Outdoor enclosure with magnetic flap closure

Abstract

A portable hunting blind includes side walls having door and window openings formed therein. The hunting blind provides at least one magnetic member to enable a user to releasably fasten window or door covers to the side walls of the blind in a substantially noiseless manner. Noiseless fastening of a cover over an opening is accomplished by providing a magnetic member at a peripheral edge of the cover, and providing the periphery of the opening with a cooperating material such as a second magnetic strip or a metallic strip. When the edge of the cover is placed adjacent to the periphery of the opening, the magnetic member is releasably secured to the cooperating material within the periphery of the opening by the magnetic attraction of the two components. Quiet opening of the closed cover is also made possible by the magnetic connection between the components.

1 . A portable enclosure for providing shelter and concealment, said portable enclosure comprising: 
 a plurality of side walls, at least one of the side walls having an opening formed therein;    a cover for covering placement over the opening;    wherein the cover is provided with magnetic fastening structure for use in fastening the cover to the side wall such that it covers the opening, and wherein the magnetic fastening structure permits substantially noiseless, selectively detachable securement of the cover about the opening.    
   
   
       2 . The portable enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the fastening structure allows for substantially noiseless adjustment of a position of the cover about the opening.  
   
   
       3 . The portable enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the fastening structure comprises: 
 a magnetic member operatively associated with one of the cover and a periphery of the opening, and    a magnetically attractive member operatively associated with the other of the cover and the periphery of the opening,    wherein the magnetic member is capable of being retained against the magnetically attractive member by magnetic force when the magnetic member is placed adjacent to the magnetically attractive member.    
   
   
       4 . The portable enclosure of  claim 3 , wherein the magnetically attractive member is sewn into the side wall proximate a periphery of the opening, such that a portion of the side wall lies between the magnetically attractive member and the magnetic member when the cover is secured to the side wall using the fastening structure.  
   
   
       5 . The portable enclosure of  claim 4 , wherein the magnetic member is sewn into the peripheral edge of the cover, such that both a portion of the cover and a portion of the side wall lie between the magnetically attractive member and the magnetic member when the cover is secured to the side wall using the fastening structure.  
   
   
       6 . The portable enclosure of  claim 3 , wherein the cover is securable to the side wall from the interior of the enclosure.  
   
   
       7 . The portable enclosure of  claim 3 , wherein the magnetic member comprises at least one magnetic strip.  
   
   
       8 . The portable enclosure of  claim 3 , wherein the magnetic member comprises at least one short, thin magnet segment.  
   
   
       9 . The portable enclosure of  claim 3 , wherein the magnetic member comprises a combination of at least one magnetic strip and at least one short, thin magnet segment.  
   
   
       10 . The portable enclosure of  claim 3 , wherein the magnetic member comprises a plurality of magnetic bodies, and wherein the plurality of magnetic bodies are positioned along the peripheral edge of the cover in a spaced-apart relationship, and 
 wherein the magnetically attractive member comprises a plurality of magnetically attractive bodies, and wherein the plurality of magnetically attractive bodies are positioned along the peripheral edge of the opening in a spaced-apart relationship such that positions of the magnetically attractive bodies on the side wall mirror the positions of the magnetic bodies on the cover.    
   
   
       11 . The portable enclosure of  claim 3  wherein the magnetic member comprises a plurality of magnetic bodies, and wherein the plurality of magnetic bodies are positioned along the peripheral edge of the cover in a spaced-apart relationship, and 
 wherein the magnetically attractive member comprises a generally continuous strip that surrounds the opening in the side wall,    such that the cover can be placed over the opening in a plurality of positions.    
   
   
       12 . A portable enclosure for providing shelter and concealment, said portable enclosure comprising: 
 a plurality of side walls, at least one of the side walls having an opening formed therein;    a cover for covering placement over the opening, the cover being operatively attached to the side wall along a lower portion of the opening;    wherein the cover is provided with magnetic fastening structure for use in fastening the cover to the side wall such that it covers the opening, the fastening structure comprising: 
 a first magnetic member operatively associated with one of the cover and a periphery of the opening, and  
 a magnetically attractive member operatively associated with the other of the cover and the periphery of the opening,  
 wherein the magnetic member is capable of being retained against the magnetically attractive member by magnetic force when the magnetic member is placed adjacent to the magnetically attractive member.  
   
   
   
       13 . The portable enclosure of  claim 12 , wherein the magnetically attractive member is sewn into the side wall proximate a periphery of the opening, such that a portion of the side wall lies between the magnetically attractive member and the magnetic member when the cover is secured to the side wall using the fastening structure.  
   
   
       14 . The portable enclosure of  claim 13 , wherein the magnetic member is sewn into the peripheral edge of the cover, such that both a portion of the cover and a portion of the side wall lie between the magnetically attractive member and the magnetic member when the cover is secured to the side wall using the fastening structure.  
   
   
       15 . The portable enclosure of  claim 12 , wherein the cover is securable to the side wall from the interior of the enclosure.