CORNER ANCHOR

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent application No. 63/615,576 filed Dec. 28, 2023 titled “CORNER ANCHOR”, which application is fully incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to outdoor camping equipment and parts and fittings therefore, and more particularly, relates to a corner anchor for a tent configured to attach to a tent stake; a tent floor anchor loop; a tent fly anchor loop; and a tent pole.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

A large portion of the population enjoy camping, hiking, biking and other outdoor activities that takes them away from their home overnight. When engaged in these activities, therefore, many people will spend one or more nights in a tent.

Most tents today include one or more exterior mounted support poles and a rain fly. Traditionally, the tent floor in anchored first by a stake inserted in the ground a short distance from the tent. Next a tent pole system is utilized to keep the tent upright and erect. Lastly, a tent rain fly is typically installed over the tent itself to keep rain off the tent material to minimize the risks of water getting into the tent via the tent fabric.

Each of these tent elements requires a separate anchoring element and anchoring point, typically a tent stake, requiring quite a bit of tent set up time and effort.

Accordingly, what is needed is a tent corner anchor device held in place by one tent anchor stake and which provides one or more attachment points to multiple webbing loops such as from a tent floor anchor loop; a tent rainfly connector loop; as well as a tent pole connector socket to interconnect with a tent pole ball end point.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention features a corner anchor for securing an object to be anchored to the ground, the corner anchor comprises a corner anchor coupler, including a first connection region configured for connecting to a ground stake loop. The ground stake loop is configured for connection to a ground stake inserted into the ground proximate an object to be anchored to the ground. The corner anchor coupler further includes a second connection region configured for connecting to a loop disposed on the object to be anchored to the ground.

The corner anchor coupler also includes an elongated key opening, configured for engaging with an “H” hook connected to a covering element of the object to be anchored to the ground. The “H” hook includes a distal end including a tip portion and a shank portion. The distal end of the “H” hook is configured for being inserted into the elongated key opening such that the “H” hook tip portion extends below a bottom surface of the corner anchor coupler, allowing the shank portion of the “H” hook to rest in the elongated key opening such that when the “H” hook is turned 90° after insertion into the elongated opening, the tip portion of the “H” hook engages with a bottom surface of the corner anchor coupler thereby locking the “H” hook in place while at the same time facilitating quick and easy removal of the connection between the “H” hook coupled to the covering element and the corner anchor.

The corner anchor coupler further includes a pole ball tip engagement device comprising, in one embodiment, a socket, the socket sized and configured for providing a snap fit with a ball element provided on a distal end of a pole.

In one embodiment, the corner anchor coupler pole ball tip engagement device comprises a molded plastic socket and the pole ball tip engagement device designed, sized and configured for snapping in place into the corner anchor coupler and appropriately sized and configured for providing a snap fit with a ball element provided on a distal end of a pole. In one embodiment, the object to be anchored to the ground is a tent. The tent may be selected from the group of tents consisting of a pole tent, a frame tent, a cross cable tent, an inflatable tent and a pop up tent.

In one embodiment, the covering element is a rain fly for the tent and the pole includes a tent pole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description, taken together with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a prospective view of the corner anchor according to the present invention in an assembled position;

FIG. 2 is a close-up prospective view of the corner anchor of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded close-up view of the corner anchor of the present invention;

FIGS. 4A-4C are close-up views of the main body of the corner anchor according to the present invention;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are close-up views and cross-sectional views respectively of the pole tip ball according to one feature and element of the present invention;

FIGS. 6A-6C are close-up prospective views of the “H” key which may be attached a rain fly loop for connection with the corner anchor of the present invention;

FIGS. 7A-7E are prospective and cross-sectional views of the pole tip engagement socket which forms part of the corner anchor according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the corner anchor according to the present invention connected to various tent elements;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the corner anchor according to the present invention configured for interconnecting with a tent stake inserted into the ground; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a rain fly loop connected to an “H” key for interconnecting with the corner anchor according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will be explained in connection with a tent but this is not a limitation of the invention as the corner anchor of the present invention can be used with any type of structure to be anchored to the ground. The invention features a corner anchor 100, FIG. 1, which, according to the present invention, is a multipurpose tent or similar device corner anchor designed to provide a first connection region 104 to a ground stake 106 inserted into the ground 107 proximate a tent or similar object to be held in position to the ground and coupled to the corner anchor coupler 102 via a ground stake loop 108. The corner anchor 100 also includes a ground stake point tension adjustment loop 103 that passes through a slider type or similar buckle 101 to allow the user to tension the ground stake loop 108. The corner anchor coupler 102 further includes a second connection region to couple to a tent loop 110 a rain fly loop 112 and a tent pole 114 as will be shown and explained in greater detail below.

As shown in FIG. 2, the corner anchor 100 includes the corner anchor coupler 102 designed for interconnection with a ground stake loop 108 and one or more tent tiedowns 110; a tent pole 114 and a rain fly 112 for a tent (not shown).

As shown in greater detail and in an exploded view in FIG. 3, the corner anchor coupler 102 includes a first region 120 for connecting to a ground stake loop 108 and an elongated key opening 122 configured for engaging with “H” hook 124 connected to rain fly loop 112. H hook 124 includes a distal end 126 including a tip portion 128 and a shank portion 130. In use, the distal end 126 is inserted into the key opening 122 such that the tip portion 128 extends below the bottom surface of the corner anchor coupler 102 allowing the shank portion 130 of the “H” hook 124 to rest in the elongated key opening 122 such that when the “H” hook 124 is turned 90° after insertion, the tip portion 128 engages with the bottom portion or surface of the corner anchor coupler 102 thereby locking the “H” hook in place while at the same time facilitating quick and easy removal of the connection between a tent rain fly and the corner anchor.

The corner anchor 100 of the present invention also includes a pole ball tip engagement device 140 which is a molded plastic socket designed, sized and configured for snapping in place into the corner anchor coupler 102 and appropriately sized and configured for providing a snap fit with ball element 142 inserted into the end 144 of tent pole 114. In this manner, the corner anchor 100 provides a single location for connecting multiple tent anchoring elements to the ground stake.

A further feature of the corner anchor 100 of the present invention is the provision of a “G” hook connection region 146 which facilitates and allows the connection of one or more tent loops 110 with the corner anchor element 102 thus allowing the corner anchor 100 to provide a single location on a tent corner where the tent itself, a tent pole, and rain fly may be quickly and easily connected to a corner anchor coupler 102 which in turn is coupled by means of a ground stake loop 108 to a ground stake 106 inserted into the ground proximate the tent.

The corner anchor coupler 102 is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 4A-4C including the “G” hook connection region 146 providing first and second tent loop connection regions 148, 150, for connection with a tent.

The corner anchor coupler 102 further includes a region 152 into which may be inserted the plastic molded pole ball tip engagement device 140 shown in greater detail in connection with FIG. 7. The corner anchor coupler 102 also includes “H” key engagements slot 122, for engagement with the tip 128 and shank 130 of “H” hook 124 as shown previously and shown in greater detail in FIG. 6. Lastly, the corner anchor coupler 100 includes the connection region 120 for connecting with a web loop design and configured for attaching to a ground stake as previously explained.

FIG. 5 is a close-up view of the ball element 142 designed and configured for being inserted into the end of an aluminum tent pole. The ball element 142 is typically a cast or machined aluminum element although other materials may be suitable for this element as is well known to those skilled in the art.

FIG. 6 is a close-up view of the “H” hook rain fly connector according to one feature of the present invention. The “H” hook 124 includes a distal end 126 including a tip portion 128 and a shank portion 130. In use, the distal end 126 is inserted into the key opening 122 of the corner anchor coupler 102 such that the tip portion 128 extends below the bottom surface of the corner anchor coupler 102 allowing the shank portion 130 of the “H” hook 124 to rest in the elongated key opening 122 such that when the “H” hook 124 is turned 90° after insertion, the tip portion 128 engages with the bottom portion or surface of the corner anchor coupler 102 thereby locking the “H” hook in place while at the same time facilitating quick and easy removal of the connection between a tent rain fly and the corner anchor.

FIGS. 7A through 7E are close up views and cross-sectional views of the molded plastic pole ball tip engagement device 140 which is sized and configured for being inserted into the opening 152, FIG. 4B of the corner anchor coupler 102. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the corner anchor 100 and use in connection with a tent loop; a tent pole; a tent rain fly; and a tent stake loop as disclosed and described in connection with the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the corner anchor device 100 according to the present invention to which is attached a tent stake loop 108. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a tent rain fly loop 112 coupled to the “H” hook 124 according to one feature of the present invention.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a tent corner anchor device designed to be a single tent corner connection point configured to be held in place by one tent anchor stake and which provides multiple attachment points to multiple tent webbing loops such as with a tent floor anchor loop; a tent rainfly connector loop; as well as a tent pole connector socket to interconnect the corner anchor with a tent pole ball end point.

Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention, which is not to be limited except by the allowed claims and their legal equivalents.