Hard shell rooftop tent with utility rails

Abstract

A tent system includes a base system, a canopy, and one or more interconnecting members. The base system includes a first base member configured to mount to a vehicle, a second base member, and a hinge pivotally attaching the first base member to the second base member. The canopy includes a flexible membrane having a membrane edge and a canopy fastener coupled to at least a portion of the membrane edge and configured to mate with an interconnecting member fastener. The one or more interconnecting members include an interconnecting member body defining a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge, an attachment member, and the interconnecting member fastener attached to the interconnecting member body along the second longitudinal edge and configured to mate with a plurality of different canopy fasteners.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tent system comprising:
 a base system including a first base member, the first member having a first rigid surface with a first perimeter edge;   a canopy including a flexible membrane having a membrane edge and a canopy fastener, the canopy fastener extending along and fixably attached to the membrane edge, the canopy fastener adapted to mate with an interconnecting member fastener; and   an interconnecting member including an interconnecting member body, an attachment member, and the interconnecting member fastener, the interconnecting member body having a rectangular shape defining a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge, the attachment member attached to the interconnecting member body along the first longitudinal edge, the attachment member attached to the first base member along at least a portion of the first perimeter edge so that the interconnecting member and first base member are fixably attached together, the interconnecting member fastener attached to the interconnecting member body along the second longitudinal edge, the interconnecting member fastener configured to mate with a plurality of different canopy fasteners so that when the canopy fastener and the interconnecting member fastener are mated, the interconnecting member and the canopy are connected.   
     
     
         2 . The tent system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the canopy fastener includes a canopy zipper half, the canopy zipper half having a first zipper tape and a first series of zipper teeth extending along and fixably attached to the first zipper tape; and   the interconnecting member fastener includes an interconnecting member zipper half, the interconnecting member zipper half having a second zipper tape and a second series of zipper teeth extending along and fixably attached to the second zipper tape.   
     
     
         3 . The tent system of  claim 2 , wherein the interconnecting member zipper half is interchangeable with other zipper halves having a similar tooth size without significantly altering an overall zipper length when interconnecting member zipper half and another zipper half of the other zipper halves are joined together. 
     
     
         4 . The tent system of  claim 1 , wherein the base member defines an attachment member receptacle along the perimeter edge, the attachment member receptacle adapted to receive and retain the attachment member. 
     
     
         5 . The tent system of  claim 4 , wherein the attachment member is sized for insertion into the attachment member receptacle defined by the base member so that when the attachment member is inserted into the attachment member receptacle the interconnecting member and the base member are fixably attached to each other. 
     
     
         6 . The tent system of  claim 1 , wherein the base member includes a bracket under the first rigid surface, the bracket attaching to a roof rack of the vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The tent system of  claim 1 , wherein the canopy further includes a flap attached to the flexible membrane along the membrane edge, the flap including a strip of flexible material adapted to overlap the perimeter edge of the base member when the canopy is attached to the base member. 
     
     
         8 . The tent system of  claim 1 , wherein the base system further comprises:
 a second base member having a second rigid surface with a second perimeter edge; and   a hinge pivotally attaching the second base member to the first base member for moving between an open position and a closed position.   
     
     
         9 . The tent system of  claim 8 , wherein the first base member and the second base member are equally sized and a side of the first base member connects to a side of the second base member. 
     
     
         10 . The tent system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the second rigid surface is configured to be positioned substantially planar with the first rigid surface when the base member is mounted to the vehicle and the tent system is in the open position; and   
       the second base member is adapted to fold into a parallel plane over the first base member when the tent system is in the closed position.