Portable canopy having an integrated power system

Abstract

A portable canopy can comprise a portable frame, a portable cover, an electrical power system and can transition between an installed and transport state. The portable cover can be made from a flexible, water-resistant fabric. The electrical power system can be integrated into the portable frame, which includes a connection point for receiving power from an extra low-voltage external power source. In the installed state, a first volume under roof shelters objects. The portable frame can provide a support structure for the first volume and the portable cover. In the installed state, the electrical power system can be connected to the external power source to provide electric power to electric accessories via direct contact with a designated area of an exterior surface of a power-conveying member of the portable frame. The transport state can have a second volume at least five times less than the first volume.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable canopy comprising:
 a portable frame comprising vertical support members and roof support members;   a portable cover made from a flexible, water-resistant fabric;   an electrical power system integrated into the portable frame, wherein at least one vertical support member has a connection point for receiving power from an extra low-voltage external power source that supplies less than fifty volts;   an installed state for the portable frame, the portable cover, and the electrical power system having a width, a length, and a height, which together establish a first volume, wherein the first volume is a volume under a roof that shelters objects within the first volume, wherein the portable frame provides a support structure for the first volume, wherein, in the installed state, the portable frame structurally supports the portable cover, wherein, in the installed state, the electrical power system is able to be connected to the external power source to provide electric power to a corresponding electric accessory via direct contact with a designated area of an exterior surface of a power-conveying member of the portable frame; and   a transport state for the portable frame, the portable cover, and the electrical power system having a second volume at least five times less than the first volume, wherein the portable canopy is a temporary shelter configured to be repetitively altered between the installed state and the transport state, whereby the portable canopy, in the installed state, shelters the objects in the first volume for events during which the portable canopy is utilized, whereby the portable canopy, in the transport state, facilitates transport of the portable canopy between locations and diminishes a storage footprint of the portable canopy while not in use for the events.   
     
     
         2 . The portable canopy of  claim 1 , wherein the width is at least four feet, the length is at least four feet, and the height is at least six feet. 
     
     
         3 . The portable canopy of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a drainage system comprising conduits for transporting liquids, wherein, in the installed state, the conduits transport rain striking the roof to an outlet positioned at one of the vertical support members.   
     
     
         4 . The portable canopy of  claim 1 , wherein the electric accessory is coupled to the power-supplying member of the portable frame to provide direct contact with the designated area and an installation of the electric accessory, wherein a coupler of the electric accessory is designed to receive power from the electrical power system. 
     
     
         5 . The portable canopy of  claim 4 , wherein the coupler is a clip of a size and a shape to attach to the power-supplying member of the portable frame with adequate conductive surface contact and to support a weight of the electric accessory. 
     
     
         6 . The portable canopy of  claim 1 , wherein the electric accessory comprises one of a light, a digital sign, a lighted sign, a fan, a misting fan, a strand of LED lights, and a wireless speaker. 
     
     
         7 . The portable canopy of  claim 1 , wherein the external power source is a rechargeable battery. 
     
     
         8 . The portable canopy of  claim 1 , wherein the external power source is a transformer connected to a power source, wherein said transformer receive a voltage from the power source that is more than fifty volts and reduces the received voltage to a predefined extra low-voltage value commensurate with the electrical power system. 
     
     
         9 . The portable canopy of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical power system further comprises:
 an electrical track element that is attached to the electrical power system and roof support members when the portable canopy is in the installed state, wherein said electrical track element is suspended from the roof, allowing a centralized interior location for electric accessories to be installed.   
     
     
         10 . The portable canopy of  claim 9 , wherein the electrical track element is one of a straight bar, an S-shaped curved bar, an oval, a square, and a circle. 
     
     
         11 . A portable canopy comprising:
 a portable frame comprising vertical support members and roof support members;   a portable cover made from a flexible, water-resistant fabric;   an electrical power system integrated into the portable frame, wherein at least one vertical support member has a connection point for receiving power from an external power source that supplies less than fifty volts;   an installed state having a width, a length, and a height, which together establish a first volume, wherein the first volume is a volume under a roof that shelters objects within the first volume, wherein the portable frame provides a support structure for the first volume, wherein, in the installed state, the portable frame structurally supports the portable cover, wherein, in the installed state, the electrical power system is able to be connected to the external power source to provide electric power to a corresponding electric accessory via direct contact with a designated area of an exterior surface of a power-conveying member of the portable frame; and   a transport state having a second volume at least five times less than the first volume, wherein a longest linear dimension of the second volume is at most five feet.   
     
     
         12 . The portable canopy of  claim 11 , wherein the electric accessory comprises one of a light, a digital sign, a lighted sign, a fan, a misting fan, a strand of LED lights, and a wireless speaker. 
     
     
         13 . The portable canopy of  claim 11 , wherein the electric accessory is coupled to a power-supplying member of the portable frame to provide direct contact with the designated area and an installation of the electric accessory, wherein a coupler of the electric accessory is designed to receive power from the electrical power system. 
     
     
         14 . The portable canopy of  claim 13 , wherein the coupler is a clip of a size and a shape to attach to the power-supplying member of the portable frame with adequate conductive surface contact and to support a weight of the electric accessory. 
     
     
         15 . The portable canopy of  claim 11 , wherein the external power source is a rechargeable battery. 
     
     
         16 . The portable canopy of  claim 11 , wherein the external power source is a transformer connected to a power source, wherein said transformer receive a voltage from the power source that is more than fifty volts and reduces the received voltage to a predefined extra low-voltage value commensurate with the electrical power system. 
     
     
         17 . The portable canopy of  claim 11 , wherein the electrical power system further comprises:
 an electrical track element that is attached to the electrical power system and roof support members when the portable canopy is in the installed state, wherein said electrical track element is suspended from the roof, allowing a centralized interior location for electric accessories to be installed.   
     
     
         18 . A portable canopy comprising:
 a portable frame comprising vertical support members and roof support members;   an electrical power system integrated into the portable frame, wherein at least one vertical support member has a connection point for receiving power from an external power source that supplies less than fifty volts;   a portable cover made from a flexible, water-resistant fabric having strings of LED lights affixed to its underside, wherein said portable cover has contact points for receiving electric power from the electrical power system to operate the LED lights;   an installed state having a width, a length, and a height, which together establish a first volume, wherein the first volume is a volume under a roof that shelters objects within the first volume, wherein the portable frame provides a support structure for the first volume, wherein, in the installed state, the portable frame structurally supports the portable cover, wherein, in the installed state, the electrical power system is able to be connected to the external power source to provide electric power to a corresponding electric accessory via direct contact with a designated area of an exterior surface of a power-conveying member of the portable frame; and   a transport state having a second volume at least five times less than the first volume, wherein a longest linear dimension of the second volume is at most five feet.   
     
     
         19 . The portable canopy of  claim 18 , wherein the electric accessory is coupled to the power-supplying member of the portable frame to provide direct contact with the designated area and an installation of the electric accessory, wherein a coupler of the electric accessory is designed to receive power from the electrical power system, wherein the at least one electric accessory comprises one of a light, a digital sign, a lighted sign, a fan, a misting fan, a strand of LED lights, and a wireless speaker. 
     
     
         20 . The portable canopy of  claim 19 , wherein the coupler is a clip of a size and a shape to attach to the power-supplying member of the portable frame with adequate conductive surface contact and to support a weight of the electric accessory.