WO2006019308A1

WO2006019308A1 - A tent for attachment on a roof of a vehicle and a method for erecting a tent from a vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2006019308A1
Application number: PCT/NO2005/000291
Authority: WO
Inventors: Karen Haugland; Cato Hals
Original assignee: All-Camp As
Priority date: 2004-08-17
Filing date: 2005-08-15
Publication date: 2006-02-23
Also published as: NO20051321D0; NO323500B1; NO20051321L

Abstract

The invention is tent (2) for attachment on a roof (4) of a vehicle (1), having one or more tent poles (3) arranged for extending in a first direction from an edge (41) of said vehicle's roof (4), in which an inner end (31) of said tent pole (3), as counted when in use, being arranged to be held near said edge (41) of said roof, and an outer end (33) of said tent pole (3), as counted when in use, arranged for generally to extend in a direction horizontally from said edge (41) of said roof, and a junction (34) arranged near said outer end (33) of said tent pole, said outer end (33), as counted when in use, holding a generally standing tent pole (35) arranged with its lower end (36) for being forced against the ground, with a tent canvas (6) arranged for being spanned by said tent poles (3, 35), so as for said vehicle (1) in addition to said tent poles (35) to constitute an essential part of the supporting structure (3) and the canvas (6).

Description

A tent for attachment on a roof of a vehicle and a method for erecting a tent from a vehicle.

The present invention pertains to a tent arranged as an extension of a car with a rear hatch or ordinary baggage compartment and /or extended sideways on cars with sliding side doors. The tent can be fitted to the roof of the car in a container adapted for the use, or directly on roof rails. Alternatively, the container and/or the tent can be stored in the car for use when the vehicle is halted.

Background art Several tents for being used as an extension of the car are known, as well as some where the tent is used in erected condition on the roof of the car. All such designs forming and extension of the car, depend on tent pegs in the ground for the tent is to be erected, and/or depend on that the rear hatch being sufficiently large, (and the car tall) to constitute a useful volume. In addition, a number of tent poles and guy strands are required. This is awkward and time-consuming, typical at least 15 minutes. Additionally, most of the tents using pegs depend of a suitable substrate, i.e. grass, making it unfeasible to use the tent on gravel or hard ground in which tent pegs are not feasibly inserted. This makes the use depending on lawns, typical of camping sites. Other places are practically not feasible. Tents arranged for mounting on a car's roof are only intended for sleeping. A ladder is usually required to get entrance up to the tent. Such tents are not useful for living, cooking, etc. Among existing solutions that make it possible park and camp on a desired location, regardless of the nature of the substrate, and have admission to a living space, sleeping spaces, cooking, etc., only mobile homes provide such possibility and such flexibility. Travel-trailers, from which a tent can be erected from, exist, and of course also caravans. Common to these are high cost, and limited flexibility with respect to being properly located.

The present invention is a tent extension for cars. The tent becomes integrated with the car when raised and may have the same function as a mobile home. An ordinary car may be used as the structurally supporting unit for the tent extension. In a preferred embodiment of the invention a container containing the extension tent is placed on the roof of the car and thereby turning an ordinary car into a mobile home. By having rods extending the car structurally, it is feasible to make a trusswork design so as to transfer part of the weight of the car to the extension tent, and in a preferred embodiment to be used a fastening device to a lower part of the car, e.g. the wheels, as a structure to attach a lower part of the tent tightly to the vehicle. Thus no tent pegs are required and the design may provide a large base area for the tent. The car may act as a wall and partly as an additional space for the extension tent, or vice versa, that the extension tent acts as an additional space for the car. It is partly the weight of the car and the rigid tent poles that contribute to force the tent against the ground, that makes it stable, also those parts of the tent poles that are situated in the opposite end of the extension tent with respect to the vehicle. This opens a possibility for a significantly improved possibility for use of an extension tent for a car. An ordinary station car may serve as a structural base for the extension tent, but also an ordinary passenger car may be sufficient as a basis. It is no longer required to provide a mobile home to be able to halt and stay overnight anywhere. Based on a new and simple principle in using the car as a structure, an extension tent of desired size may quickly be erected anywhere. A considerable advantage of the invention is that the extension tent is self-supporting in connection with the car, and is not dependent on tent pegs.

Due to the fact that the tent is self-supported when used with a car, and thus independent of pegs, the tent can be raised anywhere there is space available.

Previously, this has only been possible with mobile homes. Thereby, more space for staying is available for more people. Smaller mobile homes with a sliding side door are well suited for a side-mounted model of the extension tent. The extension tent is independent of whether a rear hatch or side door of the car is open or not, due to the tent poles being mounted on the roof, preferably by or somewhat outside off the roofs edge. If the rear hatch, rear window or side-door is closed, this will separate the tent from the sleeping compartment in the car.

From designs that at firs glance may look similar to the present invention, is solely hatch-supported canvas called «Twin Camp» which is primarily intended for use with Citroen Berlingo. The mentioned vehicle is rather tall and short, with a resulting relatively large rear hatch hinged at the upper side near the roofs edge, and supported by pneumatic springs. When the car's rear hatch is opened to a nearly horizontal position rearwards, a tent canvas is draped over it. Additionally, an extension plate must be arranged in advance, extending from the car's carrying compartment and having support stays at the rear of the extension plate to keep this horizontal above ground. The tent-canvas is attached to the rear hatch with "velcro" bands and press buttons. «Twin-Camp» is thus limited to just that particular kind of vehicles having a top-mounted and very large rear hatch. Accordingly, «Twin-Camp» is designed only to make it feasible to sleep in just such a Citroen Berlingo since this model is to short to sleep inside without an extension of the carrying compartment. It cannot function as a general camping tent for different vehicle models. «Twin-Camp» may not work under windy conditions as in practice the tent canvas is hanging down from the rear hatch. Compared to the mentioned design, an extension tent according to the present invention will provide considerable advantages and a considerably extended range of use. Due to the fact that the car structure is extended by several meters, the space and the volume constituted by the extension tent according to the present invention may make it feasible for a family of four persons to stay in for cooking, having meals, etc. Twin-Camp has a base area of approximately 1m² limited by the size of the rear hatch. An extension tent according to the present invention may easily have a base area of 3 m² to 10 m² , typically about 5 m². An extension tent according to the present invention also has the advantage that it is independent of the rear hatch or side doors way of working, and may be used on cars having sideways-swinging doors, contrary to the known mentioned art for Citroen Berlingo who will not work with a side hinged rear hatch.

Under rain conditions, staying in an extension tent according to the present invention will be a pleasant place for living in, in the same way as in a freely standing camping tent. In addition it is possible to utilize the space for several places for sleeping. 4 for persons will easily find space for staying overnight, plus 2 additional places for sleeping in the car if it is a station wagon, e.g. a 1993-model Volvo 245. If the car is e.g. a Golf, which is a considerably smaller car, a family of 4 could easily be accommodated, with space for sleeping and staying. Because the extension tent is an extension of the vehicle's structure with resulting feature to press down the rear tent poles against the ground, the tent may withstand a lot of wind, with the additional possibility of using guy shrouds on the tent if the weather conditions command doing so.

Further, a design named «Auto-chalet» is known from www.boni.no, having an extension rearwards and to the side of the car. These will have about the same volume and area as the present invention, but have to be raised in the same way an ordinary tent, i.e. with many pegs, guy shrouds and on a ground suitable for tent pegs. Several manual operations will also be required to erect the tent, and may only be erected where pegs can be attached in the ground. An extension tent according to the present invention may be raised anywhere in a few of minutes, and will not be dependent of grass or any other soft surface for tent pegs. Thus it possible to freely make a travel plan independently of camping sites. Thus this may save money because it is not required to have a substrate that may be difficultly found except for in camping sites.

The erecting process for the extension tent according to preferred embodiments of the invention may also be more simple and quicker than in the background art.

Compared to the above citations, the present invention may be used in a similar way as a mobile home under several conditions, being substrate quality or weather conditions. This makes it possible to use an ordinary passenger car in a similar way as a mobile home. The present invention is provided for quickly raising a tent as an extension of a station wagon without the use of tent pegs or guy strands and independently of surface hardness, and thereby having the same benefit as a mobile home and/or camping tent.

The above-mentioned tasks are, according to the invention, solved by introducing a tent as defined in the attached claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are further provided in the attached depending claims.

Short figure captions

The invention is illustrated in the attached drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of the invention in the form of an extension tent shown in side elevation view of which a framework for the extension tent is extended rearwards from a station wagon.

Fig. 2 shows a sketch of the principle of a first embodiment of the invention as seen from above, in which in a usage position generally horizontal tent poles are swung in a main direction from near an outer edge of the car's roof, and of which tent poles that shall be folded down to a generally vertical position are shown in a partly folded out position from the tent poles. Fig. 2b shows the tent poles and the extension tent as seen from above together with a station wagon, in which a canvas have been draped and extended over the tent poles.

Fig. 3 shows an extract from Fig. 2, in which only a roofrack container or cassette for arrangement on the car's roof is included, as seen from above, and in which the inner attachment of the tent poles are displaced outward and sideward from the box, thus achieving a larger volume for the tent.

Fig. 4 shows, as Fig. 3, generally only the roofrack container as seen from above, with the structural tent poles folded in inside the container, and with tent poles as in otherwise folded out position shall form generally vertical tent poles, of which these vertical tent poles are also folded in inside the container.

Fig. 5 shows an elevation view showing the rear of the vehicle with the extension tent in a folded out position, in which the horizontal tent poles with the generally vertical tent poles, also called the support legs, are mutually deviated in a slightly outwards direction in order to achieve a rigid structure and a large useful volume for the extension tent. An outline is shown around the car indicating a section of the canvas (2) near the rear portion of the car, and demonstrates that the canvas may be taut by means of a retainer device (8) tightening the lower, inner portion of the canvas against the vehicle's lower portion, here being the vehicle's rear portion. Fig. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of an extension tent according to the invention in which the horizontal tent poles extend outwards to a side of the vehicle.

Fig. 7 shows an extension tent according to the invention in which the horizontal tent poles extend along two main directions out from the vehicle, both outwardly to the side of the vehicle, and also rearwards behind the vehicle, as a combination of the embodiments shown in Fig. 2B and 6.

Fig. 8 shows a preferred embodiment of the invention in which is draped a canvas spanned over the tent poles, and the inner, lower portion of the canvas spanned and taut by means of a rigid bar lying along the ground and being kept down by the rear wheel of the car. The canvas¹ lower inner edge is attached to the horizontal bar. Preferably, such a bar is arranged on either side of the car. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the tent is provided with vertical tent poles in each corner, and thus arranged so as for the canvas to be tightened downwards also by means of the tent poles so that no further attachment in the lower edge is required. Fig. 9 shows a correspondingly preferred embodiment of the invention in a side elevation view as seen both from the left and from the right side, with an alternative device comprising a telescopic and weakly spring-loaded, generally vertical bar arranged for being spanned under the vehicle's underside and down against a generally horizontal bar residing on the ground. The canvas¹ lower edge is attached to the horizontal bar. Preferably, there is such a bar on either sides of the car.

Fig. 1OA shows an isometric view of a roofrack container with a tent according to the invention, in which the tent poles are illustrated in a retracted and folded in state, and in which the canvas for clarity is, as such, not illustrated. A car roof is indicated below the arcs below the roofrack container.

Fig. 1OB shows an isometric view of the same roofrack container in which a main frame in the roofrack container holds a telescopic bar at a small distance from the edge of the roof, and in which the typically two, three, or four generally horizontal tent poles while being swung out from the roofrack container from a hub on the telescopic bar. A jack device on the hub may elevate and lower the hub. Tent poles for being folded down to constitute generally vertical tent poles are here shown in a folded-in position.

Fig. 11 shows a side elevation view of a jack arranged on the telescopic horizontal bar, and in which the jack is arranged for elevating and lowering the hub holding the horizontal pivotal tent poles.

Fig. 12 is a view of the tent showing a) left side, b) right side, c) the front side (in which the vehicle according to a preferred embodiment fits into the opening), d) the rear, e) a top view, and f) a view of the underside, with tent poles extending from a hub held by a telescopic horizontal bar which in turn is held by a main frame (not illustrated) being arranged on the roof of the vehicle.

Generally the tent device according to the invention will comprise rods extended e.g. horizontally as an extension of the vehicle in a main direction, said direction being rearward and/or sideward, and rods arranged to stand held or hinged by the end of these and being forced downwards against the substrate. Together, this will form a stable structure on which a tent canvas in with proper windows, doors, etc may be attached or arranged. In order for the canvas to close properly around the car, the canvas with elastic means with a hook may be attached to e.g. the mudguard of the car, or a fixing means attached to the rear wheels forming a stable fixture and utilizes the weight of the car for attachment of the tent in the same way as the car's size and weight forms the base for one end of the rods and thus forms a solid structure based on the size and weight of the car useful for a tent structure for forming an extension of the car to the rear or to one of the sides. Alternatively, as an additional securing, also attachments for tightening the tent around the car may be made using tent pegs where appropriate, e.g. on a lawn substrate. Some cars will possibly be adapted for making the extension forwardly relative to the car. The structure may fit all kinds of cars, but best suited are possibly station cars, combination cars, cars with a rear door and cars with a sliding door on one side or either sides.

Principally, the invention comprises one or more pipes, profiles, plates or struts constituting an extension of the car and adapted for attaching a canvas onto. This may be conducted in several ways, e.g. using to struts or pipes directed rearwards, or tilted in an upward or downward direction, and one or more directed outwardly on the side of the car.

An extension tent (2) according to the invention is arranged for being mounted on a roof (4) of a vehicle (1), having one or more tent poles (3) arranged for being extended outwardly in a first main direction from said vehicle's roof (4) from near an edge (41) of said roof, having an inner end (31), as counted in a usage position, of said tent pole (3) being arranged for being held fixedly near said roofs edge (41), please see the attached drawings. An outer end (33) of said tent pole, as counted in a usage position, is arranged to generally extend in a direction horizontally from said roofs edge (41), and having a join (34) arranged by the outer end (33) further holding a generally vertically directed tent pole, as counted in a usage position, arranged with a lower end (36) for being supported against the ground when in use, and with a canvas (6) arranged for being spanned by said tent poles (3, 35). The tent pole (35) may be telescopic and arranged for being locked in a desired extended length to be adapted uneven or inclined ground and for forcing the tent pole downwardly so as for the canvas' shape to be correct according to the desired shape, and for exerting a desired force towards the ground which also forces upwards against the horizontal tent pole (3). In this manner the extension tent will function such that the vehicle (1) in addition to the tent poles (35) constitute an essential part of the supporting structure for the tent poles (3) and the canvas (6). At the end of the tent poles (3) directed in a main direction, see Figs. 1 , 2, 3, 6, and 7 (in which said main direction may be selected rearward or sideward) in which the tent poles may have the shape of pipes or profiles, a second pipe (35) or extension, with or without variable length and having an end for stable fastening to the substrate, may be attached to the tent pole (3) with a hinge, ball joint or by other means. Each of those generally vertical stays or tent poles (35) will be directed downwardly and inclined rearwards and rather somewhat to either sides in which the correct inclination angle will be defined by a canvas arranged on the stays. The stays (35) may also be arranged vertically or in any other generally steep and standing position. In their mounted state these elements will form an extension of the car forming a trusswork for a canvas of an extension tent. This will constitute an embodiment of the invention in a simple form. By combining and/or attaching further tent poles to each other or to the roof of the car it will be feasible to extend the tent volume and thus form a basis for several models of the tent according to different needs. Below is described a preferred embodiment of the invention making it possible to erect the tent by employing a few manipulations in 1 to 2 minutes depending on the nature of the substrate as long as it is sufficiently even. This is feasible by first opening the cover on a cassette or roofrack container, inside which the tent and tent poles may be packed together during transport, and be attached to the roof of the car when the tent shall be erected. Thereby the lower of two crossing stays, hinged in a rear edge of the container with the canvas attached, may be pivoted about a fixture hinge by an angle of about 180 degrees. The hinge will be normal to the stay itself, may be inclined with respect to the container so as for the stays to form an oblique angle with respect to the car's roof and rearwards, please see the attached drawings. By pivoting the tent poles (3) about the hinge point in the rear edge of the container, the rods, rather with a canvas attached to the rods, be folded out and erected. If the canvas is attached to the tent poles the canvas will follow along with the movement and be spanned out while the tent poles are folded out and the rods are supported against the ground. Thereby the length of the rods may be adjusted so as for the elevation of the extension tent is adapted to the desired height. The rods may be arranged so as for having adjustably variable length and for being forced downwardly against the ground and exert force upwardly against their respective overlying horizontal tent poles. These will be directed downwardly, rearwards and slightly outwardly while being limited by the shape of the canvas and the stiffness of the bearings, and will constitute a well spanned tent without tent pegs or guy strands independently from the nature of the substrate.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the tent pole (3) is pivotally articulated in a bearing (31L) having the inner end (31) of the tent pole (3) arranged near the edge (41) of the roof (4), and arranged for being pivoted between a generally inwardly folded storage- or transport position, and an outwardly directed generally horizontal position of use, for spanning the canvas (6).

Fig. 3 shows a portion in which only a roofrack container or cassette on the roof is included, as seen from above, and in which an inner fixture for the tent poles is displaced outwardly and sideways from the container, for thus achieving a larger volume for the tent.

The tent pole (3) may alternatively be telescopic or displaceable in its length direction and arranged for extending the outer end (33) outwardly so as for the tent pole (3) to be situated in a generally horizontal position. Fig. 4 shows, like Fig. 3, generally only the roofrack container as seen from above, with the structural tent poles folded in inside the container, and with support legs, or in folded out position vertical legs, of which the support legs are also folded in inside the container.

|Fig. 5 shows a view from the rear, of the vehicle with the extension tent's tent poles in a folded out position, in which the horizontal tent poles with the generally vertical support legs deviate somewhat to the side in order for achieving a rigid structure and a large volume of use for the extension tent. Around the car is shown an outline indicating a section of the canvas (2) near the rear end of the vehicle, and demonstrates that the canvas may be spanned by a fastener device (8) tightening the lower, inner portion of the canvas against the vehicle's lower portion, here the rear portion of the vehicle.

A portion of the canvas (6) may be attached to the portion of the vehicle (1) near the edge (41) of the roof (4), and a lower portion to be attached near a lower edge of the vehicle, to e.g. mudgurards or wheels, so as for the canvas (6) to be tightened between the vehicle and the tent poles (35),

A portion of the canvas (6) may be attached to the vehicle's (1) portion near the roofs edge (4), and a lower portion attached to a device (8) spanned between the rear wheels' lower side near the ground in which an extension forward and/or rearward forms a solid structure against the ground and exerting a force between the car and the ground for spanning the canvas¹ rear and lower walls toward the ground and the car, or an extendable telescopic support with holes for attachment hooks that exert a force between the car and the ground for attaching the canvas rear and lower walls against the ground and the car, or a plate with holes for attaching canvas. The join (34) between the generally horizontal tent pole (3) and the generally vertical tent pole (35) may be a hinge joint (34H) or a ball joint to an upper end (36), as counted in usage position, of the vertical tent pole (35). In a preferred embodiment there may be arranged an angle limiter for the joint's angular movement, but the joint will in practical use be limited by the canvas and its shape as this is draped over the tent poles and the joint, and as such limiting the tent poles to fold out more than what is allowed by the canvas.

In a simple embodiment of the invention the tent poles (3) are swung in a vertical plane from a forwardly directed position relative to the main direction of the car, in which the tent poles are situated in the roofrack container, upwardly and rearwards to a rearwards nearly horizontal position, and locked. Thereby the support poles (35) are pivoted downwardly to a generally vertical position for constituting a standing tent pole (35) arranged having a lower end (36) for in a usage position to be supported against the ground. The standing tent pole (35) must be dimensioned sufficiently strong so as for being strong enough to carry the weight from the tent pole (3) in its folded out position with canvas, in which the canvas may be loaded by wind and rain. Additionally, an essential element by the standing tent pole (35) is that it takes up weight load exerted by the vehicle via the tent pole (3). By the action of folding out the vertical tent pole (35) by folding it down from the tent pole (3) via the knee joint (33), the vertical tent pole (35) may be telescopic, so as for pivoting it down to a generally vertical position in a telescopically collapsed position, whereby one releases a lower telescopic portion, lifts and forces the upper portion of the pole (35) upwardly and, in fact, lift the generally horizontal tent pole (3) upwardly, while locking the telescopically released lower telescoping portion of the pole (35) relative to the upper portion, e.g. by using a threaded sleeve, so as for the horizontal tent pole (3) to remain forced upwardly. Thus one has transferred a portion of the weight of the vehicle over to the vertical tent pole (35), which thus is forced against the ground. This eliminates the need for tent pegs with this position of use. Thus one is rather independent from the nature of the substrate, with respect to plugs, when one are going to erect the tent, and may erect it on e.g. bituminous ground or hard gravel surface, places of which would otherwise rather would be avoided for erecting tents due to the lack of places to attach tent pegs.

In a preferred embodiment, two tent poles (3) extending outwardly from the roofs edge, see e.g. Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, may be designed in a somewhat heavier/stiffer profile than the remaining tent poles, and in the erect position of the tent be attached in their inner end near the roof so rigidly that the have little sideward and vertical movement so as for the extension tent to be self-supporting and withstand wind. A first main direction for the tent pole (3) may be rearward relative to the vehicle's ordinary assigned driving direction. Alternatively, a first main direction (3) may be to one of either sides relative to the vehicle's ordinary assigned driving direction, e.g. when the car is provided with a sliding door on its side.

A first and a second main direction for the tent poles (3) may be to one or either sides of the vehicle, and a main direction rearward, if one desires to extend an extension tent in several directions from the vehicle. Fig. 7 shows an extension tent according to the invention in which the horizontal tent poles extend along two main directions outward from the vehicle, both outwardly to the side of the vehicle and also rearwards from the vehicle, as a combination of the embodiments shown in Figs. 2B and 6. In a preferred embodiment the canvas (6) is attached in the tent poles (3, 35) both in the position of use of the extension tent, and in a folded position for storage or transport on the vehicle's (1) roof (4) or for storage or transport in the vehicle's luggage compartment or cargo room.

Fig. 8 shows a preferred embodiment of the invention in which is draped a canvas over the tent poles, and the inner, lower portion of the canvas is spanned and pulled by a rigid rail lying along the ground and held down by means of the rear wheels of the vehicle. The canvas¹ lower inner edge is attached against the horizontal rail. There should be such a bar with rail on two of the sides of the vehicle. Two bars extend inwardly under a fore and rear side of the wheel by the ground so as for the rail to be held down by the wheel. |Fig. 9 shows a corresponding preferred embodiment of the invention, having an alternative device comprising a weakly telescoping and spring-acting generally vertical rod arranged for being spanned under the vehicles' underside and down against a generally horizontal rail residing on the ground. The lower inner edge of the canvas may be attached against the horizontal rail. There should be such a rod with a rail on two of the sides of the vehicle.

In a more elaborate embodiment of the invention the tent poles (3) are arranged on a hub or bearing (31L) in which in a usage position counted inner end (31) of the tent pole (3) is arranged for being held fast in the hub or bearing (31 L) near the edge (41) of the roof. The hub or bearing (31L) has a generally vertical axis, so as for the tent pole (3) being arranged to pivot out from a stored position to a folded out position along a generally horizontal plane.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1OA and Fig. 1OB, the hub or bearing (31L) is arranged on a generally horizontally arranged telescopic sliding rod (39T) arranged for sliding in the horizontal direction in a corresponding telescoping main pipe (39G) arranged on the vehicle's roof (4). The hub or bearing (31 L) is arranged for being displaced on said telescopic sliding rod (39T) somewhat rearwards relative to, but still near the edge (41) of the roof, so as for to constitute a starting point for two or more, preferably four tent poles (3) to extend diagonally in separate directions with respect to said hub or bearing (31 L) to constitute four corners of said tent. The hub or bearing (31L) is arranged to be displaced in a deviated direction rearwards with respect to the vehicle's long axis, and in which said tent poles (3) are generally of equal lengths and span a tent being displaced towards a desired side relative to the vehicle's long axis. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 10A and B said hub comprises a vertical rod (37), which preferably should be arranged for being elevated and lowered by means of a crank (38), and together working as a jack (40).

In an alternatively preferred embodiment of the invention said hub (31 L) is formed using plates and arranged on a jack (31 J) arranged for elevating or lowering said hub (31 L), and in which said jack (31J) is arranged on said telescopic rod (39T) or by other means attached to said vehicle's roof (4). The jack (40) may have two functions: (a), said jack may elevate the rods (3) to an elevation somewhat above a desired elevation before folding out of the rods (35) which shall be nearly vertical. When those nearly vertical rods (35) have been folded down and supported towards the ground, the jack may lower the nearly horizontal rods (3) with the vertical rods (35) for a desired displacement so as for said vertical rods (35) to be forced to a desired degree against the ground, and thus being spanned in place towards the ground. The jack may in an additionally preferred embodiment be mounted with a rigging screw or similar rigging screw so as for its vertical axis to be adjustable in a desired direction in order to adapt the tent a few degrees if the ground is inclined with respect to the vehicle. The joint between the jack and preferably the telescopic rod (39T) may also comprise an elastic plate made of e.g. rubber, so as for movements between the vehicle and the tent may be somewhat compensated for, e.g. if somebody temporarily should enter to sit in the vehicle and forcing it down, in order for said tent poles should be subject to undesired large bending load. The jack may be an articulated jack. The connection between the inner ends of the tent poles (3) and the hub (31L) may also comprise a flexible joint, so that the tent poles provide individual spring-action in their relation to the hub (31 L).

In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 11 , the jack (40) may be provided with a clamp (41) on top, and have a threaded axle with a crank, arranged for holding a vertical rod (37) with a vertical rotating axle (37b) onto which is arranged a base plate (42) in said hub (31L). In the base plate (42) is, in this preferred embodiment, arranged holes for vertical axles (43) for holding each of the inner ends of the rods (3) in pivoting positions about the vertical axles, so as for said rods (3) to be pivoting in a horizontal plane, following the same movement as illustrated in Fig. 10B, even though Fig. 10B illustrates a simpler embodiment of the hub (31L). in order to reinforce the hub (31L) there is arranged, in the preferred embodiment, an upper hub plate (44) having a shape corresponding to the shape of the base plate (42) threaded downwardly onto the vertical axles (42) so as for to stiffen them up to prevent that they are bent by the moments exerted by the tent poles (3). In this way, the hub (31L) is made sufficiently strong to hold the tent poles against weather and wind. If the tent as such is provided with at least three or four vertical tent poles (35) so as for being arranged to be able to stand independently on the ground , with the legs diverging in each their direction of the tent relative to the relatively centrally arranged hub (31L), the jack (40) may be released from the hub (31L) by opening the clamp (41) for releasing the short vertical rod (37) which will remain hanging in the hub (31 L) shown in Fig. 11 , and lower the jack (40). Thus the tent may stand independently, and it is possible temporarily to drive away the vehicle that so far has been a supporting part in order to erect the structure. A canvas cloth may be pulled down to cover the opening that was covered by the car. One need not necessarily back the car into the tent again until the tent shall be packed down again. In this way one may use the car for short trips without having to collapse the tent. It may be advantageous to set down tent pegs and arrange guy shrouds temporarily when the vehicle is away, alternatively to put rocks on the gale retainer flaps on the ground, in order for the tent not to be blown away. However, it may be of great advantage to release the guy shrouds while backing the car into its place again, in order to fix the hub (31 L) to the jack on the roof of the car, to avoid to back the car to exactly the same place for the reconnection in the clamp (41) about the vertical rod (37), in order for the hub again to be attached to the jack on the telescopic horizontal rod which if further held by the roof of the car. Figs. 12 show preferred embodiments of the erected tent shown in different views from all sides, but without the vehicle. Fig. 12A is a view as seen from the left side. Fig. 12B is a view seen from the right side. Fig. 12C is a view as seen from ahead, and fig. 12D is a view as seen from rear. Fig. 12E is a view seen from above, and Fig. 12F is a view as seen from below, in which said tent poles (3) are seen extending from a hub (31L) in which said hub or bearing (31L) is arranged on a horizontally arranged telescopic rod (39T) arranged for sliding in the horizontal direction in a corresponding telescopic main pipe (39G) (which is not seen in this drawing) arranged on the roof (4) of the vehicle.

Said canvas may, in a preferred embodiment, be threaded onto the tent poles and follow these while being folded in, in order to be arranged in the roofrack container, or when they are folded out to a usage position. It may also be required to have a connection portion in the canvas in the form of e.g. a slide lock arranged towards the side of the hub (31 L) and the canvas facing the vehicle, in order for the canvas to follow the horizontal pivotal motion and spanning of the horizontal tent poles.

Claims

1. A tent (2) for attachment on a roof (4) of a vehicle (1), having one or more tent poles (3) arranged for extending in a first direction from an edge (41) of said vehicle's roof (4), in which an inner end (31) of said tent pole (3), as counted when in use, being arranged to be held near said edge (41) of said roof, and an outer end (33), as counted when in use, arranged for generally to extend in a direction horizontally from said edge (41) of said roof, c h a r a c t e r i z e d b y a junction (34) arranged near said outer end (33) of said tent pole, said outer end (33), as counted when in use, holding a generally standing tent pole (35) arranged with its lower end (36) for being forced onto the ground, with a tent canvas (6) arranged for being spanned by said tent poles (3, 35).

2. The tent according to claim 1 , in which said tent pole (3) is pivotally supported in a bearing (31 L) having said inner end (31) of said tent pole (3) near said edge (41) of said roof (4), and arranged to be rotated between a generally inward directed folded storage- or transport position, and an outward directed generally horizontal position for use, for spanning said tent canvas (6).

3. The tent according to claim 1 , in which said tent pole is telescoping and arranged for extending said outer end (33) outward so as for said tent pole (3) is situated in a generally horizontal position.

4. The tent according to claim 1 , in which an upper portion of said tent canvas (6) is attached to a portion of the vehicle (1) near said edge (41) of said roof (4) and a lower portion is attached near a lower part of said vehicle, e.g. to mud guards or wheels, so as for said tent canvas (6) to be spanned between said vehicle and said tent poles (35).

5. A tent according to claim 1 , in which a portion of said tent canvas (6) is attached to a portion of said vehicle (1) near said edge (4) of said roof and a lower portion attached to a device (8) spanned between the lower portion of rear wheels near the ground, of which an extension rearwards and / or forwards forms a solid structure being spanned between said vehicle and the ground, for attaching said tent canvas rear and lower wall panels toward the ground and said vehicle.

6. A tent according to claim 2 or 3, of which said junction (34) between said generally horizontal tent pole (3) and said generally vertical tent pole (35) is a hinged, preferably locking articulation (34H) to an upper end (36), as counted in use, of said vertical tent pole (35).

7. A tent according to claim 1 , in which a first direction for said tent pole (3) is a main direction rearwards along said roof with respect to said vehicle's ordinary assigned drive direction.

8. A tent according to claim 1 , in which a first direction for said tent pole (3) is a main direction to one of the sides with respect to said vehicle's ordinary assigned drive direction.

9. A tent according to claim 1 , in which a first and a second main direction for said tent poles (3) is to one or either sides, and a main direction rearwards.

10. A tent according to claim 1 , in which said tent canvas (6) is attached in said tent poles (3, 35) both in a position of use of said tent, and in a folded position for storage or transport on said vehicle's roof (4) or in a trunk or cargo space.

11. A tent according to claim 1 , in which said vehicle (1), in addition to said tent poles (35) constitutes an essential part of the supporting structure for said tent poles (3) and said tent canvas (6).

12. A tent according to claim 1 , in which an inner end (31) of said tent pole (3), as counted in a position of use, is arranged to be held in a hub or bearing (31L) near said edge (41) of said roof.

13. A tent according to claim 12, in which said hub or bearing (31L) has a generally vertical axis, so that said tent pole (3) is arranged to be rotated out from a stored position to an extended position along a generally horizontal plane.

14. A tent according to claim 12, in which said hub or bearing (31L) is arranged on a generally horizontally arranged telescoping bar (39T) that may glide in the horizontal direction in a corresponding telescopic main pipe (39G) arranged on said vehicle's roof (4).

15. A tent according to claim 14, in which said hub or bearing (31 L) is arranged for being displaced on said telescoping bar (39T) somewhat rearwards with respect to, but still near said edge (41) of said roof, for constituting a starting point for at least four tent poles (3) that extend diagonally in each their direction with respect to said hub or bearing (31 L) for constituting four corners of said tent.

16. A tent according to claim 15, in which said hub or bearing (31L) is displaced with an angle with respect to a long axis of said vehicle, and in which said tent poles (3) are generally of equal length and span said tent being displaced to a desired side with respect to said long axis of said vehicle.

17. A tent according to claim 14, in which said hub is arranged on a jack (31 J) arranged to elevate or lower said hub (31L), and in which said jack (38, 40) is arranged on said telescoping bar (39T) or by other means attached on said vehicle's roof (4).

18. A tent according to claim 17, in which said jack (40) is an articulated jack provided with a clamp (41) on top, arranged to hold a vertical rod (37) with a vertical rotating axis (37b) onto which is arranged a base plate (42) of the hub (31 L), with holes for vertical axles (43) for holding each of the inner horizontal tent poles (3) in pivotal position about the vertical axles, so as for the horizontal tent poles (3) to be pivotal in a horizontal plane for being folded out.

^ < A method for erecting a tent from a vehicle, in which said tent comprises one or more tent poles (3) extended from said vehicle's roof (4), characterized by the following steps: a) said tent poles (3) are extended from a position over the vehicle's roof (4) to a position extending generally outwards from said vehicle's roof (4), b) tent poles (35) arranged to extend in a vertical direction downwards from said horizontal tent poles (3) folded down from said tent poles (3), c) said tent poles (35) to be supported on the ground, d) said tent poles (35) ends (36) are forced against the ground so as for said tent poles (35) to exert a force upwards against said horizontal tent poles (3), so as for said vehicle's weight to hold the tent in place onto the ground.

<P 0- The method according to claim 20, in which said vertical tent poles (35) are arranged to be extended by means of telescoping tubes that are forced against the ground and locked so as for said vertical tent poles (35) to exert a force upwards against said generally horizontal tent poles (3).

£ \ „ The method according to claim 20, in which said horizontal tent poles (3) are arranged on a common hub (31 L) on a jack (40) arranged on a base frame (39) on said vehicle's roof (4), and arranged to lower said jack (40) and thus said hub with said tent poles (35) for forcing said vertical poles against the ground.

£2 - The method of claim 20, in which said tent poles (3) are extended from a position over the vehicle's roof by pivoting said tent poles (3) in a vertical plane.

3.3^"" ^Tne method of claim 20, in which said tent poles (3) are extended from a position over the vehicle's roof by pivoting said tent poles (3) in a horizontal plane.

cPH- The method of claim 20, in which said tent poles (3) are extended from a position over the vehicle's roof by extending said tent poles (3) telescopically