US20110168221A1

US20110168221A1 - Portable hunting blind

Info

Publication number: US20110168221A1
Application number: US12/984,396
Authority: US
Inventors: Jared Shane Schlipf
Original assignee: Oak Leaf Outdoors Inc
Current assignee: Oak Leaf Outdoors Inc
Priority date: 2010-01-11
Filing date: 2011-01-04
Publication date: 2011-07-14

Abstract

A portable and collapsible blind including a door and associated opening that is defined through a side corner and adjacent side walls of the blind to offer easy ingress and egress relative to the blind. The blind can include a hub style frame including sets of bars joined with respective hubs. The door can include a curvilinear closure that extends along one sidewall, across the side corner, and into an adjacent sidewall. The closure and a perimeter of the door can be of a partially circular, elliptical and/or parabolic shape.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to portable blinds, and more particularly to ground blinds including an opening for ingress and egress.
There are a variety of hunting and wildlife observation products that are adapted to conceal movement of a hunter or wildlife observer from game, such as deer, turkey and waterfowl. One such product is the ground blind. A ground blind typically includes a frame covered by panels constructed from a camouflage material that blends into the natural surroundings. The frame and material usually form an enclosure in which a hunter or wildlife observer conceals themselves. The camouflage material usually is opaque so that a hunter can move within the enclosure without alerting game to the hunter or observer's presence within the blind.
A popular conventional hunting ground blind is a generally box-shaped, hub-style blind. Such a blind is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,338 to Stumbo. As explained in Stumbo, one particular challenging feature of such hub-style blinds is the opening which offers ingress and egress to and from the blind. As shown in Stumbo, the opening is a straight, linear, vertical slit disposed along the intersection of two adjacent side panels. The Stumbo opening construction apparently requires that the poles or legs of each hub of the blind must flex to enable the opening to expand for ingress and egress. Adjacent the linear, vertical slit, a zipper is stitched in place with non-stretchable thread. When the zipper is open, the fabric adjacent the slit can be pulled to widen the slit somewhat to offer more room for ingress or egress. When the zipper is closed, it pulls the side panels together at their intersection at the corner of the blind.
Although the Stumbo opening provides ingress and egress, it suffers several shortcomings. For example, even when expanded, the opening is a relatively narrow vertical slit. Passing equipment, such as a bow, firearm, chair or other items through the narrow vertical slit can be difficult. Further, in cold climates, where a user is dressed with bulky clothing, getting through the narrow slit can be challenging. In some cases, where a user has a large pack, or chair, the slit is so narrow that it cannot accommodate them. Accordingly, the blind may need to be turned on its side to place the equipment inside. This can be noisy, which is undesirable, as it can alert game that a human is in the area. It can also dislodge or disrupt any natural vegetation that has been placed on or adjacent the blind for further concealment.
Some manufacturers have addressed the issues with the vertical slit opening by replacing it with a sideways “V” shaped opening defined by a single side panel of the blind. While this offers slightly more room for ingress and egress, the bottom and top of the opening still terminate generally at a point, which can be difficult to cross without tripping or snagging equipment worn on the back of a user, respectively. Moreover, the sideways “V” opening can be difficult to close. For example, pulling a zipper to join the tent material on the side panel can be difficult as the zipper sometimes cannot pull the opposing sides of the opening together. Furthermore, such sideways “V” openings typically require two separate zippers—one for the top part of the “V”, and another for the bottom part of the “V”—because a single zipper usually cannot transverse around the point of the “V”. Having two zippers increases cost and production time in the manufacture of the blind. It also requires a user of the blind to engage two separate zippers to close the blind opening, which can be time consuming and noisy.
Accordingly, there remains room for improving the openings which offer ingress and egress to portable blinds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A blind is provided which includes a simple and efficient opening for ingress and egress to and from the blind. In one embodiment, the blind is a hunting or wildlife observation blind, referred to herein as a “blind.” The blind can be collapsible and portable, and generally of a hub-style variety. The blind can include one or more side walls or panels and an optional roof. The blind can be configurable in a collapsed mode in which the blind is of a smaller dimension to allow transport, and an erected mode, in which the blind is fully erected and ready to conceal a user.
In another embodiment, the blind can define a rounded opening that spans across two adjacent side walls of the blind, as well as a side corner at which the side walls intersect. The rounded opening can be in the form of a partial or full circle, ellipse, parabola, or other geometric shape having one or more curvilinear characteristics. The rounded opening can provide ingress and egress to the interior of the blind by a user, or optionally can form a window of the blind.
In yet another embodiment, the blind can define an opening having a curvilinear perimeter. A first portion of the perimeter can be defined by a first sidewall, and a second portion of the perimeter of the opening can be defined by a second sidewall, adjacent the first sidewall. The first and second portions of the perimeter can be joined across a sidewall contour at which the first and second sidewalls intersect, for example, at a corner where the first and second sidewalls are at least partially joined.
In another embodiment, the blind can include a door that is selectively joinable with the at least partially curvilinear perimeter of the opening. When closed, the door can extend across at least two adjacent side panels of the blind, and optionally can extend across or traverse at least a portion of the sidewall corner where the adjacent sidewalls intersect one another. Optionally, the door can include a curvilinear door perimeter that corresponds to the curvilinear perimeter of the opening.
In still another embodiment, a closure element is provided to join the curvilinear perimeter of the opening with the curvilinear door perimeter. Optionally, the closure element can be a zipper, a hook-and-loop fastening system, and/or mechanically interlocking strips. The closure element can be operable to closed mode, in which the door closes the opening, and to an open mode, in which the door is at least partially open to allow ingress and egress to and from the interior of the blind.
In still yet another embodiment, the blind can include a hub style frame. The frame can include a plurality of sections, with each section joined with a particular sidewall and including a plurality of bars joined with a centralized hub. Adjacent bars of the frame can generally form quadrants therebetween.
In a further embodiment, where a hub style frame is utilized, a first quadrant, between adjacent bars of one sidewall, opens toward a second quadrant, between adjacent bars of an adjacent sidewall. Generally, the two quadrants open toward one another, with the ends of the bars located at or adjacent a side corner of the blind.
In yet a further embodiment, the curvilinear perimeter of the opening transverses the first and second quadrants of the adjacent sidewalls, as well as the side corner of the blind.
In still yet another embodiment, the curvilinear door perimeter is joined with the curvilinear opening, forming at least a portion of the side corner, as well as the adjacent side walls within the first and second quadrants of adjacent side walls.
The blind herein can include a simple and efficient opening that provides easy and quick ingress and egress to and from the blind, or that provides a simple to operate window. Where the opening and an optional door spans from one side panel, across a side corner and to an adjacent side panel, that door is of a large, easy to transverse dimension. Accordingly, users, even when carrying equipment or wearing bulky clothing, can quickly and easily enter and exit the blind. Moreover, where curvilinear perimeters are utilized on and transverse adjacent side panels, optionally a single continuous closure element can be used, which conserves materials, manufacturing time, as well as eases operation of the closure element.
These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be more readily understood and appreciated by reference to the detailed description of the invention and the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a first perspective view of a blind of a current embodiment including a door in a closed mode;

FIG. 2 is a second perspective view of the blind with the door in the closed mode;

FIG. 3 is a third perspective view of the blind with the door in an at least partially opened mode;

FIG. 4 is a fourth perspective view of the blind with the door being converted from an open mode to a closed mode;

FIG. 5 is a perspective of the blind in a collapsed mode;

FIG. 6 is a first alternative embodiment of the blind;

FIG. 7 is second alternative embodiment of the blind; and

FIG. 8 is a corner-on view of the current embodiment of the blind with the door in a closed mode;

FIG. 9 is a right side corner-on view of the current embodiment of the blind with the door in a closed mode the left side corner-on view being a mirror image thereof; and

FIG. 10 is a right side view of the blind with the door in a closed mode, the left side view being a mirror image thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRENT EMBODIMENT

I. Overview

A blind of a current embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 and generally designated 10. The blind 10 includes an enclosure in the form of a portable, collapsible blind. The blind includes multiple side walls 20 and an optional roof 30. The side walls 20 can intersect and can be joined with one another at side corners 22. The upper edges 32 of the side walls 20 can intersect and can be joined with the roof 30 at one or more respective roof corners 31. The side corners 22 and roof corners 31 can intersect one another and form terminal corners 35. The walls 20 can each include lower edges 33.
The walls 20 and roof 30 can cooperatively provide a geometric shape, such as a box, pyramid, dome or other geometric shape. The side walls and roof can be covered with or otherwise include a material 26, such as a fabric. The material 26 is operable in a taut mode, which is achieved when the ground blind is in the erected mode as shown in FIGS. 1-4, and a relaxed mode, which is achieved when the blind 10 is in a collapsed mode, as shown in FIG. 5.
The blind 10 can include an at least partially rounded or curvilinear opening 50, and a corresponding door 70, which can open and close the opening 50. The opening can span across a portion of a first side wall 24, a second sidewall 26, as well as a side corner 22. The door 70 likewise can span across the same elements when in a closed mode. Both the door 70 and opening 50 can include perimeters 72 and 52 respectively that generally correspond to one another. These perimeters can be joined with one another with a closure element 80.
As used herein, the term “blind” includes a blind that is designed to be used on the ground or on an elevated platform, where the blind can conceal a user from game or humans. Further, although illustrated as a blind including four sidewalls, the blind may include any number of sidewalls, and may or may not include a roof.
As used herein, the term “corner” can include corners created by two or more intersecting panels, walls and/or a roof, where the corner forms a right angle, a rounded corner, an obtuse angle, or an acute angle, or any combination of the foregoing. In addition, a corner can include a variety of different types of the foregoing from a top to a bottom of the blind. For example, a side corner can be formed from side walls joined a right angles near an upper edge and a lower edge of the blind, while the side corner can be formed from sidewalls that transition about a rounded or curvilinear region midway between the upper and lower edges of the blind. Although the transition from one side wall to another varies, this transition can still be considered a corner.
As used herein, “quadrant” can generally refer to any of the four areas into which the side walls or roof is divided by elongated bars that extend from a hub to form a cross; however, where there are more than four elongated bars, and those elongated bars divide the side walls or roof into 5, 6, 7, 8 or more areas, those areas also can be referred to as a quadrant.

II. Construction

With reference to FIGS. 1-4, the blind will now be described in more detail. The blind can be a ground blind and can include walls 20 and a roof 30 that are configurable in a collapsed mode and in an erected mode. The collapsed mode is shown in FIG. 5, and the erected mode is shown in FIGS. 1-4. In the collapsed mode, the ground blind 10 is more easily transported, because it is less bulky, and can be packed into a back pack, sack or bag as desired.
The side walls (also referred to as side panels) 20 as illustrated are generally square, however, they may take on a variety of different geometric shapes, such as circular, triangular, trapezoidal, or other polygonal shapes. A first side wall 24 and a second side wall 26 can be adjacent one another, and each can include an upper edge 32 and an opposing lower edge 33. These sidewalls can be joined with one another and other adjacent walls at one or more side corners 22. The side corner 22 can intersect the roof corner 31 at a terminal corner 35.
The walls and a roof where included can include a material 26, such as a canvas, nylon, or other suitable material which is generally opaque. The material 26 can be camouflage or of another color that easily blends in with the surroundings for which the blind is designed for use. The material 26 can be joined with the walls 20 and roof 30 via stitching or loop structures. The material 26 can be operable in a taut mode and a relaxed mode. In the taut mode, which usually can correspond to the blind being in the erected mode, the fabric is generally in a stretched out or expanded state, in which the material provides the blind with a given geometric shape, such as the square or box-shape as illustrated in FIGS. 1-4. In the relaxed mode, the material is generally unstretched or not expanded, and can be collapsed upon itself as illustrated in FIG. 5 so that the blind 10 can be packaged and transported easily by a user.
The blind 10 can include a frame 60 as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. This frame 60 can include multiple support members 61 generally in the shape of a cross. The support members or sections 61 can each be joined with a particular sidewall or the roof, and can include multiple elongated bars 62 joined with a centralized hub 64. The elongated bars can be joined at one end with the hub, and can radially extend outwardly from the hub to form the above mentioned cross or “X” shape. This type of frame construction is generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,338 to Stumbo, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Adjacent bars 62 of the frame can generally form quadrants therebetween. For example, the pair of adjacent bars 62 a and 62 b of second side panel 26 in FIG. 1 can form a first quadrant 63, and the pair of adjacent bars 62 e and 62 f of first side panel 24 can form a second quadrant 65. Different pairs of different adjacent bars of different sidewalls and the roof can form other quadrants.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first quadrant 63 and second quadrant 65 associated with the adjacent sidewalls 24 and 26 generally opening toward one another and toward the side corner 22. Bars from adjacent quadrants, such as bars 62 a and 62 e, or bars 62 b and 62 f, can be pivotally joined with one another via a corner element 69 a, or corner element 69 b. These corner elements can simply join with the end of the respective bars, and include a pivoting feature, such as a pin or socket, about which the bars can rotate relative to the element.
As shown in FIG. 2, the first and second quadrants generally form a space or opening 67 in the frame 60. This space or opening 67, when viewed from the perspective shown in FIG. 2, generally can be in the shape of a diamond, square or rectangle. When a user enters or exits the blind 10, the user generally traverses through this space 67 defined at least partially by both adjacent quadrants 63, 65, as well as the opening 50 as explained below.
As shown in FIG. 5, the support members 62 can be collapsible relative to one another to configure the frame 60 in a collapsed mode, and thus to configure the blind 10 in the collapsed mode. In the collapsed mode, the material 26 attains a relaxed mode. As shown in FIG. 1, the frame and bars 62 are also lockable relative to one another to configure the frame in the erected mode, where the material 26 attains the taut mode, as shown by the arrow E.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the ground blind 10 can be configured to define multiple windows 12 through which a hunter or observer can hunt or observe game. These windows 12 can be configured in a variety of locations, and can include an optional cover or see through mesh. Although not shown, the windows can also be constructed similar to the opening 50 and door 70, spanning across adjacent sidewalls and a side corner, and oriented as explained above relative to quadrants of the frame 60 and elongated bars 62.
With reference to FIGS. 4-5, the opening 50 will be described in more detail. In general, the opening 50 opens to the interior 80 of the blind. A user can traverse through the opening to move into and out from the blind interior 80, as well as to insert or remove items into or from the interior 80 of the blind 10.
The opening 50 can be at least partially rounded or curvilinear, and can span across or can be commonly defined by at least portions of the first sidewall 24, the second sidewall 26 and the side corner 22 of the blind 10. The opening 50 can also be formed at least partially within the first quadrant 63 and the second quadrant 65, and optionally within the space 67. Optionally, the opening can be generally centered in the space 67, but of course, it can be off-centered from the space, with more of the opening defined by one side panel 24 than the other 26, or vice versa, if desired.
The opening 50 can be bordered by an opening perimeter 52, which can be at least partially rounded or curvilinear, and can generally correspond with the shape of the opening 50. This opening perimeter 52 can traverse the adjacent sidewalls 20 and the respective side corner 22 of the blind. As shown in FIG. 4, the opening traverses the first sidewall 24, the second sidewall 26 and the side corner 22 between the first sidewall and the second sidewall. Optionally, the opening can extend part or all of the distance between the upper terminal corner 35 and the bottom corner 39.
The opening perimeter 52 as illustrated can be generally rounded or curvilinear along its entire length. The opening perimeter, however, may include some linear or straight portions as desired. It also may include multiple different curvatures. Further, it may include bends, which transition from straight portions of the perimeter to curved portions of the perimeter as desired. Optionally, the bends can be without any acute angles so that a closure element 90 (such as a zipper) is less prone to bind at those acute angles. Of course, if acute bends are compatible with the desired closure element, they may be included in the perimeters as described herein.
The opening 50 and perimeter 52 can form a variety of geometric shapes. As illustrated in FIGS. 3-4, the opening and subsequently its perimeter are generally in the form of a partial oval or partial ellipse. This generally elliptical opening can include a major axis 55 and a minor axis 57. The major axis 55 can be generally aligned with the side corner 22, and the minor axis 57 can be generally transverse, for example perpendicular to, the side corner 22 and/or the major axis. The precise location of the minor axis can also vary upward or downward along the major axis, in which case the opening is less of a purely elliptical configuration.
Although shown as an oval or somewhat elliptical configuration, the opening 50 can take on other geometric shapes. For example, it may be of a fully or partial circular shape, such as the shape of the opening 150 shown in the first alternative embodiment of FIG. 6, or the rounded corner, multi-sided shape of the opening 250 shown in the second alternative embodiment of FIG. 7, or some other rounded corner multi-sided shape, or a parabolic shape, or other alternative shapes. As yet another example, the door can be of a rectangular shape having rounded corners, where the rectangular shape overlaps adjacent sidewalls and traverses the corresponding side corner. Of course, where the door 70 is joined with the blind 10 so as to provide a closure for the opening 50, the door may be of any of the foregoing shapes if desired.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the blind 10 can include a door 70, which closes the opening 50 so that the interior 80 of the blind is concealed. The door 70 can be operable in an open mode and a closed mode. In the open mode, shown in FIG. 3 (where the door is being opened in the direction of the arrow), the opening 50 is open to provide a user ingress and egress to and from the blind 10. In the closed mode, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the opening 50 is at least partially closed off, if not completely closed.
The door 70 can include a door perimeter 72 that can be joined with the opening perimeter 52. Generally, the door perimeter can be rounded or curvilinear along all or a portion of its length. Optionally, the door perimeter 72 can be of the same configuration and correspond to the opening perimeter 52. Further optionally, the door can be of any of the geometric shapes described above in connection with the opening. Of course, where the door perimeter 72 is not joined with, or alternatively overlaps the opening perimeter, the door perimeter can be of a shape that differs from that of the opening perimeter.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, when closed to the closed mode, the door perimeter 72 is joined with the opening perimeter 52. Accordingly, the door is joined with the first sidewall 24 and the second sidewall 26. The door also extends across, and optionally forms at least a portion of, the side corner 22, which may be of a rounded configuration, between the adjacent side walls. In the close mode, the door is also generally located within the first 63 and second 65 quadrants defined by the frame 60 of the adjacent panels.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the door 70 can be joined with the side panels 20 and/or the side corner 22 along its lower portion 79. The door 70 can fold, when in an open mode, at a connection portion 74 inward and downward into the interior 80 of the blind 10. The blind can be outfitted with magnets or other securement devices (not shown) to hold the door in place when opened, so that it is not damaged when opened. Optionally, the connection portion 74 can be located in other places relative to the door, the side walls and/or the side corner. For example, as show in FIGS. 6 and 7, the door can fold open along a connection portion 174 or 274 that is joined with only one side wall, along a lower part of the door. Further alternatively, the connection portion can be located along an upper part of the door, and joined with only one side wall. Although not shown, further optionally, the connection portion can be absent, and the door can be fully removable if desired.
The door 70 can be constructed at least partially from the material from which the side panels and roof are constructed, or from a different material than the remainder of the blind as desired, or from a combination of materials. In one example, the upper portion 77 of the door may be constructed from the material from which the walls and/or roof are constructed. The lower portion of the door 79 may be constructed from a different material. This different material can be elastic, so that the upper portion of the door and other portions of the door can move as the door is closed with a closure element, such as a zipper. In turn, this can enable a user to close the closure element without pulling directly on the door; instead, the lower portion of the door stretches. Optionally, instead of or in addition to the lower portion of the door being constructed from an elastic material, an elastic material can be joined with at least a portion of the door perimeter 72, so that the closure element can easily connect the perimeters of the door 72 and the opening 52.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the blind 10 can include a closure element 90, which as illustrated is a zipper. The zipper can be configured to pull together and join the respective door perimeter 52 and opening perimeter 72 to generally configure the door and opening in a closed mode. The zipper can be replaced with any other closure element, such as a hook and loop fastener, buttons, or other interlocking fasteners.
Where the closure element is a single zipper, it follows the perimeter of the door perimeter 52 and the opening perimeter 72. If desired, multiple zippers or closure elements can be substituted for the single closure element. In general, when being closed so as to configure the door to a closed mode, the closure element 90 can move along a path, which can be substantially curvilinear, and can include individual paths 92, 94 and 96, which may be of the same or different curvatures, and which may be linear. As shown in FIG. 4, the first path 94 along which the closure element moves, extends generally upward along the first side panel 24. The second path 94 along which the closure element moves generally traverses the side corner 22 in a generally perpendicular manner. The third path 96 along which the closure element moves, extends generally downward along the second side panel 26.
Where different paths are included, they can be contiguous with one another. Optionally, the individual path and junctions therebetween can be void of any acute bends, so that the closure element can move fluidly along those paths to join the door perimeter 72 and the at opening perimeter 52.
As shown in FIG. 2, the blind can include an optional closure protector element 87. This element 87 can be in the form of a strip of material that covers at least a portion of the closure element 90 so as to keep it free from debris, ice and other elements, and generally to keep water and wind from entering the blind through the closure element.
The blind 10 can also include an optional pull handle 86 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. This pull handle can be located generally above at least a portion of the opening 50, for example, along the side corner 22, above the top of the opening. Optionally, the handle can be positioned between the top of the opening and the upper terminal corner 35. This handle can be used to pull the material above the opening downward (in the direction of the arrow 81 in FIG. 4) when a user is joining the door perimeter 72 with the opening perimeter 52 to close the door with the closure element 90. This can reduce the stress on the closure element 90, such as a zipper, when the material pulls taut, upward toward the terminal corner and away from the opening.
To further or alternatively reduce the stress on the closure element 90 when a user closes the door 70, an extra margin of material 88, for example, an extra inch or more of material, can be provided above the opening 50, generally between the top of the opening 50 and below the terminal corner 35. This can provide some slack in that portion of the material so that the closure element 90 joins the door perimeter 72 and the opening perimeter 52 without significant stress on the closure element 90.
The above descriptions are those of the preferred embodiments of the invention. Various alterations and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention as defined in the appended claims, which are to be interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. Any references to claim elements in the singular, for example, using the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” or “said,” is not to be construed as limiting the element to the singular. Any reference to claim elements as “at least one of X, Y and Z” is meant to include any one of X, Y or Z individually, and any combination of X, Y and Z, for example, X, Y, Z; X, Y; X, Z; and Y, Z.

Claims

1. A portable and collapsible blind comprising:

a plurality of substantially square, adjacent side walls, each side wall including a side edge, with the side edges of adjacent side walls joined with one another at a side corner, each side wall including an upper edge joined with a roof along a roof corner, the side corner and roof corner intersecting at a terminal corner;

a material joined with the side walls and the roof, the material operable in a taut mode and a relaxed mode;

a frame including a plurality of support members, each of the support members having a plurality of elongated bars joined with a hub, the support members lockable relative to one another to configure the frame in an at least partially erected mode, in which the material is in the taut mode, and in which the plurality of bars extend radially outwardly from the hub, the support members collapsible relative to one another to configure the frame in a collapsed mode, in which the material is in the relaxed mode and the blind is at least partially collapsed;

a first pair of the elongated bars of the frame forming a first quadrant of a first sidewall,

a second pair of the elongated bars of the frame forming a second quadrant of a second sidewall, the first sidewall and second sidewall joined with one another, the first quadrant and second quadrant opening toward one another and toward the side corner,

a curvilinear opening being defined by the material, the curvilinear opening being formed within the first quadrant of the first sidewall and within the second quadrant of the second sidewall, the curvilinear opening spanning across the side corner,

a door operable in a closed mode in which the door closes the opening, with the door being located within the first quadrant and the second quadrant, and spanning across the side corner in the closed mode, the door alternatively operable in open mode, in which the door offers a user ingress and egress to and from an interior of the blind.

2. The blind of claim 1 wherein the plurality of side walls and the roof cooperate to define a substantially box-shaped configuration.

3. The blind of claim 1 wherein the opening is of at least one of a partially circular, elliptical and parabolic shape.

4. The blind of claim 1 wherein the opening is of an elliptical shape, with a major axis being aligned with the side corner, and a minor axis being transverse to the side corner.

5. The blind of claim 1 wherein the door is adapted to fold inward and downward into or out from the interior of the blind in the open mode.

6. The blind of claim 1 comprising a single closure element that joins a perimeter of the door with a perimeter of the opening.

7. The blind of claim 6 wherein the single closure element is a zipper, wherein the zipper travels along a substantially curvilinear path around the perimeter of the door.

8. The blind of claim 7 wherein the substantially curvilinear path is defined by a plurality of individual paths, at least two of which include a different curvature.

9. The blind of claim 1 comprising a pull strap located above the door, the pull strap enabling a user to pull the material downward near the side corner to facilitate closure of the door from the open mode to the closed mode.

10. The blind of claim 1 wherein the door includes a lower portion constructed from an elastic material that enables at least a portion of the door to move upward to facilitate closure of the door from the open mode to the closed mode.

11. The blind of claim 1 wherein the material includes an extra margin adjacent the side corner, the extra margin adapted to move downward adjacent the side corner when the door is converted from the open mode to the closed mode to facilitate closure of the door.

12. A portable and collapsible blind comprising:

a first substantially square side wall joined with a second substantially square sidewall at a side corner, the first side wall supported by a first support member having a plurality of elongated first bars extending generally radially from a first hub so that adjacent ones of the first elongated bars form a first quadrant therebetween, the second side wall supported by a second support member having a plurality of elongated second bars extending generally radially from a second hub so that adjacent ones of the second elongated bars form a second quadrant therebetween, the first quadrant of the first side wall opening toward the second quadrant of the second sidewall, the first and second quadrants both opening toward the side corner,

a material joined with the side walls, the material operable in a taut mode and a relaxed mode, the material covering at least a portion of each of the first and second sidewalls, as well as at least a portion of the first and second quadrants, the first and second support members lockable relative to one another to configure the respective first and second side walls in an erected mode in which the material is supported in the taut mode adjacent each of the first and second support members, the first and second support members collapsible relative to one another to configure the respective first and second walls in a collapsed mode in which the material is in the relaxed mode and the blind is at least partially collapsed,

an opening commonly defined by the first sidewall and the second sidewall, the opening being formed at least partially within a space defined by the first quadrant and the second quadrant, the opening being bordered by an at least partially curvilinear opening perimeter that traverses the first sidewall, the second sidewall and the side corner between the first sidewall and the second sidewall;

a door constructed at least partially from the material and including an at least partially curvilinear door perimeter that is joinable with the at least partially curvilinear opening perimeter, the door operable in an open mode in which the opening is open to provide a user ingress and egress to and from the blind through at least a portion of the first and second quadrants, and a closed mode in which the at least partially curvilinear door perimeter is joined with the at least partially curvilinear opening perimeter, and in which the door is joined with the first sidewall and the second sidewall, and extends across the side corner,

a single closure element adapted to join the at least one of the at least partially curvilinear door perimeter and the at least partially curvilinear opening perimeter, thereby configuring the door in the closed mode, the closure element moveable upward along a first path relative to the first side panel, along a second path that generally traverses the side corner, and downward along a third path relative to the second side panel, the first, second and third paths contiguous with one another, and void of any acute bends, so that the closure element can move fluidly along the first, second and third paths to join the at least one of the at least partially curvilinear door perimeter and the at least partially curvilinear opening perimeter.

13. The blind of claim 12 wherein the opening forms an oval shape.

14. The blind of claim 12 wherein the first, second and third paths form a substantially curvilinear path having at least two curvatures.

15. The blind of claim 12 wherein the first, second and third paths form a substantially curvilinear path having a single curvature.

16. The blind of claim 12 wherein the single closure element is a zipper.

17. The blind of claim 12 wherein the door is at least one of a partially circular, elliptical and parabolic shape.

18. A portable and collapsible blind comprising:

a hub style frame including a plurality of elongated bars joined with a plurality of hubs, the hub style frame joined with a material to cooperatively form, in an erected mode, a plurality of sidewalls and a roof in a substantially box-shaped configuration, a first sidewall and a second sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls being adjacent one another, and intersecting at a side corner;

an opening defined by the first side wall, the second side wall and the side corner; and

a door adapted to close the opening, the door spanning across at least a portion of the first side wall, at least a portion of the second side wall, and around the side corner in a closed mode.

19. The blind of claim 18 wherein the opening includes and at least partially curvilinear perimeter.

20. The blind of claim 19 wherein the door is adapted to fold inward and downward into an interior of the blind in an open mode.