Patent Application
20220186514
The present disclosure relates generally to umbrella anchors. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a beach umbrella sand anchoring and stabilizing device including an anchoring container for burying in and containing sand and stabilizing vanes for preventing rotation of a beach umbrella about its longitudinal axis.
Beach umbrellas are frequently used by beachgoers to provide an area of shade or shelter to protect them from direct sunrays and provide a somewhat protected area for their various beach items. Conventional beach umbrellas include an elongated, rigid, support post with a pointed lower end including an auger designed to be rotated and driven into the sand by exerting a downward rotational force on the support post. However, horizontal and vertical forces of heavier wind, wind gusts, or subsequent pivotable movement of the umbrella frequently results in the umbrella being completely dislodged from the sand. Indeed, although these augers vertically stabilize the umbrellas by counteracting vertical lifting forces, they do not laterally stabilize the umbrellas from horizontal and angular forces that tend to move the umbrella post laterally, slowly widening the surrounding sand in which the auger has been driven and dislodging it from the sand. This can result in a hazardous condition since the wind, after dislodging the umbrella, will cause the umbrella to roll or tumble along the beach causing an extremely dangerous situation for other beachgoers.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved beach umbrella anchor which will increase the total static retention forces and the lateral stability of a beach umbrella by alleviating or preventing horizontal or vertical lifting forces, caused by steady winds and/or gusts, from dislodging the beach umbrella from the sand such that a beach umbrella may be used in a more stable, secure, and safe manner.
While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present disclosure as disclosed hereafter.
In the present disclosure, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of common general knowledge or otherwise constitutes prior art under the applicable statutory provisions; or is known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which the present disclosure is concerned.
While certain aspects of conventional technologies have been discussed to facilitate the present disclosure, no technical aspects are disclaimed and it is contemplated that the claims may encompass one or more of the conventional technical aspects discussed herein.
An aspect of an example embodiment in the present disclosure is to provide a beach umbrella anchor capable of receiving and fastening an umbrella therein while providing a means for weighing the umbrella down and providing lateral support that combats horizontal and angular forces. Accordingly, the present disclosure provides a beach umbrella anchoring and stabilizing device including a support shaft and an anchoring container affixed to the support shaft. The support shaft includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a hollow interior adapted to receive a beach umbrella support post therein. The proximal end includes an opening providing access to the hollow interior and a fastener for fastening a beach umbrella support post within the hollow interior. The anchoring container includes an open top, a closed bottom, and a sidewall extending around the support shaft from the open top to the closed bottom. The sidewall defines a reservoir extending between the support shaft and the sidewall that is adapted to receive sand. The sidewall is positioned laterally outwardly with respect to the support shaft such that the anchoring container provides lateral support to the support shaft when the reservoir is filled with sand. In operation, the anchoring container is buried under the sand such that the anchoring container is positioned underneath the beach surface. The anchoring container is filled with sand to weigh the beach umbrella anchoring and stabilizing device down and to anchor it underneath the sand. The width of the anchoring container with respect to the support shaft in combination with the static force exerted thereon by the weight of the sand filled into the reservoir provides lateral support to the support shaft.
Another aspect of an example embodiment in the present disclosure is to provide a beach umbrella anchor providing lateral support to a beach umbrella mounted therein that also combats rotational forces. According, the beach umbrella anchoring and stabilizing device includes stabilizing vanes protruding radially outwardly from the support shaft and extending from the closed bottom to the distal end. Each of the stabilizing vanes define a broad surface adapted to engage sand when a rotational force is exerted onto the support shaft, thereby preventing rotation of the support shaft about a longitudinal axis thereof when the anchoring container is buried under the sand.
Yet another aspect of an example embodiment in the present disclosure is to provide a beach umbrella anchor providing a space for users to place their various beach accessories thereon. Accordingly, the beach umbrella anchoring and stabilizing device includes a beach accessory tray that is removably attachable to the support shaft. The beach accessory tray includes a central opening for mounting the beach accessory tray onto the support shaft and a fastener for fastening the beach accessory tray to the support shaft.
The present disclosure addresses at least one of the foregoing disadvantages. However, it is contemplated that the present disclosure may prove useful in addressing other problems and deficiencies in a number of technical areas. Therefore, the claims should not necessarily be construed as limited to addressing any of the particular problems or deficiencies discussed hereinabove. To the accomplishment of the above, this disclosure may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being part of the disclosure.
In the drawings, like elements are depicted by like reference numerals. The drawings are briefly described as follows.
The present disclosure now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show various example embodiments. However, the present disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the example embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these example embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure is thorough, complete and fully conveys the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.
The anchoring container 14 includes an open top 24, a closed bottom 26 opposite the open top 24, a sidewall 28 extending around the support shaft 12 from the open top 24 to the closed bottom 26, and a plurality of partitions 30 extending radially inwardly from the sidewall 28 to the support shaft 12. The open top 24 is not affixed to the support shaft 12 while the closed bottom 26 is affixed to the support shaft 12 and adjacent to the distal end 12D of the support shaft 12.
The sidewall 28 defines a reservoir 32 extending between the support shaft 12, the open top 24, the closed bottom 26, and the sidewall 28 that is adapted to receive sand. The sidewall 28 includes an inner surface 28A, an outer surface 28B, and an upper perimeter edge 28P defining an opening 34 providing access to the reservoir 32. The sidewall 28 is annular with respect to the support shaft 12 and tapers in diameter from the open top 24 and upper perimeter edge 28P to the closed bottom 26 forming a concave bowl-shape. The partitions 30 define separate and discrete basins within the reservoir 32 that are individually adapted to receive sand. Each of the partitions 30 extends vertically upwardly or linearly from the closed bottom 26 toward the open top 24 defining a planar member or structure. Each of the partitions 30 also extends perpendicularly with respect to the support shaft 12. In some embodiments, each of the partitions 30 extends to the open top 24 such that the partitions 30 are flush with the upper perimeter edge 28P of the sidewall 28. The anchoring container 14 is adapted to be buried under sand to provide lateral support to the support shaft 12.
Referring now to
Referring now to
In operation, the beach umbrella 38 is supported by the beach umbrella anchoring and stabilizing device 10 by mounting the beach umbrella support post 40 into the hollow interior 18 of the support shaft 12. Note, the hollow interior 18 includes a universally sized diameter that is larger than a diameter of the beach umbrella support post 40 such that the support shaft 12 may receive the beach umbrella support post of any variety of beach umbrellas therein. Once mounted into the support shaft 12, the beach umbrella support post 40 may slide longitudinally along the length of the hollow interior 18 so as to adjust the height of the beach umbrella 38 relative to the sand 41 as desired by a user. The beach umbrella support post 40 may then be secured in position by rotating the hand knob 22B through the aperture 22A and into the hollow interior 18 to engage the beach umbrella support post 40. The hand knob 22B is then tightened against the beach umbrella support post 40 to fasten the beach umbrella support post 40 in position within the support shaft 12.
In embodiments, the beach umbrella anchoring and stabilizing device 10 further comprises a beach accessory tray 42 that is removably attachable to the support shaft 12. The beach accessory tray 42 comprises a planar member including a central opening 44 for mounting the beach accessory tray 42 onto the support shaft 12 and a second fastener 46 for fastening the beach accessory tray 42 to the support shaft 12. The central opening 44 includes a perimeter edge 48 having a collar 50 including the second fastener 46. In embodiments, the second fastener 46 comprises an aperture 46A extending through the collar 50 and a hand knob 46B. The aperture 46A is adapted to receive the hand knob 46B therethrough such that the hand knob 46B may extend through the aperture 46A into the collar 50 to engage the support shaft 12 when the beach accessory tray 42 is mounted thereon. In some embodiments, the aperture 46A is threaded so as to threadably engage the hand knob 46B and provide a means for securing the hand knob 46B in position within the hollow interior 18. The beach accessory tray 42 may slide longitudinally along the length of the support shaft 12 so as to adjust the height of the beach accessory tray 42 relative to the sand 41.
Referring now to
It is understood that when an element is referred hereinabove as being “on” another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may be present therebetween. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on” another element, there are no intervening elements present.
Moreover, any components or materials can be formed from a same, structurally continuous piece or separately fabricated and connected.
It is further understood that, although ordinal terms, such as, “first,” “second,” “third,” are used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another element, component, region, layer or section. Thus, “a first element,” “component,” “region,” “layer” or “section” discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings herein.
Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper” and the like, are used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It is understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device can be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly. The term “substantially” is defined as at least 95% of the term being described and/or within a tolerance level known in the art and/or within 5% thereof.
Example embodiments are described herein with reference to cross section illustrations that are schematic illustrations of idealized embodiments. As such, variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, are to be expected. Thus, example embodiments described herein should not be construed as limited to the particular shapes of regions as illustrated herein, but are to include deviations in shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing. For example, a region illustrated or described as flat may, typically, have rough and/or nonlinear features. Moreover, sharp angles that are illustrated may be rounded. Thus, the regions illustrated in the figures are schematic in nature and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the precise shape of a region and are not intended to limit the scope of the present claims.
In conclusion, herein is presented a beach umbrella anchoring and stabilizing device. The disclosure is illustrated by example in the drawing figures, and throughout the written description. It should be understood that numerous variations are possible, while adhering to the inventive concept. Such variations are contemplated as being a part of the present disclosure.
