The Coleman Company, Inc.

Other

Kevin J Tarter

Michael D Brockel

Yiyun Culp

Stuart L Meether

Robert L Lawhon

Trevor J Hinz

Daniel E DeBrunner

Byron N Loibl

Darin M Webb

Alton Yat-Hung Leung

Traci D Willing

An electrical system () for a tent or shelter (). Wires () are routed through a tent or shelter () either by attaching the wires to the tent or shelter, running the wires through hems, seams (), or sleeves, or integrating the wires into the fabric for the tent or shelter. In accordance with an embodiment, an appliance () is connected to the wiring harness () and is mounted or attached in the tent or shelter. The appliance () may be mounted in a socket () that includes contacts that may engage a fixture or appliance, such as a light. An opposite end of a cord () leading to the socket is attachable to an electrical power supply, such as a battery pack ().

Camping devices powered by a common battery pack

A lantern having a plurality of removable area lights. Each area light includes a separate power source capable of powering the area light. Each area light is separately selectively illuminable by activating a switch on the area light. The lantern includes a docking station having a docking station power source capable of simultaneously powering all area lights attached to the docking station simultaneously or any subset of the area lights attached to the docking station.

Lantern with removable lights

An electrical appliance () that accepts multiple different self-contained power sources (). As an example, an electrical appliance may receive a rechargeable battery pack () or a power cartridge () that is designed to receive disposable batteries (). If the user does not have sufficient power left in a battery pack (), the power cartridge () may be filled with disposable dry cell batteries (), and may be inserted in the electrical appliance () to provide power. Another self contained power cartridge () may include a fuel cell. The fuel cell power cartridge () may include removable fuel cell cartridges (), for example, each having a fuel therein, such as hydrogen.

Electrical appliance that utilizes multiple power sources

Camping kit

Tent electrical system

A spotlight () that utilizes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) (). The spotlight () converges light beams (B, B) from the LEDs () to a concentrated beam of light () of a defined width. Each LED () has its own parabolic reflector (). The parabolic reflectors () are focused so that bright, collimated light beams (B, B) from the parabolic reflectors () are converged and collocated at a defined distance to give the appearance of a single, narrow intense beam of light ().

LED spotlight

Battery pack

A headlamp () that is convertible to a lantern. In an embodiment, the headlamp () includes an extension housing () and a main housing (). The extension housing () is translatable relative to the main housing (). In a first position, when the extension housing () is fully pressed into the main housing (), a primary light () for the headlamp () is illuminated, providing a headlight function. The opposite end of the main housing () may include, for example, a clip, clasp, or other suitable structure () for attaching the headlamp to a headband.

Headlamp that is convertible to a lantern

Power cartridge insert

Lantern

Growing community of inventors

Wichita, KS, United States of America

Kevin J Tarter