US20100006131A1

US20100006131A1 - Automatic folding tent

Info

Publication number: US20100006131A1
Application number: US12/171,437
Authority: US
Inventors: Pei-Chuan Liu
Original assignee: CHUA TECK-HUAT
Current assignee: CHUA TECK-HUAT
Priority date: 2008-07-11
Filing date: 2008-07-11
Publication date: 2010-01-14

Abstract

An automatic folding tent includes at least a plurality of main brackets, auxiliary brackets, connecting rod groups, elevation devices, and a tent cloth. After the main brackets and the auxiliary brackets are pivoted, the connecting rod groups for supporting the auxiliary brackets to unfold are disposed between the main brackets and the auxiliary brackets. The auxiliary brackets are gathered at a top block, the elevation device is disposed on a top end of the main bracket and is power-connected to the connecting rod group, and the tent cloth is wrapped on top of the main brackets and the auxiliary brackets. Accordingly, the elevation devices are controlled to synchronously operate through a remote controller, so as to actuate the main brackets to ascend and descend, and to actuate the auxiliary brackets to unfold or fold, thereby automatically operating the tent to fold and unfold.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a tent for outdoor leisure activities, and more particularly to a tent with a plurality of groups of linking-up frames driven to unfold for using or fold for accommodation by an appropriate power source.
2. Related Art
Along with the increasingly improved living conditions, people's demands on outdoor leisure activities are increased. Camping is the most popular activity, which may promote the relation between parents and children and allow people to be in close contact with the nature. During camping, light and portable tents, which may temporarily shield wind and rain, are most indispensable. Various types and styles of tents, from simple to complicated, are available in the market, and most of the tents are hand-operated, but some of them are automatically operated. For example, in ROC Patent No. M313705, entitled by “Automatic Tent” by this inventor, an array of linking-up frames is actuated by an actuating device, and is unfolded to a three dimensional frame, such that a tent cloth wrapped on the frame is unfolded, so as to form a tent having a shielding function. Further, after the actuating device actuates backwards, the frame is impelled to be folded for accommodation, and the tent cloth is automatically rolled for accommodation.
However, although the automatic tent is automatically operated in design, the tent is folded and unfolded through hand operation in practice, instead of a fully automatic operating manner. Further, the present invention is proposed by this inventor, in which the linking-up of an elevation device and other mechanisms is controlled through a wireless remote control electronic technique, thereby automatically operating the tent to fold and unfold.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an automatic folding tent, which has an easy operation, a simple structure, and small volume for being carried conveniently.
In order to achieve the above objective, the automatic folding tent of the present invention mainly includes a plurality of main brackets, a plurality of auxiliary brackets, a plurality of connecting rod groups, three groups of elevation devices, and a tent cloth. The main bracket and the auxiliary bracket are pivoted through a first joint portion, and a second joint portion is disposed on the auxiliary bracket. A connecting rod group is disposed between the main bracket and the auxiliary bracket, such that the connecting rod group is respectively connected to the main bracket, the auxiliary bracket, and the elevation device. The elevation device has an extensible rod for driving the main bracket to ascend and descend. The tent cloth is wrapped on top of the main brackets and the auxiliary brackets. Further, an extensible frame is disposed between two neighboring main brackets. Accordingly, the structure is quite simple, and the main brackets are driven by the power of the elevation devices to ascend and descend, and the auxiliary brackets are impelled by the connecting rod groups to unfold and fold, such that the automatic folding tent of the present invention may be automatic unfolded for using or folded for accommodation, so as to solve the problem of the inconvenience and low efficiency of the hand operation in the conventional art. The connecting rod is power-connected to the elevation device, and the elevation devices are information-linked to a remote controller. Therefore, the user may control the elevation devices to synchronously operate forward or backward through the remote controller, so as to increase the operation convenience for the user. During accommodation, the length of the main brackets may be shortened, and the auxiliary brackets and the connecting rod groups are oppositely folded. Therefore, the tent has a greatly reduced volume, thus being convenient for carrying and accommodation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below for illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a combined tent according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a combined view of a frame body after a tent cloth is removed according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a structural view of a main bracket, an auxiliary bracket, and a connecting rod group according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating the joining action at a top according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating the action when the tent is unfolded for using according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating the action when the tent is folded for accommodation according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order to make the examiner clearly understand the content of the present invention, the present invention is illustrated hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4, an automatic folding tent of the present invention may be controlled by the user to automatically unfold for using or fold for accommodation from a distance, so as to automatically operate the tent. The tent mainly includes the following elements.
Four main brackets 1 vertically stand on a plane, and are arranged in a shape of rectangle. A first joint portion 11 and an elevation device 4 are disposed on a top end of each main bracket 1, and a case 12 is wrapped out of an upper section of each main bracket 1. A longitudinal elongate through hole 121 is disposed inside the case 12. Further, a diamond crossing extensible frame 13 is disposed between two neighboring main brackets 1, for enhancing the supporting force on lateral sides of the tent after unfolding.
Four auxiliary brackets 2 are disposed on the top ends of the main brackets 1. One end of each auxiliary bracket 2 is pivoted on the first joint portion 11, such that the auxiliary bracket 2 may rotate with the first joint portion 11 as a pivot. A second joint portion 21 is disposed at a central portion of the auxiliary bracket 2, and the auxiliary bracket 2 may rotate with the second joint portion 21 as the pivot, such that the two ends of the auxiliary bracket 2 may be unfolded for using or folded for accommodation. Further, the auxiliary brackets 2 are gathered at a top block 22, and four pivoting portions 221 which are vertical to each other are disposed on the top block 22.
Four connecting rod groups 3 are disposed between the main brackets 1 and the auxiliary brackets 2. The connecting rod group 3 is a common four-connecting rod group or multi-connecting rod group, one end of the connecting rod is connected to the main bracket 1, and the other end is connected to the auxiliary bracket 2. The connecting rod is power-connected to an elevation device 4, so as to drive the main bracket 1 and the auxiliary bracket 2 to unfold for using or fold for accommodation by the connecting rod group 3 when the elevation device 4 operates. Referring to FIG. 3, the connecting rod group 3 of the present invention has a first connecting rod 31, a second connecting rod 32, a third connecting rod 33, and a third joint portion 34. The third joint portion 34 is formed by pivoting a first sleeving portion 341, a second sleeving portion 342, and a third sleeving portion 343. Each sleeving portion 341, 342, and 343 has a fixing portion 344, so each fixing portion is located on a different position of the third joint portion 34 and has a different swing angle. For example, the first sleeving portion 341 and the second sleeving portion 342 are disposed opposite to each other, and may be unfolded to assume a straight line or folded to assume an acute angle. The third sleeving portion 343 is located on an inclined direction of the third joint portion 34, may be unfolded to assume a straight line with respect to the second sleeving portion 342, or folded to assume an acute angle. Further, one end of the first connecting rod 31 is pivoted on the auxiliary bracket 2, and the other end is pivoted on the fixing portion 344 of the first sleeving portion 341. One end of the second connecting rod 32 is pivoted on a surface of the case 12 of the main bracket 1, and the other end is pivoted on the fixing portion 344 of the second sleeving portion 342. One end of the third connecting rod 33 is pivoted on the fixing portion 344 of the third sleeving portion 343.
Four groups of elevation devices 4 are disposed on the top ends of the main brackets 1. An extensible rod 41 is disposed on a bottom end of each elevation device 4, and a roller 411 is further disposed on a bottom end of the extensible rod 11. A pneumatic element or a hydraulic element 43 is actuated by a motor 42, and drives the extensible rod 14 to extend and contract by the generated power, such that the third connecting rod 33 may limitedly move back and forth in the elongate through hole 121. Alternatively, the motor 42 drives a screw rod to rotate, a sliding block is movably disposed on the screw rod, and the sliding block may drive the connecting rod group to fold and unfold, and to drive the extensible rod to extend and contract (not shown). Further, a power socket 44 is disposed on one side of each elevation device 4, and each elevation device 4 is information-linked to a remote controller 45, such that each elevation device 4 is controlled to synchronously ascend and descend.
A tent cloth 5 is wrapped on top of the main brackets 1, the auxiliary brackets 2, and the crossing extensible frames 13. The tent cloth 5 is approximately in the shape of pyramid, and has peripheral sides extending downwards, so as to be surely wrapped on top of the main brackets 1, the auxiliary brackets 2, and the crossing extensible frames 13, thereby forming a tent with a shielding roof on the top.
Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, and referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 together, when the present invention is used, the main brackets 1 are made to vertically stand on a plane. When the user presses the remote controller 43 to make each elevation device 4 synchronously operate forward, the extensible rod 41 of the elevation device 4 may drive the main bracket 1 to ascend, and the third connecting rod 33 on one side of the main bracket is impelled to move upwards and approach the second connecting rod 32. When the second connecting rod 32 approaches the third connecting rod 33, the first connecting rod 31 may be impelled, with the third joint portion 34 as a pivot, to push the auxiliary bracket 2 towards an opposite direction of the main bracket 1, such that main bracket 1 and the auxiliary bracket 2 are fully unfolded, and the extensible frame 13 is driven to unfold. From the top view, each auxiliary bracket 2 is radially unfolded outwards with the top block as a center, and the tent cloth 5 is unfolded, so as to form a tent with a shielding roof on the top, thereby automatically operating the tent. On the contrary, when each elevation device 4 is made to synchronously operate backward, the extensible rod 41 of the elevation device 4 may be driven to gradually contract, such that the total length of the main bracket 1 is shortened, and the third connecting rod 33 is impelled by the extensible rod 41 to move downwards, such that the third connecting rod 33 and the second connecting rod 32 are unfolded, the first connecting rod 31 and the second connecting rod 32 are folded, and the connecting rod group 3 is folded. The auxiliary bracket 2 is drawn back towards the same direction of the main bracket 1, such that the main bracket 1 and the auxiliary bracket 2 are folded, and the crossing extensible frame 13 is driven to contract and fold. When each main bracket 1 and each auxiliary bracket 2 are synchronously unfolded, the crossing extensible frame 13 is driven to unfold. From the top view, each auxiliary bracket 2 is radially contracted with the top block as the center, and the tent cloth 5 is rolled. Therefore, the ten has a greatly reduced volume after being folded, thus being convenient for accommodation and carrying. Therefore, the unfolding for using and the folding for accommodation are quite convenient.
As described above, referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4, in the automatic folding tent of the present invention, a remote controller 43 is used to control the elevation device 4 and the connecting rod group 3 disposed on the top end of each main bracket 1, so as to synchronously drive each main bracket 1 to ascend and descend, and drive the auxiliary bracket 2 to synchronously unfold, such that the tent is operated automatically to fold and unfold, thus being convenient for accommodation and carrying. The tent has a greatly reduced volume during accommodation, which increases the convenience for accommodation and carrying.
However, the above mentioned is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention without limiting the implementing scope of the present invention. Other manners of disposing the connecting rod groups, the selection of the power of the elevation devices, and other alternation manners all fall within the scope of the present invention. Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations, such as the pneumatic element actuated by the motor is changed to a hydraulic element, made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention all fall within the scope of the present invention.
To sum up, the automatic folding tent of the present invention has creativeness of patent and industrial applicability. The present application is filed for an innovation patent according to the Patent Law.

Claims

1. An automatic folding tent, comprising:

a plurality of main brackets, wrapped by a case, and each having a first joint portion disposed on a top end;

a plurality of auxiliary brackets, each having one end pivoted on the first joint portion and the other end assembled on a top block, and having a second joint portion disposed thereon;

a plurality of connecting rod groups, wherein each connecting rod is connected to the main bracket and the auxiliary bracket respectively, and a connecting rod is power-connected to an elevation device, so as to drive the main bracket and the auxiliary bracket to unfold or fold;

three groups of elevation devices, disposed on the top ends of the main brackets, and each having an extensible rod disposed on a bottom end, so as to drive the main bracket to ascend and descend; and

a tent cloth, wrapped on top of the main brackets and the auxiliary brackets.

2. The automatic folding tent according to claim 1, wherein the case of the main bracket has an elongate through hole disposed on one side, and a third connecting rod and the extensible rod are pivoted in the elongate through hole.

3. The automatic folding tent according to claim 1, wherein a diamond crossing extensible frame is disposed between two neighboring main brackets.

4. The automatic folding tent according to claim 1, wherein the connecting rod group has a first connecting rod, a second connecting rod, a third connecting rod, and a third joint portion, the first connecting rod, the second connecting rod, and the third connecting rod are disposed on the third joint portion, one end of the first connecting rod is disposed on the auxiliary bracket, and the second connecting rod is disposed on the main bracket.

5. The automatic folding tent according to claim 1, wherein the extensible rod of the elevation device has a roller on a bottom end.

6. The automatic folding tent according to claim 1, wherein the extensible rod of the elevation device is driven to extend and contract through a pneumatic element actuated by a motor.

7. The automatic folding tent according to claim 1, wherein the extensible rod of the elevation device is driven to extend and contract through a hydraulic element actuated by a motor.

8. The automatic folding tent according to claim 1, wherein the elevation device drives a screw rod to rotate by a motor, a sliding block is movably disposed on the screw rod, and the sliding block drives the connecting rod group to fold and unfold and to drive the extensible rod to extend and contract.

9. The automatic folding tent according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of groups of elevation devices are information-linked to a remote controller.