Vagabond Outdoors camper patent

simple

Adventurer
I was surprised to see that this pop up canopy camper was granted a patent in 2020 filed in 2018. https://vagabondoutdoors.com/

It doesn't seem novel and as far as I can tell. There was also a lot of prior art in this area.
Reading the patent, the language is broad and it appears to cover all forms of a pop up camper.

I'm curious if anyone who understands patents can tell if this patent suggests that all the other companies building these style of campers are infringing? Would this patent be defendable?
What does this mean for the rest of the small manufacturers making these products?

I couldn't find a direct link to the USPTO website so I'll copy paste it into the next post. Patent # 10829028 Document # US 10829028 B2
 
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simple

Adventurer
The patent is 15 pages but here are the claims

Claims 1. A camper, comprising: a plurality of walls, the plurality of walls comprising: a first wall, a lid hinged to at least one wall in the plurality of walls, a door coupled to a second wall, and at least one sidewall; a tent configured to be coupled between the plurality of walls and the lid; at least one actuating mechanism coupled to the lid and the first wall; a rim wall mounted on the at least one sidewall; a lower track extending along the rim wall; and an upper track extending along the lid, wherein the tent secures into the upper track and the lower track, wherein the lid is moveable between an open lid position and a closed lid position, wherein the actuating mechanism is configured to assist the lid to move to the open lid position.

2. The camper of claim 1, wherein the first wall is a front wall, the second wall is an opposed back wall, and the plurality of walls comprises: a first sidewall; a second sidewall; the front wall; and the opposed back wall, wherein the front wall and the opposed back wall secure the first sidewall and second sidewall.

3. The camper of claim 1, wherein the door couples to at least one set of springs, wherein the at least one set of springs attaches to at least one sidewall, the at least one set of springs configured to allow door rotation to a selectively fixed position.

4. The camper of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of bed panels configured to be received by the plurality of walls.

5. The camper of claim 4, further comprising a rail extending approximate to the first sidewall and the second sidewall, wherein at least one bed panel of the plurality of bed panels is configured to selectively secure to the rail.

6. The camper of claim 1, wherein the actuating mechanism comprises at least one of gas springs, dampers, compression springs, torsion springs, or extension springs.

7. The camper of claim 1, further comprising: a set of anchors coupled to the plurality of walls, the set of anchors comprising a first anchor attached to the lid, and a second anchor attached to the first wall; and a lock bar comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is configured to be detachably engaged to the first anchor and the second end is configured to be detachably engaged to the second anchor, wherein the lock bar is configured to secure the lid in the open lid position.

8. The camper of claim 1, wherein the tent comprises: a cord comprising an inner skirt coupled to the tent, wherein the cord is configured to be received by the lower track.

9. The camper of claim 1, wherein the tent comprises: an impermeable surface; at least one mesh window disposed on the impermeable surface; and a window seal disposed over the at least one mesh window, wherein the window seal is configured to zip between a first position and a second position, the second position configured to close the at least one mesh window.

10. The camper of claim 1, wherein the plurality of walls comprise a utility panel disposed within the plurality of walls.

11. The camper of claim 1, further comprising an interior channel disposed within the plurality of walls.

12. The camper of claim 8, wherein lower track comprises a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, wherein the tent is configured to selectively extend over the lower track.

13. The camper of claim 1, wherein the door comprises at least one latch configured to actuate between a locked position and an unlocked position.

14. A camper, comprising: a plurality of walls configured to slide onto a vehicle bed, the plurality of walls comprising at least one sidewall, a lid disposed on the at least one sidewall, and a rim wall disposed on the at least one sidewall; a tent extending between the lid and the rim wall, wherein the lid rotates between an open lid position and a closed lid position, in the open lid position the tent extends therewith; a set of anchors disposed on the plurality of walls, wherein one of the set of anchors is disposed on the lid and the second of the set of anchors is disposed on the rim wall; a lock bar configured to mount between the set of anchors, the lock bar configured to secure the lid in the open lid position; and a cord comprising an inner skirt coupled to the tent, wherein the cord is configured to be received by a lower track extending along the rim wall.

15. The camper of claim 14, further comprising an actuating mechanism extending between the at least one sidewall and the lid, wherein the actuating mechanism is configured to assist rotating the lid to the open lid position.

16. The camper of claim 14, further comprising a utility panel disposed within the plurality of walls.

17. The camper of claim 14, further comprising insulation disposed on the plurality of walls.

18. The camper of claim 14, further comprising a fan.

19. A camper, comprising: a plurality of walls configured to slide onto a vehicle bed, the plurality of walls comprising: at least one sidewall, a lid hinged to the at least one sidewall, and a door coupled to the at least one sidewall; a rail extending from the plurality of walls; a plurality of bed panels secured upon the rail within the plurality of walls; a tent configured to be coupled between the lid and the at least one sidewall; and at least one actuating mechanism coupled to the lid and the at least one sidewall, wherein the plurality of bed panels are adjustable by sliding along the rail, and wherein the lid rotates between an open lid position and a closed lid position, wherein the actuating mechanism is configured to assist the lid rotation to the open lid position.
 
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goalcoach

New member
As a patent attorney…good luck with enforcement. The issue is someone challenging the patent or vagabond trying to enforce it! Either would most likely end in invalidating the patent. There are a lot of inexperienced patent examiners at the USPTO.
 

NatersXJ6

Explorer
As a patent attorney…good luck with enforcement. The issue is someone challenging the patent or vagabond trying to enforce it! Either would most likely end in invalidating the patent. There are a lot of inexperienced patent examiners at the USPTO.

Yes, far too many out there that think they can generally patent commonplace ideas and far too many others that allow it. Then again, read the Knockoff thread and realize that everyone will just continue on as planned.

There was a similar thing back when I was in heavy construction. Someone patented the idea of using parallel pipes to shake dirt off truck tires, then tried to sue every construction site with a homemade device. It was a stupid nightmare.

But the attorneys did okay.
 

goalcoach

New member
Yes, far too many out there that think they can generally patent commonplace ideas and far too many others that allow it. Then again, read the Knockoff thread and realize that everyone will just continue on as planned.

There was a similar thing back when I was in heavy construction. Someone patented the idea of using parallel pipes to shake dirt off truck tires, then tried to sue every construction site with a homemade device. It was a stupid nightmare.

But the attorneys did okay.
Yes - some attorneys will be the only ones to profit on this patent!
 

crazysccrmd

Observer
Vagabond may not be around for long enough to worry about the patent given their difficulties in producing campers and communicating with customers, many of which who have made full payment over a year ago with nothing to show for it.
 

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