US20140083335A1

US20140083335A1 - Stacking camping bed or table with detachable insulated tent structure

Info

Publication number: US20140083335A1
Application number: US13/628,313
Authority: US
Inventors: Curtis R. Mayhood
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-09-27
Filing date: 2012-09-27
Publication date: 2014-03-27

Abstract

The invention features a collapsible, portable and elevated camp bed that attaches to any 4-wheel vehicle that has a cargo rack, like an All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) or attaches to the tailgate of a Utility Vehicle (UTV) for use in camping or hunting expeditions. As an accessory, the invention can be used as a bed capable of supporting a person. Height adjustable legs will level the surface for sleeping or use as a camping workbench or food prep table. U-shaped arches inserted in each of the four corners will allow a canopy to be added that will provide an enclosed sleeping area or as a place to store camping gear out of the weather. In a collapsed transportation mode, the invention actually expands the loading space of the cargo rack.

Description

RELATED U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS


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DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The camp bed or table when assembled is attached to an ATV or similar off-road vehicle (FIG. 1) that has a cargo rack. The camp bed or table is formed of frame sections fabricated of round aluminum tubing and welded together to form frame work that are in three separate sections (FIG. 3). Each of the three frames are connected by flat aluminum slats that are welded to the bottom side of the frame members. Each of the two end units have connecting tubes that extend into the hollow tubes of the middle section that when inserted can be locked in place by locking pins located on each side. See exploded view (FIG. 7). When the three sections are assembled, they form a complete frame with the flat aluminum slates forming the floor of the camp bed or flat surface for a table. Inserted into the end section of the assembled frame are two telescoping legs, extending downward to the ground to elevate the assembled sections (FIG. 3). The other end, which is the first section of the unit, attaches to a vehicle with a cargo rack and connection is made with rubber coated “J” hooks that have a washer/wing nut combination to lock it tight to the vehicle (FIG. 6). To level the surface of the assembled sections, adjustment of the length of the legs is made by a spring leg snap button located near the base and made through evenly spaced holes to allow adjustment for unlevel ground or the height of a variety of different vehicles. The legs are locked in place by the same type of button near the top of the legs.
A step or stirrup like apparatus can be attached if a person needs help up to the bed for sleeping. Attachment of this step is made through holes that have been drilled in two of the slats of the middle section of the bed or table and then attached with a washer/wing nut combination to lock it tight to the frame of the bed surface (FIG. 4). The step can be attached to either side or removed all together for people with longer legs.
For shelter, the camp bed or table has a tent like removable insulated canopy. It is supported by two aluminum rods that are inverted U-shaped arches (FIG. 1) and inserted into each of (4) four holes on each corner of the frame members (FIG. 4). These arches hold up the insulated tent canopy. Rain water is kept from collecting in the canopy by one bungee cord stretched between the two arches (FIG. 1). The canopy is insulated to keep condensation from forming on the inside of the material and the insulation only covers the upper section where protection would be needed for the person sleeping, to describe that further the insulation does not cover the entire canopy (FIG. 1). When these items are combined, they form a shelter for a person while sleeping or gear may be stored on the surface of the camp bed or underneath when not being used for sleeping.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an elevated camp bed or table and more particularly to a stackable and thus portable camp bed or table.
2. Description of Related Art
Many people camp for recreation or work outdoors and portable camp beds or camping tables have been used for many years for overnight camping. A wide variety of equipment is available to make camping more pleasurable that includes camp beds, sleeping bags, tents, and food prep or picnic tables. Unfortunately each of these pieces of outdoor camping equipment is often used only for that particular purpose and provide no other purpose or utility aside from that single purpose. They are not specifically designed for use by attaching to a vehicle such as an ATV cargo rack and specifically, camping with an ATV poses space limitations much stricter than camping with the cargo space provided by a full size vehicle, like a station wagon or recreational vehicle like a motorhome.
Conventional camping equipment only provides utility once at the campsite, it doesn't provide any other usefulness during transport to the campsite or after it is used, therefore there is a diminished value to the item. For instance, a camp bed or cot, once it is slept on, has no other use during the day and tends to clutter the limited space at most campsites.
As opposed to other shelters, tent, cots or camp tables, this invention can be set up on soft-like sand, rough terrain in wilderness areas, hard-like concrete surfaces, rocky surfaces or even in shallow water by attachment to an ATV or similar vehicle that keeps the invention off the ground.
In summation, a conventional single-purpose piece of camping equipment tends to increase the number of items that campers must pack for a trip and ultimately store at the campsite, especially when camping solely with an ATV or UTV. Thus, there is a need for multi-purpose camping equipment that provides utility not only during transport by providing more packable space but also at the campsite as a table or as a camp bed for sleeping.
In review of the above description and drawings, the present invention herein enhances the performance and versatility more than the conventional camp beds or tables available today with an innovative design. The camp bed can be constructed from any suitably strong material including steel or reinforced resins or any other type of man-made structural materials. In addition, the camp bed can be attached to an ATV, UN or similar vehicle by any means convenient to securely attach the device to the vehicle so that during transport or while set up at the campsite, the two will not become separated.
It is further noted that other modifications may be made to the present invention, without departing from the scope of the invention. While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements, materials and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures and is submitted to the Patent and Trademark Office for review and granting of the commensurate patent rights.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings are approximately proportionate when shown attached to an off-road vehicle like an All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) but this invention can be attached to any vehicle that has a cargo rack or flat bed extension like an utility vehicle (UTV) or golf cart.
FIG. 1 Illustrates a perspective of the camp bed attached to an all-terrain vehicle. In this view it is of the camp bed or table fully deployed showing the insulated tent canopy, legs extended and foot step.
FIG. 2 Illustrates a perspective view of the camp bed attached to all-terrain vehicle being used as a camp bed with canopy and foot step.
FIG. 3 Illustrates a perspective view with the assembled camp bed or table without the tent canopy attachment.
FIG. 4 An illustration of the side view of the camp bed or table fully extended with legs attached and footstep.
FIG. 5 A flat, one dimensional view of the top of the camp bed or table without the canopy attached
FIG. 6 Detailed view of the camp bed or table showing the holes for attachment with hooks for a cargo rack
FIG. 7 Illustration of the exploded view of assembly
FIG. 8 Side view illustration of the camp bed or table unassembled, stacked, showing extension room created on cargo rack and ready for transport.

Claims

I claim:

1. A camp bed or table that can be attached to a vehicle that has a cargo rack or flat cargo bed for use as a place to sleep or a work surface for food prep or similar activity.

2. In accordance with claim 1, it is an adaptable structure comprised of three sections that when assembled will make into a work table or surface for sleeping off the ground.

3. In accordance with claim 2, when a canopy is attached to the unit and supported by an two aluminum inverted U-shaped arches that provide an enclosed shelter to protect a person or their gear from the outside elements.

4. Comprised of three stacked sections in accordance with claim 3, when in transport mode, stacked and strapped to the rack of an ATV this invention extends the existing rack space so that it will carry more cargo for the camper or hunter.