FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure relates to a portable shelter system including a foldable shelter and a container. In particular, the invention relates to shelters such as tents, awnings, temporary gazebos and the like that are supplied with a carry bag.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Portable shelters, such as tents and awnings, are usually supplied with bags or similar containers in which the shelter can be stored and transported. It is desirable to make such shelters easy to erect and to pack away. Modem designs of tents, for example, may include inflatable poles that make erecting the tent straightforward. However, such tents may still be difficult to pack away into the supplied bag.

In the case of inflatable tents, the inflatable tubes used for the poles increase the bulk of the tent when deflated, and so can be particularly difficult to pack away properly, but the same issue is also found with most other types of foldable structure.

One way of addressing this problem is to provide a bag that is oversized, so that the shelter will still fit into the bag even if the shelter has been folded sub-optimally. However, this approach results in a bag that is larger than necessary, and therefore compromises the portability and convenience of the shelter system.

Against this background, it would be desirable to provide a portable shelter system that in which the shelter can be easily and quickly packed into a container that is as compact as possible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

From a first aspect, the present invention provides a portable shelter system, comprising a shelter formed at least in part from a flexible material and foldable into a folded configuration, and a storage container for receiving the shelter when the shelter is in the folded configuration. The shelter comprises a fold guide indicator positioned such that, when the shelter is folded into the folded configuration with a pre-defined part of the shelter aligned with the fold guide indicator, the shelter can be accommodated in the storage container.

With this arrangement, the shelter can be easily folded by a user, using the fold guide indicator to ensure that the shelter is folded in a way that results in a folded configuration that fits optimally into the storage container. In particular, the fold guide indicator can be positioned so that an initially-folded portion of the shelter is of the correct dimensions to lead to the preferred folded configuration after subsequent folding steps have been carried out.

The fold guide indicator may comprise a tab attached to the shelter. The tab may be of a fabric material. The fold guide indicator may be attached to a seam of the shelter. In these ways, a robust and secure fold guide indicator can be provided without affecting the integrity of the material of the shelter.

The fold guide indicator is preferably of a contrasting colour to the foldable shelter in a region adjacent the fold guide indicator, so that the fold guide indicator can be readily distinguished by the user.

In an embodiment, the container defines a fitting length and the foldable shelter has a first end, and the fold guide indicator is positioned with respect to the first end such that, when the shelter is folded in a folding direction from the first end to form a folded portion with an edge of the folded portion aligned with the fold guide indicator, the width of the folded portion in the folding direction is substantially equal to the fitting length.

For example, the fold guide indicator may be spaced from the first end by a distance substantially equal to twice the fitting length, such that the width of the folded portion in the folded direction is substantially equal to the fitting length when a free edge of the folded portion is aligned with the fold guide indicator. In another example, the fold guide indicator may be spaced from the first end by a distance substantially equal to the fitting length, such that the width of the folded portion in the folded direction is substantially equal to the fitting length when a folded edge of the folded portion is aligned with the fold guide indicator.

In another further possible configuration, the fold guide indicator may be positioned with respect to the first end such that, when the shelter is folded in the folding direction to form a folded portion with an edge of the folded portion aligned with the fold guide indicator, the width of the folded portion in the folding direction is substantially equal to two, four or eight times the fitting length.

A pair of fold guide indicators may be disposed on opposite sides of the shelter. In this case, each of the fold guide indicators of the pair is preferably spaced the same distance from the first end of the shelter.

A single fold guide indicator (or a single pair of fold guide indicators) may be sufficient, since the size of the initially-folded part of the shelter is guided by the fold guide indicator and the initially-folded part can then be used as a guide for subsequent folding steps, where necessary. Alternatively, the shelter may comprise a first fold guide indicator and a second fold guide indicator, the first and second fold guide indicators being positioned such that the shelter can be folded into the folded configuration with a first pre-defined part of the shelter aligned with the first fold guide indicator and a second pre-defined part of the shelter aligned with the second fold guide indicator. Additional fold guide indicators, for subsequent folding steps, can also be provided.

The invention also extends, in a second aspect, to a method of folding a portable shelter into a folded configuration for fitting into a storage container. The method comprising folding the shelter by bringing a pre-defined part of the shelter into alignment with a fold guide indicator provided on the shelter. Preferably, folding the shelter comprises folding the shelter from an end of the shelter to form a folded portion, and aligning an edge of the folded portion or a fold line of the folded portion with the fold guide indicator. The method may comprise folding the shelter at least one additional time to arrive at the folded configuration.

Preferred and/or optional features of each aspect and embodiment of the invention may also be used, alone or in appropriate combination, in the other aspects and embodiments also.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like reference signs are used for like features, and in which:

Figure 1 shows a portable shelter system according to an embodiment of the invention, including a foldable shelter and a storage container;

Figure 2 shows part of the foldable shelter of Figure 1 ;

Figures 3a to 3e show a sequence of steps in folding a foldable shelter in another embodiment of the invention;

Figures 4a to 4e show a sequence of steps in folding a foldable shelter in a further embodiment of the invention;

Figures 5a to 5d show a sequence of steps in folding a foldable shelter in a still further embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 shows a portable shelter system 10 including a storage container and a foldable shelter. In this case, the storage container is in the form of a bag 50, and the foldable shelter is a tent 100.

The bag 50 is of a flexible fabric material and includes a zip fastener 52 to allow access into the interior of the bag 50.

The tent 100 in this example is of an inflatable pole design, and includes an integral floor 102 attached to a tent body 104 at a seam 106. In Figure 1 , the tent 100 is shown in an erected state, with guy lines and pegging points omitted for clarity. The tent 100 is formed largely from flexible materials, so that the tent 100 can be folded into a folded configuration for storage inside the bag 50. When in the folded configuration, the tent 100 fits snugly within the bag 50 so that the bag 50 can be as compact as possible.

The length of the bag 50 is less than the length Lt of the tent 100. However, provided the tent 100 is correctly folded into the folded configuration, the tent 100 will fit snugly into the bag 50, through the zip fastener 52, so that the bag 50 can be as compact as possible when the tent is inside. As will be described in more detail below, the size of the bag 50 determines a fitting length Lf that corresponds to the width of at least one folded portion of the tent 100 when in the correct folded configuration.

To guide the user in folding the tent 100 into the correct folded configuration, the tent 100 is provided with fold guide indicators 108, only one of which is visible in Figure 1 . Referring additionally to Figure 2, in this example each fold guide indicator 108 comprises a tab of flexible fabric material that is sewn into the seam 106 where the tent body 104 meets the base (not visible in Figure 2). In the illustrated example, the fold guide indicator 108 is positioned next to a guy line 110. The fold guide indicator 108 is of a contrasting colour to the material of the tent body 104 and the floor 102, so that the fold guide indicator 108 can be easily distinguished by the user.

Figure 3a shows a simplified plan view of a tent 100 of the type shown in Figures 1 and 2, when in a collapsed state. In this example, the collapsed state corresponds to the state of the tent 100 after the poles have been deflated and the body 104 of the tent has been laid flat upon the tent floor 102, but before any folding of the base 102 has taken place. Figure 3a shows only the outline of the floor 102 for simplicity.

A pair of fold guide indicators 108 are provided, with one on each side of the tent floor 102. Each fold guide indicator 108 is spaced from a first end 112 of the tent 100 by a distance equal to twice the fitting length Lf. The fold guide indicators 108 are therefore disposed opposite one another.

The tent 100 can be folded into the folded configuration by picking up the first end 112 of the tent 100 and folding it over in a folding direction (i.e. away from the initial position of the first end 112). This creates a folded portion 114 of the tent 100 that overlies the remainder of the tent 100, as shown in Figure 3b (in which the dotted pattern denotes the underside of the base 102). The free edge 116 of the folded portion 114 is brought into alignment with the fold guide indicators 108. In this way, the width of the folded portion 114 in the folded direction, between the free edge 116 and the resulting folded edge 118, is equal to the fitting length Lf.

The folded portion 114 can then be used as a reference for the remainder of the folding process. The folded edge 118 is picked up and folded over in the folding direction, so that the new fold line lies along the free edge 116 of the initial folded portion 114, to arrive at the configuration shown in Figure 3c. The folding process is then repeated, with the next fold line lying along the folded edge 118 of the initial folded portion 114, to arrive at the configuration of Figure 3d.

The remaining portion 120 of the tent 100, adjacent a second end 122 of the tent 100, can then be folded over in the opposite direction to the folding direction, as shown in Figure 3e. The folded tent 100 can then be rolled or folded in the direction perpendicular to the folding direction to arrive at the folded configuration. The tent 100 can then be inserted into the bag 50 for storage and transportation.

It will be appreciated that, in this example, the fitting length Lf corresponds to the width of the initial folded portion 114 needed to ensure that, after the sequence of folding steps has been completed, the resulting size of the folded configuration of the tent 100 is small enough to fit within the bag 50. Accordingly, for a given system 10, the fitting length Lf is determined primarily by the size of the bag 50 but is typically less than the interior length of the bag 50 to allow for the additional space taken up by the folds of the tent 100.

Figure 4 shows a variant of the tent 200 in which the fold guide indicators 208 are spaced from the first end 212 of the tent 200 by a distance of one fitting length Lf. In this case, the tent 200 is folded in the folding direction from the first end 212 so that the folded edge 218 of the folded portion 214, rather than the free edge 216, is brought into alignment with the fold guide indicators 208.

This results in a configuration, shown in Figure 4b, that is the same as that shown in Figure 3b (except that the fold guide indicators 108, 208 are in different positions in the two cases), and subsequent folding of the tent 200 occurs in the same way. Thus a second fold in the folding direction, with the fold line along the free edge 216 of the folded portion 214, brings the folded edge 218 of the folded portion 214 back into line with the fold guide indicators 208 (see Figure 4c), a third fold in the folding direction leaves a remaining portion 220 adjacent the second end 222 (Figure 4d), and a fourth fold opposite to the (initial) folding direction brings the remaining portion 220 on top of the rest of the tent 200 (Figure 4e).

In some variants of the invention, the initial folded portion may have a width that is a multiple of the fitting length Lf. By way of example, Figure 5a shows another tent 300, in which the fold guide indicators 308 are spaced from the first end 312 of the tent 300 by a distance equal to four times the fitting length Lf.

During a first folding step, the free edge 316 of the folded portion 314 is brought into alignment with the fold guide indicators 308. The folded portion 314 therefore has a width of twice the fitted length Lf between its free edge 316 and its folded edge 318, as shown in Figure 5b. A second folding step takes place by folding the remaining portion 320, adjacent the second end 322 of the tent 300, over the folded portion 314, with the fold line aligned with the free edge 316 of the folded portion 314 (and also with the fold guide indicators, in this example). This results in the configuration shown in Figure 5c, in which the width of the folded tent 300 is now twice the fitting length Lf.

In a third folding step, the tent 300 is folded in half in the folding direction, to bring the folded edge 318 of the (original) folded portion 314 into line with the fold guide indicators 308. As shown in Figure 5d, the resulting shape has a width approximately equal to the fitting length Lf. The tent 300 can then be folded or rolled perpendicular to the folding direction and stored in the bag 50.

In the examples above, the width of the folded portion that results from the first step of folding the tent from the first end in the folding direction is equal to the fitting length Lf (Figure 4a), twice the fitting length (Figure 3a), and four times the fitting length (Figure 5a). In another example (not illustrated), the width of the folded portion is eight times the fitting length. More generally, the width of the folded portion may be expressed as the fitting length Lf multiplied by a factor of 2 ^X , where x is an integer of 0 or greater and preferably of 3 or less.

In the illustrated examples, a free edge or a folded edge of the folded portion is aligned with the fold guide indicators. However, a different pre-defined part of the tent or shelter could be aligned with the fold guide indicators. For instance, indicators (such as coloured tabs, lines, printed indicia and so on) could be provided for alignment with the fold guide indicators.

The fold guide indicators could take any suitable form. For example, the fold guide indicators could take the form of printed, stitched or otherwise applied lines, dots, arrows or other symbols, or eyelets, flags, loops, ribbons, tapes, and so on. It is preferable if the fold guide indicators are readily distinguishable from the rest of the shelter, such as by being of a contrasting colour. It is also possible to provide pictographic or text instructions and/or identifiers on or adjacent to the fold guide indicators to assist the user when folding the shelter.

In some embodiments, a single fold guide indicator is provided, rather than a pair of fold guide indicators as illustrated in Figures 3a, 4a and 5a. In other embodiments, fold guide indicators may be provided to guide alignment during second and/or subsequent folding steps. Thus first and second fold guide indicators could be provided and positioned such that the shelter can be folded into the folded configuration with a first pre-defined part of the shelter aligned with the first fold guide indicator and a second pre-defined part of the shelter aligned with the second fold guide indicator.

While the illustrated examples show a shelter with a generally rectangular plan, the invention can also be applied to shelters with other shapes, for example those with curved, trapezoidal or pointed ends.

The invention is not limited to tents, and can be applied to substantially any portable shelter system where it is desirable to have a compact configuration of the shelter for storage and transportation. For instance, the invention could be used with shelters such as awnings, tent extensions, temporary gazebos, bivvies, windbreaks and the like.

Further modifications and variations not explicitly described above may also be contemplated without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.