AU2017101418A4

AU2017101418A4 - Inflatable Vehicle Roof Tent and Annexe

Info

Publication number: AU2017101418A4
Application number: AU2017101418A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jason Dodd; Jonathan Harrison; Ben HAWKINS; Malcolm Hill; Ben Liu
Original assignee: Opus RV Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Opus RV Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2017-06-29
Filing date: 2017-10-24
Publication date: 2017-11-23
Anticipated expiration: 2025-10-24
Also published as: AU2017101418B4

Abstract

A present invention provides a rooftop tent together with an annexe for a vehicle, both of which include internal air pockets to provide quick and easy erection. The rooftop tent helps minimise the footprint required and provides a sleeping compartment and/or storage area that is out of the reach of potentially thieving or dangerous animals (or people). Fig.1

Description

Inflatable Vehicle Roof Tent and Annexe

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to roof top tents for vehicles, in particular an inflatable roof top tent and annexe.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0002] Rooftop tents for vehicles are reasonably popular as they provide a shelter that is relatively safe from wildlife and ill-intentioned people and also provide a good view from within that may not be available from a ground structure. Whilst offering some advantages, rooftop tents by their very nature are difficult and time consuming to erect, often necessitating the use of a ladder and excessive reaching to manipulate various support structures such as poles and the tent itself.

[0003] Often roof top tents are accompanied by an annexe. Whilst being at ground level, a traditional annexe may still be time consuming to erect. Such annexes are also quite small, with their footprint being determined by the size of the rooftop tent.

[0004] The object of this invention is to provide rooftop tent and annexe that is quick and easy to erect whilst providing a good sized annexe to alleviate the above problem, or at least provide the public with a useful alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In a first aspect the invention comprises ...

[0006] It should be noted that any one of the aspects mentioned above may include any of the features of any of the other aspects mentioned above and may include any of the features of any of the embodiments described below as appropriate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows.

[0008] Figure 1 shows annexe and tent in use with a vehicle from a front perspective view [0009] Figure 2 shows a cutaway view of Figure 1.

[0010] Figure 3 shows the tent and annexe in isolation from a front perspective view.

[0011] Figure 4 shows the tent and annexe in isolation from a rear perspective view.

DRAWING COMPONENTS

[0012] The drawings include the following integers. 10 vehicle 20 annexe 21 inflatable ribs 22 front opening 23 rear opening 24 top opening 25 windows 26 floor 30 rooftop tent 31 inflatable ribs 35 windows 36 floor 37 platform 39 cantilevered end 40 ladder

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts. Dimensions of certain parts shown in the drawings may have been modified and/or exaggerated for the purposes of clarity or illustration.

[0014] The present invention provides a rooftop tent together with and an annexe for a vehicle, both of which include internal air pockets to provide quick and easy erection. The rooftop tent provides a sleeping compartment and/or storage area that is out of the reach of potentially thieving or dangerous animals (or people) whilst the annexe provides a large area compared to prior art annexes as the air pockets can easily support a structure extending outside the boundary of the roof top tent..

[0015] The annexe and tent is shown in use with vehicle in Figure 1. The cutaway view of Figure 2 shows the internal features of the annexe and tent whilst figure 3 and 4 show the tent and annexe in isolation from front perspective views and rear perspective views respectively.

[0016] The annexe 10 is an elongate structure similar to other annexes in having 4 walls, floor 26, windows 25, front opening 22 for entry and exit and rear opening 23 for accessing the door or windows of the vehicle 10 to which the annexe is attached. Unique to the annexe is a top opening 24 leading to a roof top tent 30. The roof top tent is again an elongate structure, attached orthogonally on top of the middle of the annexe with a cantilevered end 39 which rests on top of the vehicle 10. The rooftop tent is similar to a conventional tent in having 4 walls, roof and windows 35. The floor of the tent 36 has a void to allow access to the tent through the roof top opening 24 of the annexe using a ladder 40. The ladder 40 may be removed as desired to make access to the roof top section difficult for unwanted animals or people. The roof top tent is sized to include a mattress for sleeping and may also be used for semi-secure storage.

[0017] The annexe and roof top tent include a series of inflatable air ribs (or pockets) 21 and 31 which support the structure, taking place of conventional tent poles. This allows for quick and easy erection of the structure. The air ribs are preferably interconnected so that they may all be simultaneously inflated from a single point. The ribs allow the structure of the annexe to be relatively large in comparison to traditional structures which are constrained by the rooftop tent area.

[0018] Variants of the present invention are possible, in a first instance a roof top tent without an annexe may be provided.

[0019] The reader will now appreciate the present invention which provides a roof top tent with an annexe that are quick and easy to erect, providing a safe sleeping/storage retreat clear of the ground and a spacious annexe.

[0020] Further advantages and improvements may very well be made to the present invention without deviating from its scope. Although the invention has been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus. Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in this field.

[0021] In the present specification and claims (if any), the word "comprising" and its derivatives including "comprises" and "comprise" include each of the stated integers but does not exclude the inclusion of one or more further integers.

Claims

1. A roof top tent for a vehicle comprising air pockets acting as structural elements of the tent.

2. A roof top tent as in claim 1, wherein the air pockets are interconnected.

3. A roof top tent as in claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a ground based annexe comprising air pockets acting as structural elements of the annexe.

4. A roof top tent as in claim 3, wherein the air pockets of the tent are connected to the air pockets of the annexe.