EP1697604B1 - Self-deployable tent comprising an internal chamber - Google Patents

Abstract

The self-deployable tent comprises: a hoop structure comprising a base loop (2) and at least one top loop (3); and a roof sheet (5) secured to the base loop (2) and to the top loop (3). The tent further includes an inside chamber (6) disposed beneath the roof sheet (5), and having a top portion (6a) that is secured to the top loop (3) by flexible spacer means (8), and a bottom portion that is secured to the base loop (2). In the deployed position, the tension in the roof sheet (5) and the inside chamber (6) is such that they are held apart from each other by the spacer means (8).

Description

The present invention relates to a self-expanding tent, that is to say a tent having a flexible arch structure, integral with the roof fabric, said tent being folded into a minimum configuration of circular and flat storage, by simple deformation of the structure in arches and can be deployed in volume in the usual configuration of a tent by simply releasing the deformation stresses of the arch structure. It relates more particularly to a self-expanding tent which is equipped with an inner chamber.

We know, for example by the document US.3.990.463 a tent with an arch structure, the arch of which is in the form of a continuous loop of a flexible and deformable material which can be folded into a smaller-sized loop, which has a spring effect . This arch structure is secured to at least one roof fabric, possibly a floor mat. On the figure 1 of the document US.3.990.463 , it is clear that the flexible arch structure forms an upper loop that defines the setting volume of the tent. For this volume development to be complete, however, it is important to secure the roof canvas to the ground by pulling at the four corners of the roof. As such, the tent of the document US.3.990.463 is not fully self-deployable since its volume adjustment requires manual intervention by the operator. The figures 5 to 10 of this document show the procedure for folding the tent, until reaching the folded configuration spring effect of the arch structure.

A fully self-deployable tent, which does not require manual intervention to obtain the final volume, is known for example from the document US.5.163.461 which has the features of the preamble of claim 1. According to this document, the arch structure comprises not only an upper loop but also a base loop itself secured to the roof fabric, said base loop defining the periphery of the roof canvas. In this document, the structure of arches is continuous, consisting of a succession of flexible rods connected to each other and some portions, in the expanded state, form the upper loop and other portions, in the expanded state, form the base loop. Moreover in this same document is provided that in addition to the base loop can be formed several upper loops, the loops being symmetrical to each other with respect to a transverse median plane of the base loop.

In the document EP.857.245 , the flexible rods connected to each other to form the base loop and the upper loop are connected through a dual connector located in the region of the transverse median plane. In this document, however, there is provided a structure of complementary arches conventional configuration, domed, intended to extend over the upper loop and fixed along the opposite edges of the base loop to form a frame external to the tent.

It is also known, in the field of tents, that to limit the inconvenience of condensation is available, below the roofing itself, an inner chamber under conditions allowing to arrange between the roof fabric and the room an interior space capable of creating an intermediate layer of air. In a conventional tent whose structure is formed of vertical stakes, the spacing between the roof fabric, possibly called double roof, and the inner chamber is obtained through spacers placed on the top of the stakes after installation of the chamber interior or tent.

When the building of the tent is obtained by a structure formed of nested tubes or by a structure in arches, the roof fabric is disposed over said structure and, in this case, the inner chamber can be fixed, generally by means of to hooks, under the tubular structure or in arches.

It can of course be the same when the arch structure is not conventional but that of a self-expanding tent as described above. Thus the establishment of the inner chamber requires the user to additional manipulations that cause the loss of the self-deployable tent its first advantage is that it does not require any manipulation for its assembly, other than its fixing on the ground.

The object of the present invention is to overcome this disadvantage by providing a self-expanding tent with an interior chamber that does not require such manipulations.

This object is perfectly achieved by the self-expanding tent which comprises, in known manner, a flexible arch structure comprising a base loop and at least one upper loop as well as a roof fabric which is secured to the base and upper loops. .

Characteristically, according to the present invention, this self-expanding tent also comprises an inner chamber, arranged under the roof fabric, said chamber having an upper part which is secured to the upper loop by flexible spacing means and a bottom portion which is integral with the base loop. In the deployed position, the tension of the roof fabric and the inner chamber is such that they are held at a distance from one another by the spacer means.

Thus, it is firstly the respective dimensioning of the roof fabric and the inner chamber, secondly the respective dimensioning of the base loop and the upper loop or loops and thirdly the presence of the means of flexible spacing that can be obtained in the deployed position the inner chamber has a substantially tensioned configuration delimiting under the roof fabric a layer of air, and this by the simple effect of the deployment of the tent, without further manipulation of the user.

In an alternative embodiment, the roof fabric comprises, at the bottom, two openings, in particular, opposite, which form air inlets / outlets in the air layer between the roof fabric and the upper part of the interior chamber. . This layer of air then becomes a ventilation space since the air can circulate freely. Preferably each of these two opposing openings is formed in the inner region of an upper loop, close to the base loop. Of course these opposite openings, formed in the roof fabric, may optionally be provided with a grid or textile net-shaped, provided that at the level of said opening there is sufficient permeability to air to create the effect of sought ventilation.

In a first embodiment, the bottom portion of the inner chamber constitutes the floor mat of the tent.

In a second embodiment, there is provided a floor mat which is either integral with the base loop or integral with the roof fabric is integral with the chamber and which is independent of the bottom portion of the inner chamber. Thus, in this case, there are two superimposed layers forming the bottom of the tent one, the floor mat, in direct contact with the ground and the other, the bottom portion of the inner chamber, in contact with the user. This particular arrangement allows a greater diversity of choice of materials to constitute each of said two layers, depending on the desired technical properties. The layer in contact with the ground must have insulation and impermeability properties; the layer in contact with the user must be more comfortable. The dissociation of these properties in two superimposed layers also makes it possible to use more conventional and therefore less expensive materials and also overall to obtain a better thermal insulation with respect to the ground.

In an alternative embodiment, the self-expanding tent of the invention comprises sleeves, which are attached to the outer face of the roof fabric or which are integrated in said roof fabric, for the passage of the upper loop of the roof. arch structure. In this case the flexible spacing means are themselves secured to the inner face of the roof fabric at or near said sleeves. Thus, the tensioning of the inner chamber is achieved, by means of the flexible spacing means, in the areas of the roof fabric which are themselves tensioned by the upper loop.

The flexible spacing means can be of very different types. It can be textile strips stitched directly on the roof and the inner chamber, or even direct sewing connection between the canvas of roof and the inner room. It may be removable fasteners which are connected to fasteners themselves permanently fixed on the inner face of the roof fabric and on the outer face of the inner chamber. This last arrangement facilitates the making of the tent because the inner chamber is not permanently connected, in particular by sewing, to the roof fabric.

In an alternative embodiment, the self-expanding tent according to the present invention also comprises means for adjusting the width of the tent, extending between two opposite zones of both the base loop and the upper loop. below the bottom part of the inner chamber. For example, these adjustment means may consist of a single textile strip whose ends are wrapped around the base loop and the lower part of the upper loop and hooked by appropriate means, for example a system hook-and-loop closure. It is thus possible to define the width of the tent and thus to modulate the volume thereof.

• La figure 1 est une représentation schématique en perspective de la structure en arceaux de la tente, en position déployée ;
• La figure 2 est une vue schématique de côté de la tente auto-déployable ;
• La figure 3 est une vue schématique en coupe longitudinale de la tente de la figure 2 ;
• La figure 4 est une vue plongeante et partielle de la tente de la figure 2 au niveau d'une ouverture latérale ;
• La figure 5 est une représentation schématique d'un moyen souple d'écartement détachable.

The present invention will be better understood on reading the description which will be given of an exemplary embodiment of a self-expanding tent provided with an inner chamber surrounded by a ventilation space, illustrated by the appended drawing in which :

• The figure 1 is a schematic representation in perspective of the arch structure of the tent, in the deployed position;
• The figure 2 is a schematic side view of the self-expanding tent;
• The figure 3 is a schematic view in longitudinal section of the tent of the figure 2 ;
• The figure 4 is a bird's eye view and partial of the tent of the figure 2 at a side opening;
• The figure 5 is a schematic representation of a flexible detachable spacing means.

The self-expanding tent, in the example that will be described below, comprises an arch structure consisting of a plurality of flexible rods, resilient return, in particular formed of rods of composite material or metal or plastic, said rods being connected to each other to form a base loop 2 and an upper loop 3. It may be a continuous set of rods connected to each other forming both the base loop and the top loop , as is the case in the document US.5.163.461 . It can also be two sets of rods connected to each other, forming two independent loops, namely the base loop 2 and the upper loop 3.

The base loop 2 defines the floor surface of the tent, bordering the outer periphery thereof. This base loop 2, in the deployed position, has a planar configuration, of circular or oblong shape. On the figure 1 the two axes of symmetry of the base loop are shown, respectively the longitudinal axis XX 'and the transverse axis YY'.

The upper loop 3 defines the height and the interior volume of the tent. When the tent is in the deployed position, the lower portions 3a of the upper loop 3 are in the immediate vicinity of the base loop 2 at the transverse axis YY ', while the upper portions 3b of the upper loop are at the plumb with the longitudinal axis XX 'of the base loop 2.

The arch structure of the self-expanding tent of the present invention may optionally include other upper loops for forming the tent volume, for example as the loops disclosed in the documents. US.5.163.461 , US.5.385.165 or US.5.396.917 .

The arch structure is used to support on the one hand a roof fabric 5 and on the other hand an inner chamber 6. In a non-limiting embodiment, the arch structure is housed in sheaths 7 which are folded textile strips on themselves and sewn on the outer face of the roof sheet 5.

These sleeves 7 may be continuous or discontinuous, or may be in the form of loops of small dimensions.

Instead of sheaths projecting outwardly from the roof fabric, they may be sheaths integrated into the structure of the roof fabric, in the form of pockets consisting of a localized zone of the double-walled roof fabric.

The inner chamber 6 is disposed under the roof fabric 5. It has an upper part 6a which is secured to the upper loop 3 by flexible spacing means 8 and a bottom portion 6b which is integral with the base loop 2, possibly but not necessarily by flexible means of spacing.

The sizing of the base loop 2 and the upper loop 3, the dimensioning of the roof fabric 5 and the inner chamber 6 and the dimensioning of the flexible spacing means are determined so that when the arch structure from its folded position to its deployed position, the tent is found in the configuration of figures 2 and 3 , the roof fabric 5 being tensioned and the inner chamber 6 being suspended under the roof fabric 5, also under a certain tension, with a layer of air in the space 9 left available between the inner face of the fabric roof 5 and the outer face of the inner chamber 6. In addition the bottom portion 6b of the inner chamber 6 is substantially at ground level 4.

An example of flexible spacing means is illustrated in FIG. figure 5 . This is in this case removable means for assembling and disassembling the roof fabric 5 and the inner chamber 6. In the example shown in FIG. figure 5 , the flexible spacing means consist of a system comprising a hook 10 which is fixed on the inner chamber 6 by means of a textile lug 11, said hook 10 being able to hook onto a closed annular piece 12 which is fixed on the roof fabric 5 by means of a textile lug 13. Thus it suffices to penetrate the free end 10a of the hook 10 into the annular piece 12 to obtain the desired assembly and the maintenance between the fabric of roof 5 and the room 6 at a certain distance because the tensioning and the weight of the inner chamber 6 tend to hold the textile lugs 11, 13 in extension. In the example illustrated in FIG. figure 5 , the hook 10 comprises a flexible locking lug 10b disposed near the free end 10a of the hook 10 so as to allow the introduction into the loop of the hook 10 of the annular piece 12 and to prevent the exit without manipulation said lug 10b.

The establishment of the flexible spacing means is preferably carried out, as illustrated in FIG. figure 5 , in the area where the application of the arch structure on the roof fabric is located. In this case, the textile tab 13 connecting the roof fabric 5 to the annular piece 12 is sewn into the fastening zone of the sleeve 7 serving as a housing for the upper loop 3 of the arch structure.

This embodiment of the flexible spacing means 8 is not exclusive, any other structure may be envisaged so as to allow on the one hand a flexible connection between the roof fabric and the inner chamber and on the other hand a certain spacing between these two walls for the creation of an isolation space that is to say a space containing a layer of air.

Preferably the insulation space is also a ventilation space, openings 14 being provided, at the bottom, in the roof fabric 5. In the example illustrated in FIG. figure 2 it is two opposite openings, symmetrical with respect to the vertical plane passing through the longitudinal axis XX ', said openings 14 being formed in the inner zone of the upper loop being in the immediate vicinity of the base loop 2 These are two lateral openings through which the air can enter and exit to create an air flow throughout the space 9 left free between the inner chamber and the roof fabric.

The fact that these two openings 14 are arranged at this location has the advantage of also allowing access to the operator to adjust if necessary the fixing of the bottom portion 6b of the inner chamber 6 on the base loops 2 and upper 3, or even to adjust the width L of the tent.

The figure 4 is a partial view of the figure 2 , seen from a plunging perspective, allowing to see, through the opening 14, on the one hand the bottom of the upper part 6a of the inner chamber 6, near the bottom portion 6b and on the other hand the two base loops 2 and upper 3 of the structure of arches at the level where they are close to each other. In the example shown in figure 4 , the bottom portion 6b of the inner chamber 6 is connected to the two base loops 2 and upper 3 by a fastener 15 formed of two textile strips capable of closing on themselves to form said passer 15, thanks to a hook-and-loop hook and loop closure system known as Velcro. This fastener 15 makes it possible to secure the inner chamber, at its bottom portion 6b to the base loop 2 and also the upper loop 3, which are accessible through the opening 14 made in this area and thanks to the fact that sleeves respectively 7 for the upper loop and 7 'for the base loop are also interrupted in this area.

The fastener 15, in two parts reclosable one on the other by loop elements and hooks, also allows, to a certain extent, to influence these dimensions by adjusting the width L of the tent, c that is to say the spacing of the base loop 2 and upper 3 at the transverse axis YY 'of the tent.

Normally it is the dimensions of the roof fabric and the room that determine the outer dimensions of the tent in all directions, due to their tensioning by the base and upper loops. However, it should be noted that the adjustment of the width L necessarily influences the height H of the tent since the deformation of the upper loop 3 in its lower part 3a will necessarily cause a correlative deformation of said loop 3 in its upper part 3b. The adjustment in width L of the tent can be obtained by independent means, other than the fixing loop 15 which has just been described, for example by a strip transverse 16 ( figure 1 ) whose two ends are connected to the lower parts of the upper loop 3 and also to the base loop 2 at the transverse axis YY ', the transverse strip 15 being preferably provided with means for adjusting its length, possibly an integrated system of elements with hooks and loops as in the above example of the bracket 15.

The bottom portion 6b of the inner chamber 6 may itself serve as a floor mat.

However, in another variant, it is expected that the floor mat itself is independent of the bottom portion of the inner chamber and is integral with the base loop. The floor mat could also be integral with the roof fabric or the room, being for example sewn along the lower edge of the roof fabric or the upper part of the inner chamber. In all cases, there are thus two layers of material that form the bottom of the tent, namely the bottom portion 6b of the inner chamber and the floor mat itself. With this arrangement, it is therefore possible to separate the technical properties that are normally assigned to both sides of a conventional floor mat, the upper face and therefore in this case the bottom portion 6b of the inner chamber to have a pleasant touch for the contact with the user while the underside and in this case the floor carpet itself must have properties of insulation, abrasion resistance and impermeability in contact with the ground.

By way of example, in this embodiment, a polyester fabric was used as the bottom part of the inner chamber, whereas for the actual floor mat, stretched in the base loop 2, a coated polyamide fabric.

The aim of the desired ventilation effect is to avoid too much moisture in the air layer between the inner chamber and the condensation roof. To obtain this ventilation, thanks to the openings made in the roof fabric, it is not strictly necessary that there be a gap between the bottom wall 6b of the inner chamber 6 and the base loop 2, since the ventilation must be performed mainly at the upper part 6a of the inner chamber 6.

The spacing means must be flexible so as not to interfere with the folding of the tent and its placement in a transport bag and also to be able to follow the differences in the respective placement of the roof fabric and the inner chamber, for example due to a width adjustment of the tent.

Claims (8)

1. A self-deployable tent comprising :

   . a flexible hoop structure comprising a base loop (2) and at least one top loop (3) ; and

   . a roof sheet (5) secured to the base loop (2) and the top loop (3), the tent being characterized in that :

   a) it further comprises an inside chamber (6) disposed beneath the roof sheet (5), said chamber (6) having a top portion (6a) secured to the top loop (3) via flexible spacer means (8), and a bottom portion (6b) secured to the base loop (2) ; and

   b) in the deployed position, the tension of the roof sheet (5) and the inside chamber (6) is such that they are held apart from each other by the spacer means (8).
2. A self-deployable tent according to claim 1, characterized in that the bottom portion of the roof sheet (5) includes two opposite openings (10) for inlet and outlet of air flowing in a ventilation space (9) between the roof sheet (5) and thE inside chamber (6).
3. A self-deployable tent according to claim 2, characterized in that each of the two opposite openings (14) is formed in the inside region of a top loop (3) close to the base loop (2).
4. A self-deployable tent according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the bottom portion (6b) of the chamber constitutes the ground sheet of the tent.
5. A self-deployable tent according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it includes a ground sheet (2) that is independent from the bottom portion (6b) of the inside chamber (6), and in particular that is secured to the base loop, or to the roof sheet, or to the chamber.
6. A self-deployable tent according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it includes sheaths (7) fixed on or integrated in the outside face of the roof sheet (5) to pass the top loop (3), and in that the flexible spacer means (8) are secured to the inside face of the roof sheet (5) at or close to said sheaths (7).
7. A self-deployable tent according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the flexible spacer means are releasable fasteners (10, 12), and in that the inside face of the roof sheet and the outside face of the inside chamber carry fastener elements (11, 13) for fastening said fasteners.
8. A self-deployable tent according to any preceding claim, characterized in that it includes adjuster means for adjusting the width (L) of the tent, extending between two opposite zones both of the base loop (2) and of the top loop (3), beneath the bottom portion (6b) of the inside chamber (6).

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