US20060186119A1 - Collapsible structures with liners - Google Patents
Collapsible structures with liners Download PDFInfo
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- US20060186119A1 US20060186119A1 US11/064,380 US6438005A US2006186119A1 US 20060186119 A1 US20060186119 A1 US 20060186119A1 US 6438005 A US6438005 A US 6438005A US 2006186119 A1 US2006186119 A1 US 2006186119A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- liner
- panel
- frame member
- assembly
- panels
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Classifications
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- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F95/00—Laundry systems or arrangements of apparatus or machines; Mobile laundries
- D06F95/002—Baskets or bags specially adapted for holding or transporting laundry; Supports therefor
Abstract
A structure has at least three foldable frame members, each having a folded and an unfolded orientation. A fabric material covers each frame member to form a panel for each frame member when the frame member is in the unfolded orientation, and each panel is coupled to an adjacent panel to form a ring of panels that enclose an interior space. A liner is removably retained inside the interior space.
Description
- 1. Field of the Invention
- The present invention relates to collapsible structures, and in particular, to structures which can be reduced in size, and which are provided with a liner.
- 2. Description of the Prior Art
- The organization and storage of objects and items has become increasingly important given the large amounts of items that are in a house or office, and the small amounts of space that are provided. Shelving, stackable boxes, organizers and other similar products have become increasingly popular choices for people to store and organize objects and items.
- In addition, the provision of shelters and similar structures has found an increasing number of applications, including use as tents, play structures, and hunting blinds, among others.
- It is an object of the present invention to provide storage devices that are adapted to receive a variety of different types of objects and items.
- It is another object of the present invention to provide storage devices that can facilitate the effective organization of stored items.
- It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a liner that can be used with a collapsible structure.
- In order to accomplish the objects of the present invention, the present invention provides a structure having at least three foldable frame members, each having a folded and an unfolded orientation. A fabric material covers each frame member to form a panel for each frame member when the frame member is in the unfolded orientation, and each panel is coupled to an adjacent panel to form a ring of panels that enclose an interior space. A liner is removably retained inside the interior space. The structure can be used as a storage device, or as a shelter.
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FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a structure according to one embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the structure ofFIG. 1A shown in use with a liner. -
FIG. 1C is a partial cut-away view of the section C of the play structure ofFIG. 1A illustrating a frame member retained within a sleeve. -
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a connection between two adjacent panels of the structure ofFIG. 1A taken along line 2-2 thereof. -
FIGS. 3A through 3E illustrate how the structure ofFIG. 1 may be twisted and folded for compact storage. -
FIGS. 4-9 are perspective views of structures according to different embodiments of the present invention. -
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a structure according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an internal wire that is used to define and support the structure ofFIG. 10 . -
FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the structure ofFIG. 10 taken along line 12-12 thereof. -
FIGS. 13-15 are perspective views of structures according to other embodiments of the present invention. -
FIG. 16 illustrates how the structure ofFIG. 15 can be reduced into a smaller configuration. - The following detailed description is of the best presently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating general principles of embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
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FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate one embodiment of the present invention, where astructure 20 has four generallyflat panels panel FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate each panel as having four sides, aleft side 30, abottom side 32, aright side 34 and atop side 36. Eachpanel frame retaining sleeve 38 provided along and traversing the edges of itssides frame member 40 is retained or held within eachframe retaining sleeve 38 to support eachpanel frame member 40 is shown inFIG. 1C ; theother frame members 40 are not shown but are the same asframe member 40. - Each
frame member 40 may be provided as one continuous loop, or may comprise a strip of material connected at both ends to form a continuous loop, or a strip of material having opposing ends that are spaced-apart or overlap inside thesleeve 38. Eachframe member 40 is preferably formed of flexible coilable steel having a memory, although other materials such as plastics may also be used. The frame members should be made of a material which is relatively strong and yet is flexible to a sufficient degree to allow it to be coiled. Thus, eachframe member 40 is capable of assuming two positions or orientations, an open or expanded position such as shown inFIG. 1A , or a folded position in which the frame member is collapsed into a size which is much smaller than its open position (seeFIG. 3E ). - Fabric or
sheet material 42 extends across eachpanel respective frame member 40 when in its open position. The term fabric is to be given its broadest meaning and should be made from strong, lightweight materials and may include woven fabrics, sheet fabrics or even films. The fabric should be water-resistant and durable to withstand wear and tear. Eachframe member 40 may be merely retained within the respectiveframe retaining sleeve 38 without being connected thereto. Alternatively, theframe retaining sleeves 38 may be mechanically fastened, stitched, fused, or glued to therespective frame members 40 to retain them in position. -
FIG. 2 illustrates a possible connection for connecting adjacent edges of twopanels fabric pieces 42 are stitched at their edges by astitching 44 to therespective sleeves 38. Eachsleeve 38 may be formed by folding a piece of fabric. Thestitching 44 also acts as a hinge for thepanels left side 30 and theright side 34 of eachpanel - At the
top side 36 and thebottom side 32 of eachpanel frame retaining sleeve 38 may be formed by merely folding over the corresponding fabric piece and applying a stitching 46 (seeFIG. 1C ). Thefabric piece 42 for the corresponding panel may then be stitched to thesleeve 38. - A
fabric base 50 may be connected to thebottom side 32 of eachpanel fabric base 50 can be made of the same type of material as thefabric material 42. In addition, one ormore handles 56 can be attached (e.g., by stitching) to one or more of thepanels fabric 42 or the top side 36). -
Openings 52 may be provided in some or all of thepanels openings 52 may be of any shape (e.g., triangular, circular, rectangular, square, diamond, etc.). - While the
structure 20 ofFIG. 1A is shown and described as having four panels, each having four sides, it will be appreciated that thestructure 20 may be made of any number of panels, each having any number of sides, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, eachstructure 20 may have three or more panels, and each panel may have three or more sides. Thus, thebasic structure 20 of the present invention may take a variety of external shapes. However, each panel of thestructure 20, regardless of its shape, is supported by at least oneframe member 40. -
FIGS. 3A through 3E describe the various steps for folding and collapsing thestructure 20 ofFIG. 1 for storage. InFIG. 3A , the first step consists of pushing inpanels panel 24 collapses uponpanel 22, andpanel 26 collapses uponpanel 28. Then, in the second step shown inFIG. 3B , the twopanels panels panels respective frame members 40. The stack of panels is then twisted and folded to collapse the frame members and panels into a smaller shape. In the third step shown inFIG. 3C , theopposite border 45 of the structure is folded in upon the previous fold to collapse the frame members with the panels. As shown inFIG. 3D , the fourth step is to continue the collapsing so that the initial size of the structure is reduced.FIG. 3E shows the fifth step with the frame members and panels collapsed on each other to provide for a small essentially compact configuration having a plurality of concentric frame members and layers of the panels so that the collapsed structure has a size which is a fraction of the size of theinitial structure 20. - As best shown in
FIG. 1B , aninner liner 60 can be seated inside the interior space defined by thepanels liner 60 can be made of a fabric material that has sufficient strength to support and hold items and objects to be stored inside theliner 60. Theliner 60 can even be provided in the form of a conventional laundry bag having a drawstring (e.g., seeliner 60 f inFIG. 9 andliner 104 inFIG. 10 ) that can be pulled and tied together to seal the contents inside theliner 60. Theliner 60 can be sized and configured to fit snugly inside the interior space defined by thepanels liner 60 itself would define abottom wall 62 and four side walls (e.g., 64). Theliner 60 can be provided with anupper border 66 that can be folded over thetop sides 36 of thepanels - The
liner 60 provides a storage function as it holds or retains items or objects. The structure 20 (and in particular, itspanels liner 60. When theliner 60 is fitted inside thestructure 20, the entire assembly 10 (thestructure 20 and the liner 60) can be lifted and carried around as a single assembly. Theliner 60 is removable from thestructure 20, so theliner 60 can be washed, or adifferent liner 60 can be used with thestructure 20. The ability to replaceliners 60 is useful because the user may have worn out an existingliner 60, or may desire to use aliner 60 that has a different color or pattern. As a result, the use of theliner 60 can impart different appearances to theentire assembly 10, thereby providing an improved aesthetic effect for thestructure 20. In addition, theunderlying structure 20 does not need to be changed, thereby increasing the useful life of thestructure 20. - The
assembly 10 shown inFIG. 1B can be used in many applications. For example, theassembly 10 can be used to store items and objects, such as laundry, toys, folded clothing, stationery, books, diapers, tools, utensils, food, etc. Theassembly 10 can also be used as a shelter if thestructure 20 is provided in a larger size. For example, openings can be provided in the fabric material 42 (e.g., 52) and in theliner 60 to allow for ingress and egress, and the opened top of theliner 60 can be sealed by extending the material of theliner 60 over its top. -
FIG. 4 illustrates an assembly 10 a according to another embodiment of the present invention. The assembly 10 a is essentially the same as theassembly 10 inFIGS. 1-3E , so the same numeral designations will be used for the same elements in bothFIGS. 1-3E andFIG. 4 except than an “a” is added to the designations of the same elements inFIG. 4 . The structure 20 a inFIG. 4 can be the same as thestructure 20, but the liner 60 a actually extends outside the panels 22 a, 24 a, 26 a, 28 a of the structure 20 a, with the structure 20 a seated inside the interior of the liner 60 a to provide structural support and structural integrity for the liner 60 a. The liner 60 a can be separated from the structure 20 a, so the liner 60 a can be washed, or a different liner 60 a can be used with the structure 20 a. In addition, an optional opening 29 can be provided in awall 64 a of the liner 60 a to allow ingress and egress if the assembly 10 a is to be used as a shelter. -
FIG. 5 illustrates an assembly 10 b according to another embodiment of the present invention. The assembly 10 b is similar to the assembly 10 a inFIG. 4 , so the same numeral designations will be used for the same elements in bothFIG. 4 andFIG. 5 except than a “b” is used for the designations of the same elements inFIG. 5 . The structure 20 b can be the same as thestructures 20 and 20 a except that thepanels -
FIG. 6 illustrates anassembly 10 c according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. The assembly 1Oc is similar to the assembly 1Ob inFIG. 5 , so the same numeral designations will be used for the same elements in bothFIG. 5 andFIG. 6 except than a “c” is used for the designations of the same elements inFIG. 6 . Again, the structure 20 c is positioned inside the interior of the liner 60 c. The structure 20 c further includes aborder frame member 90 havingopposite sides 92 and 94 that are hingedly connected (e.g., using the technique shown inFIG. 2 ) to thetop sides 36 c of the panels 28 c and 24 c, respectively. Theborder frame member 90 is oriented transverse to the panels 24 c, 28 c when the structure 20 c is deployed for use. Theborder frame member 90 can be housed in a frame retaining sleeve that can be the same assleeve 38. The interior region defined by theborder frame member 90 can be covered with fabric, or can be opened to act as a mouth for theassembly 10 c to receive objects and items that are to be stored in theassembly 10 c. Theborder frame member 90 also functions to space and connect the panels 24 c and 28 c, and to provide increased support for the structure 20 c. Theborder frame member 90 can be twisted and folded in the same manner as theother frame members 40. Thus, the structure 20 c can be reduced in size by folding the panels 24 c and 28 c on to theborder frame member 90 about their hinged connections to form a stack of three frame members and panels, with the stack twisted and folded using the principles illustrated inFIGS. 3C-3E . -
FIG. 7 illustrates anassembly 10 d according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. Theassembly 10 d is similar to theassembly 10 c inFIG. 6 , so the same numeral designations will be used for the same elements in bothFIG. 6 andFIG. 7 except than a “d” is used for the designations of the same elements inFIG. 7 . Again, thestructure 20 d is positioned inside the interior of theliner 60 d to support theliner 60 d, and thestructure 20 d includes a border frame member 90 d. However, thestructure 20 d inFIG. 7 has foursmaller panels panels panel panels panels assembly 10 d to receive objects and items that are to be stored in theassembly 10 d. The border frame member 90 d functions in the same manner as theborder frame member 90, and thestructure 20 d can be reduced in size by folding thepanels FIGS. 3C-3E . -
FIG. 8 illustrates anassembly 10 e according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. Theassembly 10 e is similar to theassemblies FIGS. 6-7 , and borrows from the principles illustrated inFIGS. 6-7 , so the same numeral designations will be used for the same elements in bothFIGS. 6-7 andFIG. 8 except than an “e” is used for the designations of the same elements inFIG. 8 . Again, thestructure 20 e is positioned inside the interior of the liner 60 e to support the liner 60 e. Here, thestructure 20 e includes two border frame members 90 e and 92 e positioned parallel and spaced-apart from each other, with two panels 22 e and 26 e hingedly connected between the two border frame members 90 e and 92 e in opposing relationship. The panels 22 e and 26 e can be the same as thepanels FIG. 7 .Fabric 91 e can be attached to the panels 22 e, 24 e, 26 e, 28 e and the frame members 90 e, 92 e to create a space enclosed by the panels 22 e, 24 e, 26 e, 28 e, the frame members 90 e, 92 e and thefabric 91 e. Alternatively, thefabric 91 e can be omitted. The interior region defined by one border frame member 90 e can be covered with fabric, or can also be opened to act as a mouth for theassembly 10 e to receive objects and items that are to be stored in theassembly 10 e. The interior region defined by the other border frame member 92 e can also be opened, or covered by a fabric material. -
FIG. 9 illustrates an assembly 10 f according to another embodiment of the present invention. The assembly 10 f is similar to the assembly 10 b inFIG. 5 , and borrows from the principles illustrated inFIGS. 1-3E and 5, so the same numeral designations will be used for the same elements in bothFIG. 5 andFIG. 9 except than an “f” is used for the designations of the same elements inFIG. 9 . The structure 20 f inFIG. 9 can be the same as the structure 20 b, but the liner 60 a is received inside the interior space defined by thepanels Poles 22 f and 26 f can be inserted throughopenings 86 f provided in thefabric material 44 f of thepanels liner 60 f can be removed from the structure 20 f, so theliner 60 f can be washed, or adifferent liner 60 f can be used with the structure 20 f. -
FIGS. 10-12 illustrate anassembly 100 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. Theassembly 100 includes a structure 102 and aliner 104. Theliner 104 can have the same construction as theliner 60 described above. The structure 102 resembles a tunnel, and has aninternal support wire 122 supporting a covering 124 which is attached to thewire 122 to define the tunnel-like interior. Thewire 122 is helically coiled, with theadjacent coils 123 being normally biased in spaced apart relation, as shown inFIG. 11 . Thewire 122 defines afirst end 126 and asecond end 128. At the first and second ends 126 and 128, thewire 122 extends past theouter coil end wire 122 overlaps with theouter coil - The covering 124 is attached to the
wire 122 by gluing, stitching, fusing, mechanically fastening or other conventional attachment methods. Alternatively, as shown inFIGS. 10 and 12 , asleeve 130 may be stitched or otherwise provided along the covering 124 with thewire 122 housed or attached therein. Thefirst end 126 of thewire 122 terminates at a first substantiallycircular edge 132 of thecovering 124. Theouter coil 123 a of thefirst end 126 forms a substantially circular end wire portion 134 to provide support to thefirst edge 132 of thecovering 124. Similarly, thesecond end 128 of thewire 122 terminates at a second substantially circular edge 136 of thecovering 124. Theouter coil 123 b of thesecond end 128 forms another substantially circularend wire portion 140 to provide support to the second edge 136. The circular end wire portion 134 and itscircular edge 132 defines an opening through which theliner 104 may be inserted. The opening defined by thewire portion 140 and the circular edge 136 can be covered by afabric wall 138. Thus, the covering 124 and thefabric wall 138 together define an enclosed interior space that receives theliner 104. - The overlapping segment 125 a may be attached to the
outer coil 123 a along the length of the segment 125 a, or theouter coil 123 a and the overlapping segment 125 a at thefirst end 126 of thewire 122 may be retained in thesame sleeve 130. Similarly, the overlapping segment 125 b may be attached to theouter coil 123 b along the length of the segment 125 b, or theouter coil 123 b and the overlapping segment 125 b at thesecond end 128 of thewire 122 may be retained in thesame sleeve 130. - A first set of
tie members 142 is provided in spaced-apart manner along thefirst edge 132, and a second set oftie members 144 is provided in spaced-apart manner along the second edge 136. Eachtie member tie members - In addition, one or
more handles 148 can be attached (e.g., by stitching) in spaced-apart manner to thecircular edge 132. - The
wire 122 is preferably made from a strong yet springy metal, such as steel or iron, but also can be made from other strong and coilable materials, such as fiberglass or plastic. Such materials are preferably capable of allowing thewire 122 to maintain its coiled shape. The covering 124 is preferably made from a strong durable fabric, such as cotton, canvas, mesh or net, but can also be made from other strong durable materials such as PVC or plastic. The term fabric is to be given its broadest meaning and should be made from strong, lightweight materials and may include woven fabrics, sheet fabrics or even films. The covering 124 can be water-resistant and should be durable to withstand wear and tear associated with extended use with heavy objects. - The structure 102 can be easily collapsed and folded for storage by compressing the
wire 122. Specifically, to compress thewire 122, the user grips the circular end wire portion 134, or thefirst edge 132, of the structure 102 with one hand, and while using the other hand to grip the other circularend wire portion 140, or the second edge 136, pushes or compresses the end wire portion 134 against theend wire portion 140. This compresses the plurality of helical coils of thewire 122 against each other. This compression is made possible by the springy nature of thewire 122, and its helically coiled configuration. With thewire 122 compressed, the tie members of the first and second sets oftie members - The
liner 104 provides a storage function as it holds or retains items or objects. The structure 102 provides structural support and structural integrity for theliner 104. When theliner 104 is fitted inside the structure 102, the entire assembly 100 (the structure 102 and the liner 104) can be lifted using thehandles 148, and carried around as a single assembly. Theliner 104 is removable from the structure 102, so theliner 104 can be washed, or adifferent liner 104 can be used with the structure 102. -
FIG. 13 illustrates anassembly 200 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. Theassembly 200 includes astructure 202 and aliner 204. Theliner 204 can have the same construction as theliner 60 described above. Thestructure 202 also resembles a tunnel, and has afirst end loop 222 and a secondopposing end loop 224 that are separated and coupled by a plurality of panels. In the embodiment ofFIG. 13 , thestructure 202 has twopanels panels lateral sides second end side 234. The first end side 230 of eachpanel first end loop 222, and thesecond end side 234 of eachpanel second end loop 224. Thesecond end loop 224 functions as a bottom that is adapted to rest on the ground or surface, and thefirst end loop 222 can function as an open top. Thepanels FIG. 13 , thepanels Fabric 240 can be stitched to thelateral sides panel end loops structure 202. Theloops - Each
loop frame retaining sleeve 242. An optional fabric can extend completely across the space enclosed by theloop 224, while the space enclosed by theloop 222 is preferably opened. As a result, theloop 222 defines a top opening through which theliner 204 can be introduced or removed. - As set forth above, the first end side 230 of each
panel first end loop 222, and thesecond end side 234 of eachpanel second end loop 224. The hinged connections can be the same as that illustrated inFIG. 2 . As an alternative, thesides 230 and 234 can be removably connected to theloops sides 230, 234 and the circumference of theloops - In addition, one or
more handles 248 can be attached (e.g., by stitching) in spaced-apart manner to thefirst end loop 222. - The
structure 202 can be the same as the structures illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5A of U.S. Pat. No. 6,668,847 to Zheng, whose entire disclosure is hereby incorporated by this reference as though fully set forth herein. Thestructure 202 can be twisted and folded in the manner shown and described in connection with FIGS. 5A-5E of U.S. Pat. No. 6,668,847 to Zheng. - The
liner 204 provides a storage function as it holds or retains items or objects. Thestructure 202 provides structural support and structural integrity for theliner 204. When theliner 204 is fitted inside thestructure 202, the entire assembly 200 (thestructure 202 and the liner 204) can be lifted using thehandles 248, and carried around as a single assembly. Theliner 204 is removable from thestructure 202, so theliner 204 can be washed, or adifferent liner 204 can be used with thestructure 202. -
FIG. 14 illustrates anassembly 300 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. Theassembly 300 includes astructure 302 and aliner 304. Theliner 304 can have the same construction as theliner 60 described above. Thestructure 302 is made up of a single figure-eightframe member 306, which can be the same as the figure-eight frame member shown and described in FIGS. 1 and 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,892 to Norman, whose entire disclosure is hereby incorporated by this reference as though fully set forth herein. The figure-eight configuration of the frame member is characterized by a left loop 306 a separated from aright loop 306 b by acrossover point 310. Eachloop 306 a, 306 b has astraight portion 312 for resting on a flat surface when thestructure 302 is in the configuration shown inFIG. 14 . Theframe member 306 can be formed from any of the materials used for theframe members 40 described above. The figure-eight configuration shown inFIG. 14 can be formed by a single 360 degree twist of theframe member 306. - The
structure 302 has left and rightframe retaining sleeves 320 and 322, respectively, which retain theframe member 306. Thesleeves 320 and 322 also define straight portions that retain the respectivestraight portions 312. Afirst fabric 330 can be stitched or otherwise attached to the interior space defined by theloops 306 a, 306 b. A second fabric 332 can be stitched or otherwise attached to the space outside theloops 306 a, 306 b, so that the first andsecond fabrics 330, 332 together define an enclosed space inside thestructure 302. - The
structure 302 can be reduced to a smaller configuration by pushing or deforming thestraight portions 312 towards each other, causing the twolarge loops 306 a, 306 b to be deformed so that they overlie each other. Then, thecrossover 310 is partly bent towards one of thestraight portions 312. Theloops 306 a, 306 b are then twisted and folded using the principles illustrated inFIGS. 3C-3E herein, and in FIGS. 5-7 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,892. - An
optional opening 340 can be provided in thefirst fabric 330 of the loop 306 a adjacent the top of thestructure 302 near thecrossover 310. Theliner 304 is adapted to be fitted through theopening 340 into the interior of thestructure 302. Theliner 304 provides a storage function as it holds or retains items or objects. Thestructure 302 provides structural support and structural integrity for theliner 304. When theliner 304 is fitted inside thestructure 302, the entire assembly 300 (thestructure 302 and the liner 304) can be lifted using the handles 342 (which can be attached to theloops 306 a, 306 b), and carried around as a single assembly. Theliner 304 is removable from thestructure 302, so theliner 304 can be washed, or adifferent liner 304 can be used with thestructure 302. -
FIG. 15 illustrates astructure 402 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. A liner (not shown) is adapted to be introduced through anopening 404 in the top of thestructure 402. The liner can have the same construction as theliner 60 described above. Thestructure 402 is made up of a twoseparate frame members frame members frame members 40 described above. Eachframe member structure 402. Specifically, theframe member 406 has abase portion 410 and anarched portion 412, while theframe member 408 has abase portion 414 and anarched portion 416. Theframe members points 418 where eachframe member frame member sleeve 38 described above.Fabric material 420 can be attached to the sleeve of theframe members frame members opening 404 can be provided in thefabric material 420 at the top of thestructure 402 between thearched portions - Referring to
FIG. 16 , thestructure 402 can be reduced to a smaller configuration by pushing thebase portions FIGS. 3C-3E herein. - The liner is adapted to be fitted through the
opening 404 into the interior of thestructure 402. The liner provides a storage function as it holds or retains items or objects. Thestructure 402 provides structural support and structural integrity for the liner. When the liner is fitted inside thestructure 402, the entire assembly (thestructure 402 and the liner) can be lifted using the handles 430 (which can be attached to the top of thearched portions 416 and 412), and carried around as a single assembly. The liner is removable from thestructure 402, so that the liner can be washed, or a different liner can be used with thestructure 402. - Thus, the present invention provides numerous embodiments of storage structures and shelters that allow a replaceable liner to be used with a collapsible structure. The liner can be removed, and the structure itself can be reduced to a smaller configuration for ease of storage, packing and transportation.
- While the description above refers to particular embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. The accompanying claims are intended to cover such modifications as would fall within the true scope and spirit of the present invention.
Claims (15)
1. A structure comprising:
at least three foldable frame members, each having a folded and an unfolded orientation;
a fabric material covering each frame member to form a panel for each frame member when the frame member is in the unfolded orientation;
each panel being coupled to an adjacent panel to form a ring of panels that enclose an interior space; and
a liner that is removably retained inside the interior space.
2. The structure of claim 1 , wherein each panel has a left side and a right side, with the left side of each panel coupled to the right side of an adjacent panel, and the right side of each panel coupled to the left side of another adjacent panel.
3. The structure of claim 2 , wherein the left side and right side of each panel is vertical.
4. The structure of claim 1 , wherein each frame member is twisted and folded to form a plurality of concentric loops when in the folded orientation.
5. The structure of claim 1 , wherein each panel has a bottom side which rests on a surface to support the structure.
6. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the liner is made of a fabric material.
7. An assembly, comprising:
a structure having:
at least three foldable frame members, each having a folded and an unfolded orientation;
a fabric material covering each frame member to form a panel for each frame member when the frame member is in the unfolded orientation; and
each panel being coupled to an adjacent panel to form a ring of panels; and
a liner that has an interior space, with the structure removably retained inside the interior space of the liner.
8. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein each panel has a left side and a right side, with the left side of each panel coupled to the right side of an adjacent panel, and the right side of each panel coupled to the left side of another adjacent panel.
9. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the left side and right side of each panel is vertical.
10. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein each frame member is twisted and folded to form a plurality of concentric loops when in the folded orientation.
11. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein each panel has a bottom side which rests on a surface to support the structure.
12. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the liner is made of a fabric material.
13. The assembly of claim 7 , further including a border frame member that couples the panels.
14. A structure comprising:
a coiled wire supporting a covering which is attached to the wire to define a tunnel-like interior space, the coiled loop and the covering having a first opened end and a second closed end; and
a liner that is removably retained inside the interior space.
15. The structure of claim 14 , further including a first tie member provided at the first end, and a second tie member provided at the second end.
Priority Applications (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US11/064,380 US20060186119A1 (en) | 2005-02-23 | 2005-02-23 | Collapsible structures with liners |
US12/387,521 US20090212050A1 (en) | 2005-02-23 | 2009-05-04 | Collapsible structures with liners |
US12/660,419 US20100155397A1 (en) | 2005-02-23 | 2010-02-26 | Collapsible structures with liners |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
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US11/064,380 US20060186119A1 (en) | 2005-02-23 | 2005-02-23 | Collapsible structures with liners |
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US12/387,521 Continuation US20090212050A1 (en) | 2005-02-23 | 2009-05-04 | Collapsible structures with liners |
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US20060186119A1 true US20060186119A1 (en) | 2006-08-24 |
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US11/064,380 Abandoned US20060186119A1 (en) | 2005-02-23 | 2005-02-23 | Collapsible structures with liners |
US12/387,521 Abandoned US20090212050A1 (en) | 2005-02-23 | 2009-05-04 | Collapsible structures with liners |
US12/660,419 Abandoned US20100155397A1 (en) | 2005-02-23 | 2010-02-26 | Collapsible structures with liners |
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US12/387,521 Abandoned US20090212050A1 (en) | 2005-02-23 | 2009-05-04 | Collapsible structures with liners |
US12/660,419 Abandoned US20100155397A1 (en) | 2005-02-23 | 2010-02-26 | Collapsible structures with liners |
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Cited By (15)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20040139996A1 (en) * | 2003-01-17 | 2004-07-22 | Yu Zheng | Collapsible structures |
WO2007111831A1 (en) * | 2006-03-22 | 2007-10-04 | Azad Sabounjian | Collapsible container |
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US20090212050A1 (en) | 2009-08-27 |
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