WO2015117684A1

WO2015117684A1 - Hammock

Info

Publication number: WO2015117684A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/071925
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jonas HAUG
Original assignee: Amok Equipment As
Priority date: 2014-02-05
Filing date: 2014-10-13
Publication date: 2015-08-13
Also published as: CA2936664A1; EP3076823B1; US20200352312A1; AU2014381768A1; US20160338476A1; EP3076823A1; GB2522857A; GB201401978D0; AU2014381768B2

Abstract

A hammock (20) is described which comprises a pair of suspension points (22) provided on opposed sides that the hammock is arranged to suspend from in use. The hammock has a mid-section (25) for supporting a user's body in a direction perpendicular to a line (24) between the suspension points. The mid¬ section suspends from a pair of wings (29) extending outwardly from opposing lateral edges (28) of the mid-section to the suspension points. On each side of the hammock there may be provided a line of adjustable length (34) for raising a first portion of the mid-section, for example, for inclining the back of the hammock. Second lines of adjustable length (34) may be provided for raising a second portion of the mid-section to change the shape of the hammock further, for example raising the knees of the user to bring him or her into a fully-seated position. The hammock may further include a flysheet (40) to protect the user from the elements.

Description

HAMMOCK

Technical Field The present invention relates to a hammock, and more particularly to a transverse hammock. Thus the hammock is of the type having two suspension points where a user of the hammock is supported on a mid-section that extends transversely to a line between the suspension points. Introduction

In a traditional hammock, the body of the hammock extends longitudinally between two suspension points, with the user lying generally in-line with the suspension points (referred to below as a longitudinal hammock).

One of the problems with a longitudinal hammock is that the hammock will sag between the suspension points, especially when under load, creating a curved bed that the user has to sleep in. This can result in a sleeping position that some will find uncomfortable.

With the recent popularity in hammocks for recreational use and in particular for camping, there have been a number of developments in an alternative type of hammock design where the user lies in a transverse direction (a transverse hammock). Such transverse hammocks can achieve a flatter, more comfortable, sleeping position for the user.

An example of such a hammock is the Ergo Hammock manufactured by Exped AG., a company based in Switzerland, and an illustration of the hammock can be seen in Figure 1A. DE-U-20201 1 103350 of Exped AG also describes aspects of their hammock. Figure 1 B shows a plan view of the hammock as illustrated in DE-U-20201 1 103350. The user is supported on a rectangular midsection of the hammock that extends in a direction which is transverse to an imaginary line between the suspension points. The mid-section is angled at around 75 degrees to the imaginary line between the suspension points.

In these known examples, an array of ropes is provided on both sides of the hammock to support the mid-section suspended between. The ropes radiate out from a suspension point to a respective lateral edge of the mid-section, with the ropes attached to the edge at reinforced points spaced out along the length of the hammock. One criticism of the ropes is that, particularly in a camping hammock where the ropes are of a thin gauge to be as lightweight as possible, they can be prone to becoming tangled with each other as well as with any anchoring straps when the hammock is packed away in a sack. This can be frustrating for the user when he/she comes to erect their hammock at a new site.

In use, despite offering a flatter profile for the user than a longitudinal hammock, the weight of the person still tends to develop a curved profile in the midsection due to the way the load is transferred to each of the ropes that radiate out from the suspension points. The points where the ropes connect to the lateral edges also represent points of high stress concentration and this can result in discomfort from the feeling of bands of tension under the user's body.

Another concern with hammocks is how to keep the user insulated from the cold when they are being used for camping. Where a side of the hammock is drawn up against the user, this tends to compress the material of the user's sleeping bag and this can significantly reduce the effectiveness of the sleeping bag's insulation to keep the user warm. Camping pads and other lightweight mattresses are often used to provide a layer of thermal insulation between the user and the external environment, but these are often unrestrained within a hammock and can move around during use. Where they are retained in pockets, care has to be taken, because the pad can then transfer loads in a way that creates points of high seam tension and possibly result in the hammock ripping.

In the transverse hammock manufactured by Exped AG, the mid-section is provided as a wide continuous sheet of fabric which extends a distance up on either side beyond the normal footprint of the sleeping area to the lateral edges of the mid-section where the ropes are then attached. A pocket is provided in the underside of the mid-section to accommodate a sleeping pad. As the pocket needs to be sufficiently large to be able to accept a range of commercially available sizes of sleeping pad, one which is thinner than the pocket will tend to rest on the lower surface of the pocket, hanging away from the under-surface of the mid-section that the user sleeps on. This can result in less warmth being retained by the user.

It would be desirable to improve on these arrangements and provide a hammock that can achieve a flatter position for the user to lie in.

It would also be desirable to provide a hammock that can offer more functionality for the user. Summary of the Invention

Viewed from a first aspect there is provided a transverse hammock comprising: a pair of suspension points provided on opposed sides of the hammock that the hammock is arranged to suspend from in use; a mid-section for supporting a user's body in a direction which is transverse to a line between the suspension points; and a pair of wings extending outwardly from opposing lateral edges of the mid-section to the suspension points.

The wings offer many advantages over the known hammock arrangements. The most noticeable for the user is the simplicity of the structure and the ease of erection and use. The wings also allow a more even distribution of the tension that is experienced in the mid-section during use and the ability to provide a flatter sleeping position. They also offer a greater degree of protection from cold breezes. These will de described in more detail below.

The "line" between the suspension points may be an imaginary straight line or more preferably it is represented by a real line provided by a strap or rope which forms a ridge line extending between the suspension points. A ridge line provides the benefit that the cut of the hammock can be based on a known separation distance of the suspension points and so the hammock's properties can be more carefully preset. Additional anchoring lines (e.g., straps or ropes) can then extend out from each suspension point to an anchoring part. These might be an adjustable strap for looping around a tree or some other immovable object, that the hammock can then be suspended from.

The term "transverse" used herein to describe the orientation of the mid- section to the line between the suspension points also includes "substantially transverse", i.e., it includes arrangements where the mid-section is within ±30 degrees of perpendicular, more preferably within ±20 degrees of perpendicular and most preferably within ±15 degrees of perpendicular. In one preferred example the mid-section is orientated at right angles to the line between the suspension points; namely the mid-section may be orientated to support the user's body

perpendicularly to the line between the suspension points.

The wings may comprise fabric material, for example, a panel made from one or more pieces of woven fabric. These fabric wings are in place of the ropes radiating from the suspension points as used in the prior art of Figures 1 A and 1 B. The wings avoid the tangling problems experienced with the rope arrangements. It has also been found that by using a fabric, with its pattern of threads (the warp and the weft), the distribution of the user's weight can be taken account of more precisely in the construction of the hammock, for example, in order to achieve a flatter, more comfortable sleeping position. The nature of the fibres within the fabric also tends to distribute the forces within the wings, resulting in a more even distribution of stresses at the seams/joins and a more comfortable sleeping experience for the user.

The fabric material may extend to the suspension point or may finish short thereof, for example, to leave a small gap or provide room for netting or other material at the top of each wing. Preferably the fabric extends at least 80% of the way up each wing, more preferably at least 90%, i.e., that woven fabric is at least present in the region between one third and two thirds up each wing, preferably the full height of the wing, in order to help distribute loads within a central region of the wing (e.g., in the x and y directions of the warp and weft), in contrast to the ropes of the prior art hammocks (which carry the loads solely in radial directions).

The fabric may be orientated so that the warp / weft are substantially aligned, i.e., parallel or perpendicular, with the line extending between the suspension points when viewed from above (unless stated otherwise, all references herein to this line between the suspension points are intended to be when the hammock is viewed from above, e.g., when laid out flat on a floor). With this alignment of the warp / weft, the weight is generally carried along the length of the fibres which extend down through the central portions of the wings, with load also being transmitted along the bias of the fabric, i.e., diagonally across the fabric, to the side edges of the fabric.

The fabric of the wings could also be cut on the bias, such that the warp and weft are inclined to this line extending between the suspension points, for example, the threads may extend in a direction that is inclined at between about 30 to 60 degrees to the line extending between the suspension points, and more preferably at about 45 degrees to this line ("about" implying, for example, ±10°, more preferably ±5°, when the hammock is viewed from above and laid out flat). In this way, as the fabric is caused to stretch under the load of the user, tension is transmitted out to the side edges of the wings via the fibres, and in this way it distributes the tension more evenly within the fabric of wings.

The use of a fabric for the wings helps to spread the tension, reducing the tendency for the hammock to tear, e.g., at the seams, and improving the comfort for the user (the hammock feels more supple and the tension feels less localised as a band passing under the user). By appropriate cutting of the base edge of the wing, and in some embodiments orientating the fabric on the bias, it also helps to keep the wings looking taut regardless of the resting position of the user.

The wings are preferably cut with a curved base edge which has a profile configured (having taken account of the orientation of the fabric) to provide a substantially flat mid-section for the user when the hammock is under load from a user resting in it.

Preferably the profile of the base edge of each wing includes at least one convex section. Thus in arrangements where the mid-section has been cut with a rectangular or approximately rectangular outline shape each wing may be roughly triangular in shape with a generally convex base edge (as opposed to a strictly triangular profile with straight edges) arranged to produce a substantially flat midsection for the user to lie on when the fabric is under load.

More preferably, where the fabric is orientated on the bias, i.e, the fibres will be at roughly 45° to the line between the two suspension points when viewed from above, the profile of the base edge may include two, spaced, convex sections and a centrally positioned concave section between. Thus the base edge will have an undulating profile.

The wings are configured so that the weight of the user, which will be distributed all along the mid-section of the hammock between the head and foot ends (often not in a particularly even manner), is balanced with the centre of mass located below the line between the suspension points. As a person's mass tends to be located more in their shoulders and upper sections of their body than their legs, preferably this centre of mass position or 'mid-point' of the hammock (i.e., the region directly beneath the line between the suspension points) is not a true halfway point of the mid-section, but instead a point positioned further up the midsection towards the head end. In other words, the suspension points are positioned slightly closer to the head end than the foot end, and the hammock is asymmetric about this 'mid-point' where the centre of the user's mass is intended to be carried.

The wings are preferably configured so that the side edges of the wings converge towards a given suspension point at an angle a that is less than an angle β subtended by two imaginary lines radiating from the suspension point to the head end and to the foot end of the mid-section respectively. Described in another way, the wings are narrower at the suspension points than they would be if the wings had been cut from a triangular piece of fabric that extends to the head and foot ends of the mid-section. This is preferably through providing wings that are substantially bell-shaped in profile, with side edges that curve inwardly.

Bell-shaped wings have scooped side edges and this arrangement has been found to carry the forces better within the wings. For example, a main force component may extend diagonally up the fabric of the wing from the 'mid-point' of the mid-section, and this together with force components from other loaded regions of the mid-section may blend with one another roughly around the middle of the scooped side edge to then be directed up to the suspension point in a balanced manner along a reinforced seam that runs up the side edge.

The angle a may be centred about a principal line of tension extending between a suspension point and a centre of mass position, i.e., a/2 corresponds essentially with the 'mid-point' of the hammock where the centre of mass is carried. In this way, the majority of the weight on the hammock is transmitted centrally up the wings from the centre of mass point, within a central portion of the fabric lying generally along the a/2 line and within the angle a defined by the side edges of the wing.

Thus the angle β may correspond to around 90° as the angle subtended by the imaginary lines extending from the foot and head ends to the suspension point, and by contrast the angle a may be less than 60°, for example less than 45° and more preferably around 30° or less. The angle a may satisfy the condition β/4 < a < β/2, and preferably is a value corresponding to about β/3.

The side edges of the wings may have a concave or cut-away profile, so that in the lower regions of the wings and in particular along the base edge of the wings, the wings are configured to reach out towards the head and foot ends of the hammock. For example, at the base edge the wings may reach out to points that subtend the suspension points with imaginary lines at an angle β or close thereto.

Thus viewed from another aspect, there can be seen to be provided a transverse hammock, the hammock comprising a pair of suspension points provided on opposed sides of a transversely orientated mid-section, the mid-section providing a surface with a head end and a foot end for a user to lie on, wherein the hammock comprises a pair of wings that support the mid-section, each wing being defined by a base edge attached to the mid-section and by a pair of side edges that converge towards a given suspension point at an angle a, wherein the angle a is less than an angle β subtended by two imaginary lines radiating from the given suspension point to the head end and to the foot end of the mid-section

respectively.

The mid-section may be approximately rectangular in profile, having straight or generally straight lateral edges extending from the head end to the foot end. The mid-section could also comprise other profiles such as a truncated wedge shape with a wider head end than the foot end, and/or have curved lateral edges to create an elliptical or egg-shaped profile.

The mid-section may include a pocket for a sleeping pad. Preferably the mid-section is formed as a sleeve to house the sleeping pad, most preferably as a rectangular pocket, the long edges of the pocket providing the lateral edges that the wings extend from.

The pocket may be of a size to accommodate a range of commercial sleeping pads. The pocket may incorporate an internal pouch at the head end and/or foot end(s) in order to be able to hold a range of different lengths of mat more tightly. The sleeping pad may be a foam pad, an air mattress, a down or fibre-filled air mattress or any other form of mattress that might be suitable. The hammock may be supplied with a removable sleeping pad, or it could be integrally formed with the hammock, for example as an integral inflatable mattress portion.

The hammock may also include inflatable elements, for example, tubes extending along each of the lateral edges, as well as possibly across the head or foot ends, to provide beams that impart rigidity to the mid-section and further help to distribute the forces in the wings of the hammock.

Preferably the hammock is configured so that a significant portion of the load from the user, i.e., more than 50% of the load, is carried by a central portion of the wings (i.e., the portion within the angle a described above), the tension from the load extending down to the 'mid-point' or centre of mass positioned directly below the line between the suspension points when the hammock is in use.

This has been found to assist other functionality. Thus viewed from a further aspect, there can be seen to be provided a hammock comprising: a pair of suspension points provided on opposed sides of the hammock that the hammock is arranged to suspend from in use; a mid-section for supporting a user's body in a direction transverse to a line between the suspension points; and on each side, a line of adjustable length for reducing, whilst in use, at a first location along each opposing lateral edge of the mid-section, a distance between that location and the respective suspension point, so as to raise a first portion of the mid-section corresponding to the first location and thereby change the shape of the mid-section from a first configuration to a second configuration.

In this way, the hammock can be made adjustable. The first configuration may be a reclined configuration, for example, where the user is lying substantially flat. The second configuration may be a raised configuration, for example, where a shoulder region of the user is raised with respect to the legs.

Where a significant portion of the load from the user is being carried by the central portion of the wings as described above, this allows the line of adjustable length, which might be a strap or a cord passing through an adjustment device, to be shortened easily by the user while they are still in place, resting in the hammock. This line of adjustable length may pull up a portion of the mid-section that supports an upper region of the user's back, in order to raise the user's shoulders from a reclined position to a seated position. The line of adjustable length may comprise a handle for the user to pull on.

The hammock may further comprise, on each side, a line of adjustable length for reducing, whilst in use, at a second location along each of the opposing lateral edges of the mid-section, a distance between that location and the respective suspension point, so as to raise a second portion of the mid-section corresponding to the second location and thereby change the shape of the mid- section to a third configuration. Preferably the second location on each of the opposing lateral edges is arranged so that, when in use, reducing the distance between the second location and the respective suspension point elevates a knee region of a user supported by the mid-section. Thus, when the shoulders of the user have been raised, the user may shorten the second set of lines of adjustable length in order to raise his / her knees into a full-seated position. Pulling the knees of the user up also helps to compensate for the slight shift in movement of the centre of gravity associated with raising the shoulders.

By raising a location corresponding to the knees of the user, the hammock can be made to 'buckle' at this position to allow the user's knees to bend.

Preferably the lines of adjustable length are connected to the mid-section by hoisting webs. These may comprise roughly triangular pieces of fabric that help to distribute the forces along the region of lateral edge (and helps to accommodate different heights of user too). The hoisting webs may be cut with the same orientation as the wings, and in one example are cut on the bias. In a similar way to the wings, the one or more hoisting webs may be substantially bell-shaped with scooped side edges. They may also include rounded bottom edges (either of a generally convex or an undulated profile according to the orientation of the fabric). In a further arrangement, two or more lines of adjustable length may be attached to a common hoisting web that is arranged to raise more than one location along the mid-section, each independently of the next.

The line(s) of adjustable length may comprise an arrangement which provides at least a two to one purchase on the load. In an example, the line of adjustable length descends from a suspension point through a buckle to a ring provided on a hoisting web, which preferably comprises a substantially triangular panel that is joined to a lateral edge of the mid-section, and back from the ring to the buckle, to allow it to be tightened or released by the user.

The hammock may be provided at the foot end with a footbox. This is a pocket arrangement that provides room for the feet of the user without the fabric being under tension where it surrounds the feet. In this way the insulating material of the sleeping bag can remain in a reasonably uncompressed form and thereby maintain its insulating properties. The footbox may be cut with extra fabric provided in a roof portion of the footbox to allow room for the user's toes to extend up into during use.

The hammock may be made of any suitable material. Preferably it is made of a lightweight fabric such as nylon or polyester, more preferably a ripstop nylon material. However, it could equally be made from other fabrics such as cotton or any mixture of fibres as desired.

The hammock may be provided with a bug net, which attaches to the hammock, for example, by using a long zip or hook and eye fabric connection (e.g., Velcro®) provided around an upper part of the hammock. If a footbox is present then running the zip (or other connector) along an upper edge of the footbox facilitates an easier opening and closing of the zip while the user is seated in the hammock. The fabric of the wings also helps to avoid points where the stresses are concentrated such that it can make it difficult to connect and disconnect the bug net. A carabiner may be provided to hook the top of the bug net to a ridge line.

Brief Description of the Drawings Certain preferred embodiments of the hammock will now be described in greater detail, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1A shows an illustration of a known transverse hammock;

Figure 1 B shows a further illustration of the known transverse hammock; Figures 2A and 2B are plan and perspective views of a first preferred hammock with bell-shaped wings;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a preferred hammock having triangular wings; Figures 4A, 4B and 4C illustrate examples of different wing shapes;

Figure 5 is a view showing panels of fabric for use in a preferred hammock; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a hammock showing considerations for the wings;

Figure 7 shows a plan view of another preferred hammock where the user is in a sleeping position, the hammock comprising controls in the form of lines of adjustable length for adjusting the profile of the hammock;

Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the hammock of Figure 7 with the controls adjusted to provide a reclining position for the user;

Figure 9 shows a perspective view of a preferred hammock with the controls adjusted to provide a fully-seated configuration for the user;

Figure 10 shows a perspective view of the hammock of Figure 9 being used for camping;

Figure 1 1 A shows a perspective view of a preferred hammock with a bug net and Figure 1 1 B shows it with an additional flysheet;

Figure 12 shows an example of a line of adjustable length and a portion of a hoisting web;

Figure 13 is a perspective view of a further preferred hammock with an alternative arrangement for the controls;

Figure 14A shows a cross-sectional view through a preferred hammock including a sleeping pad and Figure 14B shows a similar view where an additional pouch has been incorporated to accommodate a smaller sleeping pad;

Figure 15A is a representation of how the sleeping pad may be inserted and extracted and Figure 15B shows a similar view where an additional pouch has been incorporated in the hammock like in Figure 14B; Figure 16A is a perspective view of a preferred hammock which has been provided with inflatable tubes and Figure 16B shows an enlargement of this detail. Figure, Figures 16C and 16D shows similar views for an embodiment where an inflatable ring replaces the inflatable tubes, and Figures 16E and 16F show partial perspective views of a further embodiment having a different arrangement of an inflatable tube;

Figure 17 is a perspective view of a preferred hammock for two users;

Figure 18 is a perspective view of a preferred hammock similar to the one shown in Figure 17 which is additionally provided with controls in the form of lines of adjustable length for adjusting the profile of the hammock, the hammock being shown in a sleeping configuration;

Figure 19 shows a perspective view of the hammock of Figure 18 with the controls setting the hammock into a reclining configuration;

Figure 20 shows a perspective view of the hammock of Figure 18 with the controls putting the hammock into a fully-sitting configuration; and

Figure 21 is a perspective view of another preferred hammock with narrower wings.

Detailed Description

Figure 1 A illustrates a front perspective view of a known transverse hammock 1 that is available from Exped AG. The hammock 1 has a pair of suspension points 2, which are in turn suspended from lines 3 that are anchored to immovable objects, such as two adjacent trees (not shown). The separation of the suspension points 2 is controlled by a ridge line 4 that extends between the two suspension points 2.

The hammock is a transverse hammock, i.e., the user is intended to lie on a mid-section 5 that is orientated substantially at right angles to the ridge line 4. Thus the head end 6 and the foot end 7 of the mid-section 5 are positioned either side of the ridge line 4 when viewed from above rather than in line with it.

The opposed lateral edges 8 of the mid-section 5 are suspended from an array of ropes 9 that extend from each suspension point 2, the ropes 9 being spread out along the lateral edge 8 at intervals. The length of the ropes 9 is fixed to provide a suitable sleeping position for the user. In order to make the hammock 1 as lightweight as possible, these ropes 9 can be of a narrow gauge which makes them prone to tangling.

As can be seen in the figure, a pocket 10 is provided on the under-surface of the hammock 1 to accommodate a sleeping pad (not shown) for the user. A seam where the pocket 10 is sewn to the mid-section 5 marks out a 'base' of the hammock 1 corresponding to the sleeping area for the user. The width of the midsection 5, however, is much wider than this base, such that the fabric continues up to a lateral edge 8 to provide a shallow 'side' for the user. Where the ropes 9 attach to the mid-section 5, significant stress concentrations can develop when the hammock 1 is under load from a user. Over the top of the user, a bug net 1 1 may be provided, suspended from the ridge line 4 and connected to upper parts of the hammock 1 by a zip.

Figure 1 B shows the transverse hammock 1 as depicted in DE-U- 20201 1 103350 (similar features in Figure 1A are indicated by the same reference number in Figure 1 B). When viewed from above, as shown, the mid-section 5 of this hammock 1 is angled so that it is around 15° off being at right angles to the line between the pair of suspension points 2. An array of ropes 9 is provided on each side of the hammock to suspend the mid-section 5, the ropes 9 extending between a suspension point 2 and a respective lateral edge 8 of the mid-section 5.

Figure 2A shows a preferred hammock 20 viewed from above. It comprises a pair of spaced suspension points 22 from which the hammock 20 is suspended. Lines 23 (see Figure 2B) for anchoring the hammock 20 to a pair of trees or other immovable objects, extend from the other side of the suspension points 22. The hammock 20 comprises a mid-section 25 having a head end 26 and a foot end 27 arranged on opposite sides of a line 24 extending between the two suspension points 22. Thus the hammock 20 is a transverse hammock with a mid-section 25, which provides a surface that a user can lie on as shown, arranged substantially at right angles to a ridge line 24a.

The mid-section 25 may be substantially rectangular in outline as shown, defined by opposed (left and right) lateral edges 28 extending between edges at the head end 26 and foot end 27. A rectangular outline is useful because it

corresponds to that of most commercially available sleeping mats. The mid-section could, of course, be a different shape, for example, a tapered or wedge shape, or provided with curved lateral edges to give a substantially oval or egg-shaped outline. The mid-section 25 may also include rounded corners to impart some tension into the wings 29 at that point.

The mid-section 25 of the hammock 20 is preferably arranged to provide an essentially flat surface for the user to lie on. The flatness can be assisted through the incorporation of a sleeping pad within a pocket of the mid-section 25. The pocket may include one or more internal pouch(es) for the head end and/or foot end of the sleeping pad to be tucked into (these will be discussed in more detail later with respect to Figure 14). The sleeping pad helps to tension the mid-section 25 in the length direction, and through the provision of one or more pouches can be arranged to accommodate different lengths of sleeping pad. Additional tensioning elements, such as inflatable tubes or rods etc., could be used to help stiffen the mid-section 25. For example, an inflatable tube could be incorporated either side of a sleeping pad in the mid-section 25 extending along the lateral edges 28.

The hammock 20 is shown in perspective in Figure 2B. As can be seen in the figure, the mid-section 25 is suspended from a pair of wings 29, each of which is connected to a lateral edge 28 of the mid-section 25. In use, the wings 29 comprise flat, roughly triangular panels that extend from the lateral edges 28 up to the suspension points 22, the wings 29 being inclined at an angle of between 20 to 70° to the line 24 between the suspension points 22, more preferably between 30 and 60° to the line 24, and most preferably at around 45° ± 15° to this line 24. The wings 29 may comprise single, generally triangular pieces of fabric, or could be made from several pieces of fabric that are sewn together. More preferably the wings 29 are bell-shaped as shown, having pronounced curved side edges 32 that extend from the ends of a bottom edge 33 (that is joined to the mid-section 25) up to suspension points 22 along a concave path. The wings 29 may reach out to the head end 26 and the foot end 27 of the mid-section 25 to span the length of the lateral edges 28.

Figure 3 shows a top view of an alternative transverse hammock 20 (where similar features are indicated by the same reference numbers). In this embodiment, the wings 29 have straight side edges 32' extending from the suspension points 22 to the head and foot ends 26, 27 of the mid-section 25, in order to provide wings 29 with a triangular profile.

The wings 29 in any of the embodiments may be made of any suitable woven material, for example, a lightweight man-made fabric suitable for camping situations, such as a polyester or nylon material, preferably including a rip-stop fibre within the weave. An example would be a rip-stop nylon. The fabric could also be made from fibres like cotton or silk, or indeed any mixture of natural fibres with man-made fibres so long as the fabric is sufficiently strong for its purpose.

A woven fabric material, which will have a warp and a weft arranged at 90° to each other, has been found to distribute forces from the user's weight in a more advantageous way than was previously achievable with an array of ropes 9. This is because the fabric will stretch under load, particularly along the bias of the fabric (45° to the warp and weft), as the warp and weft are caused to pull apart slightly. This in turn helps to spread the load diagonally within the panel as well as along the fibre direction, and in this way it can avoid stress concentrations which might cause a seam to pull apart. The seams might be formed by stitching, gluing, welding, or any combination of these, and may comprise a locked or double locked

arrangement.

Some possible outline shapes of the wings 29 are shown in more detail in Figures 4A, 4B and 4C. The fabric of the wings 29 may be orientated in two main directions, namely with the warp / weft (as indicated by the crossed arrows in the figures) arranged substantially aligned with a principal direction of tension T in the wings 29 which runs from the top corner down the middle of the wing 29 as shown in Figure 4A (the warp / weft will also be aligned with the imaginary line 24 extending between the suspension points 22 when viewed from above), and with the warp / weft inclined to the principal direction of tension T (and the line 24 extending between the suspension points 22 when viewed from above), preferably at around 45°, as shown in Figure 4B. Figure 4C shows a triangular wing with the warp / weft aligned with the lateral edge 28.

Preferably the wings 29 are provided with a curved bottom edge 33. Where the fabric is substantially aligned with the principal direction of tension T, this may be provided as a smooth, rounded convex section 33', and where the fabric is inclined to the principal direction of tension T, e.g., at 45°, then the curved bottom edge 33 may define rounded convex sections 33' at the ends towards the side edges 32, and a concave section 33" towards the middle of the bottom edge 33, giving it an undulating or wavy profile as shown. When the wing 29 is under load from the weight of a user, the wing 29 stretches causing this bottom edge 33 to straighten and thereby match the straight or generally straight lateral edge 28 of the mid-section 25. Figure 5 shows a preferred arrangement of two wings 39 cut on the bias (warp and weft orientated at 45° to a principal direction of tension T) arranged on opposite sides of the mid-section 25. Each wing 29 has curved (scooped) side edges 32 to provide a bell-shaped appearance, as well as an undulating bottom edge 33 to encourage the mid-section 25 to achieve a flat profile when under load. The orientation of the fabric for the mid-section 25 is preferably standard and aligned with the warp and weft parallel / perpendicular to its lateral edges 28 / head and foot ends 26, 27.

Figure 6 shows details of the bell-shaped wings 29 in more detail. Thus the wings may be configured so that the side edges 32 of the wings 29 curve inwardly and converge towards a given suspension point 22 at an angle a that is less than an angle β subtended by two imaginary lines βι, β₂ radiating from the suspension point 22 to the head end 26 and to the foot end 27 of the mid-section 25

respectively. As a result, the wings 29 are significantly narrower adjacent the suspension points 22 than they would be if they had been cut from a triangular piece of fabric having straight edges extending to the head and foot ends 26, 27. This curve in the side edges 32 helps to direct load being transmitted diagonally within the wings 29 and from the head and foot ends 26, 27 along the side edges 32 of the wings 29 up towards the suspension point 22 without distorting the appearance of the wing 29.

The angle a may be centred about a principal line of tension T as shown. The principal line of tension T follows the surface of the wings from a suspension point 22, down the wing 29 to a centre of mass position C, indicated by the dashed line which passes across the mid-section 25. Through this, a majority of the weight on the hammock 20 is transmitted centrally up the wings 29 from the centre of mass point C within a relatively narrow band of fabric lying generally along the principal line of tension T (a/2) and within the sector of angle a as defined by the imaginary lines αι and a₂ projecting the convergence of the side edges 32 of the wing 29. As indicated in the figure, this central portion of the fabric within the lines αι and a₂ may be only around a third of the angular width of the area between the lines βι and β₂ extending to the head end 26 and foot end 27 of the mid-section 25.

By carrying the weight of the user in this way, it assists with providing further functionality to the hammock 20. For example, as shown in Figure 7, the hammock 20 may be provided with controls, for example, in the form of one, preferably two, sets of lines of adjustable length 34 for reducing, whilst in use, at a location along each opposing lateral edge 28 of the mid-section 25 that might be for example, a region behind the shoulders of the user or a region behind the knees of the user, a distance between that location and the respective suspension point 22. By reducing the distance of the line 34, it can raise the shoulder or knee region of the mid-section 25 and thereby change the shape of the mid-section 25 from a first configuration (e.g., a flat configuration for sleeping as shown in Figure 7) to a second configuration (e.g., back raised configuration for relaxing as shown in Figure 8) or to a third configuration (e.g., back and knees raised configuration for sitting up in the hammock 20 as shown in Figure 9, which shows a front perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the hammock). The user can also use these controls to adjust the profile of the mid-section for the most preferred sleeping position.

Preferably, each of the lines of adjustable length 34 extend from a suspension point 22 to a hoisting web 35 as illustrated, which spreads the forces over a section of the lateral edge 28. In the same way as the wings 29, these hoisting webs 35 are preferably bell-shaped with curved side edges 36, and preferably a rounded bottom edge (of either a generally convex profile if the fibres of the fabric are aligned with the lateral edge 28 or an undulating profile with a concave section centred between two convex sections if the hoisting webs 35 are aligned on their bias). The base edges of the hoisting webs, as well as assisting to distribute load, also help to make the lines of adjustable length 34 more suitable for a range of different height users, particularly the lines for raising the knees.

Figure 12 shows an example of a line of adjustable length 34 in greater detail. Here the line 34 comprises two portions of strap, one hanging down from the suspension point 22 (suspension point 22 not shown) and holding a buckle 37, and the other descending from the buckle 37, to a ring 38 at the top of the hoisting web 35 where the side edges 36 converge, back up to the buckle 37, and then returning in the opposite direction towards the user, where it then terminates in a handle 39 for the user to pull on.

The line of adjustable length 34 can of course take other forms, for example, arrangements using ropes, pulleys, cleats and/or ratchets, etc. The arrangement may provide a simple 1 to 1 relationship, i.e., the amount of line 34 pulled is equal to the amount the region is raised, or it may provide a greater degree of purchase, e.g., as a 1 to 2 (as shown in Figure 12), 1 to 3, 1 to 4 purchase, etc., depending on the amount of effort desired. Figure 9 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the hammock 20 in use in a seated configuration, with Figure 10 showing the hammock adapted for use in a camping scenario. The hammock 20 is suspended from a pair of trees (not shown) via lines 23 that attach to the suspension points 22. Then over the top of the hammock 20, a flysheet or canopy 40 is provided, which is either suspended over the ridge line 24a of the hammock 20, or more preferably, is suspended from additional lines 41 extending to the trees. The canopy 40 is further pulled taut using guys 42 which extend to the ground.

In the embodiments of Figures 9 and 10, the hammock 20 is provided with a footbox 43, comprising a specially shaped pocket of fabric having an expandable section 44 for the user's toes to extend into without introducing tension into the fabric.

Figure 1 1 A is a perspective view of a hammock 20 fitted with a bug net 31 . The bug net 31 can be provided with a zip or some other form of detachable connection which runs around the upper region of one wing 29, across the top edge of the footbox 43, around the upper region of the other wing 29 and across the fabric at the head end 26 of the mid-section 25. The top of the bug net 31 may be provided with a carabiner 45 or other connector for hooking on to the ridgeline 24a.

Figure 1 1 B shows the hammock arrangement of Figure 1 1 A being used with a flysheet 40 that is suspended from additional lines 41 and pulled taut by guys 42.

Figure 13 shows a perspective view of another embodiment of the hammock 20. As with the embodiments of Figures 2A and 2B, the hammock 20 comprises a mid-section 25 that is supported from a pair of suspension points 22 by a pair of fabric wings 29. As with the embodiment of Figures 7 to 9, the hammock is further provided with lines of adjustable length 34 for raising the shoulders and the knees of the user. However, in this embodiment, the hoisting web 35' is common to both lines 34. Thus the hoisting web 35' comprises at least two apexes, more preferably three, where the side edges 36 converge, with the lines of adjustable length 34 being connected to at least two of these. The whole of the base edge 46 of the common hoisting web 35' may be connected to the lateral edge 28 as shown. The lines of adjustable length 34 may be connected at their upper ends to the suspension point 22 or to a centrally extending line 47 as shown.

Figure 14A is a cross-section through a hammock 20 showing a pocket 48 within the mid-section 25 housing a sleeping pad 49. The pocket 48 is provided with a first pouch 50a in the head end 26 and a second pouch 50b in the tail end 27. By hooking the sleeping pad 49 into one or both of these internal pouches 50a, 50b, the length of the mid-section 25 can be effectively shortened with respect to the sleeping pad 49, enabling the hammock 20 to accommodate a wide range of different lengths of sleeping pad 49 while maintaining tautness in the mid-section 25. The pouches 50a, 50b also help to prevent the sleeping pad 49 from moving about within the pocket 48 during use.

Figure 14B illustrates a cross-section through another preferred hammock 20 which has a first pouch 50a in the head end 26, but has two longitudinally spaced (with respect to a length direction of the mid-section 25) pouches 50c and 50d in the tail end 27. The pouches 50c and 50d can be suitably spaced to accommodate two main sizes of sleeping pad 49, the user choosing the appropriate pouch 50c, 50d according to the fit of the sleeping pad 49.

If desired an additional pouch may be provided in the head end 26 of the mid-section 25 either as an alternative to the extra pouch 50c in the tail end 27 or in addition to it, for example at half the spacing, in order to provide a further range of possible sizes. Further, a strap or other tightening mechanism could be provided on one or more of the pouches 50a, 50b, 50c, 50d to provide further adjustment and holding of the sleeping pad 49 in an appropriate position under the user.

As the weight of the user can be mostly carried by the bottom layer of fabric of the mid-section 25, the sleeping pad 49 within the pocket 48 is kept close to the body of the user, increasing the warmth and comfort of the user.

The fitting of the sleeping pad 49 within the pocket 48 of the mid-section 25 is shown in more detail in the perspective view of Figure 15A. In this arrangement, the pocket 48 may be accessible from both the head end 26 and foot end 27 in order to slide the sleeping pad 49 into the pocket 48 and into one or both of the pouches 50a, 50b. Figure 15B shows how a sleeping pad can be slid over a first pouch 50d and into a second pouch 50c positioned further up the mid-section 25 as a way to shorten the effective length of the pocket 48 for a shorter sleeping pad 49. In this way, the pocket 48 can be arranged to accommodate easily different lengths of sleeping pad, whilst preventing it from sliding down the pocket when the hammock 20 is in use.

Figure 16A is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the hammock 20. In this example, no lines of adjustable length 34 are shown, though could be incorporated if desired. On either side of the mid-section 25, extending along each lateral edge 28, is provided an inflatable tube 51 . The inflatable tubes 51 help to stretch out the mid-section 25 and transfer the load of the user to the wings 29 appropriately. The inflatable tubes 51 may each be provided within a cylindrical pocket 52 and provided with a valve 53 for inflating by mouth, pump (e.g., bag pump) or other means, as shown in the enlargement of Figure 16B. The position of the valve, of course, is not critical. Such a hammock arrangement may also include a pocket in the mid-section 25 for a sleeping pad (not shown) located between the inflatable tubes 51 .

Figures 16C and 16D show a perspective view and enlargement respectively of another preferred embodiment where the inflatable tubes 51 of Figures 16A and 16B have been replaced with a single inflatable tube 51 in the form of a loop that extends completely around the perimeter of the mid-section 25 (e.g., from the valve 53, up one lateral edge 28 across the head end 26, down the other lateral edge 28 and across the tail end 27 back to the valve 53). This has the advantage that only a single valve mechanism is required and it also makes it slightly quicker to erect the hammock.

Figures 16E and 16F show yet another preferred embodiment, firstly as a partial perspective view in Fig 16E (one wing 29 has been left off for ease of viewing) and secondly as a cross-sectional view in Figure 16F. In this embodiment the inflatable tube 51 extends only part way around the perimeter of the hammock 20. Thus it extends as shown from the valve 53 at the tail end, up along one lateral edge 28, across the head end 26 and down the other lateral edge 28 to the tail end 27. Again, the position of the valve 53 is not fixed and it could be positioned anywhere along this inflatable tube 51 . In this embodiment, the portion of the inflatable tube 51 at the head end 26, as well as connecting up the lateral edge portions of the tube 51 to avoid the need for an additional valve, acts as a frame to support the upper edge of the head end 26 and any bug net to keep them from coming into contact with the user's face. An additional web of material 29' may be provided extending from each side edge of the wing 29 to support the head and tail ends 26, 27 of the hammock 20 further. Together such modifications can help to create more room inside the hammock 20 as desired.

The arrangements with one or more inflatable tubes 51 are also less reliant on the sleeping pad 49 for stretching out the mid-section 25. In these embodiments the sleeping pad 49, if fitted, can be mounted further down in the structure of the mid-section 25, allowing for additional comfort layers to be incorporated between the sleeping pad 49 and the user. In one example, in place of a sleeping pad, an under-quilt may be suspended or attached underneath the mid-section 25, for example, using releasable fasteners or hook and eye material to hold it in place under the inflatable tube(s) 51 . This might offer a more comfortable or breathable solution for some climates.

While the foregoing has described a hammock intended for one user, it would also be possible for the hammock to be arranged to accommodate two people, for example, lying in a side by side arrangement. To prevent the two occupants rolling together, the centre of the mid-section may be supported by a connection to a ridge line. Thus there can be seen to be disclosed a hammock comprising: a pair of suspension points provided on opposed sides of the hammock that the hammock is arranged to suspend from in use; a mid-section for supporting one or more users' bodies in a direction substantially transverse to a line between the suspension points; and a pair of wings extending outwardly from opposing lateral edges of the mid-section substantially to the suspension points.

Preferably such a hammock includes a ridge line extending between the suspension points. Preferably the mid-section includes a leash or supporting web of fabric connected to a central part of the mid-section to suspend this part of the hammock from the ridge line. Any or all of the previously described preferred features may also be read in conjunction with such a two-person transverse hammock without restriction.

Figure 17 is a perspective view of such a two-person hammock 60. The hammock 60 comprises a pair of suspension points 62 provided on opposed sides of the hammock that the hammock is arranged to suspend from in use. It further comprises a mid-section 65 that is configured to support two users, both lying in a direction substantially transverse to an imaginary line 64 between the suspension points 62. The hammock 60 also comprises a pair of wings 69, which extend outwardly from opposing lateral edges 68 of the mid-section 65 substantially to the suspension points 62. Between the suspension points 62 is arranged a ridgeline 64a that a central region of the mid-section 65 can be supported by, for example, by way of a central support 61 in the form of a leash or central web(s) of fabric extending from the mid-section 65 to the ridgeline 64a. The central support 61 may span the full length of the mid-section 65 as shown from the head end 66 to the foot end 67.

Figure 18 is a variation on this two-person hammock 60 in which lines of adjustable length 74 have been included in order to raise the shoulders or knees of the two users. If desired, the hoisting webs 75 can be swapped for a common hoisting web, in a similar way to Figure 13. By pulling on these lines of adjustable length 74, the users can be raised from a sleeping position (as shown in Figure 18) to a shoulders raised resting position (as shown in Figure 19) through to a fully seated, knees bent, sitting position (as shown in Figure 20).

Figure 21 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the hammock 20 having a narrower pair of wings 29, the side edges of which correspond essentially to the region enclosed by the lines αι and a₂ bounding the angle a illustrated in Figure 6. Thus the base edge of these wings 29 might correspond to around a third of the length of the lateral edge 28, such that the wings 29 are arranged to carry the majority of the weight of the user which will be experienced in the middle of the midsection 25. To support the head end 26 and foot end 27 of the mid-section 25, a set of lines (ropes or straps) and load distributing webs 29a are provided connected to the lateral edges 28 of the mid-section 25. In the embodiment shown, the hammock 20 comprises three sets of lines and load distributing webs 29a at the head end 26, and four sets of lines and load distributing webs 29a at the foot end 27. However, other arrangements are envisaged and it would be possible to replace these with other configurations of lines, such as a single line and load distributing web 29a at one or each of the head end 26 and foot end 27. The hammock 20 could also be adapted to include lines of adjustable length 34 in order to raise the shoulders and/or the knees of the user. It would also be possible to provide a two-person version of this hammock following similar principles to those described in relation to the hammock of Figures 17 to 20.

Claims

1 . A hammock comprising:

a pair of suspension points provided on opposed sides of the hammock that the hammock is arranged to suspend from in use;

a mid-section for supporting a user's body in a direction substantially transverse to a line between the suspension points; and

a pair of wings extending outwardly from opposing lateral edges of the midsection substantially to the suspension points.

2. A hammock as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the wings comprise woven fabric panels which preferably extend from a suspension point to a head end of the midsection and to a foot end of the mid-section, and/or are preferably are substantially bell-shaped.

3. A hammock as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the wings are cut with a curved base edge which preferably has a profile that is configured to provide a substantially flat mid-section for the user when the hammock is under load from a user resting in it.

4. A hammock as claimed in claim 3, wherein the base edge of the wings comprises a convex section.

5. A hammock as claimed in claim 3, wherein the base edge of the wings comprises a pair of spaced convex sections and a centrally positioned concave section between.

6. A hammock as claimed in claim 3 or 5, wherein the fabric comprises a warp and a weft which are orientated at about 45 degrees to a principal direction of tension in the wings when under load.

7. A hammock comprising:

a pair of suspension points provided on opposed sides of the hammock that the hammock is arranged to suspend from in use; a mid-section for supporting a user's body in a direction substantially transverse to a line between the suspension points; and

on each side, a line of adjustable length for reducing, whilst in use, at a first location along each of opposing lateral edge of the mid-section, a distance between that location and the respective suspension point, so as to raise a first portion of the mid-section corresponding to the first location and thereby change the shape of the mid-section from a first configuration to a second configuration.

8. A hammock as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first configuration is a reclined configuration, and preferably wherein the second configuration is a raised or seated configuration.

9. A hammock as claimed in any of claims 7 or 8, wherein the first location on each of the opposing lateral edges is arranged so that, when in use, reducing the distance between the first location and the respective suspension point elevates a region of the back of a user, preferably a shoulder region of a user, who is lying along the mid-section.

10. A hammock as claimed in any of claims 7 to 9, further comprising:

on each side, a line of adjustable length for reducing, whilst in use, at a second location along each of the opposing lateral edges of the mid-section, a distance between that location and the respective suspension point, so as to raise a second portion of the mid-section corresponding to the second location and thereby change the shape of the mid-section to a third configuration, preferably a fully- seated configuration.

1 1 . A hammock as claimed in claim 10, wherein the second location on each of the opposing lateral edges is arranged so that, when in use, reducing the distance between the second location and the respective suspension point elevates a knee region of a user supported by the mid-section.

12. A hammock as claimed in any of claims 7 to 1 1 , wherein the lines of adjustable length are connected to the mid-section via a web of fabric to distribute a tension from the line across a length of lateral edge when the hammock is under load.

13. A hammock as claimed in any of claims 7 to 12, wherein each line of adjustable length is looped through a return device, preferably in the form of a buckle.

14. A hammock as claimed in any of claims 7 to 13, wherein the lines of adjustable length are straps.

15. A hammock as claimed in any of claims 7 to 13, wherein the hammock further comprises the features of one or more of claims 1 to 6.

16. A hammock as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the mid-section includes a pocket for receiving a sleeping pad.

17. A hammock as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a foot pocket formed at a foot end of the mid-section to receive the feet of a user resting on the mid-section.

18. A hammock as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a ridgeline is provided between the suspension points and is adapted to be under tension when the hammock is under load.

19. A hammock as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the hammock further comprises one or more inflatable members, preferably in the form of inflatable tubes extending either side of the mid-section.

20. A hammock as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the mid-section is configured to accommodate two users in a side by side arrangement.