Shelter with extended eaves
AssigneeOliver Ma
InventorsOliver Ma, Marty Dotterweich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shelter that includes a slider and a strut mechanism mounted on support posts of the shelter that automatically actuate and extend from the side of the support posts when the shelter is expanded from its collapsed state. The strut mechanism provides support for an eave that extends outside from all or a portion of the perimeter of the shelter defined by the corners of the support posts. An automatic hard-stop mechanism is incorporated into the support posts that prevent the eave sliders and strut mechanisms from becoming over-extended. The support posts are configured and oriented relative to the other components of the shelter frame and shelter boundary so to minimize the footprint or size of the shelter when in the collapsed state.
Claims16
A method for enhancing the stability of an eave of a collapsible shelter comprising:
- attaching a distal end of a peak truss to a support post;
- attaching a proximal end of an eave strut to the support post;
- coupling a proximal end of an eave strut support to a same side of the support post to which the distal end of a peak truss is attached to the support post, such that the eave strut support extends from the support post on an opposite side of the support post from which the peak truss attaches to the support post;
- and,
- attaching a distal end of the eave strut support to the eave strut.
A method for reinforcing a frame for a portable shelter comprising:
- providing a plurality of support posts interconnected to one another by a network of peak trusses and side trusses;
- attaching ends of individual trusses of the network of peak trusses and side trusses directly to a coupling through which a portion of one of the plurality of support posts is positioned;
- and
- providing an eave strut having a proximal end portion attached to one of the plurality of support posts and a distal portion extending from said one of the plurality of support posts in a radial direction away from a center of the shelter;
- providing an eave strut support having a proximal end portion attached to said one of the plurality of support posts and a distal portion extending away from said one of the plurality of support posts in a same direction as the eave strut extends from said one of the plurality of support posts;
- and
- incorporating a strut support stop on said one of the plurality of support posts between the proximal end portion of the eve strut and the first end of the eve strut support to prevent the eave strut support and the eave strut from becoming over extended during operation;
- wherein said strut support stop is a bolt extending through the one of the plurality of support posts;
- wherein elongated vertical planar sides of the plurality of support posts are nonparallel to sides of the shelter when the shelter is in a collapsed state.
A method for strengthening a frame structure for a collapsible shelter comprising:
- providing a plurality of support posts interconnected to one another by a network of trusses;
- providing a strut having a proximal portion attached to one of the plurality of support posts and a distal portion extending from said one of the plurality of support posts in a radial direction away from a center of the shelter;
- providing a strut support having a first end slidably attached to said one of the plurality of support posts below where the strut is attached to said one of the plurality of support posts and a second end extending away from said one of the support posts in a same direction as the strut extends from said one of the support posts;
- and
- providing a strut support stop on said one of the plurality of support posts between the proximal portion of the strut and the first end of the strut support configured to prevent the movement of the first end of the strut support relative to said one of the plurality of support posts, and further comprising extending the strut support stop through opposite sides of the one of the plurality of support posts.
A method for strengthening a frame structure for a collapsible shelter comprising:
- providing a plurality of support posts interconnected to one another by a network of trusses;
- providing a strut having a proximal portion attached to one of the plurality of support posts and a distal portion extending from said one of the plurality of support posts in a radial direction away from a center of the shelter;
- providing a strut support having a first end slidably attached to said one of the plurality of support posts below where the strut is attached to said one of the plurality of support posts and a second end extending away from said one of the support posts in a same direction as the strut extends from said one of the support posts;
- and
- providing a strut support stop on said one of the plurality of support posts between the proximal portion of the strut and the first end of the strut support configured to prevent the movement of the first end of the strut support relative to said one of the plurality of support posts;
- wherein the strut support comprises two elongated members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.