Tent Shelter

Abstract

A shelter or tent having at least a pair of outer cover panels each upwardly extending from an outer cover panel lower edge to an outer cover ridgeline and a vestibule panel coupled to the outer cover panels which slidably couples to a tensioned guyline to travel between a vestibule closed condition and a vestibule open condition.

1 . A shelter having a pair of outer cover panels each upwardly extending to an outer cover ridgeline, said shelter further comprising:
 a flexible vestibule panel extending to a vestibule panel periphery including a pair of vestibule panel edges which correspondingly couple to said pair of outer cover panels, said flexible vestibule panel attachable to a guyline between a guyline first end and a guyline second end, a movable portion of said flexible vestibule panel adjustable along said guyline between a closed condition and an open condition;   wherein said pair of vestibule panel edges terminate at a vestibule panel first vertex disposed proximate said outer cover ridge line; and   wherein said pair of vestibule panel edges and vertex reside in a plane substantially off plumb to the ridge line, wherein said plane at said vestibule panel vertex tilts in a forward direction.   
     
     
         2 . The shelter of  claim 1 , wherein said movable portion of said vestibule panel periphery extends to a second pair of vestibule panel edges. 
     
     
         3 . The shelter of  claim 2 , wherein said first pair of vestibule panel edges have substantially equal length and wherein said second pair of vestibule panel edges have substantially equal length. 
     
     
         4 . The shelter of  claim 2 , wherein said first pair of vestibule panel edges having substantially equal length have a different length than said second pair of vestibule panel edges have substantially equal length. 
     
     
         5 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The shelter of  claim 3 , wherein said second pair of vesibule panel edges terminate at a vestibule panel second vertex. 
     
     
         9 . The shelter of  claim 8 , wherein said flexible vestibule panel comprises a pair of triangular flexible vestibule panels joined along corresponding bases between said vestibule panel first and second vertices. 
     
     
         10 . The shelter of  claim 1 , further comprising a vestibule panel restraint coupled to said movable portion of said flexible vestibule panel, said vestibule panel restraint operable to releasably fix said movable portion of said flexible vestibule panel at a location along said guyline. 
     
     
         11 . The shelter of  claim 2 , further comprising elastic members disposed along each of said second pair of vestibule panel edges. 
     
     
         12 . The shelter of  claim 10 , further comprising an elastic member disposed on said flexible vestibule panel between said vestibule panel first vertex and said vestibule panel second vertex. 
     
     
         13 . The shelter of  claim 2 , further comprising one or more flexible vestibule panel suspension elements coupled to said flexible vestibule panel between said vestibule panel first and second vertices, said flexible vestibule suspension element slidable along said guyline between said guyline first end coupled proximate a ridge line first end, and said guyline second end anchored to said support surface. 
     
     
         14 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method of forming a shelter having a pair of outer cover panels each upwardly extending to an outer cover ridgeline, said method comprising:
 generating a flexible vestibule panel which extends to a vestibule panel periphery including a first pair of vestibule panel edges and a second pair of vestibule edges;   correspondingly securing said first pair of vestibule panel edges to said pair of outer cover panels to provide a movable portion of said flexible vestibule panel extending to said second pair of vestibule edges;   coupling a vestibule panel restraint to said movable portion of said flexible vestibule panel, said vestibule panel restraint attachable at a location along a guy line disposed between a guyline first end and a guyline second end said movable portion of said flexible vestibule panel movable to a vestibule panel closed condition and a vestibule panel open condition;   terminating said first pair of vestibule panel edges at a vestibule panel first vertex disposed proximate said outer cover ridge line; and   orientating said pair of vestibule panel edges and vertex to reside in a plane substantially off plumb to the ridge line, wherein said plane at said vestibule panel vertex tilts in a forward direction.   
     
     
         17 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said first pair of vestibule panel edges have substantially unequal length and said second pair of vestibule panel edges have substantially unequal length. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said second pair of vestibule panel edges join at a vestibule panel second vertex. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising disposing elastic members along each of said second pair of vestibule panel edges. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising one or more flexible vestibule panel suspension elements coupled to said flexible vestibule panel between said vestibule panel first and second vertices, said flexible vestibule suspension element slidable along said guyline between said guyline first end, and said guyline second end. 
     
     
         25 . A method, comprising:
 supporting an outer cover by a plurality of support members, said outer cover including opposed outer cover panels correspondingly extending upwardly from outer cover lower edges to an outer cover ridgeline extending between a ridgeline first end and a ridgeline second end;   disposing a guyline between a guyline first end coupled proximate said ridge line first end, and a guyline second end anchored to a support surface;   supporting a flexible vestibule panel on said guyline, said flexible vestibule panel having a first pair of vestibule edges extending to a vestibule panel first vertex, said first pair of adjacent vestibule edges correspondingly coupled to said opposed pair of outer cover panels between said ridgeline and said outer cover lower edges, and a second pair of adjacent vestibule edges outwardly extending from each of said pair of outer cover panels to a vestibule panel second vertex, said flexible vestibule panel movable between a flexible vestibule panel closed condition and a flexible vestibule panel open condition;   orientating said first pair of vestibule panel edges and first vertex to reside in a plane substantially off plumb to the ridge line, wherein said plane at said vestibule panel vertex tilts in a forward direction away from said ridgeline second end.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising operating a vestibule panel restraint coupled proximate said vestibule panel second vertex to releasably fix said vestibule panel second vertex at a location along said guyline. 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising positioning said vestibule panel restraint on said guyline to tension an elastic member disposed between said vestibule panel first vertex and said vestibule panel second vertex. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising moving a vestibule panel suspension element coupled to said flexible vestibule panel between said vestibule panel first and second vertices along guyline between said guyline first end coupled proximate said ridge line first end and said guyline second end anchored to said support surface. 
     
     
         30 . A vestibule panel to retrofit a tent, comprising:
 a flexible vestibule panel extending to a vestibule panel periphery including a first pair of adjacent vestibule panel edges configured to correspondingly couple to at least one pair of opposed outer cover panels each extending from an outer cover panel lower edge to an outer cover panel ridgeline, said flexible vestibule panel attachable to a guyline disposed between a guyline first end and a guyline second end, said flexible vestibule panel adjustable between a vestibule panel closed condition and a vestibule panel open conditions;   wherein said pair of vestibule panel edges terminate at a vestibule panel first vertex disposed proximate said outer cover ridge line: and   wherein said pair of vestibule panel edges and vertex reside in a plane substantially off plumb to the ridge line, wherein said plane at said vestibule panel vertex tilts in a forward direction.