Modular Rooftop Tent Shell Assembly for Low-Drag Vehicle Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rooftop tent frames and exterior assemblies are bulky, increasing wind resistance and drag on vehicles, requiring freight truck shipping, occupying large storage space, and visibly identifying the tent, which affects fuel efficiency and storage costs.
Innovation Solution
A slim, aerodynamic rooftop tent frame and exterior assembly made of plastic, aluminum, or fiberglass with a modular design that matches the vehicle's roof line, allowing seamless integration, easy installation, and shipping in standard-sized boxes, featuring a moonroof and soft or hard wall options, reducing wind noise and storage needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If traditional rooftop tent assemblies are used, then the tent provides adequate shelter and structure, but the assembly becomes bulky and increases wind resistance, reducing fuel efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The rooftop tent assembly is divided into multiple segments including a base assembly, one or more shell assemblies that can be separately attached and detached. This segmentation allows the tent to be broken down into smaller, more aerodynamic components that reduce wind resistance when not in use, while still providing adequate shelter when assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The shell assemblies are designed to be dynamically attachable and detachable from the base assembly, allowing the tent to transition between a compact low-profile state for travel and a expanded shelter state for camping. This dynamic configuration reduces the effective volume and wind resistance during vehicle operation.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional single-piece rooftop tents are used, then the structure is simple, but the assembly requires freight truck shipping and occupies large storage space
Solution Approach 1:
The tent is segmented into a base assembly and multiple shell assemblies that can be manufactured separately and assembled by the end user. This segmentation enables compact packaging in smaller boxes suitable for standard shipping carriers, significantly reducing warehouse storage space requirements while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through modular production.
Solution Approach 2:
The shell assemblies are designed to nest within or alongside each other and the base assembly, allowing all components to be packaged in a compact configuration that fits within standard shipping dimensions. This nesting arrangement minimizes the volume occupied during storage and shipping while preserving the complete tent structure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional rooftop tents are used, then the tent provides full shelter, but the bulky appearance clearly identifies it as a hard-shell tent, affecting vehicle aesthetics
Solution Approach 1:
The shell assemblies can be dynamically configured to match the vehicle's roofline when not in use, creating a sleek, aerodynamic profile that blends with the vehicle's aesthetics. When deployed, the shells expand to provide full shelter functionality. This dynamic shape adaptation allows the tent to be aesthetically pleasing during travel while maintaining full shelter capabilities during camping.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the shell assemblies are designed with varying properties - the outer surfaces contact the vehicle roofline to provide a sleek appearance, while the inner portions provide the necessary shelter volume. This local differentiation of quality allows the tent to simultaneously achieve aesthetic adaptability and functional shelter.
Data Source
AI summary
A rooftop tent frame and exterior assembly for a rooftop or truck bed of a vehicle includes one or more frame assemblies; a moon roof supported by the one or more frame assemblies and positionable between a retracted position where the moon roof is adjacent to the rooftop of the vehicle, and a deployed camping position where at least part of the moon is elevated relative to the roof top of the vehicle.