GB2465330A

GB2465330A - Portable collapsible shelter

Info

Publication number: GB2465330A
Application number: GB0816914A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ronald Douglas Roberts
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-09-16
Filing date: 2008-09-16
Publication date: 2010-05-19
Anticipated expiration: 2028-09-16
Also published as: GB2465330B; GB0816914D0

Abstract

The portable collapsible shelter includes a floor formed of two rigid box members 10, 12 hinged together, with a canopy 30 secured to theirs when in an open position and where the box members form a hollow closed box when in a collapsed position that is able to house the canopy. Preferably the box members are tray like and have hinges 74 arranged so that when in an open position the hinged peripheral wall 26, 28 of each box member is face-to-face with the other and where there is a cut-out 76 in each face-to-face wall. It is also preferable to have a flexible material secured to the outside of the box members to fully close the box when in a collapsed position. The shelter may also have feet attached, have the ability 32 to lock box members into position and have box member dimensions that allow stacking of several shelters on top of each other. Preferably the canopy is formed using inverted U-shaped supports 44, 46, 48 that are pivotally secured to the box member, where the canopy is releasably secured to the box member walls and include a cover flap to be secured to the outside of the walls. An emergency kit including the collapsible shelter and collapsible furniture is also claimed.

Description

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PORTABLE COLLAPSIBLE SHELTER

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a portable collapsible shelter, particularly adapted for emergency use.

Background of the invention

A number of situations can arise where shelters are required to be provided in an emergency. One example may be in the case of major accidents or terrorist attacks where a number of injured people need to be cared for urgently, and a number of eye-witnesses need to be interviewed. Suitable permanent accommodation for such processes is not necessarily readily to hand and the weather or other conditions may mean that carrying out such processes in the open-air is not practical.

Other situations where there may be a need for shelters to be provided urgently include natural disasters such as floods, fire, and volcanic eruptions. Emergency shelters can also be required for military activities and unexpected movements of refugees and the like.

There is therefore a need for portable collapsible shelters to be provided, which can be quickly transported to the scene of an incident and erected within seconds.

The present invention seeks to provide such a -shelter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a portable collapsible shelter having an erected condition and a collapsed condition, the shelter comprising: (i) a floor formed of two rigid box members hinged together whereby, in the collapsed condition of the shelter, the box members define a hollow closed box; and (ii) a canopy secured to the box members and formed of a foldable material whereby, in the collapsed condition of the shelter, the canopy is folded into a configuration accommodated within the box.

The box members may each have a tray-like configuration with a base and peripheral walls upstanding from the base, a peripheral wall of one box member being hinged to a peripheral wall of the other box member. Preferably each of the bases has a planar configuration, although alternatively the bases are so shaped as to create raised floor portions within the shelter when it is erected. The base of each box member may be rectangular.

In the erected condition of the shelter, the box members ideally lie in a common plane.

The hinge(s) are preferably so arranged that, in the erected condition of the shelter, a peripheral wall of one box member lies in face-to-face relationship with a peripheral wall of the other box member. These "adjacent" peripheral walls may include one or more cut-out portions, or may be entirely absent, so that in the erected condition of the shelter the base of one box member extends substantially continuously with the base of the other box member so as to provide an almost uninterrupted floor surface for the shelter. Where these adjacent peripheral walls are cut-out, or even absent, a cover of flexible material, secured to the outside of the box members, may be provided to fully close the box in the collapsed condition.

The shelter may further comprise means to releasably lock the box members into position with respect to each other in the erected condition of the shelter.

The shelter preferably further comprises feet positioned so that, in the erected condition of the shelter with the feet on the ground, the floor of the shelter is spaced from the ground. The feet are ideally so positioned that, when the shelter is erected on horizontal ground, the floor of the shelter is horizontal. To allow for use on uneven ground, one or more of the feet may be adjustable in length. The feet may be connected to the box members in a fold-down manner. In one possible alternative embodiment, the feet are supported by frameworks secured to each of the box members, the frameworks being so configured to enable a number of such shelters, in their collapsed condition, to be stacked one upon another in a space-saving manner. Ideally, this can be achieved by the overall dimensions of one framework being larger than those of the other framework. Alternatively, or additionally, the shelter may be sized and shaped to be conveniently carried on the roof of a vehicle, especially an emergency services vehicle.

The canopy is preferably connected to the box members in an interchangeable manner.

The canopy can be secured to the box members in a number of ways. In a preferred embodiment, the canopy is secured in a releasable manner to the upstanding peripheral walls of the box members, for example by the use of hook and loop fastenings (such as VelcroTM) . This enables the canopy to be removed and replaced as desired. As the canopy needs to be secured to the inside of the box members, it is preferred to provide a cover flap in the lower edge portion of the canopy which can be secured in a removable manner (for example with press studs or the like) to the outside of the peripheral walls.

The canopy may include front and rear walls so configured to be folded in a concertina-like manner in the collapsed condition.

The canopy may be formed of a fabric material, with means being provided to shape the canopy in the erected condition, such as foldable rigid canopy supports. The canopy supports may be made of a relatively rigid material, such as aluminium tubing. At least one of said foldable rigid canopy supports may be a pivotally-mounted inverted U-shaped support secured to the floor. Also, at least one of the foldable rigid canopy supports may be a slidably-mounted inverted U-shaped support attached to the canopy and adapted to be releasably engaged with the box member in the erected condition of the shelter.

The pivotally-mounted canopy support is preferably pivoted to a bracket secured to the base of one of the box members.

Each slidably-mounted support may be engaged with a box member in a number of ways. For example, the slidably-mounted support may have a tubular structure having free ends which engage in slots in a peripheral wall of a box member with releasable means being provided to lock the free ends in the slots in the erected condition of the shelter while allowing the free ends to slide along the slots as the box is closed.

The canopy typically comprises a roof and four walls. Doors and/or windows can be formed in the canopy, as well as other optional features such as chimneys, ventilation apertures and channels for the passage of service cables and the like. In particular, the canopy, in the erected condition of the shelter, may comprise two rectangular side walls, a rectangular roof having a central ridge and front and rear walls of a gable end shape. The pivotally-mounted canopy support may be mounted on one box member close to that peripheral wall which carries the hinge(s) while each slidably-mounted support may be secured to the canopy along a line joining a side wall and roof. In this manner, once the slidably-mounted supports are released from their engagement with the box members, the canopy can be folded in a concertina-like manner into the box.

Typically the canopy is formed of a water-proof material, such as a natural or plastics sheet material, treated as necessary s to impart water resistance, wear resistance or other desirable properties.

In one embodiment of the invention, the shelter is in the form of a childs toy. In another embodiment, the shelter is adapted to constitute an animal shelter, especially for domestic animals such as dogs and cats.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided an emergency kit comprising at least one collapsible shelter as described above.

Such an emergency kit may further comprise a collapsible furniture item, such as a bed, a chair, a table and a storage unit, so configured to be accommodated within the box in the collapsed condition of the shelter.

The invention will now be further described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration showing a portable collapsible shelter according to one embodiment of the invention, in its erected condition; Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but with the canopy of the shelter shown only in broken lines; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the shelter of Figure 1, viewed towards the rear wall of the canopy, in its erected condition; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the shelter of Figure 1, viewed towards the rear wall of the canopy, in its partly collapsed condition; Figure 5 shows the shelter of Figure 1 in its collapsed condition; and Figure 6 shows a stack of shelters of the embodiment of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a portable collapsible shelter having an erected condition and a collapsed condition.

The shelter has a floor formed of two rigid box members 10, 12 hinged together whereby, in the collapsed condition of the shelter, the box members 10, 12 define a hollow closed box.

The shelter also includes a water-proofed canvas foldable canopy 30 whereby, in the collapsed condition of the shelter the canopy 30 is folded into a configuration to be accommodated within the box.

The box members 10, 12 each have a tray-like configuration with a rectangular base 16, 18 and peripheral walls 20 to 28 upstanding from the base 16, 18. Each of the bases 16, 18 has a planar configuration. In the erected condition of the shelter, the bases 16, 18 of the box members 10, 12 lie in a common plane.

A peripheral wall 26 of one box member 10 is hinged to a peripheral wall 28 of the other box member 12 by way of hinges 74.

The hinges 74 are so arranged that, in the erected condition of the shelter, a peripheral wall 26 of one box member 10 lies in face-to-face relationship with a peripheral wall 28 of the other box member 12. These uadjacentT peripheral walls 26, 28 includes a cut-out portion 76 so that in the erected condition of the shelter the base 16 of one box member 10 extends substantially continuously with the base 18 of the other box member 12 so as to provide an almost uninterrupted floor surface for the shelter. A cover 78 (see Figure 5) of flexible material, secured to the outside of the box members 10, 12, is provided to fully close the box in the collapsed condition.

A slide bolt 32 is provided to releasably lock the box members 10, 12 into position with respect to each other in the erected condition of the shelter.

The shelter is provided with feet 34 supported by frameworks 36, 38 secured to each of the box members 10, 12. The feet are positioned so that, in the erected condition of the shelter with the feet 34 on the ground G, the floor of the shelter is spaced from the ground G. The overall dimensions of one framework 36 are larger than those of the other framework 38 to enable a number of such shelters, in their collapsed condition, to be stacked one upon another.

The canopy 30 is secured in a releasable manner to the F upstanding peripheral walls 20 to 28 of the box members 10, 12, by the use of Velcro1M fastenings. This enables the canopy to be removed and replaced as desired. A cover flap 62 is provided in the lower edge portion of the canopy 30 which can be secured in a removable manner for example with press studs to the outside of the peripheral walls 20 to 28.

The canopy 30 is shaped, in the erected condition, by three foldable rigid inverted U-shaped canopy supports 44, 46, 48 made of relatively rigid aluminium tubing.

One of the inverted U-shaped foldable rigid canopy supports 44 is pivotally secured to the box member 10. This pivotally-mounted canopy support 44 is pivoted to a bracket 72 secured to the base of one of the box members 10, 12.

The other two inverted U-shaped foldable rigid canopy supports 46, 48 are attached to the canopy 30 and are adapted to be releasably connected to a the box member 10, 12 in the erected condition of the shelter. Thus, each slidably-mounted support 46, 48 has a tubular structure having free ends 64 which engage in slots 66 in a peripheral wall 20, 22 of a box member 10, 12 with a locking pin 68 being provided to lock the free ends 64 in the slots 66 in the erected condition of the shelter while allowing the free ends 64 to slide along the slots 66 as the box is closed.

The canopy 30 is shaped by the supports 44, 46, 48 to form a roof 50 and four walls 40, 42, 52, 54. More specifically, the canopy 30, in the erected condition of the shelter, comprises two rectangular side walls 40, 42, a rectangular roof 50 having a central ridge 70 and front and rear walls 52, 54 of a gable end shape. The pivotally-mounted canopy support 44 is mounted on one box member close to one of the peripheral walls 26 which carries the hinges 74 while the two slidably-mounted supports 46, 48 are secured to the canopy 30 along a line joining a side wall 40, 42 and roof 50. In this manner, once the two further canopy supports 46, 48 are released from their engagement with the box members 10, 12, the canopy 30 can be folded in a concertina-like manner into the box.

Windows 58 are formed in the front wall 52 of the canopy 30.

A door 56 is formed in a side wall 40 of canopy 30, the peripheral wall 22 of the box member 10 having a fold down portion 60, to ease access to the door.

The canopy 30 is connected to the box members 10, 12 in an interchangeable manner.

Figure 6 shows an emergency kit comprising a number of the collapsible shelters stacked together.

Claims

-10 -CLAIMS1. A portable collapsible shelter having an erected condition and a collapsed condition, the shelter comprising: (1) a floor formed of two rigid box members (10, 12) hinged together whereby, in the collapsed condition of the shelter, the box members (10, 12) define a hollow closed box; and (ii) a canopy (30) secured to the box members (10, 12) and formed of a foldable material whereby, in the collapsed condition of the shelter the canopy (30) is folded into a configuration to be accommodated within the box.
2. A shelter according to claim 1, wherein the box members (10, 12) each have a tray-like configuration with a base (16, 18) and peripheral walls (20 to 28) upstanding from the base (16, 18) , a peripheral wall (26) of one box member (10) being hinged to a peripheral wall (28) of the other box member (12) by hinges (74)
3. A shelter according to claim 2, wherein the hinges (74) are so arranged that, in the erected condition of the shelter, a peripheral wall (26) of one box member (10) lies in face-to-face relationship with a peripheral wall (28) of the other box member (12)
4. A shelter according to any preceding claim, wherein the face-to-face related peripheral walls (26, 28) include one or more cut-out portions (76)
5. A shelter according to claim 4, wherein a cover (78) of flexible material, secured to the outside of the box members (10, 12), is provided to fully close the box in the collapsed condition.-11 -
6. A shelter according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein each of the bases (16, 18) has a planar configuration.
7. A shelter according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the base (16, 18) of each box member (10, 12) is rectangular.
8. A shelter according to any preceding claim, wherein, in the erected condition of the shelter, the box members (10, 12) lie in a common plane.
9. A shelter according to any preceding claim, further comprising means (32) to releasably lock the box members (10, 12) into position with respect to each other in the erected condition of the shelter.
10. A shelter according to any preceding claim, further comprising feet (34) positioned so that, in the erected condition of the shelter with the feet (34) on the ground (G), the floor of the shelter is spaced from the ground (G)
11. A shelter according to claim 10, wherein the feet (34) are supported by frameworks (36) secured to each of the box members (10, 12), the frameworks (36, 38)) being so configured to enable a number of such shelters, in their collapsed condition, to be stacked one upon another.
12. A shelter according to claim 11, wherein the overall dimensions of one framework (36) are larger than those of the other framework (38)
13. A shelter according to any preceding claim, wherein the canopy (30) is secured in a re1easb1e manner to the upstanding peripheral walls (20 to 28) of!he box members (10, 12) -12 -
14. A shelter according to claim 13, wherein further comprising a cover flap (62) in the lower edge portion of the canopy (30) which is able to be secured in a removable manner to the outside of the peripheral walls (20 to 28)
15. A shelter according to any preceding claim, wherein the canopy (30) includes front and rear walls (52, 54) so configured to be folded in a concertina-like manner in the collapsed condition.
16. A shelter according to any preceding claim, wherein the canopy (30) is formed of a fabric material shaped, in the erected condition, by inverted U-shaped foldable rigid canopy supports (44, 46, 48)
17. A shelter according to claim 16, wherein at least one of said foldable rigid canopy supports (44) is pivotally secured to a box member (10, 12)
18. A shelter according to claim 17, wherein the or each pivotally-mounted canopy support (44) is pivoted to a bracket (72) secured to the base of one of the box members (10, 12)
19. A shelter according to claim 16, 17 or 18, wherein at least one of said foldable rigid canopy supports (46, 48) is attached to the canopy (30) and is adapted to be releasably engaged with a said box member (10, 12) in the erected condition of the shelter.
20. A shelter according to claim 19, wherein the or each slidably-mounted support (46, 48) has a tubular structure having free ends (64) which engage in slots (66) in a peripheral wall (20, 22) of a box member (10, 12) -13 -
21. A shelter according to claim 19, further comprising releasable means (68) provided to lock the free ends (64) in the slots (66) in the erected condition of the shelter while allowing the free ends (64) to slide along the slots (66) as S the box is closed.
22. A shelter according to any preceding claim, wherein the canopy (30) comprises a roof (50) and four walls (40, 42, 52, 54)
23. A shelter according to claim 22, wherein the canopy (30), in the erected condition of the shelter, comprises two rectangular side walls (40, 42), a rectangular roof (50) having a central ridge (70) and front and rear walls (52, 54) of a gable end shape.
24. A shelter according to claims 2, 17 and 23, wherein the pivotally-mounted canopy support (44) is mounted on one box member (10) close to that one of the peripheral walls (26) which carries the hinges (74) while two further canopy supports (46, 48) are secured to the canopy (30) along a line joining a side wall (40, 42) and roof (50)
25. A shelter according to any preceding claim, wherein doors (56) and/or windows (58) are formed in the canopy (30)
26. A shelter according to any preceding claim, wherein the canopy (30) is connected to the box members (10, 12) in an interchangeable manner.
27. A shelter according to any preceding claim, wherein the canopy (30) is formed of a water-proof material.
28. A shelter according to any preceding claim, in the form of a child's toy.-14 -
29. An emergency kit comprising at least one collapsible shelter according to any preceding claim.
30. An emergency kit according to claim 29, further comprising a collapsible furniture item so configured to be accommodated within the box in the collapsed condition of the shelter.
31. An emergency kit according to claim 30, wherein the furniture item is selected from a bed, a chair, a table and a storage unit.
32. A portable collapsible shelter substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.