AU765106B2

AU765106B2 - Improvements in foldable cots

Info

Publication number: AU765106B2
Application number: AU97362/01A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Steven Sotiroski
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-12-21
Filing date: 2001-12-21
Publication date: 2003-09-11
Anticipated expiration: 2021-12-21
Also published as: AU9736201A

Description

J AUSTRALIA .t PATENTS ACT 1990 (AS AMENDED) COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR OFFICE USE Short Title: Int. CI: Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification-Lodged: Accepted: Lapsed: Published: Priority: Related Art: Name of Applicant: TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Steven Sotiroski Address of Applicant: #16 Delvis Street MORTDALE NSW 2223 Actual Inventor: Address for Service: AS ABOVE ANDERSON-TAYLOR ASSOCIATES, Registered Patent Attorneys of 10 Harrison Avenue BONNET BAY N.S.W. 2226 Complete Specification for the invention entitled: IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDABLE COTS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: This invention relates to- camping or recreational equipment. More particularly although not exclusively it discloses a novel and improved form of foldable cot.

Sleeping facilities when camping typically comprise an air/foam mattress or a foldable cot when the user wishes to recline off the ground. Such equipment has to be packed and carried seperately from the tent and thus can be a problem when space is limited and/or the gear has to be carried into the camp site. Also the erection of a tent after dark can be difficult. It normally requires the driving of pegs and the clearing and leveling of an open space for the floor area before the mattresses can be laid out inside.

It is therefore an object of this invention to ameliorate the aforementioned disadvantages and accordingly a foldable cot is disclosed which includes a base having hinged end sections movable between a collapsed configuration for storage or transport of said cot and an unfolded configuration in which said cot is deployed for use and a shelter means attached at or adjacent the periphery of said base which extends up to enclose a recumbent user to S* provide protection from the weather when said cot is in said unfolded configuration.

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Preferably the base comprises peripheral frame members with a flexible weight bearing sheet material extending therebetween.

-2- It is further preferred that said hinged sections are adapted to fold inwardly one upon the other when in said collapsed configuration.

It is further preferred that said shelter means comprise a flexible weatherproof sheet material which in the unfolded configuration of said cot is supported above the user by hinged suspension bars extending up from the sides of the base.

It is further preferred that the cot include hinged legs which are adapted to fold against the underside of said base when the cot is in the collapsed configuration

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The currently preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings in which: figure 1 is a perspective view of the unfolde a position of use, figure 2 is a perspective view of the undersi the cot of figure 1, figures 3 and 4 are perspective views of the partially collapsed, figure 5 is a perspective view of the cot in completely collapsed configuration, figure 6 is a detailed view of the preferred hinge assembly for the end sections, d cot in de of cot when the form of -3suspension bars and legs of the cot, and figure 7 is a perspective view of the cot when arranged to function as a lounge chair.

Referring first to figures 1 and 2 the cot may comprise a base indicated generally as item 1 with a middle section 2, hinged end sections 3, 4 and legs 5, 6, The legs are pivotally attached to the base at the hinged junctions 4A, 4B of the end sections and middle section. With this particular embodiment the frames for the hinged sections are formed by 25 mm dia. aluminium tube which has been hardened to T-5 standards. The support sheet 7 extending across these end sections is preferably 420 denier nylon.

Across the middle section there is an additional layer 8 below sheet 7 to form a double support under the main body weight of the user. It is to be understood however that other materials and support structures for the cot could be used within the scope of this invention. The shelter or tent portion 9 of the cot is preferably formed as one piece and is attached around the periphery of the base 1 and hangs from a pair of inverted U shaped suspension bars 11 which are also pivotally to the sides of the base at the hinged junctions 4A and 4B. Any suitable means for releasibly attaching the tent to the suspension bars may be used which in this case comprises Velcro straps 12. The tent also includes zippered entryways 13 on each side and end flaps 14 (only one of each being shown in the drawings). There may also be smaller flaps 15 on each side which may be lifted for ventilation. As the construction of these last mentioned items is similar to that used on existing tents they will not be described in detail.

Preferably however they are fitted with internal fly netting (not shown) to keep out insects. There are also straps 15,16 extending from triangular webs 17,18 at the outer end of the sections 3, 4 which releasibly attach to the legs 5, 6. These hold the legs against folding inwardly under the user's weight, retain the end sections down in the horizontal postion and also tension the tent portion 9.

In the deployed configuration shown the cot thus provides secure and weatherproof sleeping accomodation.

In order to collapse the cot the straps 15,16 are first disconnected from the legs and the end sections 3, 4 with the suspension bars 10, 11 and tent 9 are folded inwardly one upon the other to lie closely adjacent and flat against the middle section of the base as shown in figures 3 and 4.

The legs 5, 6 are then folded inwardly underneath the middle section to form a substantially flat and compact unit for transport and storage as shown in figure A detailed view of one of the hinge assemblies 4A used to mount the end section 4 is shown in figure 6. It may comprise a yoke member 19 with spaced apart walls 19A and ^19B which define a recess 19C to enclose and support the ends of frame members 2, 4, 5 and 10 against lateral deflection under the weight of a user. There are hinge pins 21 and 22 for the end section 4, suspension bar middle section 2 and leg 5 respectfully which pass through this yoke. Preferably with this embodiment the end section 4 uses the same hinge pin 20 as the suspension bar 10. The hinge is also formed with notches 23, 24 to hold the end section 4 at various angled positions as chosen by the user. The hinge pin 20 sits in a slot 25 whereby a lug 26 on the end section 4 it is slidable into or out of the notches. The other pair of hinge assemblies 4B used to mount the opposite end section 3 suspension bar 11 and leg 6 are similar in construction except for the omission of the notches.

As a further preferred feature of the invention the cot may also be configured to function as a lounge chair as shown in figure 6. To do this the velcro straps 12 are first detached to release the tent 9 from the two suspension bars 10, 11 which are then pivoted down to rest on the ground.

The straps 15, 16 are also released and end section 4 is raised until it locks on its hinges 4A into an elevated position to serve as a back rest. The other end section 3 is located in a horizontal position. The straps 15,16 are then reattached to the legs to prevent them folding inward under load and the loose tent material is smoothed over the base to form the seat and back of the chair.

.It will thus be appreciated that this invention at least in the form of the embodiments disclosed provides a novel and improved form of sleeping cot. Clearly however the device described is only the currently preferred form of the invention and a wide variety of modifications may be made which would be apparent to a person skilled in the art. For example the shape and configuration of the tent and suspension bars may be changed according to design preference. Also, while aluminium tubing is currently preferred for the frame and nylon sheeting for the tent and cot base the invention extends to the use of other suitable materials.

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Claims

1. A foldable cot having a base which includes legs, a middle section and end sections, said legs and end sections being pivotally attached to the middle section ,By shared hinge assemblies and being movable between a collapsed configuration at which said end sections and legs are folded inwardly adjacent said middle section and an unfolded configuration of use of said cot at which the end sections extend out horizontally from the middle section, the legs extend downwardly to provide an elevated support, a tent extends up from at or adjacent the periphery of said base to enclose a recumbent user, strap means extend from triangular webs at the extremities of said end sections to releasably attach to the legs to lock said legs and end sections in position and said hinge assemblies define recesses which support said legs and' end sections against lateral deflection under the weight of said user.

2. The foldable cot as claimed in claim 1 wherein said end sections fold inwardly one upon the other to lie closely adjacent and substantially parallel to said middle section when said cot is in the collapsed configuration.

3. The foldable cot as claimed in claim 2 wherein said legs fold up against and substantially parallel to the middle section when the cot is in the collapsed configuration.

4. The foldable cot as claimed in claim 3 wherein the end sections and middle section are formed from peripheral tubular frame members with support sheeting extending therebetween.

The foldable cot as claimed in claim 4 wherein when said cot is in the unfolded configuration the tent is supported above the base by suspension bars which are pivotally attached to the periphery of said base.

6. The foldable cot as claimed in claim 5 wherein there are two suspension bars which are of an inverted U shape.

7. The foldable cot as claimed in claim 6 wherein the suspension bars and legs are pivotally attached to the base at said hinge assemblies.

8. The foldable cot as claimed in claim 7 wherein at least some of said hinge assemblies are adapted to hold one of said end sections at an elevated position selected by the user.

9. The foldable cot as claimed in claim 6 wherein by detaching the tent from the suspension bars, raising said one of the end sections to said elevated position and allowing said suspension bars to pivot down to the ground the cot functions as a lounge chair. A foldable cot substantially as described herein with -9- reference to the attached drawings. Dated this 19th day of June, 2003 Steven Sotiroski By His Patent Attorney MICHAEL ANDERSON-TAYLOR