Tent Hub Assembly

Abstract

A hub assembly for opening and closing a tent between an open configuration and a closed configuration having a base and a plurality of pairs of radial walls peripherally positioned around an outer portion of the base, each pair of radial walls forming a slot. Each radial wall has a first engageable surface and upper ends of each radial wall have a second engageable surface. A plurality of outer walls are positioned around the outer periphery of the base at an outer end of a respective slot and forms a third engageable surface on an upper end thereof. A plurality of poles each have a pair of inner engagement members and a pair of outer engagement members. Each inner engagement member is engaged with a respective first engageable surface and each outer engagement member is engaged with a respective second engageable surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hub assembly for opening and closing a tent between an open configuration and a closed configuration comprising:
 a base;   a plurality of pairs of radial walls peripherally positioned around an outer portion of the base, each pair of radial walls forming a slot, each radial wall having a first engageable surface, upper ends of each radial wall having a second engageable surface;   a plurality of outer walls positioned around the outer periphery of the base, each outer wall positioned at an outer end of a respective slot and forming a third engageable surface on an upper end thereof; and   a plurality of poles having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate section therebetween, said first end having a pair of inner engagement members extending therefrom, said intermediate portion having a pair of outer engagement members extending therefrom;   wherein each inner engagement member is engaged with a respective first engageable surface and each outer engagement member is engaged with a respective second engageable surface.   
     
     
         2 . The hub assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a bottom portion of the pole intermediate section engages the third engageable surface in the open configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The hub assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a bottom portion of each slot includes an opening. 
     
     
         4 . The hub assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the radial wall includes a channel having at least one channel wall, wherein the at least one channel wall is the first engageable surface. 
     
     
         5 . The hub assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the channel includes an inner section connected to an outer section, the inner section having a width greater than a width of the inner engagement member, a lower end of the outer section having a width less than the width of the inner engagement member. 
     
     
         6 . The hub assembly of  claim 1 , wherein respective inner engagement members and outer engagement members of each pole is substantially aligned. 
     
     
         7 . A hub assembly for opening and closing a tent between an open configuration and a closed configuration comprising:
 a hub, the hub having a plurality of pairs of radial walls, each pair of radial walls forming a slot, each radial wall having a first engageable surface, upper ends of each radial wall having a second engageable surface; and   a plurality of poles having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate section therebetween, said first end having a pair of inner engagement members extending therefrom, said intermediate portion having a pair of outer engagement members extending therefrom;   wherein each inner engagement member is pivotally coupled to a respective radial wall.   
     
     
         8 . The hub assembly of  claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of outer walls positioned around the outer periphery of the hub, each outer wall positioned at an outer end of a respective slot and forming a third engageable surface on an upper end thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The hub assembly of  claim 8 , wherein a bottom portion of the pole intermediate section engages the third engageable surface in the open configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The hub assembly of  claim 7 , wherein each inner engagement member is engaged with a respective first engageable surface and each outer engagement member is engaged with a respective second engageable surface. 
     
     
         11 . The hub assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the radial wall includes a channel having at least one channel wall, wherein the at least one channel wall is the first engageable surface. 
     
     
         12 . The hub assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the channel includes an inner section connected to an outer section, the inner section having a width greater than a width of the inner engagement member, a lower end of the outer section having a width less than the width of the inner engagement member. 
     
     
         13 . The hub assembly of  claim 7 , wherein respective inner engagement members and outer engagement members of each pole is substantially aligned. 
     
     
         14 . The hub assembly of  claim 13 , wherein a bottom portion of each slot includes an opening. 
     
     
         15 . A method for folding a tent between an open configuration and a closed configuration, with the tent in the open configuration having: a hub, the hub having a plurality of pairs of radial walls, each pair of radial walls forming a slot, each radial wall having a first engageable surface, upper ends of each radial wall having a second engageable surface; and a plurality of poles having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate section therebetween, said first end having a pair of inner engagement members extending therefrom, said intermediate portion having a pair of outer engagement members extending therefrom; wherein each inner engagement member is pivotally coupled to a respective radial wall on the first engageable surface and each outer engagement member engages the second engageable surface, comprising:
 pivoting each pole to move from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the inner engagement member is moved from an upper portion to a lower portion of the first engageable surface and the outer engagement member is moved from a lower portion to an upper portion of the second engageable surface. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the tent further comprises a plurality of outer walls positioned around the outer periphery of the hub, each outer wall positioned at an outer end of a respective slot and forming a third engageable surface on an upper end thereof, a bottom portion of the pole intermediate section engaging the third engageable surface in the open configuration and disengaging said surface in the closed configuration. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the radial wall includes a channel having at least one channel wall, wherein the at least one channel wall is the first engageable surface. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the channel includes an inner section connected to an outer section, the inner section having a width greater than a width of the inner engagement member, a lower end of the outer section having a width less than the width of the inner engagement member.