Collapsible canopy
10145141 ยท 2018-12-04
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
E04H15/505
FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
International classification
Abstract
A collapsible canopy has a collapsible frame and a canopy cover supported by the collapsible frame. In some configurations, the frame includes telescopic legs having three or more stages. An automatic lock release is carried by one of the legs and automatically releases a lock between two other of the legs. A relative inner leg can include a cap having a resilient portion that contacts an inner surface of a relative outer leg to increase a lateral rigidity of the leg assembly. At least one of the eave cross members can have an end portion having an abutting extension that contacts an adjacent cross member to limit lateral deflection of the eave. The abutting extension can be positioned between eave cross members that incorporate a bracket for supporting a center support that extends from the eave toward a center or interior of the canopy.
Claims
1. A collapsible canopy, comprising: a collapsible frame comprising at least one telescopic leg, the at least one telescopic leg comprising a first leg segment, a second leg segment and at least a third leg segment; wherein the second leg segment is situated below the first leg segment and is configured to slide at least partially within an interior of the first leg segment; wherein the third leg segment is situated below the second leg segment and is configured to slide at least partially within an interior of the second leg segment; a first lock positioned along or near a lower end of the first leg segment, the first lock being configured to lockingly engage the first leg segment relative to the second leg segment; a second lock positioned along or near a lower end of the second leg segment, the second lock being configured to lockingly engage the second leg segment relative to the third leg segment; a collapsible canopy cover supported by the collapsible frame; and an automatic lock release that comprises a hollow body received at least partially within the lower end of the first leg segment, wherein the automatic lock release is configured to release the second lock once the first lock is released and the second leg segment slidably moves within the first leg segment.
2. The canopy of claim 1, wherein the automatic lock release is configured to release the second lock when the automatic lock release at least partially contacts the second lock.
3. The canopy of claim 1, wherein the second lock comprises a push pin lock, wherein the automatic lock release is configured to activate the push pin lock upon contact between the automatic lock release and the second lock so as to permit relative movement between the second leg segment and the third leg segment.
4. The canopy of claim 1, wherein the automatic lock release comprises a protruding member, wherein the protruding member extends at least partially out of the lower end of the first leg segment and is configured to contact and engage at least a portion of the second lock.
5. The canopy of claim 4, wherein the protruding member comprises a ramped, sloped, angled or other tapered surface.
6. The canopy of claim 4, wherein the protruding member includes a recess that leads to the ramped, sloped, angled or other tapered surface and is situated along the same side of the at least one telescopic leg as the second lock.
7. The canopy of claim 4, wherein the first lock is situated along a different side of the at least one telescopic leg than the second lock.
8. The canopy of claim 1, wherein the collapsible frame comprises four telescopic legs, wherein each of said telescopic legs comprises an automatic lock release along a first leg portion of said telescopic leg.
9. A collapsible canopy, comprising: a collapsible frame comprising at least one telescopic leg, the at least one telescopic leg comprising a first leg segment, a second leg segment and at least a third leg segment; wherein the second leg segment is situated below the first leg segment and is configured to slide at least partially within an interior of the first leg segment; wherein the third leg segment is situated below the second leg segment and is configured to slide at least partially within an interior of the second leg segment; a first lock positioned along or near a lower end of the first leg segment, the first lock being configured to lockingly engage the first leg segment relative to the second leg segment; a second lock positioned along or near a lower end of the second leg segment, the second lock being configured to lockingly engage the second leg segment relative to the third leg segment; a lock release assembly that comprises a hollow body received at least partially within the lower end of the first leg segment, wherein the lock release assembly is configured to release said second lock once the first lock is released thereby permitting the third leg segment to move relative to the second leg segment.
10. The canopy of claim 9, wherein the lock release assembly is configured to release the second lock when the lock release assembly at least partially contacts the second lock.
11. The canopy of claim 9, wherein the second lock comprises a push pin lock, wherein the lock release assembly is configured to activate the push pin lock upon contact between the lock release assembly and the second lock so as to permit relative movement between the second leg segment and the third leg segment.
12. The canopy of claim 9, wherein the lock release assembly comprises a protruding member, wherein the protruding member is configured to contact and engage at least a portion of the second lock.
13. The canopy of claim 12, wherein the protruding member extends at least partially out of the lower end of the first leg segment and comprises a ramped, sloped, angled or other tapered surface.
14. The canopy of claim 12, wherein the protruding member includes a recess that leads to the ramped, sloped, angled or other tapered surface and is situated along the same side of the at least one telescopic leg as the second lock.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) Throughout the drawings, reference numbers can be reused to indicate general correspondence between reference elements. The drawings are provided to illustrate example embodiments described herein and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
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(17) In some embodiments, the canopy frame 100 comprises a plurality of outer cross members 110 throughout the edge or perimeter of the canopy frame 100. The canopy frame 100 can further comprise a plurality of inner cross members 130 within the interior or perimeter of the canopy frame 100. In one embodiment, the inner cross members 130 are pivotally coupled to at least one outer cross member 110 and the center lift tube 140. As described herein, in some embodiments, the canopy frame 100 comprises more than one center lift tube (not illustrated). In some embodiments, the inner cross members may pivotally couple to multiple center lift tubes (not illustrated). In some embodiments, a plurality of inner cross members 130 may couple the outside cross members 110 to the center lift tube 140.
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(19) The illustrated bracket is an F-bracket 300 is configured to pivotally couple the inner cross member 130 to both the first outer cross member 110 and second outer cross member 110. In some arrangements, the F-bracket 300 comprises an inner portion 330, an intermediate portion 340, a first outer portion 310, and a second outer portion 320. The inner portion 330, first outer portion 310, and second outer portion 320 can be integrally connected to the intermediate portion 340 to form a generally F shape. The term F-bracket 300 is used as a convenience herein and is not intended to limit the shape of the bracket 300 unless otherwise indicated. In some configurations, the overall shape of the bracket 300 is an F shape; however, the bracket 300 can also have additional portions such that the overall shape is other than F-shaped. For example, the bracket could have an S shape. Different types of brackets can be used in a single canopy to position the canopy frame elements as desired. An example of such brackets and bracket arrangements is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/149,538, filed Jan. 7, 2014 and published as U.S. Publ. No. 2014/0190541, and entitled CANOPY SHELTER BRACKETS, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
(20) In one embodiment the inner portion 330, first outer portion 310, and second outer portion 320 comprise substantially rectangular projections from the intermediate portion 340 configured to pivotally couple to a cross member 110, 130. In some embodiments, the inner portion 330, first outer portion 310, and/or second outer portion 320 comprise curved shapes and/or rounded corners. In some configurations, at least a portion of the intermediate portion 340 defines a thickness that is greater than the thickness of the inner portion 330, the first outer portion 310 and/or the second outer portion 320. In some configurations, the intermediate portion 340 is generally or substantially triangular in shape from a top view.
(21) With continued reference to
(22) In one embodiment, the bracket 300 is monolithic in construction. In other embodiments, however, the brackets may be constructed of multiple pieces joined together (not illustrated). In one embodiment, the brackets may be constructed of an assortment of materials, for example, rubber, plastic, thermoplastic, thermoset, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polycarbonate alloy, acetal, acrylic, nylon, polybutylene terephthalate, polyester liquid crystal polymer, polypropylene, polycarbonate, polyimide, polythelene, steel, stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, or another metal material, and/or any other connection method or system. In one embodiment, the brackets are formed in an injection molded process. However, the brackets can be formed used any other production method or technique, as desired or required. In one embodiment, the material may be reinforced with glass or carbon fibers. In some embodiments, the brackets may be formed through an extrusion process. In one embodiment, the brackets may be formed by bending a flat piece of material. In one embodiment, the brackets are coated with one or more coatings or layers to prevent or help protect against corrosion, as desired or required.
(23) In the illustrated arrangement, at least one of the outer cross members 110 includes an end portion 400 having an abutting or abutment member, portion or extension 402 that extends toward or to the adjacent cross member of the frame. The abutment member or portion 402 can be advantageously sized, shaped and/or otherwise configured to fill a space created between the outer cross members 110 by the bracket 300 and, in particular, the first outer portion 310 of the bracket 300 that is positioned between the outer cross members 110.
(24) Accordingly, in some embodiments, in response to forces (e.g., lateral forces) applied to the outer cross members 110 (e.g., by wind, intentional or inadvertent pushing, etc.), the abutment member or portion 402 can contact the opposite cross member 110 to provide additional amount of lateral rigidity to the cross members 110 and the canopy frame 110 as a whole. That is, instead of only the fastener 210 resisting lateral forces, the fastener 210 and contact between the abutment member or portion 402 and the opposite cross member 110 both resist lateral forces and increase the resistance to lateral movement of the cross members 110. In some configurations, the abutment member or portion 402 contacts the opposite cross member 110 (or a portion thereof, such as an endcap). However, in other configurations, the abutment member 402 fills a portion of the gap between the cross members 110 and contacts the opposite cross member 110 in response to some lateral movement therebetween. However, in some embodiments, the abutment member 402 extends at least one-half (e.g., one-half, two-thirds, three-quarters, seven-eighths, lengths between the foregoing, etc.) of the distance between the cross members 110 such that the abutment member or portion 402 contacts the opposite cross member 110 without requiring excessive lateral movement. In some configurations, the abutment member or portion 402 has a thickness in a direction toward the opposite cross member 110 that is at least one-half (e.g., one-half, two-thirds, three-quarters, seven-eighths, thicknesses between the foregoing, etc.) of a thickness of a portion of the bracket 300, such as the first outer portion 310 of the bracket 300, as desired or required.
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(26) With continued reference to
(27) As described herein, in some configurations, the frame 100 comprises a plurality of leg assemblies or legs 60 that support the upper portion of the frame 100 and the cover 52. The legs 60 can be multi-portion, telescopic legs having multiple leg members that extend and retract relative to one another. In some configurations, the legs 60 include at least three telescoping leg members, including an upper or outer leg 62, an intermediate leg 64 and a lower or inner leg 66.
(28) According to some embodiments, the automatic release 500 comprises a hollow body 502 (e.g., at least partially hollow) that is received within the lower end of the upper leg segment or portion 62 and allows the intermediate leg segment or portion 64 to pass, at least partially, through the body 502. In some arrangements, as illustrated in
(29) The automatic release 500 can have one or more additional features, such as, for example, a retention arrangement 520, which assists in retaining the release body 502 within the upper leg 62. The illustrated retention arrangement 520 includes a protrusion 522 that contacts the inner surface of the upper leg 62 to increase the retention force of the release body 502. In some configurations, one or more slots 524 can be positioned near the protrusion 522 to permit inward flex of the body 502 to ease entry of the protrusion 522 into the upper leg 62. In the illustrated arrangement, the slots 524, which extend in a longitudinal direction, are placed on each side of the protrusion 522 and are substantially adjacent to the protrusion 522. The release body 502 can also include an elongate slot 526 that extends in a longitudinal direction of the body 502 and can accommodate portions of a lock mechanism (e.g., a push pin lock) for locking the folding eaves in a locked position. That is, in some embodiments, the slot 526 can accommodate a locking pin, for example, of a sliding bracket attached to a lower, outer cross member 110 and that slides on the upper leg 62 to collapse and deploy the canopy 50.
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(31) In the illustrated arrangement, the resilient portions 602 (and thus, in some embodiments, the corresponding gaps 603 or other features that help create the resilient portions) extend along one or more perimeter edges or sides of the cap 600. The portions 602 can be positioned on one, two, three, four or more sides of the cap 600. In the illustrated arrangement, the resilient portions 602 are coupled to the body of the cap 600 at corners and are spaced from the body along the sides of the cap 600. However, other suitable arrangements are also possible. For example, the resilient portions can take on any suitable form to apply a suitable force to the interior surface of a leg within which the cap 600 is inserted, preferably while allowing relatively easy insertion of the cap 600 into the leg for manufacturing purposes. Thus, while the illustrated resilient portions 602 are coupled to the body of the cap 600 at two locations (e.g., ends), in other arrangements the resilient portions 602 can be coupled at only one location or more than two locations.
(32) As noted above, the use of such inwardly resilient caps 600 along an end of an interior leg or leg segment or portion can help ensure that adjacent legs are tightly or snugly maintained, especially when the legs are extended relative to one another. Thus, this can help enhance stability of an extended leg, reduce unwanted movement between adjacent leg segments and/or provide one or more additional benefits or advantages. At the same time, the cap's resiliency (e.g., its ability to retract at least partially inwardly) can permit the leg segments or portions to be selectively moved relative to one another (e.g., during extension or retraction of a leg).
(33) The systems, apparatuses, devices and/or other articles disclosed herein may be formed through any suitable means. The various methods and techniques described above provide a number of ways to carry out the inventions. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all objectives or advantages described may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment described herein. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the methods may be performed in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other objectives or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
(34) Although several embodiments and examples are disclosed herein, the present application extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the inventions and modifications and equivalents thereof. It is also contemplated that various combinations or subcombinations of the specific features and aspects of the embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the inventions. Accordingly, it should be understood that various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combine with or substituted for one another in order to form varying modes of the disclosed inventions. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the present inventions herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above, but should be determined only by a fair reading of the claims that follow.
(35) While the embodiments disclosed herein are susceptible to various modifications, and alternative forms, specific examples thereof have been shown in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the inventions are not to be limited to the particular forms or methods disclosed, but, to the contrary, the inventions are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the various embodiments described and the appended claims. Any methods disclosed herein need not be performed in the order recited. The methods disclosed herein include certain actions taken by a practitioner; however, they can also include any third-party instruction of those actions, either expressly or by implication. For example, actions such as providing include instructing providing. The ranges disclosed herein also encompass any and all overlap, sub-ranges, and combinations thereof. Language such as up to, at least, greater than, less than, between, and the like includes the number recited. Numbers preceded by a term such as about or approximately include the recited numbers. For example, about 10 mm includes 10 mm. Terms or phrases preceded by a term such as substantially include the recited term or phrase. For example, substantially parallel includes parallel.