# US 12,006,718 B2 · Portable shelters > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,006,718 B2 - Document ID: US12006718B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/318,584 - Filed: 2023-05-16 - Published: 2023-09-14 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-06-19 - Assignees: Ardisam, Inc. - Applicants: Ardisam, Inc. - Inventors: Michael Furseth; Chuck Librande; Scott Nickell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12006718B2 ## CPC - E04H 15/46: telescoping and foldable - E04H 15/60: Poles - A45B 23/00: Other umbrellas - A45B 2023/0012: {Ground supported umbrellas or sunshades on a single post, e.g. resting in or on a surface there below} - A45B 2023/0093: {Sunshades or weather protections of other than umbrella type} - E04H: BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL (foundations E02D) - A45B: WALKING STICKS (walking aids, e.g. sticks, for blind persons A61H3/06); UMBRELLAS; LADIES' OR LIKE FANS (cane or umbrella stands or holders A47G25/12) ## Abstract A portable shelter includes a frame structure with a plurality of pole structures. In some embodiments, a pole structure includes telescopically movable pole portions and a spring-biasing mechanism configured to bias one pole portion away from the other. In some embodiments, a center hub structure of the portable shelter includes a locking mechanism for engaging one of the pole portions to interfere with telescopic movement of the pole structure. In some embodiments, a pole structure includes a flexible portion attached to a first rigid portion, and a second rigid portion that is movable relative to the first rigid portion. The second rigid portion is pivotable or telescopically movable between a first position in which the second rigid portion overlaps the first rigid portion such that the flexible portion is free to flex, and a second position in which the second rigid portion overlaps and restrains the flexible portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A shelter comprising a frame structure, the frame structure comprising a center hub structure and a plurality of pole structures, each pole structure of the plurality of pole structures being configured to span between the center hub structure and a corner of the frame structure, wherein: (a) each pole structure of the plurality of pole structures comprises a first pole portion and a second pole portion, wherein the first pole portion extends between a first end of the first pole portion and a second end of the first pole portion, the second pole portion extends between a first end of the second pole portion and a second end of the second pole portion, the second end of the second pole portion includes a connection element, and the second pole portion is telescopically movable relative to the first pole portion; (b) the center hub structure comprises a hub body, a threaded shaft, and a locking mechanism having a plate element with a threaded bore configured to connect and disconnect from the hub body via engagement with the threaded shaft, wherein the locking mechanism is positionable to interfere with the second end of each first pole portion; and (c) when each pole structure is positioned in the frame structure and spans between the center hub structure and the corner such that the connection element is connected to the center hub structure, and when the locking mechanism is positioned to interfere with the second end of each first pole portion, the first pole portion forms an axially rigid connection between the center hub structure and the corner. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The shelter of claim 1, wherein at least one of the pole structures comprises a biasing mechanism configured to bias the second pole portion away from the first end of the first pole portion to extend the at least one pole structure along its length. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The shelter of claim 2, wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a compression spring positioned in the first pole portion between the first end of the first pole portion and a first end of the second pole portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The shelter of claim 1, wherein the frame structure comprises a roof portion, and wherein the center hub structure and the plurality of pole structures are positioned in the roof portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The shelter of claim 1, wherein the shelter is an umbrella. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The shelter of claim 1, wherein the shelter is a single wall configured to be supported by a corner or an edge of the single wall. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The shelter of claim 1, wherein the connection element comprises a ball element. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The shelter of claim 1, wherein the center hub structure comprises a plurality of sockets, wherein each socket is configured to receive the connection element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The shelter of claim 1, further comprising a corner hub structure positioned in the corner of the frame structure, wherein each pole structure is connectable to the corner hub structure via a socket of the corner hub structure. ### Claim 10 A shelter comprising a frame structure, the frame structure comprising a center hub structure and a plurality of pole structures, each pole structure of the plurality of pole structures being configured to span between the center hub structure and a corner of the frame structure, wherein: (a) each pole structure of the plurality of pole structures comprises a first pole portion and a second pole portion, wherein the first pole portion extends between a first end of the first pole portion and a second end of the first pole portion, and the second pole portion is telescopically movable relative to the first pole portion; (b) the center hub structure comprises a hub body and a disk element configured to connect and disconnect from the hub body via a threaded connection, wherein the disk element is positionable to interfere with the second end of each first pole portion; and (c) when each pole structure is positioned in the frame structure and spans between the center hub structure and the corner, and when the disk element is positioned to interfere with the second end of each first pole portion, the first pole portion forms an axially rigid connection between the center hub structure and the corner. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The shelter of claim 10, wherein at least one of the pole structures comprises a biasing mechanism configured to bias the second pole portion away from the first end of the first pole portion to extend the at least one pole structure along its length. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The shelter of claim 11, wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a compression spring positioned in the first pole portion between the first end of the first pole portion and a first end of the second pole portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The shelter of claim 10, wherein the frame structure comprises a roof portion, and wherein the center hub structure and the plurality of pole structures are positioned in the roof portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The shelter of claim 10, wherein the shelter is an umbrella or a single wall configured to be supported by a corner or an edge of the single wall. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The shelter of claim 10, wherein at least one pole structure comprises a ball element configured to connect the at least one pole structure to the center hub structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The shelter of claim 15, wherein the center hub structure comprises a plurality of sockets, wherein each socket is configured to receive the ball element. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The shelter of claim 10, further comprising a corner hub structure positioned in the corner of the frame structure, wherein each pole structure comprises a ball element configured to connect the pole structure to the corner hub structure, and wherein the corner hub structure comprises a socket configured to receive the ball element. ### Claim 18 A frame structure comprising a center hub structure and a pole structure positionable to span between the center hub structure and a corner of the frame structure, wherein: the pole structure comprises a first pole portion extending between a first end of the first pole portion and a second end of the first pole portion; the pole structure comprises a second pole portion extending between a first end of the second pole portion and a second end of the second pole portion; the second pole portion is telescopically movable relative to, and a least partially within, the first pole portion; the pole structure comprises a biasing mechanism configured to bias the second pole portion away from the first end of the first pole portion to extend the pole structure along its length; the center hub structure comprises a locking mechanism that is positionable to interfere with the second end of the first pole portion; the second end of the second pole portion is connectable to the center hub structure via a connection element; and when the pole structure is positioned in the frame structure to span between the center hub structure and the corner, and when the locking mechanism is positioned to interfere with the second end of the first pole portion, the locking mechanism interferes with telescopic movement of the second pole portion into the first pole portion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The frame structure of claim 18, wherein the center hub structure comprises a hub body, and the locking mechanism comprises a plate element configured to connect and disconnect from the hub body, wherein the plate element is positionable to interfere with the second end of the first pole portion. ### Claim 20 A frame structure comprising a center hub structure and a pole structure positionable to span between the center hub structure and a corner of the frame structure, wherein: the pole structure comprises a first pole portion extending between a first end of the first pole portion and a second end of the first pole portion; the pole structure comprises a second pole portion extending between a first end of the second pole portion and a second end of the second pole portion; the second pole portion is telescopically movable relative to, and a least partially within, the first pole portion; the center hub structure comprises a hub body and a plate element configured to connect and disconnect from the hub body, wherein the plate element is positionable to interfere with the second end of the first pole portion; the second end of the second pole portion is connectable to the center hub structure via a connection element; and when the pole structure is positioned in the frame structure to span between the center hub structure and the corner, and when the plate element is positioned to interfere with the second end of the first pole portion, the plate element interferes with telescopic movement of the second pole portion into the first pole portion. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The frame structure of claim 20, wherein the pole structure comprises a biasing mechanism configured to bias the second pole portion away from the first end of the first pole portion to extend the pole structure along its length. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The frame structure of claim 20, wherein the connection element comprises a ball element.