GB2403487A

GB2403487A - A tent with openings at top and bottom of weather resistant outer to vary ventilation

Info

Publication number: GB2403487A
Application number: GB0412279A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephane Besse
Original assignee: Application des Gaz SA
Current assignee: Application des Gaz SA
Priority date: 2003-07-01
Filing date: 2004-06-02
Publication date: 2005-01-05
Anticipated expiration: 2024-06-02
Also published as: FR2857046B1; US20050000555A1; NL1026531C2; DE102004028853A1; FR2857046A1; GB2403487B; GB0412279D0

Abstract

A tent (1) comprises a frame supporting an outer (2) having at least one opening (9) in its crown and a lower border (13) is provided with a cord (14) running through a casing (12) at an edge of the border for moving the lower border between raised and lowered positions. Preferably the tent has an inner (3) with a groundsheet (5) and which has ventilation opening (7) in it upper part.

Description

Camping Tent with Improved Ventilation The present invention relates to a

camping tent and more particularly to an arrangement for controlling the circulation of air inside the tent.

Conventionally, a camping tent is composed of at least one wall of textile material supported by a frame. The frame generally consists of hoops over which the wall is stretched.

In the usual way, the tent may also include a part in which two walls, namely an inner wall and an outer wall are superposed.

In such a case, the inner wall together with a groundsheet defines a closed space which forms a room.

The inner wall consists at least in part of an air- permeable textile material. This air-permeable part is generally situated in the upper part of the tent.

The outer wall is made of a completely impermeable material, as the function of this outer war]. is to protect the occupants from the weather. The material employed is usually a fabric coated with PVC or polyurethane which is totally impermeable not only to water but also to air. As a consequence, the exchange of air between the interior and exterior of the tent is extremely limited.

The temperature can therefore rise to quite uncomfortable levels for the occupants of the tent. A large amount of condensation also forms inside the tent.

This condensation is due to the respiratory gas exchanges of people present inside the room. It is also due to the condensation of ambient water vapour which is accentuated by the high temperature inside the tent.

The making of openings in the upper part of the outer wall has, it is true, been considered in the case of both single- and double-walled tents. These openings, which in the case of a double-walled tent are opposite the air-permeable zone of the inner wall, are supposed to ventilate the room.

In use, it must be observed that these openings do not work very well and the ventilation effect which they provide is insufficient for the occupants of the tent.

It is therefore an object of the invention to improve the ventilation of a tent.

In a manner known per se, the tent comprises a frame that supports a weather-resistant outer wall containing at least one opening in its upper part.

According to the invention, the outer wall comprises at least one casing perpendicular to the lower border of the outer wall, through which it is possible to run a cord, which is attached at one end to the outer wall, and at the other end passes freely out of the casing, so that pulling the free end of the cord raises the lower border of the outer wall.

Since the lower border of the outer wall can be raised it is possible to create a chimney effect inside the tent. A suction effect is set up in the openings of the inner wall by which the interior of the tent is ventilated.

In one possible embodiment, the tent also comprises an inner wall defining with a groundsheet a room, the inner wall comprising in its upper part an air- permeaLle zone. - 3 -

In accordance with one possibility, the cord is attached to the outer wall at the lower border thereof and passes out at the top end of the casing.

In accordance with another possibility, the cord is attached to the outer wall at the top end of the casing and passes out of it at the lower border of the outer wall.

In one simple embodiment, the casing and the cord are situated on the outer face of the outer wall.

In an embodiment that allows the lower border to be raised from inside the tent, the casing and the cord are situated on the inner face of the outer wall and the inner wall has an opening facing the free end of the cord.

One advantageous feature is that the outer wall is provided with at least one zone of elastic deformation.

To secure the cord in a position in which the casing is contracted, the cord is provided with a stop piece.

In order that the invention may be understood clearly, it is described with reference to the appended drawings showing by way of non-limiting example an embodiment of a tent according to the invention.

3 0 Figures 1 and 2 show in perspective a tent in the non- ventilation and ventilation positions respectively.

Figures 3 and 4 show in section an embodiment of the means for raising the lower border of the outer wall of the tent.

Figures 5 and 6 show a second embodiment of this raising means. - 4

Figure 7 shows in section the ventilation effect.

Figure 8 shows another possible embodiment of the raising means.

Figure 9 shows an embodiment in which the tent has only a single outer wall.

Referring first of all to Figures 1 and 2, it can be seen that the tent comprises a frame that supports an outer wall 2 and an inner wall 3, these two walls being superposed and defining a layer of air between themselves.

The frame of the tent is not the subject of the invention and will not be described in further detail.

Usually, the tent is also provided with a door shown in dashes in Figures 1 and 2.

Note also that the tent is equipped with a groundsheet 5, which, with the inner wall 3, defines a room in the tent.

Referring to Figure 7, it can be seen that a large part of the inner wall 3 is an air-permeable zone 7.

It will also be observed that the outer wall 2 has two openings 9, these openings 9 also being formed in the upper part of the outer wall 2 so that the openings 9 face the air-permeable zone of the inner wall 3.

These openings 9 which are shown schematically can be opened or closed at will.

Notice too that the outer wall 2 is provided with two casings 12; these two casings 12 are perpendicular to the lower border 13 of the outer wall 2 and each receive a cord 14. - 5

In Figures 1 to 4 it can be seen that one end of the cord 14 is permanently attached to the lower border 13 of the outer wall 2; the other end of the cord 14 passes out of the outer wall 2 at a distance of about 15 to 20 cm from the lower border 13. The cord 14 may, for example, be provided with a Stop piece IS for securing the cord 14 when the casing 12 is contracted.

Returning to Figure 1, it will also be seen that the lo outer wall 2 has, on each side of the casings 12, an elastic deformable zone 16. This elastic zone 16 consists of an elastic tape that has been sewn to the outer wall 2 in an extended state, so that gathers are created.

The operation of the tent is therefore as follows.

When an occupant of the tent wishes to obtain maximum aeration of the tent, he raises the lower border 13. To do this, he grasps the end of each of the cords 14 and pulls them. This raises the lower edge 13 of the outer wall 2. This is illustrated in Figures 2 and 4. This raising is assisted by the elastic zones 16, which permit a local extension of the outer wall 2 and allow its lower border 13 to be raised.

Figure 7 shows the ventilation effect obtained by raising the lower border 13 of the outer wall 2.

As can be seen on the right-hand side of this figure, a chimney effect is set up and the air is set in motion throughout the tent.

It can be seen that Figures 3 and 4 present an embodiment in which the tent is provided with skirts 17 along the lower border of its outer wall.

Figures 5 and 6 show another possible embodiment in which the cord 14 passes out of its casing at the lower border 13.

Also to be observed in Figure 8 is another possible embodiment in which the cord 14 is located on the inside face of the outer wall 2.

In this embodiment an opening 20 is made in the inner lo wall 3 of the tent through which the free end of the cord 14 can be passed. This arrangement therefore allows the lower border 13 of the outer wall 2 to be raised from inside the room of the tent.

Figure 9 shows an embodiment in which the tent comprises a single outer wall 3. In this particular case, the chimney effect is set up between the lower part of the tent which is raised and the upper part containing openings 9.

The tent according to the invention therefore has the numerous advantages described above because in particular it allows the aeration in its inner space to be controlled.

The invention is not of course limited to the embodiments described above by way of non-limiting examples but rather encompasses all embodiments thereof. - 7 -

Claims

1. Tent that can be pitched on the ground, comprising a frame that supports a weather-resistant outer wall containing at least one opening in its upper part, characterized in that the outer wall comprises at least one casing perpendicular to the lower border of the outer wall, through which it is possible to run a cord, which is attached at one end to the outer wall, and at the other end passes freely out of the casing? so that pulling the free end of the cord causes the casing to contract and raises the lower border of the outer wall,

2. Tent according to Claim 1, characterized in that it comprises an inner wall defining with a groundsheet a room, the inner wall comprising in its upper part an air-permeable zone.

3. Tent according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized in that the cord is attached to the outer wall at the lower border thereof and passes out at the top end of the casing.

4. Tent according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized in that the cord is attached to the outer wall at the top end of the casing and passes out of it at the lower border of the outer wall.

5. Tent according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the casing and the cord are situated on the outer face of the outer wall, 3S

6 Tent according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the casing and the cord are situated on the inner face of the outer wall. - 8 -

7. Tent according to Claim 6, characterized in that the inner wall has an opening facing the free end of the cord.

8. Tent according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the outer wall is provided with at least one zone of elastic deformation.

9. Tent according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the cord is provided with a stop piece.

10. A tent substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 to 4 and Figure 7, Figures 5 and 6, Figure 8 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.