GB2300011A - Collapsible shelter - Google Patents

Abstract

A collapsible shelter comprises elogate flexible frame members 1 to 7 connected together by two socketed junction members 15 and 16, and supporting a cover 8 via sleeves 10 to 14. As the top view shows, a further frame member 5 interconnects the junction members. A door and a porch can be provided.

Description

A SHELTER The present invention relates to a shelter. The shelter is particularly, but not exclusively, intended for anglers.

Shelters of this general type are already known, but they are difficult to collapse and erect and/or difficult to transport.

It is an object of the invention to overcome or mitigate these problems.

According to the present invention there is provided a collapsible shelter comprising a frame having a plurality of individual members adapted to be connected together and a cover extending between the members characterised in that one or more of the members are attached to the cover and in that at least one junction member is provided for connecting some of the individual members together whereby when the said some individual members are released from the junction member the shelter may be transformed from an erected to a collapsed state.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the individual members are attached to the cover by means of tubes of material through which the members extend. These tubes may be integrally formed in the material of the cover or formed separately and attached to the cover. The members may slide in their respective tubes, but are retained therein advantageously by appropriate formations or stops at the ends of the members. The members are elongate, flexible and made of aluminium for lightness and strength although other material such as carbon fibre may be used. The or each junction member defines a number of bores into which adjacent ends of individual members may be inserted to connect them together. In one form there are two junction members and seven individual members.One member extends between the two junction members, four other members have one end connected to one of the junction members and the other end resting on the floor. The remaining two members have one end connected to respective junction members and the other end to an edge of the cover.

On erection, the four members which are disposed in tubes are inserted into the junction members. The member between the junction members may then be inserted and then finally the two remaining members inserted so that the cover is stretched taut by the frame. The cavity so formed may be closed off by two doors connected to opposite edges of the opening to the cavity by means of zip fasteners and the doors may be closed by a further zip fastener. Other types of fastener may be used. A porch may be provided over the opening comprising a further piece of material supported on two further individual members connected to respective junction members. The cover and further piece of material may be made of polyurethane coated nylon which may be breathable.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, one embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure I shows a front elevational view of the shelter, Figure 2 shows a rear elevational view of the shelter of Figure 1, Figure 3 shows plan view of the shelter of Figure I, Figure 4 shows a side elevational view of the shelter of Figure 1, Figure 5 shows a side elevational view from the other side of the shelter of Figure 4 but including an overwrap, Figure 6 shows a detail view of a frame connection arrangement of the shelter of Figure 1, Figure 7 shows a further detail view of the frame connection arrangement of the shelter of Figure 1, and Figure 8 shows a front elevational view of an alternative shelter to that shown in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the shelter or bivy comprises a frame and cover. The frame comprises a plurality of elongate members 1,2,3,4,5,6 and 7 and the cover 8a number of panels stitched together. The members are made of a metal, preferably aluminium or a synthetic plastics material and the cover is made from a polyurethane coated nylon or other suitable material. This may be breathable if desired in order to reduce the degree of condensation within the shelter.

Members 1,2,3,4,6 and 7 extend respectively through tubes 9,10,11,12,13 and 14 of material which are stitched to respective seams of the cover. The material of the tubes is preferably the same as the material of the cover. Although the members can slide within their respective tubes once in position it is not intended that they be removed in normal use of the shelter but retained therein by formations or stops (not shown) on the members. The member 5 is not housed in a tube.

Referring particularly to Figures 6 and 7, two junction members 15 and 16 are provided to connect members I to 7 together. Each junction member comprises a solid cylinder, preferably of aluminium or other suitable metal or synthetic plastics which is formed, preferably by drilling with bores to receive the ends of the members. There are five bores in each junction member respectively referenced 17, 18,19,20 and 21. Bores 17, 18, 19,and 20 of junction member 13 receive the ends of members 1,7,5 and 2 respectively and bores 17, 18, 19 and 20 in junction member 14 receives the ends of members 4,6,5 and 3 respectively. To facilitate entry of the member into the corresponding bore, the entry to the bore may be chamfered or rebated.

This is particularly advantageous for the bores 18 which receive members 6 and 7. Rings of metal 22 or other suitable material and flaps 23 defining apertures 24 are provided to enable the shelter in the erected position to be tied down with appropriate ropes and fixing members (not shown).

The additional bores 21 are provided to receive two additional members 30 and 31 to support a porch extending out from the main body of the shelter over the entrance to it. The entrance to the shelter is closed off by two flaps 32 and 33 respectively connected by zips 34 and 35 to opposite edges of the entrance. These flaps incorporate transparent panels 36 and 37 and are zipped together by zip 38.

In the packed condition the elongate members are removed from the junction members. This enables members 9, 10, 11 and 12 to be gathered together with the material of the cover folded between which facilitates transportation. In order to erect the shelter from this packed condition the members 9, 10, 11 and 12 are spaced apart and their ends inserted into the corresponding bores of the junction members 15, 16. Member 5,6 and 7 may then be inserted into the corresponding bores of the junction members 15, 16. The insertion of these latter members pulls the material of the cover taut although there is sufficient flexibility to alter the profile of the shelter to make it higher and narrower or lower and wider as desired by pushing in or pulling out the shelter from the sides.After erection of these members and cover the porch member 31 and 32 may be inserted and the porch placed in position as may the doors 32 and 33. Once erected an overwrap 40 (see Figure 3) may be fixed in position to produce a double walled structure to provide an insulation. In the erected condition those ends of members I to 4 remote from the junction members rest on the floor.

The angle of members I to 7 to each other in the junction members can be varied as desired. Figure 8 shows an alternative arrangement where the members 6 and 7 extend from junction members 16 and 15 respectively in substantially parallel manner. This in turn permits a substantially rectangular door 41 to be employed.

It will be appreciated that the above embodiments have been described by way of example only and that many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the number of junction members and elongate members may be increased or decreased in order to increase or decrease the size of the shelter. The tubes may be integrally formed in the cover rather than separately formed and attached to it.

Claims (18)

1. A collapsible shelter comprising a frame having a plurality of individual members adapted to be connected together and a cover extending between the members characterised in that one or more of the members are attached to the cover and in that at least one junction member is provided for connecting some of the individual members together whereby when the said some individual members are released from the junction member the shelter may be transformed from an erected to a collapsed state.

2. A collapsible shelter as claimed in claim I, in which the individual members are attached to the cover by means of tubes of material through which the members extend.

3. A collapsible shelter as claimed in claim 2, in which the tubes may be integrally formed in the material of the cover, or formed separately and attached to the cover.

4. A collapsible shelter as claimed in claim 2 or 3, in which the individual members may slide in their respective tubes, but are retained therein.

5. A collapsible shelter as claimed in claim 4, in which the individual members are retained in their respective tubes by formations or stops at the ends of the members.

6. A collapsible shelter as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the individual members are elongate and flexible and made of aluminium or carbon fibre.

7. A collapsible shelter as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the or each junction member defines a number of bores into which adjacent ends of individual members are inserted to connect them together.

8. A collapsible shelter as claimed in any preceding claim, in which there are two junction members and one of the individual members extends between the junction members, the remaining individual members extending from the junction members for contact in operation with the ground.

9. A collapsible shelter as claimed in any preceding claim, in which a door opening is defined between two individual members.

10. A collapsible shelter as claimed in claim 9, in which one or more doors is/are connected in the door opening.

II. A collapsible shelter as claimed in claim 10, in which the or each door is connected by means of one or more zip fasteners.

12. A collapsible shelter as claimed in claim 9, 10 or II, in which a porch is provided over the opening.

13. A collapsible shelter as claimed in claim 12, in which the porch comprises a further piece of material supported on two further individual members connected to respective junction members.

14. A collapsible shelter as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the cover is made from breathable material.

15. A collapsible shelter as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the further piece of material is made from breathable material.

16. A collapsible shelter as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the cover is made from polyurethane coated nylon.

17. A collapsible shelter as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the further piece of material is made from polyurethane coated nylon.

18. A collapsible shelter substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to figures 1-7 or figure 8 of the accompanying drawings.