Collapsible shelter assembly

Abstract

A collapsible shelter assembly is provided. The collapsible shelter assembly is foldable from a compact configuration to an operative configuration for providing a portable yet sturdy shelter, and foldable back to the compact configuration for storage and transportation. The shelter assembly may include a floor system independently connected to a plurality of walls by pivot connecting devices, enabling the plurality of walls to be independently foldable. The floor system has an upper surface defined by periphery edges. A plurality of curbs, each with a different height than the other cubs, are perpendicularly joined along a portion of the peripheral edges, providing different wall-to-curb connection points and thus different pivot points for even identical pivot connecting devices, enabling the pancake stacking of the plurality of walls in the compact configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A collapsible shelter assembly, comprising:
 a floor system having an upper surface defined by a plurality of peripheral edges;   a plurality of curb joined to the upper surface, wherein each curb has a transverse surface having a different height than the remaining curbs of the plurality of curbs, and wherein the transverse surfaces are generally flush with at least a first portion of the plurality of peripheral edges;   a plurality of walls; and   a plurality of pivot connecting devices interconnecting the plurality of walls and the plurality of curbs, wherein the plurality of walls are foldable from a compact configuration to an operative configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The collapsible shelter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein all of the plurality of pivot connecting devices are generally identical. 
     
     
         3 . The collapsible shelter assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a front wall pivotally connected to a second portion of the plurality of peripheral edges by additional pivot connecting devices. 
     
     
         4 . The collapsible shelter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein in the compact configuration comprises the plurality of walls pancake stacked. 
     
     
         5 . The collapsible shelter assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a roof system dimensioned and adapted to operatively engage the plurality of walls in the operative configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The collapsible shelter assembly of  claim 3 , further comprising a door cutout formed in the front wall. 
     
     
         7 . The collapsible shelter assembly of  claim 3 , further comprising a window cutout formed in one of the plurality of walls. 
     
     
         8 . A method of assembling a collapsible shelter using identical pivot connecting devices so as to minimize manufacturing costs, comprising the steps of:
 providing a floor system having an upper surface defined by a plurality of peripheral edges;   providing a plurality of walls;   providing a plurality of curbs, each curb having a transverse surface, each transverse surface having a unique height;   joining the plurality of curbs to the upper surface so that the transverse surfaces are generally flush with at least a portion of the plurality of peripheral edges; and   interconnecting each wall to a separate curb of the plurality of curbs using the identical pivot connecting devices.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein a staggered array of wall-to-curb connection points is formed. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein one of the plurality of peripheral edges is interconnected to a front wall by identical pivot connecting devices, maintaining the staggered array of wall-to-curb connection points.