Rooftop Tent And Receiving Apparatus Thereof

Patent No. US11352808 (titled "Rooftop Tent And Receiving Apparatus Thereof") was filed by Beijing Playdo Outdoor Products Co Ltd on Sep 27, 2020.

What is this patent about?

’808 is related to the field of vehicle rooftop tents, specifically addressing the challenges of size, weight, installation complexity, and limited vehicle compatibility associated with conventional rooftop tents. The invention aims to provide a more convenient and versatile solution for outdoor enthusiasts seeking a comfortable resting place during car travel and camping.

The underlying idea behind ’808 is to create a rooftop tent that is both lightweight and compact by utilizing inflatable components for both the tent frame and the baseboard. This allows for easy deflation and storage, addressing the space constraints within a vehicle. The inflatable baseboard also provides a versatile platform suitable for various terrains, including water, potentially serving as a makeshift raft in emergency situations.

The claims of ’808 focus on a rooftop tent comprising a tent body with an inflatable frame and canopy, and an inflatable baseboard. The frame is inflated via a first inlet to support the canopy, while the baseboard is inflated via a second inlet. A double-cross shaped fixing band on the bottom of the baseboard, along with a detachable tie band, allows for adjustable and secure attachment to a vehicle's roof rack. The canopy also includes a skylight with a supporter, gasket, and window body for ventilation.

In practice, the user inflates the frame and baseboard, creating a stable and elevated tent platform. The double-cross shaped fixing band allows the tent to be mounted on a variety of vehicle roof racks, overcoming the limitations of traditional fixed-size mounting systems. The skylight provides ventilation and natural light, enhancing the comfort of the tent. When not in use, the tent can be deflated, rolled up, and stored in a compact receiving apparatus.

The key differentiation from prior approaches lies in the combination of the inflatable frame and baseboard, along with the adjustable fixing band. Traditional rooftop tents often rely on rigid frames and fixed mounting points, making them bulky, heavy, and less adaptable to different vehicles. By using inflatable components, the ’808 design achieves a significant reduction in size and weight, while the adjustable fixing band ensures compatibility with a wider range of vehicles. The inflatable baseboard also adds versatility, allowing the tent to be used on various surfaces, including water.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical landscape at the time

In the early 2020s when '912 was filed, at a time when outdoor recreational equipment was commonly designed for ease of transport and setup, systems commonly relied on lightweight materials and inflatable structures to reduce bulk and weight, when hardware or software constraints made complex automated deployment mechanisms non-trivial.

Novelty and Inventive Step

On 2021-12-27, a non-final office action rejected claims 1-12 under 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103. The specification and drawings were also objected to for informalities. The prosecution record does NOT describe the technical reasoning or specific claim changes that led to allowance.

Claims

This patent contains 12 claims, with claim 1 being the only independent claim. Independent claim 1 is directed to a rooftop tent comprising a tent body and an inflatable baseboard. The dependent claims elaborate on specific features and configurations of the rooftop tent described in the independent claim, such as the frame structure, tie band placements, and additional components like a skirt or rope hoops.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)Support for SpecificationInterpretation
First inlet
(Claim 1)
“The rooftop tent includes a frame and a canopy, a first inlet is provided on the frame, and a side of the canopy is provided with an entrance; and a baseboard, which is inflatable and a second inlet in provided on a side of the baseboard. The frame is inflatable and air is inflated into the frame via the first inlet, such that the canopy is supported.”An opening on the frame of the tent body through which air is inflated into the frame.
Fixing band
(Claim 1)
“A fixing band is provided on a bottom of the baseboard, the fixing band is double-cross shaped, a third tie band is detachably provided on the fixing band, and the third tie band is capable being fastened to a cross bar and a rack of a rooftop of a vehicle.”A band located on the bottom of the baseboard, shaped in a double-cross configuration, used to secure the tent to a vehicle's roof rack.
Second inlet
(Claim 1)
“The rooftop tent includes a frame and a canopy, a first inlet is provided on the frame, and a side of the canopy is provided with an entrance; and a baseboard, which is inflatable and a second inlet in provided on a side of the baseboard. The frame is inflatable and air is inflated into the frame via the first inlet, such that the canopy is supported.”An opening on the side of the inflatable baseboard through which air is inflated into the baseboard.
Skylight
(Claim 1)
“The canopy is provided with a skylight; the skylight comprises a supporter, a gasket, and a window body; the supporter is fixed by the gasket, when the skylight is opened, the window body is raised by the supporter, such that the window body stays higher than a top of the canopy, so as to ventilate the rooftop tent.”A structure on the canopy comprising a supporter, a gasket, and a window body.
Third tie band
(Claim 1)
“A fixing band is provided on a bottom of the baseboard, the fixing band is double-cross shaped, a third tie band is detachably provided on the fixing band, and the third tie band is capable being fastened to a cross bar and a rack of a rooftop of a vehicle.”A detachable band used to fasten the fixing band to a cross bar and a rack of a rooftop of a vehicle.

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US11352808

BEIJING PLAYDO OUTDOOR PRODUCTS CO LTD
Application Number
US17033912
Filing Date
Sep 27, 2020
Status
Granted
Expiry Date
Sep 27, 2040
External Links
Slate, USPTO, Google Patents