Foldable bed tent

Abstract

The present invention features a foldable or collapsible bet tent that may be cyclically repositioned from a fully assembled, set-up position to an upright, stored position, while capable of being attached to the bed at all times.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:  
     
         1 . A foldable bed tent comprising: 
 a collapsible frame assembly fittable over a mattress of a bed, said frame assembly comprising at least one hinged pole receiver, at least one biased hinged pole receiver, and a plurality of support poles connecting said hinged pole receivers;    a canopy removably coupled to said collapsible frame assembly, said frame assembly and said canopy forming an enclosed volume of space and tent structure over said bed; and    a mattress shoe coupled to said frame assembly, said mattress shoe receiving one of an end portion and a side portion of said mattress therein to secure said bed tent to said mattress, said bed tent comprising a folded configuration, when not in use, and an extended position, said folded configuration comprising an upright, stored position vertically disposed above said mattress shoe on said end portion of said mattress, thereby allowing a user to make use of said bed in a normal manner while said frame assembly and canopy remain attached thereto, and an extended configuration wherein the tent forms said enclosed volume of space.    
     
     
         2 . The bed tent of  claim 1 , further comprising securing means for securing said canopy to said frame.  
     
     
         3 . The bed tent of  claim 2 , wherein said securing means comprises a plurality of sleeves attached to said canopy and capable of accepting said support poles.  
     
     
         4 . The bed tent of  claim 1 , further comprising a front end stabilizer bar to provide lateral base support to said bed tent.  
     
     
         5 . The bed tent of  claim 1 , wherein said mattress shoe comprises a plate portion fittable on the underside of said mattress, a vertical wall support extending substantially perpendicular from an edge of said plate portion and being juxtaposed to a vertical wall of said mattress, and first and second side wall supports being juxtaposed to respective side walls of said mattress.  
     
     
         6 . The bed tent of  claim 1 , wherein said canopy forming a volume of space and a tent enclosure comprises an open bottom.  
     
     
         7 . The bed tent of  claim 1 , further comprising securing means to assist in securing said bed tent to said mattress, said securing means coupled to a first section of said bed tent, and extending from said fist section end under said mattress, and coupling to, an opposing section of said bed tent.  
     
     
         8 . The bed tent of  claim 1 , wherein said canopy is made from materials selected from the group consisting of canvas, polymeric materials, synthetics, waterproof fabric, and other common tent canopy materials.  
     
     
         9 . The bed tent of  claim 1 , further comprising a handle for facilitating the folding and unfolding of said bed tent against itself from said fully assembled, set-up position to said upright, stored position adjacent said bed.  
     
     
         10 . The bed tent of  claim 1 , wherein said bed tent folds sideways to enable a side folded stored position.  
     
     
         11 . The bed tent of  claim 1 , wherein said bed tent folds towards an end to enable an end folded stored position.  
     
     
         12 . A foldable bed tent comprising: 
 a canopy removably coupled to a collapsible frame assembly having a plurality of inter-connected pole structures, said frame assembly and canopy forming a volume of space and tent enclosure;    a mattress shoe coupling said frame assembly to a mattress of a bed;    a front planar portion defined by a front wall of said frame assembly and said canopy;    a rear planar portion defined by a rear wall of said frame assembly and said canopy, said rear wall supported by said mattress shoe;    a top planar portion defined by a top roof section of said frame assembly and said canopy;    first and second side plane portions defined by first and second walls of said frame assembly and said canopy;    means for folding said front planar portion against said top planar portion, such that said front and top planar portions are folded substantially parallel to and are juxtaposed to each other; and    means for folding said bed tent towards an end of said bed, said folded front and top planar portions against said rear planar portion, such that said front, top, and rear planar portions are each folded substantially parallel to and juxtaposed to each other in an upright position substantially above said mattress shoe and adjacent said bed.    
     
     
         13 . The foldable bed tent of  claim 12 , wherein said means for folding said front planar portion against said top planar portion comprises at least one biased hinged pole receiver.  
     
     
         14 . The foldable bed tent of  claim 12 , wherein said means for folding said folded coplanar front and top planar portions against said rear planar portion comprises at least one hinged pole receiver.  
     
     
         15 . A method for repositioning a bed tent from an erect, set-up position, to a stored position, said method comprising the steps of: 
 coupling and securing said bed tent to a bed, said bed tent comprising: 
 a collapsible frame assembly fittable over a mattress of a bed, said frame assembly comprising at least one hinged pole receiver, and a plurality of interconnected support poles;  
 a canopy removably coupled to said collapsible frame assembly, said frame assembly and said canopy forming an enclosed volume of space and tent structure over said bed;  
 a mattress shoe coupled to said frame assembly, said support poles connecting said hinged pole receiver(s) and said mattress shoe, said mattress shoe capable of receiving a section of said mattress therein to secure said bed tent to said mattress;  
 at least two planar sections defined by said bed frame having opposing sections existing on either side of said hinged pole receiver;  
   positioning said bed frame in a fully assembled, set-up position; and    repositioning said bed frame from said fully assembled, set-up position to an upright, stored position located at an end section of said bed by folding said planar sections of said bed frame towards said end, said bed frame remaining coupled to said mattress.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of repositioning said bed frame from said upright, stored position to said fully assembled, set-up position.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said method steps are repeated as often as desired to reposition said bed frame back and forth between said assembled, fully set-up position to said upright, stored position.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said hinged pole receiver is a biased hinged pole receiver, capable of facilitating the repositioning of said bed frame from a fully assembled, set-up position to an upright, stored position.  
     
     
         19 . A foldable bed tent comprising: 
 a canopy removably coupled to a collapsible frame assembly having a plurality of inter-connected pole structures, said frame assembly and canopy forming a volume of space and tent enclosure;    a mattress shoe coupling said frame assembly to a mattress of a bed;    a front planar portion defined by a front wall of said frame assembly and said canopy;    a rear planar portion defined by a rear wall of said frame assembly and said canopy, said rear wall supported by said mattress shoe;    a top planar portion defined by a top roof section of said frame assembly and said canopy;    first and second side plane portions defined by first and second walls of said frame assembly and said canopy; and    means for folding said bed tent sideways towards a side of said bed, said first side plane portion folded against said second side planar portion, such that said first and second side planar portions are folded substantially parallel to and are juxtaposed to each other, said first side planar portion, said top planar portion, and said second side planar portion each collapsed upon one another such that said bed tent is in a stored position along a side of said bed.    
     
     
         20 . The foldable bed tent of  claim 19 , wherein said means for folding comprises first and second adjustable union members positioned along and coupling said first and second lateral support poles.  
     
     
         21 . The foldable bed tent of  claim 19 , wherein said means for folding comprises pivoting vertical pole extensions that support a first side of said bed tent, said pivoting vertical pole extensions formed within said frame assembly.  
     
     
         22 . A method for repositioning a bed tent from an erect, set-up position, to a stored position, said method comprising the steps of: 
 coupling and securing said bed tent to a bed, said bed tent comprising: 
 a collapsible frame assembly fittable over a mattress of a bed, said frame assembly comprising at least one hinged pole receiver, and a plurality of interconnected support poles;  
 a canopy removably coupled to said collapsible frame assembly, said frame assembly and said canopy forming an enclosed volume of space and tent structure over said bed;  
 a mattress shoe coupled to said frame assembly, said support poles connecting said hinged pole receiver(s) and said mattress shoe, said mattress shoe capable of receiving a section of said mattress therein to secure said bed tent to said mattress;  
 at least two planar sections defined by said bed frame having opposing sections existing on either side of said hinged pole receiver;  
   positioning said bed frame in a fully assembled, set-up position; and    transitioning said bed frame from said fully assembled, set-up position to an upright, stored position along a side of said bed by folding said planar sections of said bed frame sideways towards said side, said bed frame remaining coupled to said mattress.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the step of repositioning said bed frame from said upright, stored position to said fully assembled, set-up position.  
     
     
         24 . A foldable bed tent comprising: 
 a canopy removably coupled to a collapsible frame assembly, said frame assembly having a built-in memory system with one or more memory states, said frame assembly and canopy forming a volume of space and tent enclosure;    a mattress shoe coupled to said frame assembly, said mattress shoe engaging a section and portion of a bed; and    means for folding and collapsing said frame assembly of said bed tent by manipulating said frame assembly through said one or more said memory states.