Foldable Rear-Mount Tent With Pivot Coupling for Easy Handling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle-mounted tents are cumbersome to erect, handle, and increase vehicle drag, necessitating improvements for ease of use and reduced aerodynamic impact.

Innovation Solution

A collapsible tent with a foldable base and pivotable coupling arrangement that allows easy mounting and dismounting by pivoting, reducing strain on the user and minimizing drag by compact design and rear mounting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the tent is made collapsible for transport, then it can be mounted on vehicle, but it remains of considerable size and weight making it difficult to handle

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemountability to vehicleVSAvoidhandling ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The tent is divided into multiple collapsible sections including a base section, upright sections, and a canopy section that can be independently folded and collapsed. This segmentation allows the tent to be broken down into smaller, more manageable segments that are easier to handle and mount while maintaining the ability to form a complete tent structure when assembled.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Volume of moving object

If the tent is made collapsible into compact form, then it can be transported by vehicle, but it increases drag and reduces aerodynamic efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompactness for transportVSAvoidvehicle drag
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The tent employs dynamic coupling arrangements with pivotable connections between base sections, upright sections, and the vehicle mounting interface. These dynamic joints allow the tent to adjust its configuration and collapse into a more aerodynamic, compact form when mounted on the vehicle, reducing the projected area and drag while maintaining ease of deployment when collapsed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If the tent allows erection while mounted to vehicle, then it provides camping convenience, but the erection process is complicated and time consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveerection capability while mountedVSAvoiderection time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The tent is pre-assembled with upright sections already connected to the base section through pivotable couplings before mounting to the vehicle. The coupling arrangements are pre-configured with locking mechanisms that automatically engage when sections are brought together. This preliminary preparation allows the tent to be quickly erected by simply unfolding and locking the pre-assembled sections into place while mounted on the vehicle, significantly reducing erection time and complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4257780B1Rear mount tent
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 THULE SWEDEN AB
  • EP4257780B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4257780B1 patent drawingFigure 3a
  • EP4257780B1 patent drawingFigure 3b~3d

AI summary

A collapsible tent (100) configured to be mounted to a vehicle (V), the collapsible tent (100) being foldable between a use state and a collapsed state, the collapsible tent (100) comprising: a foldable base (102) for forming a floor of the tent, the foldable base (102) comprises at least two base sections (102a, 102b, 102c) being pivotable in relation to each other between the use state and the collapsed state, a coupling arrangement (106) being pivotable in relation to at least one of the base sections (102a, 102b, 102c) of the foldable base, the coupling arrangement (106) being configured for connection and/or release of the collapsible tent (100) to and/or from the vehicle (V) by a pivoting movement of the coupling arrangement (106) in relation to at least one of the base sections (102a, 102b, 102c).