US20110023926A1 - Folding item - Google Patents

Folding item Download PDF

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Publication number
US20110023926A1
US20110023926A1 US12/933,564 US93356409A US2011023926A1 US 20110023926 A1 US20110023926 A1 US 20110023926A1 US 93356409 A US93356409 A US 93356409A US 2011023926 A1 US2011023926 A1 US 2011023926A1
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
loop
loops
folding
flat
superimposed
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US12/933,564
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English (en)
Inventor
Tristan Bony
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Decathlon SE
Original Assignee
Decathlon SE
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
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Assigned to DECATHLON reassignment DECATHLON ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: BONY, TRISTAN
Publication of US20110023926A1 publication Critical patent/US20110023926A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04H—BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL
    • E04H15/00—Tents or canopies, in general
    • E04H15/32—Parts, components, construction details, accessories, interior equipment, specially adapted for tents, e.g. guy-line equipment, skirts, thresholds
    • E04H15/34—Supporting means, e.g. frames
    • E04H15/36—Supporting means, e.g. frames arch-shaped type
    • E04H15/40—Supporting means, e.g. frames arch-shaped type flexible

Definitions

  • the present invention concerns the field of items that include a structure of one or several arcs, and that can be folded between an open position for use and a folded position for storage, in which they have a substantially circular configuration.
  • This invention is particularly applicable to folding item such as tents, shelters, or ball game devices.
  • These items generally comprise an upper skin, often called roof skin in the case of a tent or shelter.
  • Arc structures occur when this skin is connected with flexible structural elements that assume, in the open position of the item, a circular arc configuration.
  • These structuring elements can be made up of flexible rods with elastic recoil, in particular formed by rods made of a composite or metal or plastic material, the rods possibly being connected to each other.
  • the flexible rods are straight in the folded position for storing the item and only assume the circular arc configuration when the item is assembled. This is particularly the case for certain tents generally referred to as dome tents.
  • the structuring elements form a closed loop, this loop making it possible in particular to make the item three-dimensional.
  • Such an item is described in document U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,161, for example.
  • the structuring element, in closed loop form assumes, in the folded position of the item, the form of three superimposed turns or coils. The same is true for the tent described in document U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,667.
  • folding the item consists primarily, from the assembled, therefore three-dimensional, shape, of interlinking the loops making up the item to be folded with each other. If the assembled item does not assume a configuration in which the loops designed to form the final coil are already formed, the loops may be interlinked at the same time they are assembled.
  • the described method therefore consists of a succession of laborious steps during and at the end of which the object to be folded is kept in a three dimensional configuration, with the exception, of course, of the final configuration with three superimposed coils that one can liken to a substantially flat configuration, and possibly an intermediate configuration forming a substantially flat three-loop figure.
  • the problem that then arises is that of having a method for folding an item that includes an arc structure, from an open position to a folded position in which the arc structure forms a series of three superimposed coils, that is fast and easy to implement, in particular by a single person.
  • the aim of the invention is therefore to provide a solution to the aforementioned problem, among others.
  • the invention thus concerns, according to a first aspect, a method for folding an item that includes an arc structure capable of being folded on itself comprising at least one closed loop, in a folded position in which said loop assumes the form of three superimposed coils.
  • These coils are preferably substantially circular, but can also be oblong or oval.
  • the method consists in particular of forming, with the loop, a first substantially flat figure with three loops: a central loop and two side loops, all substantially in the same plane.
  • each of these side loops is then successively folded down onto the central loop to form the three superimposed coils.
  • a first of the two side loops is first folded down on the central loop, then the second of these two side loops is folded down on the central loop and the first side loop, to form these three superimposed coils.
  • one first forms a second substantially flat figure from the first substantially flat figure, by folding a first of the two side loops down on the central loop, then one forms the three superimposed coils by folding the second of the two side loops down on the second substantially flat figure.
  • the folding method is easy to carry out, in particular by a single person, due to the step at the end of which the initial loop forms a flat figure with three smaller loops.
  • first flat three-loop figure In a first alternative, to form the first flat three-loop figure, one grasps a first portion of the loop having an apex and brings it into the plane of the complementary potion of said loop also having an apex, such that on one hand the first portion crosses the complementary portion at two intersection points, and on the other hand, the apex of the first portion is past the apex of the complementary portion.
  • the initial loop is subdivided into three smaller loops in a same plane and ready to be superimposed to form the three final coils.
  • first flat figure one grasps a first portion of the loop and twists it so as to create a first point of intersection. One then grasps a second portion of the loop, opposite the first portion, and also twists it so as to create a second point of intersection.
  • the arc structure comprises several loops with substantially the same dimensions.
  • these loops are superimposed so as to form virtually a single closed loop, to which the method as described above can then be applied.
  • the superimposed loops are kept together using at least one fastening element, for example a diametral strap or an attachment, to facilitate later handling of this loop superposition as a single loop.
  • at least one fastening element for example a diametral strap or an attachment
  • the three superimposed coils are kept together using a fastening element preferably of the diametral strap type, or of the attachment type.
  • the three superimposed coils are inserted into a cover, preferably circular, but which can also be oblong or oval.
  • the invention also concerns, according to a second aspect, an item including an arc structure itself comprising at least one closed loop, folded into a folding position in which the loop assumes the form of three superimposed coils, preferably substantially circular, obtained using the folding method as presented above.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective illustration of the arc structure of a tent-type item, in the open position
  • FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic and side illustration of a tent-type item, in the open position
  • FIGS. 3 to 6 are diagrammatic illustrations of the different steps of the method according to the invention, in a first embodiment
  • FIGS. 7 a to 7 c are diagrammatic illustrations of the transition from the FIG. 3 stage to the FIG. 4 stage (formation of the first flat figure in the first embodiment),
  • FIGS. 8 to 12 are diagrammatic illustrations of the different steps of the method according to the invention in a second alternative embodiment.
  • FIG. 1 shows an arc structure of a tent-type item 1 in the open position.
  • the structure comprises two closed loops 2 , 2 ′.
  • the structure has an upper loop 2 and a lower loop 2 ′.
  • FIG. 1 referenced in FIG. 1 are two opposite ends or apices 3 a and 4 a of the upper loop 2 , corresponding to the two lower ends of said upper loop 2 , or the two ends in which said upper loop 2 meets the lower loop 2 ′ in the open position. These ends or apices 3 a and 4 a are therefore combined with two opposite ends or apices of the lower loop 2 ′.
  • FIG. 1 Also referenced in FIG. 1 are the two ends or apices 10 and 11 of the upper loop 2 , at the uppermost points of said upper loop 2 in the open position, or at the points of said upper loop 2 that are furthest from the lower loop 2 ′ in the open position.
  • FIG. 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 are two other opposite ends or apices 12 and 13 of the lower loop 2 ′, at the points of said lower loop 2 ′ farthest from the upper loop 2 in the open position.
  • FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of the tent 1 provided with the arc structure illustrated in FIG. 1 , with a skin 7 , generally called roof skin, stretched between the arcs of the structure.
  • the loops 2 and 2 ′ are slid into sheaths connected, for example by sewing, to the roof skin 7 .
  • FIGS. 3 to 6 show the main steps of the folding method according to the invention, in a first embodiment, applied to a general folding item that comprises at least one closed loop 2 .
  • FIG. 3 therefore illustrates the closed loop 2 , as illustrated in FIG. 1 , seen from below.
  • this loop 2 is not necessarily flat, as we will see in particular in reference to FIGS. 7 a and 7 b .
  • the selected bottom view shows the projection of said loop 2 in a plane, therefore in the form of a flat curve that can be oblong or circular, for example.
  • this first flat figure to form this first flat figure, one grasps the first portion 3 of the loop 2 comprising the apex 3 a, and gradually folds it down in the plane of the complementary portion 4 of the loop 2 comprised by the apex 4 a. To do this, one exerts pressure along an axis perpendicular to the axis connecting the apices 3 a and 4 a to tighten the first portion 3 for the subsequent formation of the central loop 2 b.
  • the first portion 3 crosses the complementary portion 4 at two intersection points 5 and 6 , and the apex 3 a of the first portion 3 is past the apex 4 a of the complementary portion 4 .
  • FIGS. 7 a to 7 c The operation to go from the stage of FIG. 3 to that of FIG. 4 as described in the preceding paragraph is broken down in FIGS. 7 a to 7 c , in a succession of perspective views of the loop 2 .
  • FIG. 7 a therefore corresponds to a perspective view of the loop 2 as illustrated in FIG. 3
  • FIG. 7 c therefore corresponds to a perspective view of the loop 2 as illustrated in FIG. 4
  • FIG. 7 b corresponds to a perspective view of the loop 2 in an intermediate position, when the first portion 3 of the loop 2 has not yet been completely folded down in the plane of the complementary portion 4 .
  • the loop 2 assumes the form of three superimposed coils 2 a, 2 b and 2 c, as illustrated in FIG. 6 .
  • These coils are preferably substantially circular, but can also be oblong or oval.
  • a fastening element making it possible to keep these three coils 2 a to 2 c together.
  • This may, for example, be a diametral strap, preferably elastic, or one or several attachments.
  • the superposition of the two loops 2 and 2 ′ is obtained by making the apices or ends 12 and 13 of the lower loop 2 ′ farthest from the upper loop 2 in the open position, coincide with the ends or apices 10 and 11 of the upper loop 2 farthest from the lower loop 2 ′ in the open position, respectively.
  • this virtual loop 2 actually comprising the two joined together or superimposed lower 2 ′ and upper 2 loops
  • the user must also coil this virtual loop 2 over, such that its convexity is oriented upward as in FIG. 7 a , and not downward as in FIG. 1 , to implement the folding method detailed above in reference to FIGS. 3 to 6 and 7 a to 7 c.
  • the formation of the first flat figure with three loops 2 a , 2 b, 2 c can be obtained in another way, as illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 12 .
  • the first flat figure with three loops, one central 2 b and the other two side 2 a and 2 c therefore comprises three loops 2 a to 2 c that are substantially aligned (in that their respective centers are substantially aligned), whereas in the first alternative ( FIG. 4 ), the two side loops 2 a and 2 c are offset in relation to the central loop 2 b so as to form a sort of clover (in that their respective centers form the apices of a substantially isosceles, possibly equilateral triangle).
  • this side loop 2 b is pivoted around its point of intersection 6 with the central loop 2 b.
  • the loop 2 assumes the form of three superimposed coils 2 a, 2 b and 2 c that are preferably substantially circular, or possibly oblong or oval.
  • these three superimposed coils 2 a to 2 c can be inserted into a sheath, preferably substantially circular, provided to that end.
  • a fastening element can be provided making it possible to keep these three coils 2 a to 2 c together, such as a diametral strap, preferably elastic, or one or several attachments.
  • the invention is not limited to folding a tent as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 , but applies to a tent whereof the arc structure has a single loop 2 or more than two loops 2 , 2 ′.
  • the method according to the invention is not limited to folding a tent, but concerns the folding of any item with an arc structure comprising at least one closed loop, such that this loop assumes, in folded position, the form of a superposition of three coils.
  • the method also applies to other examples of such items, such as foldable shelters or ball game devices.
  • the invention is not limited to the two embodiments presented above to form the first flat figure with three loops.
  • Other ways of forming such a figure can be considered, provided that they go through the step of forming a first flat figure with three loops, i.e. three loops substantially in the same plane, that one can then easily fold down on each other as described above.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Tents Or Canopies (AREA)
  • Folding Of Thin Sheet-Like Materials, Special Discharging Devices, And Others (AREA)
  • Manufacture Of Motors, Generators (AREA)
  • Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)
US12/933,564 2008-03-21 2009-03-20 Folding item Abandoned US20110023926A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR08/51851 2008-03-21
FR0851851A FR2928953B1 (fr) 2008-03-21 2008-03-21 Article repliable
PCT/FR2009/050479 WO2009125107A1 (fr) 2008-03-21 2009-03-20 Article repliable

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20110023926A1 true US20110023926A1 (en) 2011-02-03

Family

ID=39870576

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US12/933,564 Abandoned US20110023926A1 (en) 2008-03-21 2009-03-20 Folding item

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US20110023926A1 (fr)
EP (1) EP2260164A1 (fr)
CN (1) CN102027177A (fr)
FR (1) FR2928953B1 (fr)
RU (1) RU2452836C1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2009125107A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8051865B1 (en) 2010-04-15 2011-11-08 Yvonne Uranga Canopy for umbrellas

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2964687B1 (fr) * 2010-09-10 2013-07-19 Decathlon Sa Article repliable a structure en arceaux
FR3066684A1 (fr) * 2017-05-29 2018-11-30 L'oreal Masque cosmetique
FR3137701B1 (fr) 2022-07-05 2024-06-07 Bruno Pluchard Abri pliant portatif

Citations (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3675667A (en) * 1970-09-25 1972-07-11 Jack V Miller Self-erecting tent
US3960161A (en) * 1974-11-05 1976-06-01 Norman Lowell R Portable structure
US3990463A (en) * 1975-10-17 1976-11-09 Lowell Robert Norman Portable structure
US4825892A (en) * 1988-02-29 1989-05-02 Pure Concepts, Inc. Instantly stable, quickly erectable and quickly collapsible portable structure
US5137044A (en) * 1990-10-12 1992-08-11 Brady David S Collapsible tent structure
US5249592A (en) * 1991-12-10 1993-10-05 Springer Catherine P Self-erecting tent
US5411046A (en) * 1992-02-03 1995-05-02 Arrow Link Industries Limited Tent
US5427381A (en) * 1994-09-29 1995-06-27 Macaluso; Anthony G. Sports net
US5592961A (en) * 1996-01-05 1997-01-14 Chin; Anna H. K. Portable booth
US5645096A (en) * 1994-02-03 1997-07-08 Hazinski; Daniel P. Non-symmetrical loop pop up tent structure and method
US5816278A (en) * 1997-03-20 1998-10-06 Kim; Gyeong S. Collapsible tent
US6170100B1 (en) * 1998-05-19 2001-01-09 Gray Matter Holdings, Llc Self-opening towel
US6357510B1 (en) * 1999-04-06 2002-03-19 Patent Category Corp. Collapsible support frames
US7246630B1 (en) * 2003-05-15 2007-07-24 Ransom Robert M Tree stand hunting blind

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
RU2054883C1 (ru) * 1991-08-05 1996-02-27 Научно-технический центр "Класс" Устройство для защиты от солнца и непогоды
RU2145375C1 (ru) * 1998-06-22 2000-02-10 Открытое акционерное общество "Ярославрезинотехника" Пневмокаркасное быстровозводимое сооружение
CN2406008Y (zh) * 1999-07-15 2000-11-15 中山市现代玩具贸易有限公司 一种快速折叠帐篷

Patent Citations (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3675667A (en) * 1970-09-25 1972-07-11 Jack V Miller Self-erecting tent
US3960161A (en) * 1974-11-05 1976-06-01 Norman Lowell R Portable structure
US3990463A (en) * 1975-10-17 1976-11-09 Lowell Robert Norman Portable structure
US4825892A (en) * 1988-02-29 1989-05-02 Pure Concepts, Inc. Instantly stable, quickly erectable and quickly collapsible portable structure
US5137044A (en) * 1990-10-12 1992-08-11 Brady David S Collapsible tent structure
US5249592A (en) * 1991-12-10 1993-10-05 Springer Catherine P Self-erecting tent
US5411046A (en) * 1992-02-03 1995-05-02 Arrow Link Industries Limited Tent
US5645096A (en) * 1994-02-03 1997-07-08 Hazinski; Daniel P. Non-symmetrical loop pop up tent structure and method
US5427381A (en) * 1994-09-29 1995-06-27 Macaluso; Anthony G. Sports net
US5592961A (en) * 1996-01-05 1997-01-14 Chin; Anna H. K. Portable booth
US5816278A (en) * 1997-03-20 1998-10-06 Kim; Gyeong S. Collapsible tent
US6170100B1 (en) * 1998-05-19 2001-01-09 Gray Matter Holdings, Llc Self-opening towel
US6357510B1 (en) * 1999-04-06 2002-03-19 Patent Category Corp. Collapsible support frames
US7246630B1 (en) * 2003-05-15 2007-07-24 Ransom Robert M Tree stand hunting blind

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8051865B1 (en) 2010-04-15 2011-11-08 Yvonne Uranga Canopy for umbrellas

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN102027177A (zh) 2011-04-20
FR2928953A1 (fr) 2009-09-25
WO2009125107A1 (fr) 2009-10-15
FR2928953B1 (fr) 2016-06-10
EP2260164A1 (fr) 2010-12-15
RU2452836C1 (ru) 2012-06-10
RU2010143004A (ru) 2012-04-27

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Owner name: DECATHLON, FRANCE

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:BONY, TRISTAN;REEL/FRAME:025168/0752

Effective date: 20100930

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

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