Tent Hub Assembly

Abstract

A hub assembly for a tent has open, intermediate, and closed configurations, with pairs of fasteners and pins having a first distance in a first direction substantially equal to a second distance between fasteners and the pins along a second direction different from the first direction. When the first and second distances are equal, a biasing member is in a first state in both the open and closed configurations. In the intermediate configuration between the open and closed configurations, the biasing member has a second state which is compressed, and a vertical distance between pairs of fasteners and pins is greater than the first distance. Moving the poles from the intermediate configuration to either the open or the closed configurations decreases the vertical distance between the fastener and the pin which transitions the biasing member from the second state to the less compressed first state.

1 . A hub assembly for a tent having a plurality of poles, the hub assembly comprising:
 a hub having a central member in a central aperture and a plurality of arms, each arm having a fastener aperture for receiving a fastener which pivotably connects a first hole of a respective pole to the arm;   a base having a shaft and a plurality of walls, with the central member slidably disposed in the shaft, with pairs of the walls forming pole slots each for receiving a respective pole, each wall having an elongated guide slot for receiving a pin which passes through a second hole of a respective pole in the pole slot;   a biasing member disposed in the shaft;   wherein, with the poles in an open configuration, the pins are in a locking position in the elongated slot;   wherein, when the poles are moved to a closed configuration, the pins are moved from the locking position to an unlocked position in the elongated slot; and   wherein, for each pole, a first distance between the respective fastener and the respective pin along a first direction is substantially equal to a second distance between the fastener and the pin along a second direction different from the first direction.   
     
     
         2 . The hub assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first direction is a substantially vertical direction; and
 wherein the second direction is a substantially horizontal direction.   
     
     
         3 . The hub assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second directions are substantially perpendicular to each other. 
     
     
         4 . The hub assembly of  claim 1 , wherein, when the first and second distances are substantially equal, the biasing member is in a first state in both the open and closed configurations. 
     
     
         5 . The hub assembly of  claim 4 , wherein when the poles are moved to an intermediate configuration between the open and closed configurations, the biasing member has a second state which is compressed relative to the first state. 
     
     
         6 . The hub assembly of  claim 5 , wherein, in the intermediate configuration of the poles, a vertical distance between the fastener and the pin of each pole is greater than the first distance. 
     
     
         7 . The hub assembly of  claim 6 , wherein moving the poles from the intermediate configuration to either the open or the closed configurations decreases the vertical distance between the fastener and the pin which transitions the biasing member from the second state to the less compressed first state. 
     
     
         8 . A hub assembly for a tent having a plurality of poles, the hub assembly comprising:
 a hub having a central member in a central aperture and a plurality of arms, each arm having a first pivotal connection with a first portion of a respective pole;   a base having a shaft and a plurality of walls, with the central member slidably disposed in the shaft, with the walls including a guide slot having a second pivotal connection with a second portion of a respective pole; and   a biasing member disposed in the central member;   wherein, for each pole, a first distance between the respective first and second pivotal connections along a first direction is substantially equal to a second distance between the first and second pivotal connections along a second direction different from the first direction.   
     
     
         9 . The hub assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the first direction is a substantially vertical direction; and
 wherein the second direction is a substantially horizontal direction.   
     
     
         10 . The hub assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second directions are substantially perpendicular to each other. 
     
     
         11 . The hub assembly of  claim 8 , wherein, when the first and second distances are substantially equal, the biasing member is in a first state in both the open and closed configuration. 
     
     
         12 . The hub assembly of  claim 11 , wherein when the poles are moved to an intermediate configuration between the open and closed configurations, the biasing member has a second state which is compressed relative to the first state. 
     
     
         13 . The hub assembly of  claim 12 , wherein, in the intermediate configuration of the poles, a vertical distance between the first and second pivotal connections of each pole is greater than the first distance. 
     
     
         14 . The hub assembly of  claim 13 , wherein moving the poles from the intermediate configuration to either the open or the closed configurations decreases the vertical distance between the first and second pivotal connections which transitions the biasing member from the second state to the less compressed first state. 
     
     
         15 . A tent comprising:
 a plurality of poles;   a hub having a central member in a central aperture and a plurality of arms, each arm having a fastener aperture for receiving a fastener which pivotably connects a first hole of a respective pole to the arm;   a base having a shaft and a plurality of walls, with the central member slidably disposed in the shaft, with pairs of the walls forming pole slots each for receiving a respective pole, each wall having an elongated guide slot for receiving a pin which passes through a second hole of a respective pole in the pole slot;   a biasing member disposed in the shaft to bias the central member upward to bias the hub upward from the base;   wherein, with the poles in an open configuration, the pins are in a locking position in the elongated guide slot;   wherein, when the poles are moved to a closed configuration, the pins are moved from the locking position to an unlocked position in the elongated guide slot; and   wherein, for each pole, a first distance between the respective fastener and the respective pin along a first direction is substantially equal to a second distance between the fastener and the pin along a second direction different from the first direction.   
     
     
         16 . The tent of  claim 15 , wherein the first direction is a substantially vertical direction; and
 wherein the second direction is a substantially horizontal direction.   
     
     
         17 . The tent of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second directions are substantially perpendicular to each other. 
     
     
         18 . The tent of  claim 15 , wherein, when the first and second distances are substantially equal, the biasing member is in a first state in both the open and closed configuration. 
     
     
         19 . The tent of  claim 18 , wherein when the poles are moved to an intermediate configuration between the open and closed configurations, the biasing member has a second state which is compressed relative to the first state. 
     
     
         20 . The tent of  claim 19 , wherein, in the intermediate configuration of the poles, a vertical distance between the fastener and the pin of each pole is greater than the first distance.