IP Library Granted Patent US 12,435,535
Granted Patent B2
US 12,435,535 · App. 18/051,212 · Granted Oct 7, 2025

Adaptable rooftop tent system

Inventors: Parke Pleasants (Louisville, CO); David Ardmar (Bankeryd, SE); Jord Alma (Öxnevalla, SE); Pontus Vargvik (Jönköping, SE)
Assignee: Thule Sweden AB
E04H15/54B60P3/34B60P3/341E04H15/06E04H15/48E04H15/56E04H15/58E04H15/64
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,435,535
App. No.
18/051,212
Granted
Oct 7, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A tent system includes a base, a canopy, and a frame system. The base is configured to mount to a vehicle. The frame system is coupled to the base and configured to expand and collapse the canopy. The frame system includes a first frame member, a second frame member, a third frame member, and a fourth frame member. The first frame member includes a first support and a first leg, the first leg configured to pivot about the first support. The second frame member includes a second support and a second leg, the second leg configured to pivot about the second support. The tent system can provide a folding mechanism to easily and efficiently open and close the canopy, increase an internal volume of the canopy, increase rigidity of the canopy, decrease setup time of the canopy, decrease a height of the base, and provide an automatic self-folding canopy.

Claims (36)

1. A tent system, comprising:

a base configured to mount to a vehicle;

a canopy comprising an interior surface and a plurality of canopy sleeves, each canopy sleeve of the plurality of canopy sleeves extending from an opening in the interior surface to form a sleeve recess;

a frame system coupled to the base and comprising a plurality of frame members configured to support the canopy, and

a rain fly coupled to the canopy,

wherein the frame members are disposed in the canopy sleeves such that the frame members are disposed interior to the canopy.

2. The tent system of claim 1 , wherein the rain fly contacts at least one of the plurality of canopy sleeves.

3. The tent system of claim 1 , wherein a gap is formed between the rain fly and an upper exterior surface of the canopy between each of the plurality of canopy sleeves.

4. The tent system of claim 3 , wherein the gap is about 1 cm to about 15 cm.

5. The tent system of claim 1 , wherein the rain fly comprises a plurality of windows.

6. The tent system of claim 1 , wherein the canopy comprises a plurality of rain fly fasteners configured to couple the rain fly to the canopy.

7. The tent system of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the plurality of rain fly fasteners is disposed on at least one of the plurality of canopy sleeves.

8. The tent system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of rain fly fasteners comprise a zipper.

9. The tent system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of rain fly fasteners comprise a hook-and-loop fastener.

10. The tent system of claim 1 , further comprising spring rods coupled between the rain fly and the base, wherein the spring rods are configured to support a transverse panel of the rain fly.

11. The tent system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of canopy sleeves extend above an upper exterior surface of the canopy between each of the plurality of canopy sleeves.

12. The tent system of claim 1 , wherein the canopy comprises a plurality of windows.

13. A tent system, comprising:

a base configured to mount to a vehicle;

a canopy comprising a plurality of canopy sleeves;

a frame system coupled to the base and comprising a plurality of frame members configured to support the canopy; and

a rain fly coupled to the canopy,

wherein the frame members are disposed in the canopy sleeves such that the frame members are disposed interior to the canopy, and

wherein each of the plurality of canopy sleeves comprises a frame fastener configured to secure a frame member within a recess of the canopy sleeve.

14. A tent system, comprising:

a base configured to mount to a vehicle;

a canopy comprising an interior surface, an exterior surface, and a plurality of canopy sleeves extending above the exterior surface, wherein each canopy sleeve of the plurality of canopy sleeves forms a sleeve recess in the interior surface;

a frame system coupled to the base and configured to support the canopy; and

a rain fly coupled to the canopy,

wherein, in an open configuration, the rain fly is supported by at least one of the plurality of canopy sleeves.

15. The tent system of claim 14 , wherein, in a first configuration, the rain fly is fully deployed and supported by the plurality of canopy sleeves and a plurality of spring rods coupled to the base.

16. The tent system of claim 14 , wherein, in a second configuration, the rain fly is semi-stowed and fixed by one or more rain fly fasteners on the canopy to expose a transverse section of the canopy.

17. The tent system of claim 14 , wherein, in a third configuration, the rain fly is stowed and fixed by a plurality of rain fly fasteners on the canopy to expose a plurality of transverse sections of the canopy.

18. The tent system of claim 14 , wherein, in a fourth configuration, the rain fly is semi-stowed and fixed by one or more rain fly fasteners on the canopy to expose a longitudinal section of the canopy.

19. The tent system of claim 14 , wherein, in a fifth configuration, the rain fly is stowed and fixed by a plurality of rain fly fasteners on the canopy to expose a plurality of longitudinal sections of the canopy.

20. The tent system of claim 14 , wherein, in a sixth configuration, the rain fly is fully deployed and supported by the plurality of canopy sleeves.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 13, 2025
From: PLEASANTS, PARKE; ARDMAR, DAVID; ALMA, JORD; VARGVIK, PONTUS
To: THULE SWEDEN AB
Reel/Frame 071409/0754 →
Continuity (4)
Provisional Application 63337394 · May 2, 2022
Provisional Application 63300502 · Jan 18, 2022
Provisional Application 63275723 · Nov 4, 2021
Related Publication 20230132858A1 · May 4, 2023
References Cited (89)
US 2570361A · Mejia · 1951 [cited by examiner]
US 3278953A · Willis · 1966 [cited by applicant]
US 3375836A · Domeneghetti · 1968 [cited by examiner]
US 3534750A · Kolozsvary · 1970 [cited by applicant]
US 3670747A · Pohl · 1972 [cited by examiner]
US 3712315A · Franzen · 1973 [cited by applicant]
US 3802450A · Huddle · 1974 [cited by applicant]
US 3917337A · Couix · 1975 [cited by applicant]
US 3970096A · Nicolai · 1976 [cited by examiner]
US 4165757A · Marks · 1979 [cited by examiner]
US 4188963A · Janoe et al. · 1980 [cited by applicant]
US 4294484A · Robertson · 1981 [cited by applicant]
US 4396030A · Ferguson · 1983 [cited by examiner]
US 4465087A · Ferguson · 1984 [cited by applicant]
US 4522441A · Allison · 1985 [cited by examiner]
US 4709718A · Nichols · 1987 [cited by examiner]
US 4722655A · Bonerb · 1988 [cited by applicant]
US 4827958A · Cantwell et al. · 1989 [cited by applicant]
US 4830036A · Sanders · 1989 [cited by examiner]
US 5067505A · Cantwell · 1991 [cited by examiner]
US 5421355A · Cantwell · 1995 [cited by examiner]
US 6035875A · Chen · 2000 [cited by examiner]
US 6349732B1 · Cooper · 2002 [cited by examiner]
US D465004S · Funk · 2002 [cited by examiner]
US 6470901B1 · Scherer · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6871896B1 · Owen · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 7140377B1 · Dahulich · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 8701688B2 · Vaughn · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 8910648B2 · Jin · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 9340995B2 · Jin · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 10119296B2 · Deal · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 10125517B2 · Xu · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 10676957B1 · Park · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 10890010B1 · Chang · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 10914096B1 · Hovagimian-Beck · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11028613B2 · Harrison · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US D998078S · Lafoux · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11761229B1 · Hale · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20010050098A1 · Lee · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 20060272695A1 · Mettavant · 2006 [cited by examiner]
US 20100243014A1 · Shires · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20130229029A1 · Pierce · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20160289996A1 · Kendrick · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20200048926A1 · Reeder · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210040765A1 · Brensinger · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220098893A1 · Chen · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220243496A1 · Zhou · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20230121447A1 · Lafoux · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230349189A1 · Payne · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20240076897A1 · Bennett · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20240084616A1 · Wang · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20240200356A1 · Dong · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20240287829A1 · Park · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20240360688A1 · Ardmar · 2024 [cited by examiner]
CA 2886590A1 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
CH 384150A · 1964 [cited by applicant]
CN 103195290A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
CN 203113891U · 2013 [cited by applicant]
CN 203113892U · 2013 [cited by applicant]
CN 203247935U · 2013 [cited by applicant]
CN 204040600U · 2014 [cited by applicant]
CN 104594701A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
CN 204457053U · 2015 [cited by applicant]
CN 205688943U · 2016 [cited by applicant]
CN 206468097U · 2017 [cited by applicant]
CN 108999460A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 109469401A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 208564146U · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 210685572U · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 211166692U · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 211422044U · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 213297388 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
EP 1617016A1 · 2006 [cited by applicant]
FR 2380753A1 · 1978 [cited by applicant]
GB 2029778A · 1980 [cited by applicant]
GB 2460391A · 2009 [cited by applicant]
KR 20040063880A · 2004 [cited by applicant]
KR 101260794B1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
KR 200467077Y1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
KR 101339725B1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
RU 204714U1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
International Search Report for PCT/IB2022/060497, mailed on Mar. 15, 2023, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
“Raptor Series 100000-126800 Offgrid Voyager Truck SUV Camping Rooftop Tent with Ladder, Black,” retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R444H9V?tag=cja00-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1 on Nov. 2, 2022; 9 pages. [cited by applicant]
“Darche Hi-View 1600 Rooftop Tent,” Snowys Outdoors, retrieved from https://www.snowys.comau/hi-view-1600-rooftop-tent on Nov. 2, 2022; 3 pages. [cited by applicant]
“2022 Hot Sale Camping Hard Shell Car Roof Top Tent for Traveling,” retrieved from https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/2018-hot-sale-camping-hard-shell_60782723342.html on Nov. 2, 2022; 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
“7 Rooftop Tents for a Summer of Road Trips and Memories,” retrieved from https://www.bestproducts.com/fitness/equipment/g2581/car-roof-top-tents/, Jun. 1, 2022; 27 pages. [cited by applicant]
“James Baroud Vision 180 Rooftop Tent [71IN×87IN],” retrieved from https://www.mainlineoverland.com/products/james-baroud-vision-180-rooftop-tent on Nov. 2, 2022; 13 pages. [cited by applicant]
“6 Rooftop Tents With Skywindow You Never Heard of . . . | Skylight, Skyview and Stargazing,” 10TS Tents, retrieved from https://10ts-tents.com/rooftop-tents-with-skywindow-skyview-stargazing/ on Nov. 2, 2022; 15 pages. [cited by applicant]
“GT Sky Loft: The largest roof tent in the world,” InceptiveMind, retrieved from http://www.inceptivemind.com/gt-sky-loft-largest-roof-tent-world/7814/ on Nov. 2, 2022; 5 pages. [cited by applicant]