APPARATUS FOR ARRANGING PLAY FORTS

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This non-provisional patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial Number 63/742,680, filed on January 7, 2025, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference as if fully recited herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present invention relates generally to equipment for children’s play, and more particularly to an adjustable apparatus for arranging play forts, as well as methods for making said adjustable apparatus.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Assembling play forts and playing inside of play forts are popular children’s entertainment activities. A play fort is a structure or group of interconnected structures involving fabric-based sections, constructed for children’s entertainment purposes. The fabric-based sections often include common lightweight household items such as blankets, sheets, cushions, pillows, and the like. Traditionally, household furniture has been used to support the fabric-based items in assembling the play fort. The household furniture may include chairs, tables, beds, sofas, doorknobs, countertops, and the like. Play forts may include and are also sometimes referred to as dens, couch forts, sheet forts, and/or blanket forts.

[0004] One issue with known techniques for assembling a play fort is that household furniture items generally lack adjustability for fine tuning the shape, size, dimensions, and/or configuration of one or more portions of the play fort. For example, where a portion of a blanket is stuffed under a sofa cushion to form a portion of a play fort, this particular portion of the play fort would be restricted to a fixed height. Another issue is that securing fabric to household furniture may be difficult or otherwise problematic, especially with children. For example, a child may have difficulty securing (e.g., by tying a blanket or applying a weight to the blanket) a portion of a blanket to a chair, or may cause damage to the chair or blanket when attempting to connect the blanket to the chair. Adult intervention may be required, especially for applying weight to a fabric (e.g., positioning a stack of books or a barbell weight on a section of a blanket to secure the blanket to a furniture item).

[0005] Yet another issue is household furniture items used to arrange a play fort may take up more space than necessary to arrange the fort as desired. Yet another issue is that household furniture items are often needed for other activities (e.g., dining), and deconstruction of the play fort may be required to use said items. Although certain non-furniture items for assisting in play fort assembly have been previously introduced, said items take up more space than optimal, have limited efficiency in maintaining fabric material in a desired position, and/or require adult intervention for use.

[0006] The aforementioned shortcomings speak to the need for an apparatus that is adjustable for fine tuning the shape, size, dimensions, and/or configuration of one or more portions of a play fort, is able to be safely used by children (preferably over the age of two) without difficulty, takes up little space, is independent from household furniture or other household items, and is highly efficient at maintaining fabrics in a desired position, including heavier fabrics.

[0007] In view of this, it is beneficial to have an apparatus for arranging play forts, and method for making the same, various embodiments of which are illustrated and described in detail herein.

[0008] According to the present invention in one aspect, an exemplary apparatus for arranging play forts includes a stem having an upper and a lower portion, a clip, a base support weight, and a plurality of legs. The plurality of legs may be arranged to define a tripod structure including the stem. The base support weight may include a side opening permitting the base support weight to be positioned at the stem, and a channel adapted to receive the stem. The base support weight may comprise solid material, and may be defined by a sleek, elongate shape. The exterior of the base support weight may be configured to allow the base support weight to be easily gripped by a user.

[0009] The length of the stem of the apparatus may be adjusted by a user by way of a height adjustment feature. The height adjustment feature may be positioned at the stem. The stem may be curved at an elbow thereof. The clip may be configured for attachment at a distal end of the stem. A fastener may be employed to affix the clip to the distal end of the stem. The base support weight may be readily positioned on the lower portion of the stem during assembly of the apparatus. The apparatus may be quickly assembled for use, and quickly disassembled for storage. The base support weight may be readily pulled off of the lower portion of the stem during disassembly of the apparatus.

[0010] Advantages of exemplary embodiments may include, as non-limiting examples, apparatus adjustability, safety, ease of use, fabric holding efficiency, optimal space usage, portability, and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Novel features and advantages of the present invention, in addition to those expressly mentioned herein, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that different references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

[0012]FIG. 1 illustrates a top perspective view of an exemplary apparatus for arranging play forts of the present invention;

[0013]FIG. 2 illustrates a left-side, elevational view of an upper portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

[0014]FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a pair of exemplary apparatus for arranging play forts of the present invention;

[0015]FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary base weight for the apparatus of FIG. 3;

[0016]FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary clip for the apparatus of FIG. 3;

[0017]FIG. 6 illustrates a top perspective view of a pair of exemplary clips for the apparatus of FIG. 3;

[0018]FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative clip for an exemplary apparatus for arranging play forts of the present invention; and

[0019]FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary bag for storing parts for one or more exemplary apparatus for arranging play forts of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Various embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, specific details such as detailed configuration and components are merely provided to assist the overall understanding of these embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications of the embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. In addition, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions are omitted for clarity and conciseness.

[0021]Referring to FIGS. 1-3, an exemplary apparatus 10 for arranging play forts is shown. The apparatus 10 may comprise a stem 14 having an upper portion 16 and a lower portion 20. The stem 14 may comprise substantially rigid material, including, for example, steel (e.g., heavy-duty tubular steel), aluminum (e.g., tubular aluminum), another metal, plastic, composite material, some combination thereof, or the like. The stem 14 may be provided in any number of different colors (e.g., the stem may include a paint layer), and is not limited to any particular shape, size and/or dimensions. The upper portion 16 of the stem 14 may include an elbow 18. The elbow 18 may cause the upper portion 16 of the stem 14 to curve away from the remainder of the stem 14 such that a distal region of the stem 14 is about perpendicular to the remainder of the stem 14. However, an exemplary stem is not limited to any particular angle between different regions thereof. Said curved configuration may allow for fabric (not shown) to be supported by a clip 12 at a distal end of the stem 14 without the stem 14 interfering with the fabric. For example, fabric may be suspended at the clip 12 below the distal region of the stem 14. This particular configuration may allow for greater adjustability of the fabric.

[0022] Although in the embodiment shown, the upper portion 16 of the stem 14 is formed with a fixed elbow 18, in other embodiments, the elbow may be adjustable such that the angle between the distal region of the stem and the remainder of the stem may be altered between any number of different angles. A height adjustment feature 22 may be provided at the stem 14 to allow for height of the stem 14 to be adjusted between any number of different heights. The height adjustment feature 22 may include a rotatable knob or dial.

[0023]In this particular embodiment, the lower portion 20 of the stem 14 is hollow, and adapted to receive various lengths of the upper portion 16 below the elbow 18 therein. The upper portion 16 of the stem 14 may also be hollow. The height adjustment feature 22 may include a protrusion (e.g., a shaft having external threads adapted to engage corresponding internal threads of the lower portion 20). The shaft may be adapted to press against (or alternatively, be inserted into one of various apertures of) the upper portion 16 to secure the upper portion 16 to achieve a particular stem 14 length and clip 12 height. The height adjustment feature 22 may be rotated a first direction (e.g., clockwise) to cause the protrusion to engage the upper portion 16 to secure the upper portion 16. The height adjustment feature 22 may be rotated a second direction (e.g., counterclockwise) to cause the protrusion to disengage the upper portion 16 so that the stem 14 length and clip 12 height may be adjusted (e.g., by pushing a length of the upper portion 16 down into the lower portion 20, or by pulling a length of the upper portion 16 up out of the lower portion 20). Any number of different techniques and/or devices may be employed to provide for stem 14 length and clip 12 height adjustability (e.g., an interference fit) without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0024]A plurality of legs 24 may be positioned at the bottom of the stem 14 to provide base structural support to the stem 14, restricting the apparatus 10 from tipping over (e.g., from force applied to the distal end of the stem 14, such as from the weight of fabric). In this particular embodiment, the legs 24 and stem 14 are configured to collectively define a tripod structure. A base weight 30 may be provided, and the base weight 30 may be configured to be securely placed, pressed onto or otherwise integrated at the stem 14 (e.g., immediately above the legs 24, such as shown in FIG. 3). The base weight 30 may further provide base structural support to the stem 14, further restricting the apparatus 10 from tipping over. Additional or alternative base support devices may be employed without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0025] Referring specifically to FIG. 3, a lower height apparatus 10A is shown next to a greater height apparatus 10B. The various different heights may be achieved by engaging the height adjustment feature 22. Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the base weight 30 may be defined by an elongated, thin body 36 having a channel 32 for receiving the stem 14 of the apparatus 10. The base weight 30 may include a side opening 40 and a curved sidewall 38, each extending the distance between opposing faces 34A-B of the base weight. The side opening 40 may be configured to receive the stem 14 and secure the stem 14 within the channel 32 (e.g., by slightly expanding to allow for the stem 14 to be pressed through the side opening 40, and by slightly contracting thereafter to prevent the stem 14 from becoming dislodged from the channel 32). This may allow for the base weight 30 to be securely clipped, pressed onto, or otherwise positioned at the stem 14 with ease. The base weight 30 may be configured to rest above a connection point between the legs 24 and lower portion 20 of the stem 14.

[0026] The body 36 of the base weight 30 may comprise solid material throughout (e.g., as opposed to providing a hollow body to be filled with fluid material such as water to provide weight at the base of the apparatus). As a specific, non-limiting example, the body 36 of the base weight 30, including an exterior thereof, may comprise silicone rubber. The exterior may have a high friction coefficient to promote ease of gripping the base weight 30. As another specific, non-limiting example, the exterior of the base weight may comprise vinyl. The exterior may comprise soft material, although such is not required. The interior of the base weight may comprise vinyl, cast iron, another metal, rubber (e.g., silicone rubber), plastic, composite material, some combination thereof, or the like. The exterior and the interior may comprise the same or substantial similar material to one another. For example, the base weight 30 may comprise solid silicone rubber throughout. The exterior of the base weight 30 may allow for the base weight 30 to be easily gripped, and easily secured to and/or removed from the stem 14, even by child users.

[0027] The lack of a requirement for filling the base weight 30 with fluid eliminates the risk of spill hazards, reduces the overall size required for the base weight 30, and reduces the amount of effort and/or adult intervention required to assemble and disassemble an exemplary apparatus. The base weight 30 may be readily removed from the stem 14 by pulling against the base weight 30 (e.g., causing the side opening 40 to expand slightly to permit the stem 14 to move through the side opening 40, dislodging the base weight 30 from the stem 14). The thin, elongate, curved shape of the base weight 30 may allow for a disassembled exemplary apparatus to take up less space in storage (e.g., in a storage bag) and/or in packaging (e.g., reducing the amount of packaging material required for packaging the apparatus). The base weight 30 is not limited to any particular shape, size, dimensions, color, number, and/or material composition.

[0028] Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the apparatus 10 may be readily assembled by connecting the legs 24 to the lower portion 20 of the stem 14 (e.g., by way of clips, fasteners, clamps, some combination thereof, or the like), positioning a length of the upper portion 16 of the stem in the lower portion 20 (or vice versa in certain other embodiments), engaging the height adjustment feature 22 to secure the lower 20 and upper 16 portions to one another, connecting the clip 12 to a distal end of the stem 14 (e.g., by way of clips, fasteners, clamps, some combination thereof, or the like), and/or positioning the base weight 30 on the stem 14. The apparatus may be readily disassembled by pulling the base weight 30 off of the stem 14, detaching the clip from the distal end of the stem 14, disconnecting the upper 16 and lower 20 portions of the stem 14 from one another (e.g., by first loosening the height adjustment feature 22), and/or disconnecting the legs 24 from the stem 14.

[0029]Referring to FIGS. 1 and 5-6, an exemplary clip 12 for the apparatus 10 includes a fastener aperture 26, and opposing clip surfaces 28 having compressive force applied thereto to cause the surfaces 28 to press towards one another. A distal end of the upper portion 16 of the stem 14 may include an aperture (not shown) adapted to align with the fastener aperture 26. A fastener 25 may be positioned in each of the aforementioned apertures, and the fastener may be rotated to secure the clip 12 to the stem 14. The fastener 25 may be rotated a first direction (e.g., clockwise, by a screwdriver) to cause external threads of the fastener 25 to engage internal threads of the stem to secure the clip 12 to the stem 14. The fastener 25 may be rotated a second direction (e.g., counterclockwise, by a screwdriver) to remove the fastener 25 from the stem 14 (allowing for the clip 12 to be removed from the stem 14). Interior clip surfaces 42 may be provided to enhance the gripping capacity of the clip 12.

[0030]Any number of different fabrics of various weights and surface areas may be connected to and/or suspended at an exemplary clip. The fastener 25 may prevent the clip 12 from becoming detached from the apparatus 10 while the apparatus 10 is in use, regardless of the weight of the fabric connected to/suspended at the clip 12. The clip 12 may be a similar color to that of the stem 14, although such is not required. Alternatively, the clip 12 and base weight 30 may be substantially a first color, and the stem 14 may be a second color. The present invention is not limited to any particular color or combination of colors, nor is it limited to any particular clip type, size and/or shape. FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative clip 12B having clip surfaces 28, 42.

[0031] Referring now to FIG. 8, one or more disassembled apparatus 10 may be positioned in a storage bag 44 or other storage container when not in use. In the embodiment shown, the storage bag 44 includes an amount of fabric 46 and an opening that is adjustable by way of adjustment strings 48. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that any number of different devices, materials and/or techniques may be employed to assist with storing exemplary dissembled apparatus without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0032] Referring back to FIGS. 1-3, a plurality of apparatus 10 may be provided to suspend fabric above the ground between various apparatus 10. Different portions of the fabric (e.g., a blanket) may each be attached to different apparatus 10 to form a wall, roof or other surface of a play fort. For example, each of four corners of a blanket may be attached to a clip 12 at one of four different apparatus 10 arranged in a rectangle to form the roof of a play fort. A plurality of apparatus 10 may be provided to permit multiple play forts to be constructed in proximity to one another and/or connected to one another.

[0033] It is not necessarily required that the clip 12 of the apparatus 10 be used to employ the apparatus 10 at a play fort. As a specific, non-limiting example, an amount of blanket may be permitted to rest at the top of the stem 14 of an apparatus 10 such that the apparatus 10 provides load bearing support to the blanket without being clipped to the blanket. It is also not required that the apparatus is configured for the attachment of only one clip. For example, two or more apertures for securing a clip to a stem may be provided at an exemplary apparatus. As another example, two or more distal regions may extend from an alternative stem, wherein each distal region is adapted to receive a clip.

[0034] Any embodiment of the present invention may include any of the features of the other embodiments of the present invention. The exemplary embodiments herein disclosed are not intended to be exhaustive or to unnecessarily limit the scope of the invention. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the present invention so that others skilled in the art may practice the invention. Although embodiments specifically illustrated and described herein are discussed with reference to play forts, the present invention is not limited thereto, and may have applicability outside of play forts. Having shown and described exemplary embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art will realize that many variations and modifications may be made to the described invention. Many of those variations and modifications will provide the same result and fall within the spirit of the claimed invention. It is the intention, therefore, to limit the invention only as indicated by the scope of the claims.