Field of the Invention
Applicants' invention relates to a device for suspending a hammock. More particularly, it relates to a hammock frame that is mountable inside a pick-up truck bed.
Background Information
Hammocks are popular around the world for relaxation and sleeping. They can be used for lounging or ads a lightweight bed on camping trips. The hammock conjures an image of leisure and relaxation.
Conventional hammocks are slings, suspended between two (2) or more anchor points, for a person to lie or sit in. The sling portion of the hammock is generally made from a fabric sheet, such as cotton or nylon, or corded netting, often made from nylon, poly, fiber, or cotton. The hammock may be used for swinging, sleeping, or resting.
The hammock sling normally consists of one or more cloth panels, or a woven network of twine or thin rope. This creates a sheet, albeit a sheet that may have holes, on which a person may lie.
The anchor points need to be an appropriate distance apart—close enough to tie the ends of the hammock (or cables tied to the ends of the hammock) to, but far enough apart to allow the user to rest between. Because the hammock will need to support the weight of the user (or sometimes multiple users), the sling portion and the tie straps must be of sufficient tear resistance to accommodate such a load. Additionally, with the hammock hanging from the anchor points, the anchor points must also be sufficiently strong to support the user's weight.
The anchor points are generally either existing structures—whether made-made such as posts or walls, or natural such as trees—or frames that stand alone with two end-points for attaching to the hammock ends or tie straps.
There are a wide variety of hammocks available, as well as accessories for them. There are light-weight, packable hammocks that are designed specifically for backpacking that may include rain flys, mosquito netting, or storage pockets. There are hammocks made for placement in the user's yard or beach that are purely for relaxation.
Hammocks come in a variety of colors, patterns, and sizes ranging from holding one person to two or three persons. There are even hammocks intended to take the place of a tent. Common dimensions for unslung hammocks fall in a range between 3′/0.9 m to 14′/4.2 m across and 6′/1.8 m to 11′/3.3 m long.
One of the many hammock styles is framed, sometimes called a spreader-bar style. The spreader-bar hammock is easily recognized by wooden or metal bars at the head and foot of the hammock, spreading its width and allowing for easy access for casual use, such as in a backyard. Some framed hammocks may have a single-spreader bar, which uses a spreader bar on only one end and is much more stable. A variation of the single-spreader bar hammock has three attachment points, one at each corner of the spreader bar and one at the non-spreader bar end and is nearly untippable.
Various styles of hammocks available have different materials or construction. Some may be made of cotton or nylon string that is woven to form a net. A solid fabric may be used, which tends to be more durable than the string varieties. Camping hammocks are generally made of nylon or polyester.
Camping hammocks may have a ridgeline, which is generally in line strung between each end and above the hammock, from which additional gear, such as mosquito netting and rain flys are hung.
For non-spreader-bar styles, the way in which hammocks are hung is critical for comfort. Generally, a higher attachment point is preferred as well as sufficient length between attachment points, though these two dimensions can be adjusted to compensate for a lack in one or the other. The optimal angle of the attaching lines to the post/wall/tree is usually about 30 degrees.
Though one can lie in a hammock lengthwise or across its width, most hammocks are best used with a diagonal position, as it provides the most room and support. Users with back and joint pains often report some relief from these problems when sleeping in a hammock in this manner.
One favorite use for hammocks is for rest and relaxation at recreational events. The problem, is that often appropriate anchor points are not available. This could be because there are a great number of people at such events which limits the availability of anchor points, or room to locate a hammock. Or, in an area such as maybe a metropolitan or beach location, there may not be appropriate anchors regardless of the number of people. Another problem may be that in some areas, such as a parking lot tailgate party, there is simply no room for setting up a hammock. Another problem is that conventional hammocks frames are rather large and difficult to transport.