Tent – canopy – umbrella – or cane – Portable shelter – Closure – viewing window – awning – or sunshade
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-31
2002-11-26
Cuomo, Peter M. (Department: 3636)
Tent, canopy, umbrella, or cane
Portable shelter
Closure, viewing window, awning, or sunshade
C135S120300, C114S361000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06484739
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention is generally directed to a slidable door and sidewall, and more particularly, to a slidable door and sidewall suitable for use with tents, awnings, restaurant patio shielding and other protective enclosures, as well as methods related thereto.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are numerous types of protective enclosures available for protecting an interior space from the elements. For example, tents, awnings, canopies, and other protective structures are readily available from a number of different manufacturers for those interested in shielding an interior space from one or more natural elements such as sun, wind, rain and snow. Such protective enclosures are available in all kinds of shapes and sizes, and are known to be made from both natural and synthetic materials, including blends thereof.
Historically, canvas and other natural fabrics have been used in the manufacture of protective enclosures. Tents and awnings, for example, have historically been made from canvas because canvas provides for a high-level of protection from the elements, and because canvas is generally readily foldable into a more compact structure, which is highly desirable for purposes of storage and transport. More recently, however, protective enclosures have also been made from a variety of synthetic fabrics which are also readily foldable, synthetic fabrics such as those made with polyamide (e.g., nylon), polyester, polytetrafluoroethylene (e.g., GORE-TEX), and polyvinylchloride, as well as various blends thereof. In either case, the natural and synthetic fabrics used in the manufacture of protective enclosures are generally considered to be either fibrous, like canvas, or non-fibrous (i.e., nonwoven), like many synthetic fabrics such as vinyl sheets.
A significant improvement associated with protective enclosures, made from either a natural and/or synthetic fabric, has been the development of transparent windows and doors. More specifically, protective enclosures for boats and automobiles have been developed that include one or more transparent windows that allow for unobstructed viewing for the occupant(s) within the interior space associated therewith. For example, transparent windows have been incorporated into automobile convertible tops (e.g., rear windows), as well as boat enclosures (e.g., sailboat storm dodger). These windows have traditionally been made from either glass or clear vinyl. Similarly, tents and awnings have likewise incorporated transparent windows into their respective doorways and sidewalls; however, these windows have usually been made from only clear vinyl, and not glass, for obvious safety reasons.
There are, however, several drawbacks associated with protective enclosures having glass and clear vinyl windows. For example, because glass is generally inflexible and a relatively poor shock absorber, it may readily break and thus has only limited utility in an otherwise flexible and foldable protective enclosure. As a substitute for glass, clear vinyl sheets have been utilized for windows; however, such clear vinyl has a tendency to form wrinkles and creases with use, it scratches relatively easily, and it may lose its transparency (e.g., yellow) over time. Furthermore, clear vinyl is somewhat susceptible to changes in size and shape as a result of temperature fluctuations.
An alternative to both glass and clear vinyl windows has been the use of semi-rigid clear plastic materials, such as polycarbonate and acrylic-based thermoplastic sheets. These materials are characterized by high transparency, ease of cleaning, and high shock resistance. Moreover, these materials are generally not susceptible to changes in size and shape as a result of temperature fluctuations. As such, the use of semi-rigid clear plastic materials as windows in protective enclosures has been seen as a significant improvement over glass and clear vinyl, especially in the context of high-end boat enclosures and party/exhibition tents. Exemplary in this regard is U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,703 to Smith and U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,771 to Sofie et al.
Although protective enclosures having semi-rigid clear plastic windows are now available, there are still several shortcomings associated with existing protective enclosures that need to be overcome. For example, and in the context of high-end boat enclosures and party/exhibition tents, existing protective enclosures generally include one or more doors, several sidewalls, as well as a plurality of windows. The doors and windows are typically opened and closed by means of a zipper; however, other means such as snaps, buttons, tie-downs, and VELCRO are also known. Similarly, the sidewalls of such protective enclosures are typically attached to one another (as well as to (1) flexible ropes and/or awning cords generally associated with the underlying rigid/flexible framing structure of pole tents, and (2) rigid cross-members generally associated with the underlying rigid framing structure of span tents) by means of a zipper, snaps, buttons, tie-downs or VELCRO. The use of such attachment means poses several disadvantages.
For example, zippers, snaps, buttons, tie-downs and VELCRO are all somewhat cumbersome to use in the sense that they require a relatively high level of physical and cognitive effort to successfully operate. As such, zippers, snaps, buttons, tie-downs, VELCRO, and the like may pose a significant safety concern in an emergency situation. Indeed, large party/exhibition tents are generally occupied with their doors open, or at least unsecured, to facilitate evacuation in the event of a fire or other emergency. In addition, the assembly and disassembly of protective enclosures such as party/exhibition tents (and storage of the same) is often an arduous task because of the multiple and non-modular components involved.
Accordingly, and although significant advances have been made in the field of protective enclosures, there is still a need in the art for improved protective enclosures and methods related thereto. In particular, there is a need for foldable doors and sidewalls associated with such protective enclosures. The present invention fulfills these needs, and provides for further related advantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In brief, the present invention is generally directed to a slidable door and sidewall, and more particularly, to a slidable door and sidewall suitable for use with tents, awnings, restaurant patio shielding, and other protective enclosures. The present invention is also directed to methods for retrofitting a protective enclosure (e.g., frame structure associated with a collapsible tent) with a slidable door or sidewall, as well as to kits for accomplishing the same.
In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a foldable door or sidewall adapted for detachable attachment with a protective enclosure, wherein the foldable door or sidewall comprises a flexible sheet having a continuous perimeter that defines a plurality of discrete door or sidewall edges, wherein at least one of the door or sidewall edges is adapted to slidably engage a slide track, and further comprises at least one magnet integrally associated with at least one of the door or sidewall edges of the flexible sheet, wherein the door or sidewall edge having the at least one magnet integrally associated therewith is not the same as the door or sidewall edge adapted to slidably engage the slide track. The foldable door or sidewall may further comprise a semi-rigid thermoplastic resinous sheet in an integral and coplanar relationship with the flexible sheet, wherein the semi-rigid thermoplastic resinous sheet defines a window. In addition, the flexible sheet may be either a fibrous material, a non-fibrous material, as well as various blends thereof. The semi-rigid thermoplastic resinous sheet may be transparent, and may have a decorative decal or strip affixed thereto so as to alter the transparency of the otherwise transparent thermoplastic resinous sheet.
In another embodiment, the present invention is directed to a collapsible
Barrett John A.
Sofie Michael P.
Anderson Jerry A.
Barrett Enclosures, Inc.
Cuomo Peter M.
Seed Intellectual Property Law Group PLLC
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