Foldable Tent Hub Assembly with Segmented Rotating Slots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional roof connecting mechanisms in foldable tents are complex, requiring assembly and disassembly, leading to increased volume and difficulty in opening and closing, especially in larger tents.
Innovation Solution
A simplified roof connecting mechanism with a hub that features radially spaced slots to prevent poles from pivoting beyond the base, allowing for easy opening and closing without assembly or disassembly, using a base with slots that restrict pole movement and a cap for secure connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If conventional roof connecting mechanisms are used in larger tents, then the tent structure can support larger sizes, but the structure becomes complicated requiring sub-braces and intricate connections
Solution Approach 1:
The hub assembly is segmented into a base portion and a cover portion that can rotate relative to each other. The slots are formed by adjacent walls extending from the base, creating modular receiving spaces for poles. This segmentation allows the hub to maintain structural integrity while reducing overall complexity and eliminating the need for additional sub-braces.
Solution Approach 2:
The hub assembly incorporates dynamic movement capability where the cover portion can rotate between a first position (tent open) and a second position (tent closed). This dynamic feature enables the hub to adapt its configuration during operation, simplifying the structure by using the rotating cover instead of static support elements like sub-braces.
2Strength
If conventional hub assemblies with sub-braces are used, then pole support is provided, but the volume of the tent increases and opening/closing becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The support function previously requiring separate sub-braces is merged into the hub assembly itself. The slots formed by adjacent walls extending from the base provide both structural support and pole reception in a single integrated component, eliminating the need for additional sub-brace elements and reducing overall tent volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating cover portion dynamically adjusts the hub's internal volume and configuration. When rotated to the first position, it supports the open tent structure; when rotated to the second position, it compactly stores within the hub, minimizing volume during the closing operation and eliminating the need for extended sub-brace structures.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional hub assemblies are used, then pole connections are provided, but assembly and disassembly are required which increases operation difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The hub assembly uses dynamic rotation of the cover portion between two positions to replace static assembly/disassembly operations. The slots are configured to automatically guide and secure poles in the open position, and the rotating cover compactly stores the poles in the closed position, enabling operation without tools or complex assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The slot configuration with adjacent walls extending from the base creates self-guiding features that automatically position and secure poles during the opening operation. The rotating cover self-limits the motion range and self-secures the compacted poles, eliminating the need for manual assembly or disassembly interventions.
4Ease of operation
If slots are formed by adjacent walls extending from the base, then poles are prevented from pivoting beyond the base surface, but the hub structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The structural element that forms the hub body is merged with the slot-forming walls. The adjacent walls extending from the base are not separate components but integral parts of the rotating cover portion, combining the hub structure and slot formation into a single unified component that reduces overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjacent walls serving as slot boundaries also serve as the structural framework of the hub assembly and as guides for pole insertion. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate slot liners or guide elements, reducing the number of components while maintaining effective pole movement control.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a roof connecting mechanism of a foldable tent wherein a connecting hub is pivotally connected to roof strut rods so that the roof strut rods are movable in a compact manner relative to the connecting hub. The connecting hub includes pivoting cabinets in radial arrangement for pivoting the ends of each roof strut rod which has sufficient space to accommodate the ends of the roof strut rods when the tent is both in an open and folded configuration. The connecting hub also includes a stopper to limit the movement of the roof strut rods when in the open configuration. Such construction allows for a simple and compact opening and folding of the tent.