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  Tent assemblyUSPTO Application #: 20060174929Title: Tent assembly Abstract: A tent assembly includes a leg support frame, a top support frame including at least three angularly spaced-apart top supporting rods extending outwardly from a mid-part thereof, and a tent cover having a cover body covering the top support frame and a plurality of engaging grooves. Each top supporting rod has an inner fixed section, an outer retractable section telescopically connected to the inner fixed section and having an insert end, and a positioning unit for positioning the outer retractable section to the inner fixed section. The outer retractable section of each top supporting rod engages and disengages from a corresponding one of the engaging grooves when the outer retractable section is disposed in extended and retracted positions, respectively. (end of abstract)
Agent: Ladas & Parry LLP - Chicago, IL, US Inventor: Chuen-Jong Tseng USPTO Applicaton #: 20060174929 - Class: 135159000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Tent, Canopy, Umbrella, Or Cane, Portable Shelter (i.e., Tent Or Canopy), Framework, Parallelogram Type, Upwardly Extending Roof Structure, Having Central Hub The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060174929. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The invention relates to a tent assembly, more particularly to a tent assembly that is easy to assemble. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional tent assembly 1 includes a leg support frame 10 mounted on the ground, a top support frame 11 connected to the leg support frame 10, and a tent cover 12 mounted on the top support frame 11. The leg support frame 10 includes a plurality of spaced-apart upright posts 101, and a plurality of horizontal rods 102, each of which is connected between two adjacent ones of the upright posts 101. The top support frame 11 includes a central connecting unit 111, a plurality of top supporting rods 112 extending outwardly from the central connecting unit 111 toward top portions of the upright posts 101, and a plurality of reinforcing rods 113 extending outwardly from the central connecting unit 111 toward central portions of the horizontal rods 102. Each of the top supporting rods 112 has an insert end 114 protruding outwardly from the leg support frame 10. The tent cover 12 is made by sewing a canvas or plastic material, and includes a rectangular cover body 121 that covers the top support frame 11, and four sleeve portions 122, each of which is located at a respective corner of the cover body 121 and defines a groove 123 that faces toward a central portion of the tent cover 12. [0005] During assembly, one of the sleeve portions 122 is first sleeved on the insert end 114 of a respective top supporting rod 112 through the groove 123, after which the other sleeve portions 122 are successively sleeved on the insert ends 114 of the corresponding top supporting rods 112, thereby mounting the tent cover 12 on the top support frame 11. [0006] Although the aforementioned conventional tent assembly 1 can achieve its intended purpose, the conventional tent assembly 1 is difficult to assemble, and is not stable after assembly. The resulting dimensions of the tent cover 12 after cutting and sewing are the main cause of these problems. Namely, if the dimensions of the tent cover 12 are approximate to the area of the top support frame 11, when the sleeve portions 122 are sleeved on the insert ends 114 of the top supporting rods 112, the four corners of the tent cover 12 are stretched in such a manner that the tent cover 12 is stably supported on the top support frame 11. However, sleeving the last sleeve portion 122 onto the corresponding insert end 114 is difficult since a significant force has to be exerted to create enough slack in the cover body 12 and to allow the last sleeve portion 122 to be sleeved onto the corresponding insert end 114. If the dimensions of the tent cover 12 are slightly larger than the area of the top support frame 11, on the other hand, although assembly of the tent cover 12 to the top support frame 11 is easy, the tent cover 12 tends to flap when blown by the wind, and experiences other such similar problems as a result of being too loosely mounted on the top support frame 11. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a tent assembly that can be easily assembled and that is stable after assembly. [0008] According to this invention, a tent assembly comprises a leg support frame, a top support frame, and a tent cover. The top support frame includes at least three angularly spaced-apart top supporting rods extending outwardly from a mid-part of the top support frame. Each of the top supporting rods has an inner fixed section, an outer retractable section telescopically connected to the inner fixed section, and a positioning unit for positioning the outer retractable section to the inner fixed section. The outer retractable section has an insert end. The tent cover includes a cover body covering the top support frame, and a plurality of engaging grooves for insertion of the top supporting rods. The outer retractable section of each of the top supporting rods engages a corresponding one of the engaging grooves when the outer retractable section is disposed in an extended position. The outer retractable section of each of the top supporting rods disengages from the corresponding one of the engaging grooves when the outer retractable section is disposed in a retracted position. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: [0010] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional tent assembly; [0011] FIG. 2 is a partly exploded perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of a tent assembly according to the present invention; [0012] FIG. 3 is a fragmentary exploded sectional view of a top supporting rod of the first preferred embodiment; [0013] FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of the first preferred embodiment; [0014] FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the top supporting rod of the first preferred embodiment in a retracted state; [0015] FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but illustrating the top supporting rod of the first preferred embodiment in an extended state; [0016] FIG. 7 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of a top supporting rod of the second preferred embodiment of a tent assembly according to the present invention; [0017] FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of the top supporting rod of the second preferred embodiment in a retracted state; and [0018] FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, but illustrating the top supporting rod of the second preferred embodiment in an extended state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0019] Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure. [0020] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, the first preferred embodiment of a tent assembly according to the present invention is shown to comprise a leg support frame 2, a top support frame 3, and a tent cover 4. The leg support frame 2 is adapted to be mounted on the ground, and includes four spaced-apart upright posts 21, and four horizontal rods 22. Each of the horizontal rods 22 is connected between two adjacent ones of the upright posts 21 by welding. Alternatively, each horizontal rod 22 can be connected detachably between two adjacent ones of the upright posts 21. The top support frame 3 is connected to the leg support frame 2, and includes a central connecting unit 31, a plurality of angularly spaced-apart top supporting rods 30, and a plurality of spaced-apart reinforcing rods 35. The central connecting unit 31 has a height higher than a top edge of the leg support frame 2. Continue reading... Full patent description for Tent assembly Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Tent assembly patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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