Portable tent

Abstract

A tent frame is disclosed including at least three support legs. The at least three support legs may have a connected end and a free end and may include a collapsible truss with at least two compression members, a hinge situated between the compression members, and a tension member extending from a first point near the free end to a second point near the connected end. The at least three support legs may be joined at their respective connected ends. A tent is also disclosed including a collapsible frame and a shell adapted to cover the frame, the shell having at least one window opening and at least one window curtain covering the at least one window opening, the at least one window curtain being adapted to slidably open and close. A method of setting up a tent is also described.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A tent frame comprising:
 at least three support legs having a connected end and a free end and comprising a collapsible truss comprising:
 at least two compression members; 
 a folding hinge situated between the compression members; 
 a tension member extending from a first point near the free end to a second point near the connected end; and 
 a tension creating hinge arranged along one of the at least two compression members, 
   wherein:
 the at least three support legs are joined at their respective connected ends; and 
 actuation of the tension creating hinge draws the tension member taught thereby stabilizing the respective support leg. 
   
     
     
         23 . The frame of  claim 22  wherein the at least two compression members include a roof pole and a wall pole. 
     
     
         24 . The frame of  claim 23  wherein the folding hinge includes a hinge pin and the hinge is adapted to allow relative rotation of the roof pole and the wall pole about the hinge pin, the relative rotation limited to approximately 235 degrees. 
     
     
         25 . The frame of  claim 24  wherein the tension member follows a path similar to the roof pole and the wall pole but is offset to the outside of the support leg at the folding hinge location. 
     
     
         26 . The frame of  claim 23 , further comprising a compression hub wherein the at least three support legs are joined at their respective connected ends via a pivotal attachment between the roof pole and the compression hub. 
     
     
         27 . The frame of  claim 26  wherein the compression hub is adapted to resist radial compressive forces from the at least three support legs. 
     
     
         28 . The frame of  claim 26 , further comprising a tension hub wherein the at least three support legs are joined at their respective connected ends via an additional attachment between the tension member and the tension hub. 
     
     
         29 . The frame of  claim 28 , wherein the tension hub is adapted to resist radial tensile forces from the at least three support legs. 
     
     
         30 . The frame of  claim 29 , the support legs further comprising telescoping rods extendable from the sleeve end of their respective wall poles. 
     
     
         31 . A tent frame comprising:
 at least three support legs each comprising:
 a means for collapsing the support leg; 
 a means for stabilizing the support leg when in a set up position; and 
 a means for actuating the stabilizing means. 
   
     
     
         32 . The frame of  claim 31 , the frame further comprising a top and a center, the frame including a means for resisting radial tension and a means for resisting radial compression, the means for resisting radial tension and the means for resisting radial compression being located at the top and the center of the frame, the radial tension and radial compression being induced by the at least three support legs. 
     
     
         33 . The frame of  claim 32  wherein the at least three support legs each include a roof pole and a wall pole and the means for collapsing the support leg includes a hinge. 
     
     
         34 . The frame of  claim 33  wherein the means for stabilizing the support leg includes a tension cable. 
     
     
         35 . The frame of  claim 34  wherein the means for actuating the stabilizing means includes a tension creating hinge. 
     
     
         36 . A method of setting up a tent comprising:
 providing a collapsible tent in the collapsed position;   placing the collapsible tent on the ground thereby defining a center of the tent;   unfolding at least three wall poles down about a first end from a generally vertical position to a generally horizontal position, each wall pole directed radially away from the center of the tent once unfolded;   lifting at least three hinges diagonally upward away from the ground and outward away from the center of the tent, the hinge connected to an end of the wall pole near the center of the tent and connected to an end of a roof pole near the ground, wherein lifting the at least three hinges causes at least three support legs to be mostly formed; and   tensioning at least three cables associated with the at least three support legs.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the step of tensioning the at least three cables includes actuating a tension creating hinge arranged along one of the wall pole and the roof pole. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37  further comprising extending at least three telescoping rods.