Hub assembly for a foldable tent

Abstract

A hub assembly for a foldable tent includes radially spaced apart pole retaining members, each having a pair of spaced apart side walls having free outer edges. An upper pole is pivotally coupled to each pole retaining member between the pair of side walls. An inner retaining member is slidably coupled to each upper pole and engages the side wall outer edges, and an outer retaining member is fixedly coupled to an outer portion of each upper pole. A biasing member is disposed between the inner and outer retaining members in coaxial arrangement with the upper pole. The biasing member is compressed and the inner retaining member engages side edges of the side walls to maintain the tent in an open state, and the biasing member is more compressed and the inner retaining member engages lower edges of the side walls to maintain the tent in a folded state.

1 . A hub assembly for a foldable tent comprising:
 a plurality of slots radially spaced apart with respect to a central longitudinal axis, each slot formed by a pair of spaced apart side walls joined by an inner wall at radially inner ends thereof, an upper edge, outer edge and lower edge defining free ends of each of the side walls;   a plurality of upper poles, each upper pole having an inner coupling portion proximate an inner end thereof and an outer coupling portion spaced apart from the inner coupling portion, each upper pole pivotally coupled to each slot at the inner coupling portion along a pivoting axis extending between the pair of side walls;   a plurality of retaining members, each retaining member circumscribing a corresponding upper pole and fixedly attached thereto at the outer coupling portion;   a plurality of biasing members, each biasing member circumscribing a corresponding upper pole and disposed between the inner coupling portion and the retaining member, an outer end of the biasing member engaging the retaining member; and   a plurality of sleeves, each sleeve circumscribing a corresponding biasing member and retaining member, wherein the sleeve, biasing member and upper pole share a common axis, an inner end of each sleeve having a retaining wall wherein an outer surface of the retaining wall engages the free ends of the side walls and an inner surface of the retaining wall engages an inner end of the biasing member, an outer end of each sleeve having an opening such that the sleeve is movable along the common axis;   wherein each sleeve retaining wall engages the outer edge of each slot and a corresponding biasing member is compressed such that the tent is maintained in an open configuration, and wherein each sleeve retaining wall engages the lower edge of each slot and a corresponding biasing member is more compressed such that the tent is maintained in a folded configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The hub assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said inner wall comprises an inner shelf extending radially outward therefrom such that in the open configuration the upper pole inner end engages a top surface of the inner shelf. 
     
     
         3 . The hub assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the pivoting axis is positioned radially outside the inner shelf. 
     
     
         4 . The hub assembly of  claim 2 , wherein in the folded configuration the upper pole engages a side portion of the inner shelf. 
     
     
         5 . The hub assembly of  claim 1 , wherein in the folded configuration the upper poles are pivoted downward and the upper pole inner end is substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         6 . The hub assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the inner end of the sleeve is slidably engaged with the upper pole and the outer end of the sleeve is slidably engaged with the retaining member. 
     
     
         7 . The hub assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a protrusion extending from the outer edge of each slot such that the upper pole inner end engages a bottom portion of the protrusion when the tent is in the open configuration. 
     
     
         8 . A hub assembly for a foldable tent comprising at least one slot formed by a pair of spaced apart side walls joined by an inner wall at radially inner ends thereof, free ends of the side walls defined by an upper edge, an outer edge and a lower edge, the at least one slot comprising:
 a substantially hollow upper pole having an inner coupling portion proximate an inner end thereof and an outer coupling portion spaced apart from the inner coupling portion, a pair of elongated apertures disposed between the inner and outer coupling portions, each aperture positioned on opposing surfaces of the upper pole and substantially aligned with each other, each aperture extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the upper pole, the upper pole pivotally coupled to said slot along a pivoting axis extending between the pair of side walls and the inner coupling portion;   a first retaining member extending through and slidably coupled to the opposing elongated apertures;   a second retaining member fixedly coupled to the outer coupling portion; and   a biasing member disposed within the hollow upper pole and extending between the first and second retaining members such that an inner end of the biasing member engages the first retaining member and an outer end of the biasing member engages the second retaining member;   wherein the tent is maintained in an open state when the upper pole extends radially outward from the slot and the biasing member is extended such that the first retaining member is positioned proximate an inner end of the elongated aperture and engages the outer edge of the slot, and   wherein the tent is maintained in a folded state when the upper pole extends downward from the slot, and the biasing member is compressed such that the first retaining member is positioned proximate an outer end of the elongated aperture and engages the lower edge of the slot.   
     
     
         9 . The hub assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising an inner shelf extending radially outward from the inner wall, wherein the upper pole inner end engages a top surface of the inner shelf when the tent is in the open state. 
     
     
         10 . The hub assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising an indent on the slot outer edge such that the first retaining member engages said indent to maintain the tent in the open state. 
     
     
         11 . The hub assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the first retaining member is a cylindrical rod. 
     
     
         12 . The hub assembly of  claim 8 , wherein a portion of the slot free ends between the outer edge and lower edge is a substantially curved surface. 
     
     
         13 . A hub assembly for a foldable tent comprising:
 a plurality of radially spaced apart pole retaining members, each pole retaining member formed by a pair of spaced apart side walls joined at radially inner ends thereof by an inner wall, each of the side walls having free ends defined by an upper edge, an outer edge and a lower edge;   an upper pole having an inner coupling portion proximate an inner end thereof and an outer coupling portion spaced apart from the inner coupling portion, the upper pole pivotally coupled to said pole retaining member along a pivoting axis extending between the pair of side walls and the inner coupling portion;   an outer retaining member fixedly coupled to the upper pole outer coupling portion; and   a biasing member having an inner end and an outer end disposed between the pole retaining member free ends and the outer retaining member in a coaxial arrangement with the upper pole;   wherein the biasing member is compressed such that the tent is maintained in an open state when the upper pole extends radially outward from the pole retaining member, and   wherein the biasing member is more compressed and the tent is maintained in a folded state when the upper pole extends substantially downward from the pole retaining member.   
     
     
         14 . The hub assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising an inner retaining member having an inner side and an outer side, the inner retaining member movably coupled to the upper pole in coaxial arrangement, the inner side of the inner retaining member engaged with the free ends of the pole retaining member and an outer side of the inner retaining member engaged with an inner end of the biasing member, the inner retaining member being movable along the upper pole between a first position corresponding to the open state of the tent wherein said inner retaining member engages an outer edge of the pole retaining member and a second position corresponding to the folded state of the tent further away from the pivoting axis wherein said inner retaining member engages a lower edge of the pole retaining member. 
     
     
         15 . The hub assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the inner retaining member comprises a sleeve circumscribing the biasing member, outer retaining member and upper pole, the sleeve extending along the upper pole in a coaxial arrangement. 
     
     
         16 . The hub assembly of  claim 15 , wherein an inner end of the sleeve is slidably engaged with the upper pole and an outer end of the sleeve is slidably engaged with the outer retaining member. 
     
     
         17 . The hub assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the upper pole is substantially hollow, the upper pole further comprising a pair of elongated apertures each having inner and outer ends, each aperture disposed between the inner and outer coupling portions, each aperture positioned on opposing surfaces of the hollow upper pole and substantially aligned with each other transversely, each aperture extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the upper pole. 
     
     
         18 . The hub assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the inner retaining member extends transversely through the opposing elongated apertures such that in the open state of the tent the inner retaining member extends through inner ends of the elongated apertures and in the folded state of the tent the inner retaining member extends through outer ends of the elongated apertures. 
     
     
         19 . The hub assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising an inner shelf extending radially outward from the inner wall, wherein the upper pole inner end engages a top surface of the inner shelf when the tent is in the open state. 
     
     
         20 . The hub assembly of  claim 13 , wherein a portion of the pole retaining member free ends joining the outer edge and lower edge is a substantially curved surface.