US20060266401A1

US20060266401A1 - A Tarpaulin Shelter with Collapsible Doorframes

Info

Publication number: US20060266401A1
Application number: US11/379,874
Authority: US
Inventors: Weidan Wu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-04-28
Filing date: 2006-04-24
Publication date: 2006-11-30
Also published as: CN2806667Y

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tarpaulin shelter with collapsible doorframes, it includes doorframes, the lower end of which is connected to the base and the upper end is connected with corner joint and cross beam, characterized in that the doorframe includes at least three upright poles, in which at least a set of x-scissor member are arranged between the middle upright pole and each side upright pole, said scissor is composed of two cross rods of which the middle portions are mutually hinged together. One end of each cross rod is hinged with the fixing collar of the corresponding upright pole; the other end is hinged with the movable collar corresponding to upright pole. Due to the fact that each cross rod can rotate around its middle portion and the corresponding movable collar and fixed collar, thereby when the upright pole is pulled through the rotation of the cross rod and the shifting movement of the movable collar on the upright pole, the distance between upright poles can be changed, thereby when package is made, the volume is smaller, and it is convenient in transportation and storage. When the use is needed, stretching and collapsing is convenient and rapid. To this end, the plug-in locating mode is used to achieve the purpose of rapid assembling. The present invention features simple structure, good practicality, therefore its use is worth to be widespread in the structure of tarpaulin shelters.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims the priority benefit of a Chinese patent application No. 200520101871.9, filed on Apr. 28, 2005.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates an awning or a tarpaulin shelter, which can be stretched out outdoors for temporary use, particularly to a tarpaulin shelter can be set up rapidly with prefabricated parts.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

At present, there are a variety of tarpaulin shelters at home and abroad markets, they have good looking, and they are used widely in many occasions. From its top to bottom it usually includes a top connection, inclined extension rods, corner joints, lateral beams, doorframes and bases, in which the top connection, inclined extension rods, corner joints and lateral beams are connected mutually in a plug-in manner to form framework of the top tarpaulin, and the connection between doorframes and bases forms surrounding framework for supporting the top tarpaulin framework. In the Chinese invention patent no. ZL03256025.7, such a kind of structure has been disclosed for example “A plug-in rapid stretched awning”. But due to the majority of the doorframes of the tarpaulin shelter are formed by joining together a plurality of non-collapsible rectangular upright panels and the frames employ a fixed structure. Hence, such designs have some drawbacks, e.g. large package volume and inconvenience in transportation, storage; and the stretching and collapsing are also a rather labor and time consuming. Therefore the existing tarpaulin shelter does not perfectly meet the demand on convenience in use, transportation and storage, so its further improvement is expected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to tarpaulin shelter, the technical problems to be solved by the present invention is elimination of the drawbacks of the existing technique and to provide a tarpaulin shelter with multiple collapsible upright corner walls as surrounding frame member of the shelter, which is convenient in storage and transportation, and can be rapidly stretched and collapsed. The main characteristic lies in the configuration of a corner erecting-wall of the tarpaulin shelter. The product provided by present invention is as follows:
A tarpaulin shelter with collapsible doorframes, it includes doorframes (upright corner walls) with its lower ends connected to the ground fastener (3) being the base of tarpaulin shelter and the upper ends connected to plurality of corner joints (4) and lateral beams (52). In each upright corner wall member of the doorframe includes at least three parallel upright poles (21), (22) to form two perpendicular upright wall panels. One is upright middle pole (21), and two are side upright poles (22). Between the middle upright pole (21) and each side upright pole (22) having at least one x-scissor member (23). The x-scissor member (23) consists of a pair of crossed bars (231) with a centrally positioned hinge point (232). One lower end of the bar (231) of a x-scissor member (23) is hinged with the fixed collar (25) surrounding an upright pole (22), and the other lower end of the bar (231) is hinged with another fixed collar (25 a) surrounding the adjacent upright pole (21) while its an upper end is hinged with a movable collar (24) surrounding upright pole (22), another upper end is hinged with a movable collar (24 a) surrounding the middle pole (21). Most preferably there are two x-scissors between upright pole (21) and upright pole (22) to form an upright panel with alterable width, so the width of entrance doorframe can be changed at will.
A ground fastener (3) is formed by two perpendicular crossed bars, each of the bar is further formed by a first base member (31) and a second base member (32) mutually connecting in a longitudinal plug-in manner, the ground fastener (3) has three upright arranged positioning feet (322) for positioning corresponding three upright poles i.e. one middle pole (21) and two side upright pole (22) to form one corner wall member, while the seconds base member (32) comprises an horizontal inserted pipe (321) and an upright locating foot (322), the inserted pipe (321) accommodates the horizontal pipe bar (310) of the first base member (31) in a plug-in connection manner, the locating foot (322) is located on the distal end of upper surface of the inserted pipe (321) and accommodated by the lower end port of the upright pole (21),(22) permitting them forming a plug-in connection and correct positioning.
A spring biased lock projector (311) is disposed through/on the upper surface of the horizontal pipe bar (310) of the first base member (31) for locking the plug-in connection between the first base member (31) and the second base member (32) of the ground fastener (3).
The spring-biased lock is located on the horizontal pipe foot (310) of the first base member (31), while the lock hole (323) for accommodating the spring-biased lock (311) is disposed on the upper surface of the inserted pipe (321).
A hole (324) is arranged through the inserted pipe (321) for anchoring the ground-fastener (3) and also the tarpaulin shelter fixed on the ground by punching a nail (8) into the ground.
On the upper end of the side upright pole (22) a fork fastener (26) is mounted for fixing the cross beams (52) or (51) by penetrating a lockable pin (27) or screw through the fork (26) and cross bar (52).
There is a four-directional corner joint (4) disposed at the top end of each of middle pole (21), which has four hollow tubes, one is provided for an inclined hollow bar (6) inserting therein, the two horizontal tubes are provided for accommodating two mutual perpendicular lateral bar (51) and (52), a vertical hollow tube is for inserting into the middle pole (21).
A plurality of the inclined bars (6) form a roof by inserting its upper end into a multi-directional arranged tube central top joint (7), while the lower end thereof inserts into the upward inclined tube of the corner joint (4). If a tarpaulin shelter is a rectangular shaped one, the tarpaulin shelter will have four inclined hollow bars (6), four middle upright poles (21), four corner joints (4) and four cross beams.
As an improvement of the present invention, a lock projector (311) and a corresponding positioning hole (323) make sure that the first base member (31) and the second base member (32) are at the correct plug-in position when they are longitudinally connected with each other. The lock projector (311) is supported by a spring (not shown) to make it to resiliently protrude outward, so that the connection is rapid and firm by one-touch manner for keeping it to correct positioning.
The said lock projector and spring are located on the horizontal pipe foot of the first base, while the locating hole is located on corresponding inserted pipe.
Preferable, a supporting fork (26) for fixing the cross beams (51) (52) are arranged on the upper end of the side upright pole (22).
As compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention lie in that, due to the fact that when the shelter being collapsed, push the side pole (22) toward the middle pole (21), along with the pushing the movable collars (24)(24 a) and the fixed collars (25)(25 a) mutually becoming apart from far and far while the middle upright pole (21) and the side upright pole (22) become closer and closer.
Therefore the volume of upright corner-wall becomes a space-saving pole-bundle. When the shelter is collapsed, and a package is made, the volume of pole-bundle is space saving, which results in convenience for transportation and storage. Its stretching and collapsing are very rapid and convenient.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the outer appearance of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded assembly drawing of a corner upright-wall showing the assembling of the doorframes with the ground fastener and corner joint.
FIG. 3 is an exploded assembly drawing of the ground fastener showing the connection of two component base members thereof.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of corner upright-wall showing the assembling relationship of upright poles with the lateral beams.
FIG. 5 is a perspective assembled view showing the four corner doorframes, corner joints, ground fastener, lateral beams are assembled.
FIG. 6 is a view showing the plug-in connection portion of the lateral beams for length extending.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing as the roof members the connection between long bones and corner joints in plug-in manner.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing portion of ground fastener in FIG. 7 is fixed by foot pin.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing two parts in plug-in connection for length extending form a roof member—a long bone.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following embodiment, the present invention will be further described by reference to the accompanying drawings.
As shown in FIGS. 1, 7 the tarpaulin shelter is a rectangular (square) tarpaulin shelter. It includes a tarpaulin 1, top connector 7 and four roof long bones 6, corner joints 4, cross beams 5, doorframes (corner upright wall panel) 2 and ground fastener 3, in which each doorframes (corner upright wall panel) includes a middle upright pole 21 and two side upright poles 22. As shown in FIG. 2, two sets of x-scissor member are arranged between the middle upright pole 21 and each side upright pole 22 respectively. Each scissor 23 is consisting of two cross rods; the middle portion of each x-scissor member 23 is a hinge pin shaft. Two ends of two cross rods of a x-scissor are hinged with fixed collar 25 surrounding the corresponding upright pole and the other two ends are hinged with the movable collars 24 surrounding the corresponding upright pole. In the present embodiment, the collars 24, which are hinged with two upper ends of each x-scissor is all movable collars 24.
The movable collar 24 a surrounding the middle upright pole 21 and hinged simultaneously with upper ends of crossed bars 231 of left and right x-scissor member 23 respectively in two perspective planes is a complex movable collar 24 a. The main body of the complex movable collar 24 a is sleeved on the middle upright pole 21, and two connecting hinges respectively are disposed in two vertically perpendicular planes, which are stretched from the main body seat of the complex movable collar 24 a, for hinging the upper ends of the corresponding crossed rods 231.
By the same reason, the fixed collars 25 a surrounding the middle upright pole 21 hinged with left and right x-scissor members are also configured into one complex fixed collar 25 a surrounding the pole 21, the structure and principle are the same as the above-mentioned one.
The base (ground fastener) 3 comprises one first base member 31 and two second base members 32, both are connected in an one-touch plug-in manner, as shown in FIG. 3. The first base member 31 has three pipe feet mutually forming an angle of 90°, two are ground-touched, and one is erect vertically for providing a position to upright pole 21. Two second bases 32 are composed of an inserted pipe 321 which is longitudinally connected with the horizontal pipe foot 310 of the first base 31 in an one-touch plug-in manner and a positioning foot 322 which is located on the distal end of inserted pipe 321 and corresponds to a side upright pole 22.
When the first base member 31 and the second base member 32 are connected together a spring-biased lock projector 311 protruded outwards is received by a corresponding positioning hole 323, which is provided on the surface of the inserted pipe 321. When assembling is made, it needs only to pull out the side upright pole 22 on sides, through the rotation of the cross rod 23 around its middle portion, the shifting movement of movable collar 24 and the complex movable collar 24 a along the corresponding upright poles, the distance between the upright poles 21 and 22 will be lengthened. Then the inserted pipe 321 is inserted into the corresponding pipe foot 310. When the pipe foot 310 inserts into the pipe 321 the lock projector 311 first being compressed then is restored to original position, the lock projector 311 is exposed out of the positioning hole 323 of the inserted pipe 321 to play the role of locking and positioning. Afterwards three positioning feet 322 insert into the lower end hollows of the each upright pole 21, and 22 respectively, a doorframe (corner upright wall) is configured at one corner.
The structure of corner joint 4 employs the conventional structure, i.e. it is a four-direction connector 4 to form mutually a right angle in horizontal and vertical directions and one upward-inclined plugging foot receives an end-insertion of a lower end of a long bone 6, as shown in FIG 4 and FIG. 5. Its one plugging foot vertically downward inserts into a port of the top end of the middle upright pole 21 in plug-in manner, the other two plugging feet forming mutually right angle are connected respectively with the lateral beam 5 in one-touch plug-in manner.
In the order to make side upright pole 22 to support lateral bean 5 more firmly, on the upper ends of the two side upright poles 22 are mounted U-shaped fork supporting brackets 26 for fixing the lateral beam 5, and the lateral beam 5 is composed of left component beam 51 and right component beam 52 which are mutually connected in a one-touch plug-in manner, as shown in FIG. 6. When package is made, its volume is smaller and it is more convenient for transportation and storage.
When the other three doorframes (upright corner wall) 2, bases (ground fastener) 3, corner joints 4 and lateral beam 5 are put together with above mentioned configured one, the surrounding framework of the shelter is formed as shown in FIG. 5 Then four upper ends of the long bones 6 are respectively inserted into corresponding tubes of central-positioned top connector 7. The other end of the long bones 6 is connected with an upwards inclined connecting tube foot of the corresponding corner joint 4 in a plug-in manner to form the roof framework of the tarpaulin shelter, as shown in FIG. 7. Here, the top connection 7 is of regular structure, In order to obtain the long size for long bones 6 with short tubes, it can also formed by combination of two component rods, i.e. the upper rod 61 and the lower rod 62 which are longitudinally joined in a plug-in manner, as shown in FIG. 9.
A spring nipple 63 and a positioning round hole 64 are arranged at a plug connection portion of two component long bones 6. This structure is similar to the structure of the above mentioned lock projector 311 and the positioning hole 323. During the process of plug-in connection of the upper rod 61 and lower rods 62, the spring nipple 63 is compressed, afterwards it is restored to the original portion and is exposed to the positioning round hole 64 in order to play the role of rapid (one-touch) connection.
Then the top tarpaulin 1 is laid and placed on the top connection 7 and long bones 6, the fixing holes 324 of the ground fastener 3 are fixed with a ground nail 8, as shown in FIG. 8 to finish the patching tarpaulin shelter as shown in FIG. 1.
When the tarpaulin shelter is to be dismounted, it can be dismounted in the sequence or order as recited. As the two side upright poles 22 are pushed moving toward the upright pole 21, each movable collar 24, 24 a are shifting upward along the corresponding upright
pole 2l, 22, thereby the distance between the upright pole 21 and upright pole 22 become more and more closer, finally bundled in reduced volume facilitating the storage. As a shelter of present invention, its width of the door can be altered via changing the width of upright panel between upright pole 21 and 22 by pulling or pushing them. So users can adjust the width of the entrance door of the shelter by moving the upright pole 22.
The protection range is not confined to the present embodiment, if the pentagon or hexagon tarpaulin of the tarpaulin shelter are used, the number of the doorframes, corner joints, ground fastener, lateral beams and long bones must be increased correspondingly, the upright poles in the doorframes can also use four upright poles and five upright poles, the x-scissor member between the upright poles may also be one or three, which can also reaches the aim of forming collapsible doorframes. Therefore such structures also fall within the protection range of the present invention.

Claims

1. A tarpaulin shelter with collapsible doorframes comprising doorframes;

a ground fastener connected to the lower ends of said doorframes to be a base of said tarpaulin shelter;

plurality of corner joints and lateral beams connected to the upper ends of said doorframes; wherein

said doorframe being composed of corner wall members;

each said corner wall member including at least three upright poles to form two perpendicular upright wall panels, one is middle pole, other two are side poles, between said middle upright pole and each said side upright pole having at least one x-scissor member;

said x-scissor member including a pair of crossed bars with a centrally positioned hinge point, one lower end of said crossed bar is hinged with a fixed collar surrounding said upright pole, and the other lower end of said crossed bar is hinged with another fixed collar surrounding the adjacent said middle pole, while one upper end of said cross bar is hinged with a movable collar surrounding said upright pole, another upper end of said crossed bar is hinged with a movable collar surrounding said middle pole.

2. The tarpaulin shelter with collapsible doorframes of claim 1, wherein said ground fastener is formed by two perpendicular crossed bars, each of said crossed bar is further formed by a first base member and a second base member mutually connecting in a longitudinal plug-in manner, said ground fastener has three upright arranged positioning feet for positioning corresponding three said upright poles, i.e. one middle pole and other two side upright poles to form said corner wall member, said seconds base member comprises a horizontal inserted pipe and said positioning foot, said inserted pipe accommodates the horizontal pipe bar of said first base member in a plug-in connection manner, said locating foot is located on the distal end of upper surface of said inserted pipe and accommodated by the lower end port of said upright poles for forming a plug-in connection and correct positioning.

3. The tarpaulin shelter with collapsible doorframes of claim 2, wherein a spring biased lock projector is disposed through/on the upper surface of said horizontal pipe bar of said first base member for locking the plug-in connection between said first base member and said second base member of said ground fastener.

4. The tarpaulin shelter with collapsible doorframes of claim 3, wherein a spring-biased lock is located on the horizontal pipe foot of said first base member, while a lock hole for accommodating the spring-biased lock is disposed on the upper surface of said inserted pipe.

5. The tarpaulin shelter with collapsible doorframes of claim 4 wherein a hole is arranged through said inserted pipe for anchoring said ground-fastener and said tarpaulin shelter is fixed on the ground by punching nails into the ground.

6. The tarpaulin shelter with collapsible doorframes of claim 1, wherein a fork fastener for fixing said cross beams is mounted on the upper end of said side upright pole.

7. The tarpaulin shelter with collapsible doorframes of claim 1, wherein said corner joint is a four-directional corner joint disposed at the top end of said middle pole, which has three hollow tubes, one is for a inclined bar inserting in, the others are for accommodating two lateral bars,

8. The tarpaulin shelter with collapsible doorframes of claim 7, wherein said inclined bars insert its upper ends into tubes of said central top joint, while insert its lower ends into the upward inclined tubes of said corner joint to form a roof.