US20080062675A1

US20080062675A1 - Illuminating device for tent

Info

Publication number: US20080062675A1
Application number: US11/531,631
Authority: US
Inventors: Benson Tung
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-09-13
Filing date: 2006-09-13
Publication date: 2008-03-13

Abstract

A tent includes a plurality of posts and an illuminating device mounted to one of the posts. The post to which the illuminating device is mounted includes an outer circumference and a circular cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the post. The illuminating device includes a light seat mounted to the post. The light seat includes a compartment for receiving a battery. The light seat further includes a mounting wall having an arcuate outer face in contact with a portion of the outer circumference of the post. A light is mounted to the light seat and includes at least one lighting element. The light seat is fastened to the post.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an illuminating device and, more particularly, to an illuminating device for a tent.
2. Description of the Related Art
Tents are useful in outdoor activities in shielding the users from sun and rain. Illuminating devices are also necessities in outdoor recreation fields. To provide illumination in a tent, a light is hung to one of the posts of the tent orclamped to a corner of a canopy of the tent. The positioning effect of the light is usually unreliable, and adjustment in the position and/or orientation of the light is required for optimal illumination. Further, the light hung to the tent is liable to change in the illuminating angle due to wind or external impact and even falls and is, thus, broken.
It is, therefore, a need in an illuminating device that can be reliably mounted to a post of a tent while allowing easy adjustment in the illuminating angle.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A tent in accordance with the present invention comprises a plurality of posts and an illuminating device mounted to one of the posts. The post to which the illuminating device is mounted includes an outer circumference and a circular cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the post.
The illuminating device includes a light seat mounted to the post. The light seat includes a compartment for receiving a battery. The light seat further includes a mounting wall having an arcuate outer face in contact with a portion of the outer circumference of the post. A light is mounted to the light seat and includes at least one lighting element. The light seat is fastened to the post.
In an example, the light seat includes an arcuate, elongate strip that is fixed to a rear side of the light seat and that includes the arcuate outer face.
Preferably, the mounting wall includes two lugs respectively on two lateral sides thereof. Each lug includes a hole. A strap has a first end fixed to one of the lugs and a second end passing through the hole of the other lug for tightening the light seat to the post. A hook fastener and a look fastener are provided on the strap. The hook and loop fasteners engage with each other for tightening the light seat in place.
Preferably, the illuminating device further includes an engaging arm having a first end pivotally connected to the light seat and a second end pivotally connected to the light.
Preferably, the light seat further includes at least one padding member on the arcuate outer face and in contact with the portion of the outer circumference of the post. The padding member may be a rubber pad.
In another example, the post includes a screw hole and the light seat includes a through-hole extending through the mounting wall. A screw is extended through the through-hole into the screw hole.
Other objectives, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an illuminating device for a tent in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a post of a tent and the illuminating device in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view, partially sectioned, of the post and the illuminating device in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a tent with the illuminating devices in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3, illustrating use of the illuminating device on a smaller post.

FIG. 6 is a side view, partially sectioned, of a modified embodiment of the illuminating device in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view, partially sectioned, of another modified embodiment of the illuminating device in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an embodiment of an illuminating device 1 for a tent in accordance with the present invention is securely mounted to a post 2 of a tent (see FIG. 4). The illuminating device 1 comprises a light seat 11, a light 12 mounted to the light seat 11, and at least one fastening member (straps 15 in this embodiment).
The light seat 11 is a substantially hollow parallelepiped and includes a compartment 111 for receiving a battery 13 (e.g., a chargeable battery). The compartment 111 of the light seat 11 includes a front opening 112 to allow insertion/removal of the battery 13 into/from the compartment 111. The battery 13 may include a switch 131 and an engaging member 132 for releasably engaging with the light seat 11.
The light 12 includes a housing 121, at least one lighting element 123 (a plurality of LEDs in this example), and an engaging arm 122 mounted to a bottom of the housing 121. In this example, the housing 121 is pivotally connected to an end of the engaging arm 122, and the other end of the engaging arm 122 is pivotally engaged to a front, upper portion of the light seat 11 such that the light 12 can be pivotally adjusted relative to the light seat 11 for the purposes of adjusting the illuminating angle of the light 12. The lighting elements 123 are electrically connected to the battery 13.
To allow firm mounting of the illuminating device 1 to a post 2 of the tent, particularly a cylindrical post with a circular cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the cylindrical post, a mounting wall 14 is provided on a rear side of the light seat 11. The mounting wall 14 includes an arcuate outer surface 141 for mating with a portion of an outer circumference of the post 2. Preferably, the arcuate outer surface 141 of the mounting wall 14 and the outer circumference of the post 2 are complementary to each other. In this example, the mounting wall 14 is provided by an outer face of an arcuate, elongate strip fixed to the rear side of the light seat 11. The arcuate, elongate strip can be fixed to the rear side of the light seat 11 after wiring of the light seat 11 is completed. Alternatively, the mounting wall 14 can be integral with the light seat 11.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, at least one elastic padding member 16 is provided on the arcuate outer surface 141. In this example, two padding members 16 (in the form of rubber pads) are provided on the arcuate outer surface 141 and spaced in the vertical direction. This allows the mounting wall 14 to tightly press against the outer circumference of the post 2, preventing sliding motion of the mounting wall 14 on the post 2. At least a pair of holes 17 is defined in two lateral sides of the mounting wall 14. In this example, two pairs of lugs 171 are provided on the lateral sides of the mounting wall 14, with each lug 171 including a hole 17. Alternatively, the lugs 171 may be formed on the lateral sides of the light seat 11.
Two flexible straps 15 are provided for tightening purposes. Each strap 15 has a first end 151 fixed to one of a pair of lugs 171. The strap 15 includes hook and loop fasteners 153 on the same face or opposite faces of the strap 15. A second end 152 of the strap 15 extending through the hole 17 of the other of the pair of lugs 171 and then wound back to allow engagement of the hook fastener with the loop fastener. For example, a hook fastener is provided on the first end 151 of the strap 15 and a loop fastener is provided on the second end 152 of the strap 15.
In assembly, the light seat 11 is mounted to a post 2 of a tent, with the mounting wall 14 abutting against a portion of the outer circumference of the post 2. The second end 152 of each strap 15 is extended across the remaining portion of the outer circumference of the post 2 and through the hole 17 of the associated lug 171. The second end 152 of each strap 15 is then bent backward to tightly clamp the post 2, and the hook and loop fasteners 153 are then engaged with each other. Thus, the illuminating device 1 is tightly fixed to the cylindrical post 2 of the tent.
With reference to FIG. 4, by engagement between the arcuate outer face 141 of the mounting wall 14 on the lighting seat 11 of the illuminating device 1 and the outer circumference of the post 2 and by the straps 15 with hook and loop fasteners 153, the illuminating device 1 can be reliably and conveniently mounted to the post 2 of the tent while allowing easy adjustment in the illuminating angle of the light 12. Disengagement of the illuminating device 1 from the post 2 is less likely to occur, even subject to external impact or strong winds.
With reference to FIG. 5, when mounting the illuminating device 1 to a post 2 having a smaller diameter, by engagement between the arcuate outer face 141 and the padding members 16 and the outer circumference of the post 2 and by the straps 15 with hook and loop fasteners 153, the illuminating device 1 can be reliably and conveniently mounted to the post 2 of the tent while allowing easy adjustment in the illuminating angle of the light 12. Hence, the illuminating device 1 in accordance with the present invention can be used with posts 2 of various diameters.
FIG. 6 illustrates a modified embodiment of the present invention, wherein the straps 15 are replaced with at least one screw 18. The mounting wall 14 includes a screw hole or through-hole 19 through which the screw 18 extends into a screw hole 21 in the post 2. The light seat 11 is thus fixed to the post 2. It is noted that the battery 13 is removed before mounting the screw 18.
FIG. 7 illustrates another modified embodiment of the present invention, wherein straps 15 and at least one screw 18 are used to fix the illuminating device 1 to the post 2.
Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications and variations are still possible. The scope of the invention is limited by the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A tent comprising:

a plurality of posts; and

an illuminating device mounted to one of the posts, said one of the posts to which the illuminating device is mounted including an outer circumference and a circular cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of said post, the illuminating device comprising:

a light seat mounted to said one of the posts, the light seat including a compartment for receiving a battery, the light seat further including a mounting wall having an arcuate outer face in contact with a portion of the outer circumference of said one of the posts;

a light mounted to the light seat, the light including at least one lighting element; and means for fastening the light seat to said one of the posts.

2. The tent as claimed in claim 1 wherein the light seat includes an arcuate, elongate strip that is fixed to a rear side of the light seat and that includes the arcuate outer face.

3. The tent as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mounting wall includes two lugs respectively on two lateral sides thereof, each said lug including a hole, further including a strap having a first end fixed to one of the lugs and a second end passing through the hole of the other lug for tightening the light seat to said one of the posts, a hook fastener and a look fastener being provided on the strap, the hook and loop fasteners engaging with each other for tightening the light seat in place.

4. The tent as claimed in claim 1 wherein the illuminating device further includes an engaging arm having a first end pivotally connected to the light seat and a second end pivotally connected to the light.

5. The tent as claimed in claim 1 wherein the light seat further includes at least one padding member on the arcuate outer face and in contact with the portion of the outer circumference of said one of the posts.

6. The tent as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one padding member is a rubber pad.

7. The tent as claimed in claim 1 wherein said one of the posts includes a screw hole, the light seat includes a through-hole extending through the mounting wall, further including a screw extending through the through-hole into the screw hole.

8. The tent as claimed in claim 3 wherein said one of the posts includes a screw hole, the light seat includes a through-hole extending through the mounting wall, further including a screw extending through the through-hole into the screw hole.

9. The tent as claimed in claim 4 wherein said one of the posts includes a screw hole, the light seat includes a through-hole extending through the mounting wall, further including a screw extending through the through-hole into the screw hole.

10. The tent as claimed in claim 5 wherein said one of the posts includes a screw hole, the light seat includes a through-hole extending through the mounting wall, further including a screw extending through the through-hole into the screw hole.