US20160160522A1

US20160160522A1 - Tent Kit For A Flatbed Trailer

Info

Publication number: US20160160522A1
Application number: US14/563,329
Authority: US
Inventors: Gary D. Schwebach
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-12-08
Filing date: 2014-12-08
Publication date: 2016-06-09

Abstract

A tent kit for a utility trailer allows a user to pitch a tent onto the utility trailer. The tent kit includes a tent, a skirt, mounting components, and frame components. The tent and skirt are preferably made from a marine grade material. The mounting components comprise pole stands and channel stock that are configured to be affixed to the floor of the utility trailer. Once the mounting components have been affixed, they do not need to be removed. A plurality of poles and angle brackets assemble into a tent frame supported by the stands. The poles are used as wall poles, rafter poles, cross poles, and ridge poles with the angle brackets joining the various poles. The skirt attaches to the channel stock and around the wall poles. The tent body fits over the frame and attaches to the skirt.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tents and, more particularly, to kits for pitching a tent on a utility trailer.
2. Background Information
Utility or flatbed trailers are an easy and inexpensive way to transport cargo such as vehicles, toys, merchandise, equipment and/or the like from one place to another. However, after reaching one's destination, flatbed trailers are not particularly practical. For instance, once the cargo has been off-loaded, the flatbed trailer must be parked. While parked, the flatbed trailer is mostly, if not completely, unusable. It would therefore be desirable to be able to use the flatbed trailer rather than letting it sit unused.
In the case where cargo is being stored on the parked flatbed trailer, the cargo is exposed to the elements. Covers for the cargo such as tarpaulins and the like offer limited protection against some of the elements, but are typically not suitable for providing protection against harsh and severe weather conditions. In such cases, a shelter for the cargo would be more useful than a cover. A problem with using a shelter on a flatbed trailer is that the shelter should be temporary in addition to being sturdy. In order to be sturdy, the shelter would need to be securely anchored to the flatbed trailer so as to withstand harsh and severe weather conditions. Currently, there is no known temporary shelter that can be used on a flatbed trailer which provides protection against tough weather conditions or the elements in general.
In view of the above, it would be desirable to have a temporary shelter for use on a flatbed trailer that can be employed for a variety of purposes.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a temporary shelter for use on a flatbed trailer that can be employed for a variety of purposes.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a temporary sheltering tent for use on a flatbed trailer that can be employed for a variety of purposes.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a tent kit for pitching a tent onto a flatbed trailer. The tent kit includes mounting components, frame components, a skirt, and a tent body.
The mounting components include stands and channel stock that are affixed to the floor of the flatbed trailer. Once the mounting components have been affixed to the trailer floor, they do not need to be removed. The frame components include a plurality of poles and angle brackets. The poles are used as wall poles, rafter poles, cross poles, and ridge poles with the angle brackets joining the various poles to create the frame. The skirt attaches to the channel stock and around the wall poles. The tent body fits over the frame and attaches to the skirt. In this manner, a strong and sturdy shelter is provided.
The present tent preferably has high side walls and a steeply pitched roof thereby allowing one to stand up when inside the tent. A flap in a wall of the tent provides a door.
While dimensions (size) of the tent and its corresponding tent components of the present tent kit may be customized as desired, the present tent kit is currently made in two different sizes to fit the most commonly available flatbed trailer sizes. A first or small size is five feet wide by eight feet long (5′×8′) which fits common small utility/flatbed trailers. This size provides a five foot height at the walls of the tent and a six foot four inch height at the center of the tent. A second or large size is six and one half feet wide by ten feet long (6.5′×10′) which fits common larger utility/flatbed trailers. This size provides a five foot (5′) height at the walls of the tent and a seven foot six inch (7′ 6″) height at the center of the tent.
It can be appreciated that the present tent kit provides an environmentally friendly and flexible way to use a flatbed trailer for multiple purposes rather than a single use. For instance, and without being limiting, the present tent kit allows a flatbed trailer to be used for camping, covered storage, vending, or the like.
The present invention will be more apparent upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tent erected on a flatbed trailer through use of a flatbed trailer tent kit in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the flatbed trailer tent of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of an inside corner of the erected flatbed trailer tent of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of an outside end of the erected flatbed trailer tent of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of an inside portion of the erected flatbed trailer tent of FIG. 1 and, particularly, an upper inside corner of the erected flatbed trailer tent adjacent a door flap of the tent; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a flatbed trailer shown with the components of a flatbed trailer tent kit in accordance with the present principles, with mounting components of the flatbed trailer tent kit mounted to the flatbed trailer and frame and tent components of the flatbed trailer tent kit laying on the flatbed trailer unassembled.

Like reference numerals indicate the same or similar parts throughout the several figures.
A detailed description of the features, functions and/or configuration of the components depicted in the various figures will now be presented. It should be appreciated that not all of the features of the components of the figures are necessarily described. Some of these non-discussed features as well as discussed features are inherent from the figures. Other non-discussed features may be inherent in component geometry and/or configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a utility trailer and particularly a typical flatbed trailer 14 such as is known in the art having a frame 15 supporting a generally flat bed or floor 17 all of which is attached to wheels 16. The flatbed trailer 14 is shown in a parked position with its fore and aft stabilizing legs extended. Additionally, the trailer ramp 18 is shown in a deployed position. In accordance with the present principles, a tent assembly or kit 10 has been used to erect or pitch a tent 11 on and onto the floor 17 of the flatbed trailer 14. Particularly, and as explained further below, the present tent kit 10 provides for easily assembling, erecting or pitching a tent 11 on a flatbed trailer that then can be easily disassembled and taken down as desired. The tent 11 provides a temporary shelter that can be used for multiple purposes.
FIG. 2 shows the tent 11 and skirt 22 of the present tent kit 10 in an exploded view relative to a frame 24 of framing components (vertical or wall poles 28, rafter poles 35, ridge poles 34, and angle brackets 36—see, e.g., FIG. 6)) and mounting components (stands 26 and channel stock or molding 38) of the present tent kit 10. The tent 11 and skirt 22 fit onto, over and/or around the frame 24, the skirt 22 situated between the bottom of the tent 11 and the floor 17 of the flatbed trailer 14. The frame 24 is coupled to the floor 17 of the flatbed trailer 14 via a plurality of stands 26 that have been mounted onto the floor 17 of the flatbed trailer 14. Since the frame 24 is composed of a plurality of angle brackets 30, 31 and poles 28, 34, 35, 37 it is easily assembled and dissembled.
An enlarged view of one of the stands 26 that has been mounted onto the floor 17 is shown in FIG. 3. Stand 26 has a plate 40 with a tube 41 extending from the plate 40. The plate 40 is mounted to the floor 17 via bolts 43. While the plate 40 is shown as being round, it may take other shapes as desired. Additionally, the stands 26 are preferably, but not necessarily, made from metal such as aluminum, steel or the like. However, other materials may be used. The tube 41 is sized to receive a frame member (here, vertical or wall pole 28) of the frame components 24 which is fixed against vertical and rotational movement by a set screw 42. The tube 41 and the wall pole(s) 28 may take other shapes as desired.
As indicated above, the frame 24 is characterized by a plurality of poles (i.e. wall poles 28, cross poles 34, rafter poles 35, and ridge poles 37) and angle brackets (i.e. three-way brackets 30, and four-way brackets 31) that is supported on the floor 17 of the flatbed trailer 14 by the stands 26. A wall pole 28 is received in each stand 26 while an angle bracket (30 or 31) of the angle brackets 36 is received on each wall pole 28. The type of angle bracket disposed on the wall pole 28 depends on whether the wall pole is an end wall pole or a middle wall pole. A three-way angle bracket 30 is disposed on each end wall pole 28 while a four-way angle bracket 31 is disposed on each middle wall pole 28. The three-way angle bracket 30 receives the end wall pole 28, a cross pole 34, and a rafter pole 35. The four-way angle bracket 31 receives the middle wall pole 28, two (2) cross poles 34, and a rafter pole 35. A cross pole 34 is retained by and extends horizontally between the three-way angle brackets 30 on the end wall poles 28 and the four-way brackets 31 on the middle wall poles 28. A rafter pole 35 is retained by and extends upwardly and outwardly from the three-way angle brackets 30 of the end wall poles 28 and the four-way angle bracket 31 on the middle wall poles 28. The rafter poles 35 are joined to additional angle brackets that, in turn, support ridge poles 37. Particularly, the rafter poles 35 extending from the three-way angle brackets 30 of the end wall poles 28 are received in three-way angle brackets 30 which receive two rafter poles 35 and one ridge pole 37. The rafter poles 35 extending from the four-way angle brackets 31 of the middle wall poles 28 are received in four-way angle brackets 31 which receive two rafter poles 35 and two ridge poles 37. It should be appreciated that the number and type of angle brackets as well as wall poles, cross poles, rafter poles, and ridge poles may differ depending on the size of the tent.
The tent of FIGS. 1 and 2 is a large tent having four (4) end wall poles 28 and two (2) middle wall poles 28 (and corresponding stands 26). Even larger tents (not shown) on even larger flatbed trailers (not shown) accordingly have more middle walls poles, while the smallest tent (not shown) on a smaller flatbed trailer 14 a (see FIG. 6) has no middle wall poles, only four (4) end wall poles.
The tent 11 is preferably, but not necessarily, made from a marine grade, preferably waterproof, polyester and/or other similar material(s) that provide a greater strength and longevity than typical tent material. However, typical tent material as well as other materials may be used for the tent 11 as desired. The tent 11 may be what is known as an “outfitter tent” that is made to withstand harsh and severe weather conditions. In all cases, the tent 11 has walls 13 and a pitched roof 12. As shown in the figures, the tent 11 has a door 20 fashioned as a flap with straps 21 to hold a coiled or folded up flap 20 in an open position, the closed position shown. The flap 20 is in a front wall of the walls 13 facing the trailer ramp 18. Additionally, and in accordance with the present invention, the tent kit 10 includes a skirt 22 that holds down the tent 11 on, onto, or relative to the floor 17 of the flatbed trailer 14.
The flap 20 is part of the front wall of the tent 11 and is connected to and/or a part of a top portion of an upper part of the front wall. The right and left sides of the flap 20 are not connected to the right and left sides of the door opening in the front wall that are adjacent the right and left sides of the flap 20. However, the flap 20 may be, and preferably is able to be, temporarily connected to the right and left sides of the door opening of the front wall. Referring to FIG. 5, an inside view of the tent 11 is shown along with a portion of the left side of the flap 20, the left side of the front wall, and a portion of the upper corner of the tent 11. As shown, the left side of the flap 20 is connectable to the left side of the front wall via a zipper 50 that extends from the bottom of the front tent wall (essentially the floor 17 of the flatbed trailer 14) to the upper portion of the front wall. The left side of the flap 20 has a zipper portion 51 while the left side of the front wall door opening has a corresponding zipper portion 52. A zipper slider 53 provides connection and disconnection of the two zipper parts 51, 52 for respectively closing and opening the flap 20. The zipper 50 allows the left side of the flap 20 to adjoin or be connected to the left side of the door opening of the front wall. While not specifically shown, the right side of the flap 20 is likewise connectable to the left side of the front wall via a zipper that extends from the bottom of the front tent wall (essentially the floor 17 of the flatbed trailer 14) to the upper portion of the front wall. When the zippers are zipped, the flap 20 is closed, while when the zippers are unzipped, the flap is open. Each zipper is independent from the other so that sides of the flap can be opened and closed independently. It should be appreciated that while zippers are shown, other opening and closing mechanisms can be used such as hook and loop material (e.g. Velcro®), magnets, or the like.
While the walls 13 and the roof 12 of the tent 11 may be made in various dimensions, they are preferably, but not necessarily, dimensioned so as to allow a typical person to stand up while inside the tent. Therefore, the roof 12 preferably has a relatively steep angle or large pitch. Moreover, since utility or flatbed trailers are typically made in common sizes, the present tent kit is currently made in two different sizes to fit the most commonly available flatbed trailer sizes. A first or small size is five feet wide by eight feet long (5′×8′) which fits common small utility/flatbed trailers. This size provides a five (5) foot height at the walls 13 of the tent 11 and a six (6) foot four (4) inch height at the center of the tent 11 (i.e. at the apex of the roof 12). A second or large size is six and one half feet wide by ten feet long (6.5′×10′) which fits common larger utility/flatbed trailers. This size provides a five foot (5′) height at the walls 13 of the tent 11 and a seven foot six inch (7′ 6″) height at the center of the tent 11 (i.e. at the apex of the roof 12).
The skirt 22 is preferably, but not necessarily, made from a marine grade, preferably waterproof, polyester and/or other similar material(s) like that of the tent 11. The skirt 22 has sides corresponding in number to the number of walls 13 of the tent 11. As indicated above, the skirt 22 is disposed between the floor 17 of the flatbed trailer 14 and the bottom of the tent 11. In order to attach the skirt 22 to the floor 17 of the flatbed trailer 14, the present tent kit 10 comes with channel stock or molding 38 as part of the mounting components. The channel stock 38 is mounted to the floor 17 of the flatbed trailer 14 as seen in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. Particularly, the channel stock 38 is mounted around the edge of the floor that is adjacent the trailer frame 15. As best discerned in FIGS. 3 and 4, the channel stock 38 has a channel or groove along one side thereof. The skirt 22 has a bead or beading 23 on its lower end. The channel of the channel stock 38 is dimensioned to receive and hold the beading 23 of the skirt 22. The beading 23 of the skirt 22 is fed into the channel of the channel stock 38 from the side of the channel stock 38 after the channel stock 38 is mounted to the floor 17 of the flatbed trailer 14. In this manner, the skirt 22 is releasably connectable to the channel stock 38 that is mounted onto the floor 17 of the flatbed trailer 14 thereby effectively attaching the skirt 22 to the floor 17 of the flatbed trailer 14.
The tent 11 is made to connect to and disconnect from the skirt 22. While other manners of connection may be used, the present tent kit 10 utilizes a typical two-part zipper 61. As best seen in FIG. 3, the upper end of the skirt 22 includes a first zipper section 63 of the zipper 61 while the lower end of the tent 11 includes a second zipper section 62 of the zipper 61, the first and second zipper sections 63, 62 being complimentary to one another. A zipper slider 64 is provided for connection and disconnection of the first and second zipper sections 63, 62 for respectively attaching and de-attaching the tent 11 to the skirt 22. Thus, once the tent 11 has been placed over the frame 24, the tent 11 is attached to the skirt 22 by zippering the tent zipper section 63 with the skirt zipper section 62. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the zipper sections may be protected by flaps formed by folded tent wall material and folded skirt material.
The tent 11 is preferably attached to one or more wall poles 28, cross poles 34, rafter poles 35, and/or ridge poles 37. FIG. 3 shows a lower portion of the inside of the tent 11 wherein strap 60 extends around the end wall pole 28. FIG. 5 shows an upper inside corner area of the tent 11. As shown in FIG. 5, three-way angle bracket 30 may include a brace 44 in order to help reinforce the structure. The other three-way angle brackets and the four-way angle brackets may likewise have braces as desired. Also shown in FIG. 5 is reinforcing areas 46 and 47 that are provided at and proximate to the corner of the tent 11. The inside corners of the tent 11 (of which only one inside corner is shown) is temporarily secured to the wall pole 28 via a strap 56. The strap 56 extends around tent wall material at slit 57 and has a first end (shown wrapped around the end wall pole 28) terminating in a first buckle portion 59 of a buckle 55, and a second end (shown wrapped around the tent wall material) terminating in a second buckle portion 58 of the buckle 55. Once the strap 56 has been wrapped around the end wall pole 28 and the buckle 55 buckled, the strap 56 can be tightened via the first buckle portion 59 such as is known in the art. Of course, other manners of securing the walls or sides of the tent to the wall poles may be used.
In addition to securement of the walls 13 of the tent 11 to one or more of the wall poles 28, other portions or areas of the tent 11 may be secured to one or more rafter poles 34, cross poles 34, and/or ridge poles 37 as desired utilizing a variety of manners. As further shown in FIG. 5, the tent 11 is attached to the cross pole 34 in order to help retain the top of the wall/bottom of the roof of the tent. Material sewn or otherwise connected to the upper wall/lower roof on the inside of the tent defines a first flap 66 and a second flap 65 respectively having a first zipper portion 67 and a second zipper portion 68 to define a zipper 70. The first and second flaps 66, 65 wrap around the cross pole 34. This arrangement may be used for connection of the tent roof to the ridge poles 37 as well as to the rafter poles 35. Again, other manners of attachment may be used.
FIGS. 1-5 shows the tent kit 10 and its components with respect to a large flatbed trailer 14. The number of tent kit components may be adjusted as necessary to accommodate different sized utility/flatbed trailers. For instance, FIG. 6 shows a tent kit 100 fashioned in accordance with the present principles for use with a small utility/flatbed trailer 14 a. The tent kit 100 is for the small utility trailer 14 a but includes the various tent components as the tent kit 10. The tent kit 100 includes stands 26 (shown mounted to the floor of the flatbed trailer) and channel stock 38 (likewise shown mounted to the floor of the flatbed trailer) comprising mounting components. The tent kit 100 further has skirt 22 and tent 11. Moreover, the tent kit 100 includes frame/framing components including angle brackets 36, rafter poles 35, wall poles 34, and cross/ridge poles 28. Tent kits of various components shown herein may constitute other tent kits.
Before the tent can be used, the mounting components (i.e. stands 26 and channel stock 38) must first be mounted to the floor of the flatbed trailer. Once the stands and channel stock has been mounted, they do not need to be removed. To thereafter set up the tent, the various tent or frame poles and angle brackets are assembled and situated in the stands. The skirt 22 is arranged in the channel stock 38. The tent 11 fits over the frame 24 and is zippered to the skirt 22. Inside portions of the tent 11 are attached to the various frame poles at various locations. The tent is now ready for use. Disassembling the tent requires de-attaching the inside portions of the tent from the various frame poles, removal of the tent from the frame, then taking apart the frame.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that a preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A kit for erecting a tent onto a floor of a flatbed trailer, the kit comprising:

a tent body having walls, a roof, and first fastening means on a lower end thereof;

a skirt having beading on a lower end thereof and second fastening means on an upper end thereof;

a plurality of stands configured to be mounted to the floor of the flatbed trailer;

channel stock configured to be mounted to the floor of the flatbed trailer proximate to and around the stands, the channel stock having a channel configured to receive and retain the beading of the skirt to couple the skirt to the channel stock; and

a plurality of frame members configured to assemble into a tent frame utilizing the stands mounted to the floor of the flatbed trailer;

the assembled tent frame configured to receive the skirt and the tent body, the skirt then coupled to the channel stock via receipt of the beading of the skirt in the channel of the channel stock, and the tent then connected to the skirt via connection of the first fastening means of the tent with the second fastening means of the skirt.

2. The tent kit of claim 1, wherein the tent and the skirt are made from a marine grade material.

3. The tent kit of claim 1, wherein the plurality of frame members comprises a plurality of poles and a plurality of angle brackets.

4. The tent kit of claim 3, wherein the plurality of poles comprises:

a plurality of wall poles;

a plurality of rafter poles;

a plurality of cross poles; and

one or more ridge poles.

5. The tent kit of claim 3, wherein the angle brackets comprises:

a plurality of three-way angle brackets; and

a plurality of four-way angle brackets.

6. The tent kit of claim 3, wherein a plurality of attachment means are provided on an inside of the tent body, the plurality of attachment means configured to be coupled to one or more of the plurality of poles.

7. The tent kit of claim 1, wherein the first fastening means comprises a first portion of a zipper, and the second fastening means comprises a second portion of a zipper.

8. The tent kit of claim 1, wherein one of the walls of the tent body includes a flap fashioned as a door.

9. A kit for erecting a tent on a flatbed trailer, with the kit comprising:

a tent body having four walls, a pitched roof, and a first fastening portion on a lower end thereof;

a skirt having beading on a lower end thereof and a second fastening portion on an upper end thereof;

a plurality of tent frame stands configured to be mounted to the floor of the flatbed trailer;

a plurality of tent frame members configured to assemble into a tent frame utilizing the tent frame stands that have been mounted to the floor of the flatbed trailer; and

a plurality of channel stock strips configured to be mounted to the floor of the flatbed trailer proximate to and around the stands, each strip of channel stock having a channel configured to receive and retain the beading of the skirt to couple the skirt to the strips of channel stock;

the assembled tent frame configured to receive the skirt and the tent body, the skirt then coupled to the strips of channel stock via receipt of the beading of the skirt in the channel of the channel stock, and the tent then connected to the skirt via connection of the first fastening portion of the tent with the second fastening portion of the skirt.

10. The kit of claim 9, wherein the tent and the skirt are made from a marine grade material.

11. The tent kit of claim 9, wherein the plurality of tent frame members comprises a plurality of metal poles and a plurality of metal angle brackets.

12. The tent kit of claim 11, wherein the plurality of metal poles comprises:

a plurality of metal wall poles;

a plurality of metal rafter poles;

a plurality of metal cross poles; and

one or more metal ridge poles.

13. The tent kit of claim 11, wherein the metal angle brackets comprises:

a plurality of metal three-way angle brackets; and

a plurality of metal four-way angle brackets.

14. The tent kit of claim 11, wherein a plurality of attachment means are provided on an inside of the tent body, the plurality of attachment means configured to be coupled to one or more of the plurality of metal poles.

15. The tent kit of claim 9, wherein the first fastening portion comprises a first portion of a zipper, and the second fastening portion comprises a second portion of a zipper.

16. The tent kit of claim 9, wherein one of the walls of the tent body includes a flap fashioned as a door.