises a chord passing over a pulley wheel supported by or adjacent each hub assembly and being connected at its ends to the interconnection of the link members said chord being capable of being shortened in the portion between the hub assemblies.

4. A collapsible shelter or tent as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said ribs are extendable and are resiliently flexible at least when fully extended. 1 A collapsible shelter or tent as claimed -in claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein said ribs are formed with at )east one intermediate hinge -to enable folding of the hinge in a direction opposite to the d-irection of flexure caused by said means. I 6 A collapsibJe shel te~r or tent substanttially as herein DATFD th.is FOTURTFFE'\TT.I day of DFCERKBER :988. KJOHN AXA\IFRP aTTTI nd FTFK7,GT'\ TTO Wray &Assoccates Patent Ati orr~eys for Applicant~s