AU716658B2 - Improvements relating to tent structures - Google Patents

Description

/RgulonU 28/W2( Regulation 3.2(2)

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT r Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO TENT STRUCTURES The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO TENT STRUCTURES This invention relates to improvements in tents, and in particular provides an improved tent fly and tent fly arrangement for use with tents.

The object of a tent is to provide effective shelter in a variety of climatic conditions. It should provide shelter from rain but also allow for ventilation of the tent occupants. In order to provide better ventilation it is generally desirable to allow the tent walls to "breathe". Typically the walls of the tent are made from a lightweight, breathable material such as nylon. A water proof outer cover, or fly, may then be added to the structure to provide a water proof barrier. The 1 0 provision of a fly also prevents condensate forming on the inner surface of the inner tent wall in moist and/or cold conditions. A further advantage provided by the fly is that it provides additional insulation by means of the air space between the walls of the tent and that of the fly.

In tent arrangements of the known type, when the fly is in use the position 1 5 of the walls of the fly are fixed in relation to the walls of the tent. As a consequence outside air has only limited access to windows in those walls of the tent which are enclosed by the fly, which thus restricts ventilation of the interior of the tent. Moreover the close proximity of the fly walls to the walls of the tent further inhibits ventilation of the interior of the tent.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tent fly and tent fly arrangement which allows superior ventilation to existing tent fly arrangements, whilst still affording full protection from the weather for the occupants of the tent.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a tent structure incorporating a tent fly arrangement which enables improved ventilation of the tent, whilst still affording full protection for the occupants from the weather.

To this end one aspect of the present invention provides an outer cover or fly for use with a tent; said outer cover or fly including at least one area of material arranged in said outer cover or fly; a fastening means being provided such that said at least one area of material may be drawn together thereby altering the surface area of the outer cover or fly and allowing said outer cover or fly when in use to adopt a range of positions in relation to the tent.

2 The present invention further provides a tent including an outer cover or fly; said outer cover or fly including at least one area of material arranged in said outer cover or fly; a fastening means being provided such that said at least one area of material may be drawn together thereby altering the surface area of the outer cover or fly and allowing said outer cover or fly when in use to adopt a range of positions in relation to the tent.

The incorporation of an area in a wall of the fly which may be drawn together permits the effective area of the fly wall to be varied when in use. This permits the fly to adopt a range of positions in relation to the walls of the tent from an open, venting position to a closed, enveloping position.

The outer cover or fly may comprise a number of wall sections. In one *preferred form of the invention the outer cover or fly includes one or more sections of material; fastening means being provided adjacent each said section of material so that said section of material may be drawn together so as to alter the surface area of the outer cover or fly and thereby allow said outer cover or fly when in use to adopt a range of positions in relation to the tent.

In a preferred form of the invention the outer cover or fly includes one or more sections of material; fastening means being provided adjacent each said section of material so that said section of material may be drawn together so as to alter the surface area of the outer cover or fly and thereby allow the outer cover or fly when in use to adopt a range of positions in relation to the tent; said one or more sections of material being located in the outer cover or fly so as to provide an opening adjacent a window or opening in a wall of the tent.

In a particularly preferred form of the invention the outer cover or fly includes two sections of material located in the outer cover or fly so as to provide an opening adjacent a window or opening in a wall of the tent wherein said sections of material can be releasably joined by fastening means to close the opening.

In a further preferred form of the invention the outer cover or fly includes one or more gussets of material; fastening means being provided adjacent each said gusset so that said gusset may be drawn together so as to alter the surface area of the outer cover or fly and thereby allow said outer cover or fly when in 3 use to adopt a range of positions in relation to the tent.

Gussets of material may be positioned at a number of locations in wall sections of the fly to provide a number of areas in the fly which can be drawn together so that when in use the fly can adopt a range of positions in relation to the walls of the tent.

Preferably the gussets are arranged in the wall sections of the fly such that one edge of the gusset forms an outer edge of the wall section of the fly.

In one preferred form of the invention the outer cover or fly includes one or more gussets of material; fastening means being provided adjacent each said gusset so that said gusset may be drawn together so as to alter the surface area of the outer cover or fly and thereby allow said outer cover or fly when in use to adopt a range of positions in relation to the tent; said one or more gussets of material being located in the outer cover or fly so as to provide an opening adjacent a window or opening in a wall of the tent.

1 5 The fastening means may take a number of forms. For example it may consist of a number of ties positioned along the length of seams adjacent to a wall section of material or gusset. Alternatively it may take the form of a zipper arrangement along the length of the seams adjacent the wall section of material or gusset. A further alternative is to use a form of "velcro" fastener instead of a oo 20 zipper. Instead of fastenings along a seam, a draw string can be provided in the edge of the fly to draw the edges of the wall section or gusset together at the S. edge seam of the fly. In order that the fly may adopt a range of positions between its closed and venting positions it is preferable that the fastening means be adjustable between its fully fastened position and its fully released position.

The present invention also provides a tent fly arrangement for use with a tent; said tent fly arrangement including an outer cover or fly and at least one supporting member; said supporting member adapted to move relative to the frame of the tent so as to enable the outer cover or fly to be tensioned over a range of positions. The supporting member or members enables the fly to be tensioned over the range of operating positions which the fly can adopt.

The support member is capable of adopting a number of positions relative to the frame and walls of the tent thereby enabling the fly to adopt a range of tensioned positions. In one preferred form the fly support member extends over and across the tent. It is also generally preferable that the support member be flexible so as to allow it to bend to adopt a range of positions.

Suitable materials are fibreglass or spring steel. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the support member is a flexible fibreglass or steel rod. However a support member incorporating a number of adjustable and lockable pivot points along its length would achieve the same purpose. A preferred feature of the invention is that the support member can be secured to the ground or the base of the tent prior to closing the gussets by means of the fastening arrangement.

This feature allows gussets provided in the fly to be closed more easily and also provides the fly structure with improved rigidity when in the closed position.

The various aspects of the present invention will be better understood 1 5 with reference to the following drawings in which: Fig 1 shows a perspective view of a "dome" style tent incorporating a preferred embodiment of the fly arrangement according to the present invention, with the fly arrangement including supporting members which extend over and across the tent and with gussets positioned centrally in each wall of the fly along the ridge defined by each support member; the fly walls being shown in open, or "venting", positions; Fig 2 shows a perspective view of a "dome" style tent incorporating a second preferred embodiment of the fly arrangement according to the present invention, with the fly arrangement including supporting members which extend over and across the tent and with gussets positioned in each fly wall on each side of the ridge defined by the corresponding support member; the walls being shown in open, or "venting", positions; Fig 3 depicts a perspective view of a "dome" style tent incorporating a further alternative embodiment of the fly arrangement according to the present invention, with the fly arrangement further including supporting members which take the form of poles extending upward from the ground which engage with the fly; the gussets in the fly positioned centrally in each wall of the fly and each support member engaging the corresponding fly wall at a position in the gusseted area of the fly wall; the fly walls being shown in "venting" positions; Fig 4 depicts a perspective view of a "dome" style tent incorporating a further alternative embodiment of the fly arrangement according to the present invention, with the fly arrangement further including supporting members which take the form of poles extending upward from the ground which engage with the fly; the gussets in the fly positioned in the walls of the fly to each side of the position where the support member engages the fly wall; the fly walls being shown in "venting" positions; Fig 5 is a side view of the tent arrangement shown in Fig 1; Fig 6 is a side view of the tent arrangement shown in Fig 2; Fig 7 is a similar view to that of Fig 4 but shows the fly in its "closed" or "enveloping" position; Fig 8 is a side view of an "A-frame" style tent incorporating the fly arrangement according to the present invention, with the fly incorporating gussets in its walls and being shown in a "venting" position; Fig 9 shows a view of a gusset and fastening arrangement in a wall of the fly wherein the fastening arrangement is in the form of a zipper; Fig 10 illustrates a perspective view of a further alternative embodiment of the present invention with the side walls of the fly closed; Fig 11 depicts the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig 10 with a side wall of the fly shown in an open, venting position.

Fig 1 depicts a preferred embodiment of the invention in relation to a "dome style" tent 1 incorporating an outer cover or fly 2 comprising a number of wall sections. The fly includes gussets 3 positioned in the area of a ridge in the fly defined by the fly support member 6. Fastening means 4 are provided along the length of the seams 5 adjacent the gussets 3 so that the seams 5 may be drawn together, thereby closing off the gussets. The fly is supported and tensioned by the support member 6 which can move relative to the frame and walls of the tent. In the preferred embodiment shown the fly arrangement incorporates two support members in the form of flexible members which are orthogonal to each other and which extend over and across the tent. The flexible support members 6 are made from suitable materials such as fibreglass or spring steel.

The arrangement depicted in Fig 2 varies from that shown in Fig 1 in that the gussets 3 are included in the main wall sections of the fly.

Referring to Figs 1, 2, 5 and 6, fly walls 7 and 8 are shown in fully extended positions. With the fly wall in its fully extended venting position the fastening means 4 is fully released and the gusset 3 is fully extended to become an effective part of the wall of the fly. The support member 6 is in its venting position and acts to tension the wall of the fly. The fly walls 9 and 10 are shown in partially extended positions with the fastening means partially released to open a section of each respective gusset.

o* In Figs 3 and 4 an alternative embodiment of the fly arrangement is depicted wherein the fly support members further include poles 11 which extend upwardly from the ground and engage with the fly. Guy lines are used to keep 1 5 the pole in its desired position and provide a tensioning force to the fly. In a preferred embodiment the poles 11 are adjustable in length, such as by being telescopic or by adding or removing lengths of pole.

In the closed position shown in Fig 7 the fly walls are drawn down over the walls of the tent in order to provide full protection from rain and/or wind. The fastening means 4 are fully fastened and the gussets 3 are closed off. The support member 6 is drawn down to a position adjacent the base of the tent. A preferred feature of this embodiment of this invention is that the support member can be secured to the ground or the base of the tent prior to closing the gussets by means of the fastening arrangement. This feature allows the gussets to be closed more easily and provides the fly structure with improved rigidity.

As shown in Fig 8 the fly arrangement can be incorporated not only into dome style tents but also into A-frame style tents, thereby permitting a window to be incorporated in the side wall of the tent for enhanced ventilation.

Referring to Figs 10 and 11, a further alternative embodiment of the present invention is depicted. In Fig 10 the side wall 12 of the fly 2 is closed. The side wall includes areas of material 13, 14 which are joined together by a releasable fastening means 15 in order to close the side wall 12. The fly 2 is supported and tensioned by a flexible support member 6, located beneath the fly. The flexible support member 6 extends across the tent and is mounted and adapted to move relative to the frame of the tent so as to enable the fly 2 to be tensioned over a range of positions. In the open or venting position shown in Fig 11 the fastening means 15 is released and each area of material 13, 14 may be drawn back to provide ventilation to a window 16 in the side wall of the tent. The support member 6 extends over the window 16 so that the fly still provides a degree of protection from the ingress of rain through the window 16.

Thus it can be seen that the present invention provides significant advantages over existing tent fly arrangements, enabling improved ventilation for tents and permitting windows to be incorporated in the walls of the tent covered by the fly whilst still affording protection for the occupants in harsh weather conditions.

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Claims (6)

1. An outer cover or fly for use with a tent; said outer cover or fly including at least one area of material arranged in said outer cover or fly; fastening means being provided adjacent said at least one area of material and arranged so that said at least one area of material may be at least partially closed off thereby altering the surface area of the outer cover or fly and allowing said outer cover or fly when in use to adopt a range of positions in relation to the tent.

2. The outer cover or fly as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said outer cover or fly includes one or more sections of material; fastening means being provided So.o adjacent each said section of material so that seams of said section of material too 4: may be drawn together so as to alter the surface area of the outer cover or fly and thereby allow said outer cover or fly when in use to adopt a range of positions in relation to the tent. to.

3. The outer cover or fly as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 2 including one or more support members which enable the outer cover or fly to be tensioned over a range of operating positions the fly can adopt. 'to. S

4. The outer cover or fly as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the support member takes the form of a member which can move relative to the frame and walls of the tent.

The outer cover or fly as claimed in Claim 4 wherein support member is capable of adopting a number of positions relative to the frame and walls of the tent thereby enabling the fly to adopt a range of tensioned positions.

6. The outer cover or fly as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the support member is flexible so as to allow it to bend to adopt a range of positions relative to the frame and walls of the tent thereby enabling the fly to adopt a range of tensioned positions. DATED THIS 29TH DAY OF APRIL, 1996 MAX DAY WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS 290 BURWOOD ROAD HAWTHORN VIC. 3122 AUSTRALIA RJD:jc DOC 49 AUOOPN3990.WPC *O **0 0 *o