EP2721230B1

EP2721230B1 - Tepee provided with means for rain diverting

Info

Publication number: EP2721230B1
Application number: EP12802998.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bengt Grahn
Original assignee: Tentipi AB
Current assignee: Tentipi AB
Priority date: 2011-06-20
Filing date: 2012-06-07
Publication date: 2017-10-18
Anticipated expiration: 2032-06-07
Also published as: WO2012177209A1; EP2721230A4; EP2721230A1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND BACKGROUND ART

The present invention relates to a tepee comprising a substantially cone-shaped tent cloth and an arrangement supporting this tent cloth to assume substantially the shape of a cone when the tepee is pitched, in which the tent cloth is separable in at least a lower part for forming an opening to pass in and out through.
The present invention is not restricted to any size or particular design of such a tepee.
These tents have a problem in common, i.e. when it starts to rain and said opening is established rain will fall into a part of the interior of the tent on a part of the surface covered by the tent cone defined when said opening is closed. This means that the ground or the bottom of the tent at that location will get wet and a pool of water will possibly be formed there. The same will occur if it is raining and someone has to establish said opening for going out of the tent or getting into the tent.
Tepees having an awning sewn to the tent cloth around the opening for addressing this problem are known. This means that said opening may be established without letting rain fall into the tent. However, this solution to the problem is adhered to some drawbacks. These tents are unnecessary heavy and by that not suited to be carried along over long distances. Furthermore, such tents are not suited to be pitched on locations where storms are likely to occur.
WO 2011/018664 A1 discloses a tepee as defined in the preamble of claim 1.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a tepee of the type defined in the introduction being improved in at least some aspect with respect to such tents already known.
This object is according to the invention obtained by providing such a tepee with the features of the characterizing part of appended claim 1.
By the provision of said means it is optional to provide the tepee with a cover ensuring that no rain will fall under a said opening when such an opening is established, which means that it may be ensured that no pool of water will be formed inside the tepee in spite of having the opening established when it is raining. It is at the same time possible to refrain from this possibility when the tent is to be carried over longer distances and a low weight is of highest priority. Furthermore, when the tepee is to be pitched where a storm is likely to occur said additional cloth may be kept separated from the substantially cone-shaped tent cloth. The arrangement of a said pocket and a corresponding design of said portions of said additional cloth will make it easy to shift between a tepee and such a tepee provided with a said cover without any major alterations of such a tepee with respect to such a tepee not having this possibility. Said rain diverting attachment is easily and efficiently obtained by the arrangement of such a pocket. "Attachable with respect to" is here to be interpreted broadly and to include embodiments in which said flap-like tent cloth member is permanently attached to said substantially cone-shaped tent cloth as well as embodiments in which this tent cloth member is attached with respect to said substantially cone-shaped tent cloth when used, such as by a fastening member, for instance a zipper. This means that "pocket" is in this disclosure to be interpreted to also cover a possibility to introduce portions of a said additional cloth between the tent cloth and a said flap-like tent cloth member, so that the "pocket" does not have to have any bottom or top but only provide an accommodation for said portions under said tent cloth member.
Said engaging member may advantageously be a hook and loop fastener, such as Velcro tape, although other types of engagement means, such as a zipper, are possible.
By the fact that the tent cloth made of wedge-like cloth portions joined and restricted by seams extending as generatrices of an imagined cone when the tent is pitched, and said pocket extends at least between those of said seams restricting wedge-like cloth portions within which a said opening is intended to be established, an efficient prevention that rain hitting the tent cloth or said additional cloth will flow into the tent is obtained, since rain hitting a said wedge-like cloth portion will only flow down within this portion thanks to the restriction thereof by said seams, so that a said pocket extending at least between those of said seams restricting wedge-like cloth portions within which a said opening is intended to be established means that no rain will hit and flow on said wedge-like cloth portion below said pocket and fall into the tent.
According to an embodiment of the invention the tent cloth is separable for forming a said opening within one said wedge-like cloth portion, and said pocket extends between the two seams restricting this wedge-like cloth portion. This will efficiently prevent rain from entering the tent when said opening is established, since rain may not flow in said wedge-like cloth portion in which the opening is established below said pocket.
According to another embodiment of the invention said additional cloth belongs to an awning. An awning designed to be rain divertingly, releasably attached to the tent cloth constitutes a preferred way of obtaining a cover over the opening. Said pocket may then be an awning connecting sleeve.
According to another embodiment of the invention said attachment means comprises members configured to attach said awning to bear tightly against tent cloth portions surrounding a said opening for preventing mosquitoes to pass and enter the tent between said tent cloth and outer edges of the awning. By having such an awning as said additional cloth persons may get out of the tent and enter the tent without letting mosquitoes coming into the tent.
Further advantages as well as advantageous features of the invention will appear from the following description of embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to the appended drawings below follows a specific description of embodiments of the invention cited as examples.
In the drawings:

Fig 1: is a very simplified view of a tent according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a state provided with a said cover in the form of an awning and said opening in the tent established as well as the awning in an open state,
Fig 2: is an enlarged view of a part of the tent shown in Fig 1 in which said awning is attached to the tent cloth of the substantially cone-shaped tent,
Fig 3: is a side elevation view of a part of the tent shown in Fig 1,
Fig 4: is a perspective view of the tent shown in Fig 1 with said awning closed, and
Fig 5: is a view corresponding to Fig 1 of a tent according to a second embodiment of the invention having another type of shelter than an awning releasably attachable thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

A tepee 1, also referred to as tent hereinafter, according to a first embodiment of the invention will now be disclosed while simultaneously making reference to Figs 1-4. The tent comprises a substantially cone-shaped tent cloth 2 made of wedge- like cloth portions 3, 4, 5 joined and restricted by seams 6, 7 (Fig 1) extending as generatrices of an imagined cone when the tent is pitched. The tent has also an arrangement supporting this tent cloth to assume substantially the shape of a cone when the tent is pitched, and this arrangement may comprise a central pole 8, a top supporting frame and a number of lines 9 to be stretched and secured to the ground.
The tent cloth 2 is separable for forming an opening 10 to pass in and out through, and this may for instance be achieved by having a zipper within one wedge-like portion 4.
Furthermore, the tent cloth 2 is provided with means, best shown in Fig 2, configured to enable rain diverting, releasable attachment of an additional cloth 11, here in the form of an awning, with respect to said substantially cone-shaped tent cloth 2 in a region 12 of the tent cloth above the opening 10 for together with this tent cloth when said opening is present forming a cover over the ground 13 substantially covered by the tent cone defined when said opening is closed, i.e. not there. This attachment means comprises a flap-like tent cloth member 14 which here is attached to the tent cloth 2 in said region 12 while with tent cloth portions thereunder forming a pocket 15 opening downwards. This pocket is configured to receive portions 16 of the awning for attachment thereof in this pocket. A part of said flap-like tent cloth member 14 is broken away in Fig 2 for illustrating that the pocket 15 is provided with a member 17, here in the form of a Velcro tape, configured to engage said portions 16 of the additional tent cloth, which may be provided with a corresponding Velcro tape for attachment of these portions to the tent cloth. The pocket 15 extends between the two seams 6, 7 restricting the wedge-like cloth portion 4 within which said opening 10 is intended to be established, and said portions 16 of the awning are designed to fit into said pocket, which means that the width thereof is the same as the width of the pocket. This means that rain falling onto the wedge-like cloth portion 4 above said pocket 15 may not flow on this portion further than to said pocket, and rain falling on other wedge-like cloth portions, such as the cloth portions 3 and 5, will only flow down within these portions, so that no rain may fall on the ground below said opening 10.
Opposite borders 18, 19 restricting the awning 11 are diverting downwardly from said portions 16 fit into said pocket 15. Said attachment means further comprises members configured to attach the awning to bear tightly against tent cloth portions surrounding the opening 10 for preventing mosquitoes to pass and enter the tent between said tent cloth and outer edges 20, 21 of the awning. These members comprises a member 22 arranged at a seam 23 of the tent cloth for securing the awning at the end of each said border 18, 19 as well as members 24 for attaching the awning to the ground while stretching the awning to bear tightly against the tent cloth thereunder.
It is shown in Fig 1 and 4 how the awning 11 may be transformed from an open state (Fig 1) into a closed state (Fig 4).
Thus, the awning 11 forms a shelter forming a rain-proof cover over the ground below said opening 10. This awning may easily be removed from the tent by loosening the members 22 and 24 and releasing the attachment members in the pocket and in the portions 16 of the awning. The awning may just as easy be attached to the tent when desired.
Fig 5 illustrates another type of shelter configured to form a rain-proof cover over the ground below a said opening 10' established in said tepee 1'. The additional cloth 11' has here a substantially rectangular shape and is with portions 16' thereof received in a pocket 15' of the type according to said first embodiment but extending over three adjacent wedge-like cloth portions 3', 4', 5'. Also this shelter will efficiently prevent rain falling onto the tent cloth above said opening 10' from flowing down and falling onto the ground which would be substantially covered by the tent cone defined when said opening 10' is closed.
The invention is of course not in any way restricted to the embodiments described above, but many possibilities to modifications thereof would be apparent to a person with ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
The shelter formed by said additional cloth releasably attachable to the tent cloth in a rain diverting manner may have many other appearances than those two shown in the figure, and in the case of an awning this may have quite other shapes and also dimensions.
It is within the scope of the invention to have more than one opening in said substantially cone-shaped tent and a said additional cloth releasably attachable to the tent cloth for each said opening.
As already stated said means configured to enable rain diverting, releasable attachment may be a part separable from the rest of the tent and be provided as accessories together with an awning or other additional cloth to a substantially cone-shaped tent.

Claims

A tepee (1, 1') comprising a substantially cone-shaped tent cloth (2) and an arrangement supporting this tent cloth to assume substantially the shape of a cone when the tepee is pitched, in which the tent cloth is separable in at least a lower part for forming an opening (10, 10') to pass in and out through, said tepee is provided with means configured to enable rain diverting, these means comprising the releasable attachment of an additional cloth (11, 11') with respect to said substantially cone-shaped tent cloth, furthermore said tent cloth (2) is made of wedge-like cloth portions (3-5, 3'-5') joined and restricted by seams (6, 7) extending as generatrices of an imagined cone when the tepee is pitched, characterized in that said additional cloth (11, 11') is releasably attached to the tent cloth (2) in a region (12) of said tent cloth above said opening (10, 10') for, together with said tent cloth when said opening is present, forming a cover over the ground (13) substantially covered by the tent cone defined when said opening is closed, furthermore said means comprises a flap-like tent cloth member (14) being attached to or attachable with respect to the tent cloth in said region and which forms with tent cloth portions thereunder a pocket (15, 15') opening downwards while being attached to the tent cloth, said pocket is configured to receive portions (16, 16') of said additional cloth (11, 11') for attachment thereof in said pocket, said pocket is provided with a member (17) configured to engage said portions (16) of the additional cloth for attaching these portions with respect to the tent cloth, and said pocket (15, 15') extends at least between those of said seams (6, 7) restricting wedge-like cloth portions (4, 3'-5') within which a said opening is intended to be established.
A tepee according to claim 1, characterized in that the tent cloth is separable for forming a said opening (10) within one said wedge-like cloth portion (4), and that said pocket (15) extend between the two seams (6, 7) restricting this wedge-like cloth portion.
A tepee according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said engaging member (17) comprises a Velcro tape.
A tepee according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said additional cloth portions (16, 16') have substantially the same width as said pocket (15, 15').
A tepee according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said additional cloth belongs to an awning (11).
A tepee according to claim 5, characterized in that said pocket (15) is an awning connecting sleeve.
A tepee according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said attachment means comprises members (22, 24) configured to attach said awning (11) to bear tightly against tent cloth portions surrounding a said opening (10) for preventing mosquitoes to pass and enter the tent between said tent cloth and outer edges (21) of the awning.