US20150240513A1 - Tent Hub Assembly - Google Patents
Tent Hub Assembly Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20150240513A1 US20150240513A1 US14/608,301 US201514608301A US2015240513A1 US 20150240513 A1 US20150240513 A1 US 20150240513A1 US 201514608301 A US201514608301 A US 201514608301A US 2015240513 A1 US2015240513 A1 US 2015240513A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- engageable surface
- engagement member
- hub
- hub assembly
- wall
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- 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.)
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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
-
- 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
- E04H15/44—Supporting means, e.g. frames collapsible, e.g. breakdown type
- E04H15/48—Supporting means, e.g. frames collapsible, e.g. breakdown type foldable, i.e. having pivoted or hinged means
Definitions
- the present application relates to a hub assembly for a tent, and in particular to a hub assembly which facilitates folding and unfolding of a foldable tent.
- foldable tents are a popular alternative to conventional assemble-to-use tents.
- Foldable tents which are commonly referred to as “instant tents,” “one-touch tents” or “pop-up tents,” are sold preassembled, making opening and folding the tent easy and less time consuming.
- Instant tents include hub assemblies in which poles are pivotally connected to a hub.
- each pole is connected directly to the hub.
- each pivotal connection bears all of the stress from each pole. This stress could become overwhelming and cause failure.
- the pivotal connection is exposed and the tent fabric is susceptible to damage especially when the tent is folded.
- Hub assemblies in the prior art are also costly to manufacture due to the extensive labor and materials involved.
- poles are typically coupled to the hub with metal pins or screws. This requires hardware and time consuming manual labor.
- the poles are often supported by the base of the hub for which plastic material is required. Thus, substantial manufacturing costs are incurred.
- the preferred embodiments are intended to overcome at least the disadvantages described above.
- the preferred embodiments are also intended to provide additional advantages which are described in detail below.
- the following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview and is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope of the embodiments. Its sole purpose is to present some embodiments in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
- the hub assembly of the present invention provides a stable support frame for a foldable tent when in the open configuration.
- the pivoting mechanism is the most stressed portion of the tent and tent failure is often due to breakage of the pivoting mechanism.
- the multiple engagement points between the pole and hub alleviates stress from the pivoting mechanism and ensures that the tent remains erected even in not so favorable conditions.
- the hub assembly is further advantageous in that manufacturing cost is reduced. Additional hardware and tools are not required to assemble the poles to the hub because assembly is accomplished in clip-on fashion. Also, given the location of the multiple engagement points on the hub, the hub is manufactured with openings thus requiring less plastic. Moreover, because the position of the pivoting axis of the poles are displaced to a radially outer end of the hub when the tent is folded, more storage room is provided above the hub for the folded poles and tent fabric.
- the present invention provides a hub assembly for opening and closing a tent between an open configuration and a closed configuration comprising: a base; a plurality of pairs of radial walls peripherally positioned around an outer portion of the base, each pair of radial walls forming a slot, each radial wall having a first engageable surface, upper ends of each radial wall having a second engageable surface; a plurality of outer walls positioned around the outer periphery of the base, each outer wall positioned at an outer end of a respective slot and forming a third engageable surface on an upper end thereof; and a plurality of poles having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate section therebetween, said first end having a pair of inner engagement members extending therefrom, said intermediate portion having a pair of outer engagement members extending therefrom; wherein each inner engagement member is engaged with a respective first engageable surface and each outer engagement member is engaged with a respective second engageable surface.
- the present invention provides a hub assembly for opening and closing a tent between an open configuration and a closed configuration comprising: a hub, the hub having a plurality of pairs of radial walls, each pair of radial walls forming a slot, each radial wall having a first engageable surface, upper ends of each radial wall having a second engageable surface; and a plurality of poles having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate section therebetween, said first end having a pair of inner engagement members extending therefrom, said intermediate portion having a pair of outer engagement members extending therefrom; wherein each inner engagement member is pivotally coupled to a respective radial wall.
- the present invention provides a method for folding a tent between an open configuration and a closed configuration, with the tent in the open configuration having: a hub, the hub having a plurality of pairs of radial walls, each pair of radial walls forming a slot, each radial wall having a first engageable surface, upper ends of each radial wall having a second engageable surface; and a plurality of poles having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate section therebetween, said first end having a pair of inner engagement members extending therefrom, said intermediate portion having a pair of outer engagement members extending therefrom; wherein each inner engagement member is pivotally coupled to a respective radial wall on the first engageable surface and each outer engagement member engages the second engageable surface, comprising: pivoting each pole to move from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of an embodiment of a hub assembly of the present invention
- FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the hub assembly of FIG. 1 in an open configuration
- FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the hub assembly of FIG. 1 in a partially closed configuration
- FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the hub assembly of FIG. 1 in a closed configuration.
- the hub assembly 1 includes a hub 10 which is configured to receive poles 30 of a foldable tent (not shown).
- the hub 10 and inner ends of the poles 30 are constructed of a solid injection-molded plastic of high strength but sufficient ductility to withstand brittle fracture in cold temperatures or high stresses.
- each pole 30 includes a first end 31 , a second end 35 and an intermediate section 33 therebetween.
- the first end 31 includes a pair of inner engagement members 32 extending from opposing sides of the pole 30 .
- the intermediate section 33 includes a pair of outer engagement members 34 extending from opposing sides of the pole 30 .
- the intermediate section 33 also includes top and bottom portions having substantially flat surfaces.
- the engagement members 32 , 34 on respective sides are substantially aligned.
- each pole 30 is constructed of fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) and includes an injection-molded plastic cap fixed to an end of the FRP pole from which the engagement members 32 , 34 extend.
- the engagement members 32 , 34 are substantially cylindrical but could take on other shapes as well.
- the extension members 32 , 34 are integral to the cap but could be separately attached and take on other forms such as metal pins or the like.
- the hub 10 includes a base 102 from which radial walls 104 extend upwardly.
- the radial walls 104 are positioned around the outer periphery of the base 102 , and a pair of opposing radially walls 104 form a slot 12 for receiving the poles 30 .
- Each radial wall 104 includes a channel 13 having an inner section 14 and an outer section 18 which are connected to each other.
- the channel 13 is formed by channel walls including a channel wall or first engageable surface 15 on the inner section 14 .
- An upper portion of the inner section 14 is sized substantially similar to the width or diameter of the inner engagement member 32 and a lower portion of the inner section 14 has a width greater than the width of the inner engagement member 32 .
- An upper portion of the outer section 18 has a width greater than the width of the inner engagement member 32 and a lower portion of the outer section 18 has a width less than the width of the inner engagement member 32 .
- the channel wall 15 at the lower portion of the outer section 18 is sufficiently flexible and is displaced when the inner engagement member 32 is inserted downwardly therethrough during factory assembly. However, due to the configuration of the channel wall 15 at that portion in which the channel wall 15 protrudes downwardly at an angle, the inner engagement member 32 is secured below the outer section 18 after factory assembly.
- the inner engagement member 32 engages the first engageable surface 15 of the channel inner section 14 at all times. That is, the inner engagement member 32 is moved from an upper portion of the channel inner section 14 in an open configuration ( FIG. 2 ) to a lower portion of the channel inner section 14 in a closed configuration ( FIG. 4 ), while the pole 30 is pivoted from a substantially horizontal to substantially vertical position, respectively.
- each radial wall 104 includes a second engageable surface 16 having a lower portion 162 , upper portion 164 and intermediate portion 166 therebetween.
- the outer engagement member 34 engages the second engageable surface 16 at all times. That is, the outer engagement member 34 is moved from the lower portion 162 in the open configuration ( FIG. 2 ) to the upper portion 164 in the closed configuration ( FIG. 4 ), while the pole 30 is pivoted from a substantially horizontal to substantially vertical position, respectively.
- the second engageable surface 16 is configured relative to the first engagement surface 15 so that the inner and outer engagement members 32 , 34 maintain contact with the respective engagement surfaces while displaced from the open and closed configurations.
- the hub 10 also includes a plurality of outer walls 20 positioned around the outer periphery of the base 102 .
- Each outer wall 20 extends upwardly from the base 102 and is positioned at a radially outer end of each respective slot 12 .
- a third engageable surface 22 is formed on an upper end (or upper surface) of the outer wall 20 . In the open configuration, a bottom surface of the intermediate section of the pole 33 engages the third engageable surface 22 for further supporting the pole 30 and tent.
- the hub 10 further includes a top extension 40 extending substantially horizontally above the slot 12 .
- a fourth engageable surface 42 is formed on a bottom surface of the top extension 40 .
- a top surface of the pole first end 31 engages the fourth engageable surface 42 for further supporting the pole 30 and tent, as shown in FIG. 2 .
- the top extension 40 extends radially outward a distance such that when the poles 30 are pivoted to the closed configuration, the poles 30 are engaged with outer ends of the top extension 40 , as shown in FIG. 4 .
- each slot 12 includes an opening 50 at a bottom end to accommodate the pole first end 31 in the closed configuration, such that the innermost end of the pole 30 is substantially aligned with a bottom end of the hub 10 , as shown in FIG. 4 .
- the height and depth of the slot 12 could be modified to adjust the position of the pole first end 31 in the open and closed configurations.
- the hub assembly 1 is factory assembled as part of a foldable tent.
- the poles 30 are connected to the hub 10 by inserting the inner engagement members 32 through respective channel outer sections 18 so that the inner engagement members 32 are secured within respective channel inner sections 14 .
- each pole 30 is supported at four different points: (i) the inner engagement member 32 engages the first engageable surface 15 ; (ii) the outer engagement member 34 engages the second engageable surface 16 ; (iii) the bottom surface of the pole intermediate section 33 engages the third engageable surface 22 ; and (iv) the top surface of the pole first end 31 engages the fourth engageable surface 42 .
- the poles 30 are pivoted to a closed configuration ( FIG. 4 ). During this process, the inner engagement member 32 moves from the upper portion to the lower portion of the channel inner section 14 while the outer engagement member 34 moves from the lower portion to the upper portion of the second engageable surface 16 .
- the hub assembly 1 of the present invention provides a stable support frame for a foldable tent when in the open configuration.
- the pivoting mechanism is the most stressed portion of the tent and tent failure is often due to breakage of the pivoting mechanism.
- the multiple engagement points between the pole 30 and hub 10 alleviates stress from the pivoting mechanism and ensures that the tent remains erected even in not so favorable conditions.
- the hub assembly 1 is further advantageous in that manufacturing cost is reduced. Additional hardware and tools are not required to assemble the poles to the hub because assembly is accomplished in clip-on fashion. Also, given the location of the multiple engagement points on the hub, the hub is manufactured with openings thus requiring less plastic.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Architecture (AREA)
- Civil Engineering (AREA)
- Structural Engineering (AREA)
- Tents Or Canopies (AREA)
Abstract
A hub assembly for opening and closing a tent between an open configuration and a closed configuration having a base and a plurality of pairs of radial walls peripherally positioned around an outer portion of the base, each pair of radial walls forming a slot. Each radial wall has a first engageable surface and upper ends of each radial wall have a second engageable surface. A plurality of outer walls are positioned around the outer periphery of the base at an outer end of a respective slot and forms a third engageable surface on an upper end thereof. A plurality of poles each have a pair of inner engagement members and a pair of outer engagement members. Each inner engagement member is engaged with a respective first engageable surface and each outer engagement member is engaged with a respective second engageable surface.
Description
- This application claims foreign priority to China Application No. 201420083902.1, filed on Feb. 26, 2014, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
- The present application relates to a hub assembly for a tent, and in particular to a hub assembly which facilitates folding and unfolding of a foldable tent.
- For novice campers, foldable tents are a popular alternative to conventional assemble-to-use tents. Foldable tents, which are commonly referred to as “instant tents,” “one-touch tents” or “pop-up tents,” are sold preassembled, making opening and folding the tent easy and less time consuming.
- Instant tents include hub assemblies in which poles are pivotally connected to a hub. In a typical hub assembly each pole is connected directly to the hub. In such a configuration, each pivotal connection bears all of the stress from each pole. This stress could become overwhelming and cause failure. Also, in most hub assemblies the pivotal connection is exposed and the tent fabric is susceptible to damage especially when the tent is folded.
- Hub assemblies in the prior art are also costly to manufacture due to the extensive labor and materials involved. For example, poles are typically coupled to the hub with metal pins or screws. This requires hardware and time consuming manual labor. In addition, the poles are often supported by the base of the hub for which plastic material is required. Thus, substantial manufacturing costs are incurred.
- Another disadvantage of existing hub assemblies of foldable tents is that because the location of the pivoting axis of the poles are fixed at a radially inner portion of the hub it is difficult to store the folded poles and tent fabric above the hub because not enough room is provided above or below the inner portion of the hub.
- The preferred embodiments are intended to overcome at least the disadvantages described above. The preferred embodiments are also intended to provide additional advantages which are described in detail below. The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview and is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope of the embodiments. Its sole purpose is to present some embodiments in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
- The hub assembly of the present invention provides a stable support frame for a foldable tent when in the open configuration. In the prior art, the pivoting mechanism is the most stressed portion of the tent and tent failure is often due to breakage of the pivoting mechanism. In the present invention, the multiple engagement points between the pole and hub alleviates stress from the pivoting mechanism and ensures that the tent remains erected even in not so favorable conditions. The hub assembly is further advantageous in that manufacturing cost is reduced. Additional hardware and tools are not required to assemble the poles to the hub because assembly is accomplished in clip-on fashion. Also, given the location of the multiple engagement points on the hub, the hub is manufactured with openings thus requiring less plastic. Moreover, because the position of the pivoting axis of the poles are displaced to a radially outer end of the hub when the tent is folded, more storage room is provided above the hub for the folded poles and tent fabric.
- In one aspect, the present invention provides a hub assembly for opening and closing a tent between an open configuration and a closed configuration comprising: a base; a plurality of pairs of radial walls peripherally positioned around an outer portion of the base, each pair of radial walls forming a slot, each radial wall having a first engageable surface, upper ends of each radial wall having a second engageable surface; a plurality of outer walls positioned around the outer periphery of the base, each outer wall positioned at an outer end of a respective slot and forming a third engageable surface on an upper end thereof; and a plurality of poles having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate section therebetween, said first end having a pair of inner engagement members extending therefrom, said intermediate portion having a pair of outer engagement members extending therefrom; wherein each inner engagement member is engaged with a respective first engageable surface and each outer engagement member is engaged with a respective second engageable surface.
- In another aspect, the present invention provides a hub assembly for opening and closing a tent between an open configuration and a closed configuration comprising: a hub, the hub having a plurality of pairs of radial walls, each pair of radial walls forming a slot, each radial wall having a first engageable surface, upper ends of each radial wall having a second engageable surface; and a plurality of poles having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate section therebetween, said first end having a pair of inner engagement members extending therefrom, said intermediate portion having a pair of outer engagement members extending therefrom; wherein each inner engagement member is pivotally coupled to a respective radial wall.
- In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method for folding a tent between an open configuration and a closed configuration, with the tent in the open configuration having: a hub, the hub having a plurality of pairs of radial walls, each pair of radial walls forming a slot, each radial wall having a first engageable surface, upper ends of each radial wall having a second engageable surface; and a plurality of poles having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate section therebetween, said first end having a pair of inner engagement members extending therefrom, said intermediate portion having a pair of outer engagement members extending therefrom; wherein each inner engagement member is pivotally coupled to a respective radial wall on the first engageable surface and each outer engagement member engages the second engageable surface, comprising: pivoting each pole to move from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position.
- The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of presently preferred embodiments, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the embodiments, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the embodiments are not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
- In the drawings:
-
FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of an embodiment of a hub assembly of the present invention; -
FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the hub assembly ofFIG. 1 in an open configuration; -
FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the hub assembly ofFIG. 1 in a partially closed configuration; and -
FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the hub assembly ofFIG. 1 in a closed configuration. - To facilitate an understanding of the embodiments, identical reference numerals have been used, when appropriate, to designate the same or similar elements that are common to the figures. Further, unless stated otherwise, the features shown in the figures are not drawn to scale, but are shown for illustrative purposes only.
- Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The article “a” is intended to include one or more items, and where only one item is intended the term “one” or similar language is used. Additionally, to assist in the description of the present embodiments, words such as top, bottom, upper, lower, front, rear, inner, outer, right and left are used to describe the accompanying figures. The terminology includes the words above specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.
- Referring to
FIGS. 1-4 , an embodiment of ahub assembly 1 of the present invention is shown. Thehub assembly 1 includes ahub 10 which is configured to receivepoles 30 of a foldable tent (not shown). Thehub 10 and inner ends of thepoles 30 are constructed of a solid injection-molded plastic of high strength but sufficient ductility to withstand brittle fracture in cold temperatures or high stresses. - Referring to
FIG. 1 , eachpole 30 includes afirst end 31, asecond end 35 and anintermediate section 33 therebetween. Thefirst end 31 includes a pair ofinner engagement members 32 extending from opposing sides of thepole 30. Theintermediate section 33 includes a pair ofouter engagement members 34 extending from opposing sides of thepole 30. Theintermediate section 33 also includes top and bottom portions having substantially flat surfaces. Theengagement members pole 30 is constructed of fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) and includes an injection-molded plastic cap fixed to an end of the FRP pole from which theengagement members engagement members extension members - Referring to
FIGS. 1-4 , thehub 10 includes abase 102 from whichradial walls 104 extend upwardly. Theradial walls 104 are positioned around the outer periphery of thebase 102, and a pair of opposing radiallywalls 104 form a slot 12 for receiving thepoles 30. Eachradial wall 104 includes achannel 13 having aninner section 14 and anouter section 18 which are connected to each other. Thechannel 13 is formed by channel walls including a channel wall or firstengageable surface 15 on theinner section 14. An upper portion of theinner section 14 is sized substantially similar to the width or diameter of theinner engagement member 32 and a lower portion of theinner section 14 has a width greater than the width of theinner engagement member 32. An upper portion of theouter section 18 has a width greater than the width of theinner engagement member 32 and a lower portion of theouter section 18 has a width less than the width of theinner engagement member 32. Thechannel wall 15 at the lower portion of theouter section 18 is sufficiently flexible and is displaced when theinner engagement member 32 is inserted downwardly therethrough during factory assembly. However, due to the configuration of thechannel wall 15 at that portion in which thechannel wall 15 protrudes downwardly at an angle, theinner engagement member 32 is secured below theouter section 18 after factory assembly. In the present embodiment, theinner engagement member 32 engages the firstengageable surface 15 of the channelinner section 14 at all times. That is, theinner engagement member 32 is moved from an upper portion of the channelinner section 14 in an open configuration (FIG. 2 ) to a lower portion of the channelinner section 14 in a closed configuration (FIG. 4 ), while thepole 30 is pivoted from a substantially horizontal to substantially vertical position, respectively. - Still referring to
FIGS. 2-4 , upper ends eachradial wall 104 includes a secondengageable surface 16 having alower portion 162,upper portion 164 andintermediate portion 166 therebetween. In the present embodiment, theouter engagement member 34 engages the secondengageable surface 16 at all times. That is, theouter engagement member 34 is moved from thelower portion 162 in the open configuration (FIG. 2 ) to theupper portion 164 in the closed configuration (FIG. 4 ), while thepole 30 is pivoted from a substantially horizontal to substantially vertical position, respectively. The secondengageable surface 16 is configured relative to thefirst engagement surface 15 so that the inner andouter engagement members - Referring to the figures, the
hub 10 also includes a plurality ofouter walls 20 positioned around the outer periphery of thebase 102. Eachouter wall 20 extends upwardly from thebase 102 and is positioned at a radially outer end of each respective slot 12. A thirdengageable surface 22 is formed on an upper end (or upper surface) of theouter wall 20. In the open configuration, a bottom surface of the intermediate section of thepole 33 engages the thirdengageable surface 22 for further supporting thepole 30 and tent. - Referring again to the figures, the
hub 10 further includes atop extension 40 extending substantially horizontally above the slot 12. A fourthengageable surface 42 is formed on a bottom surface of thetop extension 40. In the open configuration, a top surface of the polefirst end 31 engages the fourthengageable surface 42 for further supporting thepole 30 and tent, as shown inFIG. 2 . Thetop extension 40 extends radially outward a distance such that when thepoles 30 are pivoted to the closed configuration, thepoles 30 are engaged with outer ends of thetop extension 40, as shown inFIG. 4 . - Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 4 , in the present embodiment, each slot 12 includes an opening 50 at a bottom end to accommodate the polefirst end 31 in the closed configuration, such that the innermost end of thepole 30 is substantially aligned with a bottom end of thehub 10, as shown inFIG. 4 . However, the height and depth of the slot 12 could be modified to adjust the position of the polefirst end 31 in the open and closed configurations. - The
hub assembly 1 is factory assembled as part of a foldable tent. Thepoles 30 are connected to thehub 10 by inserting theinner engagement members 32 through respective channelouter sections 18 so that theinner engagement members 32 are secured within respective channelinner sections 14. In operation, when in the open configuration, as shown inFIG. 1 , eachpole 30 is supported at four different points: (i) theinner engagement member 32 engages the firstengageable surface 15; (ii) theouter engagement member 34 engages the secondengageable surface 16; (iii) the bottom surface of the poleintermediate section 33 engages the thirdengageable surface 22; and (iv) the top surface of the polefirst end 31 engages the fourthengageable surface 42. Thepoles 30 are pivoted to a closed configuration (FIG. 4 ). During this process, theinner engagement member 32 moves from the upper portion to the lower portion of the channelinner section 14 while theouter engagement member 34 moves from the lower portion to the upper portion of the secondengageable surface 16. - The
hub assembly 1 of the present invention provides a stable support frame for a foldable tent when in the open configuration. In the prior art, the pivoting mechanism is the most stressed portion of the tent and tent failure is often due to breakage of the pivoting mechanism. In the present invention, the multiple engagement points between thepole 30 andhub 10 alleviates stress from the pivoting mechanism and ensures that the tent remains erected even in not so favorable conditions. Thehub assembly 1 is further advantageous in that manufacturing cost is reduced. Additional hardware and tools are not required to assemble the poles to the hub because assembly is accomplished in clip-on fashion. Also, given the location of the multiple engagement points on the hub, the hub is manufactured with openings thus requiring less plastic. - The present embodiment may have other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
Claims (19)
1. A hub assembly for opening and closing a tent between an open configuration and a closed configuration comprising:
a base;
a plurality of pairs of radial walls peripherally positioned around an outer portion of the base, each pair of radial walls forming a slot, each radial wall having a first engageable surface, upper ends of each radial wall having a second engageable surface;
a plurality of outer walls positioned around the outer periphery of the base, each outer wall positioned at an outer end of a respective slot and forming a third engageable surface on an upper end thereof; and
a plurality of poles having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate section therebetween, said first end having a pair of inner engagement members extending therefrom, said intermediate portion having a pair of outer engagement members extending therefrom;
wherein each inner engagement member is engaged with a respective first engageable surface and each outer engagement member is engaged with a respective second engageable surface.
2. The hub assembly of claim 1 , wherein a bottom portion of the pole intermediate section engages the third engageable surface in the open configuration.
3. The hub assembly of claim 1 , wherein a bottom portion of each slot includes an opening.
4. The hub assembly of claim 1 , wherein the radial wall includes a channel having at least one channel wall, wherein the at least one channel wall is the first engageable surface.
5. The hub assembly of claim 4 , wherein the channel includes an inner section connected to an outer section, the inner section having a width greater than a width of the inner engagement member, a lower end of the outer section having a width less than the width of the inner engagement member.
6. The hub assembly of claim 1 , wherein respective inner engagement members and outer engagement members of each pole is substantially aligned.
7. A hub assembly for opening and closing a tent between an open configuration and a closed configuration comprising:
a hub, the hub having a plurality of pairs of radial walls, each pair of radial walls forming a slot, each radial wall having a first engageable surface, upper ends of each radial wall having a second engageable surface; and
a plurality of poles having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate section therebetween, said first end having a pair of inner engagement members extending therefrom, said intermediate portion having a pair of outer engagement members extending therefrom;
wherein each inner engagement member is pivotally coupled to a respective radial wall.
8. The hub assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of outer walls positioned around the outer periphery of the hub, each outer wall positioned at an outer end of a respective slot and forming a third engageable surface on an upper end thereof.
9. The hub assembly of claim 8 , wherein a bottom portion of the pole intermediate section engages the third engageable surface in the open configuration.
10. The hub assembly of claim 7 , wherein each inner engagement member is engaged with a respective first engageable surface and each outer engagement member is engaged with a respective second engageable surface.
11. The hub assembly of claim 10 , wherein the radial wall includes a channel having at least one channel wall, wherein the at least one channel wall is the first engageable surface.
12. The hub assembly of claim 11 , wherein the channel includes an inner section connected to an outer section, the inner section having a width greater than a width of the inner engagement member, a lower end of the outer section having a width less than the width of the inner engagement member.
13. The hub assembly of claim 7 , wherein respective inner engagement members and outer engagement members of each pole is substantially aligned.
14. The hub assembly of claim 13 , wherein a bottom portion of each slot includes an opening.
15. A method for folding a tent between an open configuration and a closed configuration, with the tent in the open configuration having: a hub, the hub having a plurality of pairs of radial walls, each pair of radial walls forming a slot, each radial wall having a first engageable surface, upper ends of each radial wall having a second engageable surface; and a plurality of poles having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate section therebetween, said first end having a pair of inner engagement members extending therefrom, said intermediate portion having a pair of outer engagement members extending therefrom; wherein each inner engagement member is pivotally coupled to a respective radial wall on the first engageable surface and each outer engagement member engages the second engageable surface, comprising:
pivoting each pole to move from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the inner engagement member is moved from an upper portion to a lower portion of the first engageable surface and the outer engagement member is moved from a lower portion to an upper portion of the second engageable surface.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the tent further comprises a plurality of outer walls positioned around the outer periphery of the hub, each outer wall positioned at an outer end of a respective slot and forming a third engageable surface on an upper end thereof, a bottom portion of the pole intermediate section engaging the third engageable surface in the open configuration and disengaging said surface in the closed configuration.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the radial wall includes a channel having at least one channel wall, wherein the at least one channel wall is the first engageable surface.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the channel includes an inner section connected to an outer section, the inner section having a width greater than a width of the inner engagement member, a lower end of the outer section having a width less than the width of the inner engagement member.
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AU2015200478A AU2015200478A1 (en) | 2014-02-26 | 2015-01-30 | Tent Hub Assembly |
CA2881421A CA2881421A1 (en) | 2014-02-26 | 2015-02-09 | Tent hub assembly |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
CN201420083902.1 | 2014-02-26 | ||
CN201420083902.1U CN203729660U (en) | 2014-02-26 | 2014-02-26 | Top supporting structure of tent |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20150240513A1 true US20150240513A1 (en) | 2015-08-27 |
Family
ID=51199743
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US14/608,301 Abandoned US20150240513A1 (en) | 2014-02-26 | 2015-01-29 | Tent Hub Assembly |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20150240513A1 (en) |
CN (1) | CN203729660U (en) |
AU (1) | AU2015200478A1 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2881421A1 (en) |
Cited By (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20150275541A1 (en) * | 2014-03-31 | 2015-10-01 | HKD Global Limited | Tent system employing an improved spider hub and associated frame structure and method of compacting the frame for reduced storage size |
US10941559B1 (en) * | 2016-06-30 | 2021-03-09 | DLX Enterprises, LLC | Shelter and hub system |
USD921812S1 (en) * | 2019-07-25 | 2021-06-08 | Zhejiang Nine Bulls Crafts Co., Ltd. | Connector device for a tent |
US11280107B1 (en) | 2016-06-30 | 2022-03-22 | DLX Enterprises, LLC | Shelter and hub system |
US11732496B1 (en) | 2016-06-30 | 2023-08-22 | DLX Enterprises, LLC | Shelter and hub system |
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US5328286A (en) * | 1992-04-02 | 1994-07-12 | Bae Jin Corporation | Tent frame binding device |
US5797695A (en) * | 1995-09-01 | 1998-08-25 | Prusmack; A. Jon | Articulating hub asssembly |
US6378265B1 (en) * | 1999-03-01 | 2002-04-30 | Matias Konstandt | Space frame construction assembly |
US7841572B2 (en) * | 2007-11-15 | 2010-11-30 | Excellerate Enterprise Co., Ltd. | Toy supporting frame |
US8047218B1 (en) * | 2011-02-08 | 2011-11-01 | Jeaki Shin | Cabin tent frame |
US8069872B2 (en) * | 2007-09-20 | 2011-12-06 | Poong Han (Xiamen) Engineering Co., Ltd | Automatic control device of foldable tent |
US20120318316A1 (en) * | 2007-11-30 | 2012-12-20 | Kwan Jun Choi | Hub assembly for a foldable tent |
US8360085B2 (en) * | 2008-03-28 | 2013-01-29 | Sunghee Lee | Top support structure of tent frame |
US8448656B2 (en) * | 2007-11-30 | 2013-05-28 | Ki Ho Jin | Roof connecting mechanism of foldable tent |
US20130276843A1 (en) * | 2012-04-19 | 2013-10-24 | Oliver Joen-An Ma | Umbrella quick frame assembly systems and methods |
US20140238456A1 (en) * | 2013-02-27 | 2014-08-28 | Ki Ho Jin | Hub assembly for a foldable tent |
US20140246062A1 (en) * | 2013-03-04 | 2014-09-04 | Oliver Joen-An Ma | Quick assembly methods and components for shade structures |
-
2014
- 2014-02-26 CN CN201420083902.1U patent/CN203729660U/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
2015
- 2015-01-29 US US14/608,301 patent/US20150240513A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2015-01-30 AU AU2015200478A patent/AU2015200478A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2015-02-09 CA CA2881421A patent/CA2881421A1/en not_active Withdrawn
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US4750509A (en) * | 1985-11-25 | 1988-06-14 | Kim Soon Tae | Folding device of a tent-framework |
US5328286A (en) * | 1992-04-02 | 1994-07-12 | Bae Jin Corporation | Tent frame binding device |
US5797695A (en) * | 1995-09-01 | 1998-08-25 | Prusmack; A. Jon | Articulating hub asssembly |
US6378265B1 (en) * | 1999-03-01 | 2002-04-30 | Matias Konstandt | Space frame construction assembly |
US8069872B2 (en) * | 2007-09-20 | 2011-12-06 | Poong Han (Xiamen) Engineering Co., Ltd | Automatic control device of foldable tent |
US7841572B2 (en) * | 2007-11-15 | 2010-11-30 | Excellerate Enterprise Co., Ltd. | Toy supporting frame |
US20120318316A1 (en) * | 2007-11-30 | 2012-12-20 | Kwan Jun Choi | Hub assembly for a foldable tent |
US8448656B2 (en) * | 2007-11-30 | 2013-05-28 | Ki Ho Jin | Roof connecting mechanism of foldable tent |
US8360085B2 (en) * | 2008-03-28 | 2013-01-29 | Sunghee Lee | Top support structure of tent frame |
US8047218B1 (en) * | 2011-02-08 | 2011-11-01 | Jeaki Shin | Cabin tent frame |
US20130276843A1 (en) * | 2012-04-19 | 2013-10-24 | Oliver Joen-An Ma | Umbrella quick frame assembly systems and methods |
US20140238456A1 (en) * | 2013-02-27 | 2014-08-28 | Ki Ho Jin | Hub assembly for a foldable tent |
US20140246062A1 (en) * | 2013-03-04 | 2014-09-04 | Oliver Joen-An Ma | Quick assembly methods and components for shade structures |
Cited By (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20150275541A1 (en) * | 2014-03-31 | 2015-10-01 | HKD Global Limited | Tent system employing an improved spider hub and associated frame structure and method of compacting the frame for reduced storage size |
US9976319B2 (en) * | 2014-03-31 | 2018-05-22 | HKD Global Limited | Tent system employing an improved spider hub and associated frame structure and method of compacting the frame for reduced storage size |
US10941559B1 (en) * | 2016-06-30 | 2021-03-09 | DLX Enterprises, LLC | Shelter and hub system |
US11280107B1 (en) | 2016-06-30 | 2022-03-22 | DLX Enterprises, LLC | Shelter and hub system |
US11732496B1 (en) | 2016-06-30 | 2023-08-22 | DLX Enterprises, LLC | Shelter and hub system |
US11898366B1 (en) | 2016-06-30 | 2024-02-13 | DLX Enterprises, LLC | Shelter and hub system |
US11939785B1 (en) | 2016-06-30 | 2024-03-26 | DLX Enterprises, LLC | Rapid-deployment shelter |
USD921812S1 (en) * | 2019-07-25 | 2021-06-08 | Zhejiang Nine Bulls Crafts Co., Ltd. | Connector device for a tent |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
CN203729660U (en) | 2014-07-23 |
AU2015200478A1 (en) | 2015-09-10 |
CA2881421A1 (en) | 2015-08-26 |
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Legal Events
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AS | Assignment |
Owner name: JIN, KI HO, CHINA Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:FANG, MIAO SHENG;REEL/FRAME:034947/0275 Effective date: 20150130 |
|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO PAY ISSUE FEE |