Tent – canopy – umbrella – or cane – Portable shelter – Cone-shaped type
Patent
1998-09-08
2000-07-04
Stephan, Beth A.
Tent, canopy, umbrella, or cane
Portable shelter
Cone-shaped type
135116, 135119, 52 64, E04H 1540
Patent
active
060823852
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a supporting truss which may be used, for example, in a fabric shelter structure. The range of such structures to which the invention may relate is very broad, potentially including structures as diverse as a one-person tent, and a large shelter for housing or repairing motor vehicles and aircraft and/or many tens of people. The truss also has potential applicability in other circumstances where a lightweight supporting truss is required.
Various shelter structures have been well-known for some considerable time. As an example of such a structure there is traditional demountable tent comprising a rigid structural frame, supporting a loose membrane or a stressed, double-curved membrane of fabric material.
A tent structure developed more recently, most particularly for use in small tents, comprises a structural support frame of members (usually tubular high tensile metal alloy, or reinforced or unreinforced plastics) supporting a membrane of textile material. The structural framework is attached to the membrane throught sleeves or at discrete hanging points. The membrane variously support the membrane as single members and as components of a framework of geodesic form. Typically, the members naturally are straight, being bent elastically, forced into place, and restrained by attachment points of a groudsheet. That the members are naturally straight reduced packed bulk and weight of the tent. Furthermore, the geodesic form of the erected tent gives good strength and useful internal space. This type of structure will be referred to as a "sprung tent".
Such sprung tents have become popular for use in tents intended for occupation by a relatively few individuals. However there are relatively few examples of medium to large scale uses of this type of construction. The sprung tent is limited in size and scale due to the stiffness of the supporting structure. The frame needs to be flexible enough to be sprung into position, yet stiff enough to resist applied loads and limit excessive deflections caused thereby. An example of such a tent is disclosed in GB-A-2094367.
Support trusses of span larger than readily possible in a sprung tent have been created with post tensioning systems utilising lightweight members with an arrangement of compression struts and wires. Although these structures are lightweight, their joining and mechanical parts are complex, this preventing ease of erection and dismantling. An example of such a structure is disclosed in FR-A-2171318.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,473,272 discloses a spherical structure in which a flexible web is supported by a plurality of stressed rib elements in which a flexible pile is held in a curved condition by a fabric sleeve and a tensioning rope.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide a supporting truss which may be used with a shelter structure to permit the construction of strong, lightweight and simple shelters of all sizes.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a structural supporting truss comprising an elongate rib (14) of resilient material and a web (16) of fabric material; in which truss: web (16) extending radially inwardly of the rib (14) along its length, such that the web (16) acts in tension to retain the rib (14) in its curved condition, fabric panels (20); and laid flat, the web (16) adopts approximately its shape in the assembled truss.
It has been found that this arrangement produces a truss of remarkable stiffness, without compromise to simplicity or lightness. It is believed that the benefit arises because the rib is maintained in compression, while the web is loaded in tension, to form a composite structure the components of which mutually reinforce one another.
Models have been made embodying the invention using different materials for both the web and the rib, as well as alternative fixings and means for tensioning which have established the efficacy of the present invention. Results of tests show a substantial increase in strength and rigidity of the structure embodying the invention a
REFERENCES:
patent: 3473272 (1969-10-01), Hasselquist
patent: 4325207 (1982-04-01), Russell
patent: 4649947 (1987-03-01), Tury
patent: 4665935 (1987-05-01), Nichols
patent: 5116273 (1992-05-01), Chan
Burford Neil Keith
Fish Daniel Cecil Edward
Smith Fraser William
Stephan Beth A.
Web Engineering & Fabric Technology Limited
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