Door assembly for a portable shelter with arched vestibule

Abstract

A door assembly is disclosed for installation in a portable shelter with an arched vestibule. The door assembly comprises: an upper door support member, a lower door support member, a door in a frame secured to the upper and lower door support members, and a partition covering areas of an opening between the shelter and vestibule on each side of the door and above the upper door support member. The upper door support member is secured to a shelter frame below an arched horizontal member thereof across the opening between the shelter and the vestibule, and the lower door support member is secured to the shelter frame across the bottom of the opening. The door assembly may be supplied as a kit for retrofitting the portable shelter with the arched vestibule to include the door.

1 . A door assembly installed in a portable shelter with an arched vestibule, the door assembly comprising: 
 an upper door support member secured to a shelter frame below an arched horizontal member thereof across an opening between the shelter and the vestibule;    a lower door support member secured to the shelter frame across the bottom of the opening between the shelter and the vestibule;    at least one door in a door frame, the door frame being secured to the upper and lower door support members; and    flexible shelter material forming a partition covering areas of the opening on each side of the door frame and between the arched horizontal member and the upper door support member.    
   
   
       2 . The door assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the door, door frame, and partition are sealed so that the shelter may be used as an isolation enclosure.  
   
   
       3 . The door assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of angled brackets for securing the ends of the upper door support member to the arched horizontal member.  
   
   
       4 . The door assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the door assembly is adapted for being repeatedly installed in and uninstalled from the shelter and vestibule while leaving the shelter and vestibule substantially undisturbed.  
   
   
       5 . The door assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the shelter and vestibule comprise a portion of a modular shelter system.  
   
   
       6 . The door assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the upper and lower door support members are substantially straight.  
   
   
       7 . A portable shelter with an arched vestibule, comprising: 
 an assembled shelter frame comprising vertical members and upper and lower horizontal members, wherein at least one upper horizontal member is arched;    an assembled vestibule frame connected to the shelter frame so that the arched upper horizontal member partly defines an opening between the shelter and the vestibule;    an upper door support member secured to the shelter frame below the arched horizontal member across the opening between the shelter and the vestibule;    a lower door support member secured to the shelter frame across the bottom of the opening between the shelter and the vestibule;    at least one door in a door frame secured to the upper and lower door support members;    flexible shelter material forming sides and a roof on the shelter frame, and forming sides and an arched roof on the vestibule frame; and    flexible shelter material forming a partition covering areas of the opening on each side of the door frame and between the arched horizontal member and the door support member.    
   
   
       8 . The shelter of  claim 7 , further comprising a second door assembly on the vestibule so that the vestibule is arranged as an airlock-type structure.  
   
   
       9 . The shelter of  claim 8 , further comprising a second shelter connected to the vestibule through the second door assembly.  
   
   
       10 . The shelter of  claim 8 , wherein the second door assembly includes an exterior door.  
   
   
       11 . The shelter of  claim 7 , wherein the door, door frame, and partition are sealed so that the shelter may be used as an isolation enclosure.  
   
   
       12 . The shelter of  claim 7 , further comprising a pair of angled brackets for securing the ends of the upper door support member to the arched horizontal member.  
   
   
       13 . The shelter of  claim 7 , wherein the door assembly is adapted for being repeatedly installed in and uninstalled from the shelter and vestibule while leaving the shelter and vestibule substantially undisturbed.  
   
   
       14 . The shelter of  claim 7 , wherein the shelter and vestibule comprise a portion of a modular shelter system.  
   
   
       15 . The shelter of  claim 7 , wherein the upper and lower door support members are substantially straight.  
   
   
       16 . A method for installing a door assembly in a portable shelter with an arched vestibule, the method comprising: 
 securing an upper door support member to a shelter frame below an arched horizontal member thereof across an opening between the shelter and the vestibule;    securing a lower door support member to the shelter frame across the bottom of the opening between the shelter and the vestibule;    securing a door frame with at least one door to the upper and lower door support members; and    securing flexible material to the shelter frame, the door frame, the upper door support member, or the lower door support member so as to form a partition covering areas of the opening on each side of the door frame and between the arched horizontal member and the upper door support member.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the vestibule includes a second door assembly SO that the vestibule is arranged as an airlock-type structure.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a second shelter is connected to the vestibule through the second door assembly.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the second door assembly includes an exterior door.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the door assembly is installed in a previously-assembled shelter and vestibule shelter as a retrofit while leaving the shelter and vestibule substantially undisturbed.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the door, door frame, and partition are sealed so that the shelter may be used as an isolation enclosure.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the ends of the upper door support member are secured to the arched horizontal member by a pair of angled brackets.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising repeatedly installing and uninstalling the door assembly from the shelter and vestibule while leaving the shelter and vestibule substantially undisturbed.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein floor areas of the shelter and the vestibule form a contiguous area when the door assembly is uninstalled.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the arched member defines the upper portion of the opening between the shelter and vestibule when the door assembly is uninstalled.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the shelter comprises a portion of a modular shelter system.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the upper and lower door support members are substantially straight.  
   
   
       28 . A kit for retrofitting with a door assembly a portable shelter with an arched vestibule, the kit comprising: 
 an upper door support member;    hardware for securing the upper door support member to a shelter frame below an arched horizontal member thereof across an opening between the shelter and the vestibule, and for securing the lower door support member across the bottom of the opening between the shelter and the vestibule;    a lower door support member arranged for being secured to the shelter frame across the bottom of the opening between the shelter and the vestibule;    at least one door and a corresponding door frame, the door frame being arranged for being secured to the upper and lower door support members; and    flexible shelter material shaped so as to form a partition covering areas of the opening on each side of the door frame and between the arched horizontal member and the door support member.    
   
   
       29 . The kit of  claim 28 , further comprising instructions directing a user to: 
 secure the upper door support member to the shelter frame below the arched horizontal member thereof across the opening between the shelter and the vestibule;    secure the lower door support member to the shelter frame across the bottom of the opening between the shelter and the vestibule;    secure the door frame with the door to the upper and lower door support members; and    secure flexible material to the shelter frame, the door frame, the upper door support member, or the lower door support member so as to form the partition.    
   
   
       30 . The kit of  claim 28 , wherein the door, door frame, and partition are arranged to be sealed so that the shelter may be used as an isolation enclosure.  
   
   
       31 . The kit of  claim 28 , further comprising a pair of angled brackets for securing the ends of the upper door support member to the arched horizontal member in a substantially horizontal arrangement.  
   
   
       32 . The kit of  claim 28 , wherein the door assembly is adapted for being repeatedly installed in and uninstalled from the shelter and vestibule while leaving the shelter and vestibule substantially undisturbed.  
   
   
       33 . The kit of  claim 28 , wherein the shelter and vestibule comprise a portion of a modular shelter system.  
   
   
       34 . The kit of  claim 28 , wherein the upper and lower door support members are substantially straight.