Collapsible Portable Shelter

Abstract

A portable collapsible shelter trailer comprising of a container having four doors on each side that are hinged along the bottom, and which may be folded to a horizontal position to yield a portable shelter having rigid frame and flexible fabric sections. The deployment of the fabric shelter after the doors are deployed is accomplished by air actuated cylinders which are mounted to each of the doors, and are controlled from a control panel by means of air valves that regulate the flow of compressed air into the cylinders to impart tension to the fabric shelter.

1 . A collapsible portable shelter comprising: 
 a rigid, hollow container having vertical sides, a horizontal top and bottom, wherein at least one of the sides includes a wall portion that is hingedly connected to said side at the lower edge of the wall portion to enable the wall portion to be swung between a closed vertical position and an open horizontal position, the wall portion having an outer edge, and said side defining an opening circumscribed by edges of said side when said wall portion is in the open position;    means associated with the container and with said wall portion for releasably securing said wall portion in the vertical position;    at least one support mechanism cooperating with the wall portion for providing stability to the wall portion when the wall portion is in the horizontal position;    a flexible cover secured to the outer edge of the wall portion and to the container around the opening in said side, and adapted to extend above the wall portion when the wall portion is in the horizontal position to define a covered space above the wall portion;    a fluid actuated tensioner extending outwardly from the vertical side and within the covered space above the wall portion when the wall portion is in the horizontal position for supporting the flexible cover above the wall portion and providing tension to the flexible cover;    a source of pressurized fluid in fluid communication with the tensioner for providing fluid to the tensioner; and    a control valve associated with the source of fluid for regulating the amount of fluid flowing into the tensioner to cause a lengthening of the tensioner in response to input from a user.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the fluid actuated tensioner is pneumatically actuated and the pressurized fluid is a pressurized gas.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the pressurized gas is compressed air.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the fluid actuated tensioner comprises: 
 a pair of air cylinders, one on each side of the wall portion, each air cylinder being hingedly connected at a first end to an inside surface of the wall portion near the lower edge thereof in a manner that enables a second end of the air cylinder to swing in relation to the wall portion; and    a horizontal cross member that is connected at each end to one of the air cylinders at the second end thereof, wherein the air cylinders and the horizontal cross member define a frame that is hinged in relation to the wall portion and which is able to abut the inside of the flexible cover to apply tension to the cover;    and wherein the apparatus further includes a manifold located mid-way between said air cylinders and in fluid communication with the source of compressed air and with the air cylinders for distributing an equal amount of air to each of the cylinders.    
   
   
       5 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the support mechanism comprises a plurality of adjustable legs hingedly connected to the outside of the wall portion in a manner that as the wall portion in swung toward the horizontal position, the adjustable legs swing away from the wall portion into a vertical orientation and into contact with the surface on which the apparatus is rests so that each leg provides support to the wall portion.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the support mechanism further comprises at least one stop cable connected to an upper portion of the side of the container and to an upper portion of the wall portion, the cable being of a length sufficient to permit the wall portion to be lowered into the horizontal position, but which prevents the wall portion from being lowered beyond the horizontal position.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a trailer chassis and wherein the container is mounted to the chassis such that the apparatus may be towed behind a vehicle.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the fluid actuated tensioner is pneumatically actuated and the pressurized fluid is a pressurized gas.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the pressurized gas is compressed air.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the fluid actuated tensioner comprises: 
 a pair of air cylinders, one on each side of the wall portion, each air cylinder being hingedly connected at a first end to an inside surface of the wall portion near the lower edge thereof in a manner that enables a second end of the air cylinder to swing in relation to the wall portion; and    a horizontal cross member that is connected at each end to one of the air cylinders at the second end thereof, wherein the air cylinders and the horizontal cross member define a frame that is hinged in relation to the wall portion and which is able to abut the inside of the flexible cover to apply tension to the cover;    and wherein the apparatus further includes a manifold located mid-way between said air cylinders and in fluid communication with the source of compressed air and with the cylinders for distributing an equal amount of air to each of the cylinders.    
   
   
       11 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the support mechanism comprises a plurality of adjustable legs hingedly connected to the outside of the wall portion in a manner that as the wall portion in swung toward the horizontal position, the adjustable legs swing away from the wall portion into a vertical orientation and into contact with the surface on which the apparatus is rests so that each leg provides support to the wall portion.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the support mechanism further comprises at least one stop cable connected to an upper portion of the side of the container and to an upper portion of the wall portion, the cable being of a length sufficient to permit the wall portion to be lowered into the horizontal position, but which prevents the wall portion from being lowered beyond the horizontal position.