Emergency shelter

Abstract

An emergency shelter including a support frame and an outer covering. The covering includes an upper panel positioned on top of the frame, and a side panel wrapped around the frame. The upper panel has at least one downwardly extending flap with one or more fasteners. The side panel has an upper edge portion with one or more fasteners removably fastened to the fastener(s) of the at least one downwardly extending flap. Optionally, a lower panel having at least one upwardly extending flap with one or more fasteners is positioned under the frame. The side panel may have a lower edge portion with one or more fasteners removably fastened to the fastener(s) of the at least one upwardly extending flap of the lower panel. One or more packs configured to change a temperature inside the shelter relative to a temperature outside the shelter may be placed inside the shelter.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shelter comprising:
 a support frame;   an upper panel positioned on top of the support frame, the upper panel having at least one downwardly extending flap with one or more fasteners; and   a side panel wrapped around the support frame, the side panel comprising an upper edge portion having one or more fasteners, the one or more fasteners of the upper edge portion removably fastening the side panel to the one or more fasteners of the at least one downwardly extending flap of the upper panel, together portions of the upper and side panels defining an interior.   
     
     
         2 . The shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the upper panel is generally rectangular, and
 the at least one downwardly extending flap comprises four downwardly extending flaps.   
     
     
         3 . The shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the portions of the upper and side panels defining the interior are constructed from a material having a first layer adjacent the interior, and a different second layer opposite the first layer, the first layer comprising a thermal insulation material. 
     
     
         4 . The shelter of  claim 3 , wherein the second layer is a woven fabric. 
     
     
         5 . The shelter of  claim 3 , wherein the first layer is a reflective insulation. 
     
     
         6 . The shelter of  claim 5 , wherein the reflective insulation comprises an aluminum foil bubble insulation material. 
     
     
         7 . The shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the upper panel is separate and different from the side panel. 
     
     
         8 . The shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the side panel comprises one or more vents through which air may flow into and out of the interior. 
     
     
         9 . The shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more fasteners of the at least one downwardly extending flap comprise a Velcro strip, and
 the one or more fasteners of the upper edge portion comprise a Velcro strip attached to the Velcro strip of the one or more fasteners of the at least one downwardly extending flap.   
     
     
         10 . The shelter of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more activatable heating packs positioned inside the interior, the one or more heating packs generating heat when activated.   
     
     
         11 . The shelter of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 one or more bags hanging from the support frame holding the one or more activatable heating packs.   
     
     
         12 . The shelter of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more cooling packs positioned inside the interior, the one or more cooling packs being configured to lower an interior temperature inside the shelter relative to an environmental temperature outside the shelter.   
     
     
         13 . The shelter of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 one or more bags hanging from the support frame holding the one or more cooling packs.   
     
     
         14 . The shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the side panel comprises a lower edge portion having one or more fasteners, and the shelter further comprises:
 a lower panel positioned under the support frame, the lower panel having at least one upwardly extending flap with one or more fasteners, the one or more fasteners of the lower edge portion removably fastening the side panel to the one or more fasteners the at least one upwardly extending flap of the lower panel.   
     
     
         15 . The shelter of  claim 14 , wherein the portions of the upper and side panels defining the interior are constructed from a material having a first layer adjacent the interior, and a different second layer opposite the first layer, the first layer comprising a thermal insulation material, and
 at least a portion of the lower panel adjacent the interior is constructed from the material.   
     
     
         16 . The shelter of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more fasteners of the at least one upwardly extending flap comprise a Velcro strip, and
 the one or more fasteners of the lower edge portion comprise a Velcro strip attached to the Velcro strip of the one or more fasteners of the at least one upwardly extending flap.   
     
     
         17 . The shelter of  claim 14 , wherein the lower panel is generally rectangular, and
 the at least one upwardly extending flap comprises four upwardly extending flaps.   
     
     
         18 . The shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the side panel comprises a first side edge portion opposite a second side edge portion,
 the upper edge portion extends between the first and second side edge portions;   the first side edge portion has one or more fasteners,   the second side edge portion has one or more fasteners, and   the one or more fasteners of the first side edge portion are removably fastenable to the one or more fasteners of the second side edge portion to thereby removably fasten the first side edge portion to the second side edge portion.   
     
     
         19 . The shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the support frame comprises:
 a first upright member having a first upper portion;   a second upright member having a second upper portion;   a third upright member having a third upper portion;   a fourth upright member having a fourth upper portion;   a first diagonal member having a first end portion connected to the first upper portion of the first upright member, and a second end portion connected to the third upper portion of the third upright member; and   a second diagonal member having a first end portion connected to the second upper portion of the second upright member, and a second end portion connected to the fourth upper portion of the fourth upright member, the second diagonal member crossing over the first diagonal member.   
     
     
         20 . The shelter of  claim 19 , wherein the support frame comprises:
 a first fitting connecting the first end portion of the first diagonal member to the first upper portion of the first upright member;   a second fitting connecting the first end portion of the second diagonal member to the second upper portion of the second upright member;   a third fitting connecting the second end portion of the first diagonal member to the third upper portion of the third upright member; and   a fourth fitting connecting the second end portion of the second diagonal member to the fourth upper portion of the fourth upright member.   
     
     
         21 . A kit for constructing a shelter, the kit comprising:
 a plurality of elongated members that when assembled form a support frame;   an upper panel positionable on top of the support frame, the upper panel having at least one downwardly extending flap with one or more fasteners; and   a side panel configured to wrap around the support frame, the side panel comprising an upper edge portion having one or more fasteners, the one or more fasteners of the upper edge portion removably fastening the side panel to the one or more fasteners of the at least one downwardly extending flap of the upper panel, together portions of the upper and side panels defining an interior.   
     
     
         22 . The kit of  claim 21 , wherein the portions of the upper and side panels defining the interior are constructed from a material having a first layer adjacent the interior, and a different second layer opposite the first layer, the first layer comprising a thermal insulation material. 
     
     
         23 . The kit of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 one or more packs positionable inside the interior, the one or more packs being configured to change an interior temperature inside the shelter relative to an environmental temperature outside the shelter.   
     
     
         24 . The kit of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 one or more bags configured to be hung from the support frame and hold the one or more packs.   
     
     
         25 . The kit of  claim 21 , wherein the side panel comprises a lower edge portion having one or more fasteners, and the kit further comprises:
 a lower panel positionable under the support frame, the lower panel having at least one upwardly extending flap with one or more fasteners, the one or more fasteners of the lower edge portion removably fastening the side panel to the one or more fasteners the at least one upwardly extending flap of the lower panel.   
     
     
         26 . The kit of  claim 25 , wherein the portions of the upper and side panels defining the interior are constructed from a material having a first layer adjacent the interior, and a different second layer opposite the first layer, the first layer comprising a thermal insulation material, and
 at least a portion of the lower panel adjacent the interior is constructed from the material.   
     
     
         27 . The kit of  claim 21 , wherein the side panel comprises a first side edge portion opposite a second side edge portion,
 the upper edge portion extends between the first and second side edge portions;   the first side edge portion has one or more fasteners,   the second side edge portion has one or more fasteners, and   the one or more fasteners of the first side edge portion are removably fastenable to the one or more fasteners of the second side edge portion to thereby removably fasten the first side edge portion to the second side edge portion.   
     
     
         28 . The kit of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of elongated members are divisible into first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth subsets, each of the subsets comprising two or more of the plurality of elongated members, each of the plurality of elongated members belonging to at most one of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth subsets,
 the elongated members of the first subset are configured to be assembled to form a first upright member having a first upper portion,   the elongated members of the second subset are configured to be assembled to form a second upright member having a second upper portion,   the elongated members of the third subset are configured to be assembled to form a third upright member having a third upper portion,   the elongated members of the fourth subset are configured to be assembled to form a fourth upright member having a fourth upper portion,   the elongated members of the fifth subset are configured to be assembled to form a first diagonal member having a first end portion opposite a second end portion,   the elongated members of the sixth subset are configured to be assembled to form a second diagonal member having a first end portion opposite a second end portion,   the kit further comprises first, second, third, and fourth fittings,   the first fitting is configured to connect the first end portion of the first diagonal member to the first upper portion of the first upright member,   the second fitting is configured to connect the first end portion of the second diagonal member to the second upper portion of the second upright member,   the third fitting is configured to connect the second end portion of the first diagonal member to the third upper portion of the third upright member, and   the fourth fitting is configured to connect the second end portion of the second diagonal member to the fourth upper portion of the fourth upright member.