Patent Application
20150075574
Any and all applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed with the present application are hereby incorporated by reference under 37 CFR 1.57.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of shade structures, particularly umbrella and parasol devices and more particularly to an umbrella or parasol with a tilt feature.
2. Description of the Related Art
Umbrellas or parasols are devices which are typically utilized in an outdoor setting, such as in an outdoor patio, balcony, garden, cafe, and the like to provide shade and protection against the elements. Umbrellas or parasols generally include a canopy assembly that comprises a fabric-like material mounted over a plurality of support ribs. The support ribs can be collapsed7 into a storage position for the canopy assembly and can be deployed and supported in position to hold up and extend the fabric and thereby provides protection from the elements. The canopy assembly is generally supported from beneath or from above. Umbrellas supported from above have the advantage of providing space below the canopy where people can sit without the obstruction of a pole extending from below the canopy to the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,840,253 discloses an umbrella supported from above, which includes a side post and side arm for supporting a canopy. The side arm, and thereby the canopy, can be rotated between specific positions by means of a drive bar that can be manipulated to both rotate the side arm and latch it in one of the positions. Thus, while this design provides some ability to tilt the canopy by rotation of its suspending side arm, that rotation can only be achieved between fixed latch positions and is therefore of limited convenience.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,152,156 and 6,478,037 to Tung disclose another variation of a sunshade with tiltable canopy, wherein a canopy assembly is suspended from above by an arcuate tube that is hingedly connected to a generally vertically extending support pole. Thus, by adjustment of the hinged interconnection between the arcuate tube and the vertical support pole, the canopy assembly of the Tung '156 and '037 devices can be tilted inwards and outwards from a generally vertically extending orientation. However, this construction appears to only offer a tilt in a single direction away from the generally vertical support pole.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,588,438 discusses a free-arm shade that has a radial shade ribs, support ribs attached to the shade ribs, and a shade rod slide that is freely attached to support ribs. It also has a decentral pole standing outside the shade. One of the shade ribs is vertically displaceably attached to pole by its outer end, and functions as a side arm. On its top side, the shade rib/side arm is connected to pole tip via an articulated rib. The shade rib/side arm has a pivot joint between the edge of the shade fabric and the pole. Articulated rib is connected to shade rib/side arm via a pivot hinge. Shade rib/side arm can be pivoted around the axis between pivot joint and pivot hinge. In the '438 patent, there is no clear provision for separate operation of the canopy, such as for opening and closing the shade.
There is a need for new cantilever umbrellas include more flexible operation of a canopy thereof. It would be an advance in the art to provide canopy operation mechanisms that change multiple aspects or configurations of the umbrella.
This application is directed to a cantilever umbrella having canopy controls mounted between a slide or runner and the canopy. In some cases, the mounting of the canopy controls shortens and/or straightens the path of a tension member to reduce the complexity and/or failure modes of the umbrella.
In one embodiment, an umbrella assembly is provided that includes a support pole and a canopy assembly. The support pole has a lower end and an upper end. The canopy assembly includes an upper hub that has a plurality of canopy fabric support ribs and a boom extending radially therefrom. The boom is disposed between two adjacent canopy fabric support ribs. The boom has a first end coupled with the hub and a second end disposed adjacent to the support pole. The umbrella also has a strut pivotally coupled with the support pole at the at an upper end and with the boom at a lower end. The umbrella also has a canopy adjustment module disposed between a moveable portion of the boom and the support pole. The canopy adjustment module has a housing, a shade angle mechanism disposed at least partially within the housing, and an opening and closing mechanism. The shade angle mechanism is configured to rotate the moveable portion of the boom about an axis thereof to displace an opening of the canopy from horizontal by an angle. The opening and closing mechanism is partially disposed within the housing and operable by a crank.
In another embodiment, a cantilever umbrella is provided that includes a support pole having a lower end and an upper end, a boom, and a canopy assembly. The boom is coupled with the support pole at an inner end and has an outer end disposed away from the support pole. The canopy assembly is coupled with the boom and has a housing disposed at the inner end of the boom. The housing has a locking device disposed therein for permitting rotation of a portion of the boom in a first configuration and for preventing rotation of the boom in a second configuration.
In another embodiment, an umbrella is provided that includes a support structure, a canopy, and an enclosure. The support structure has a first support member and a second support member. The first support member has an upper end. The second support member has a first end disposed adjacent to the first support member and a second end disposed away from the first end. The second support member extends along a longitudinal axis disposed transverse to the first support member. The canopy has an upper hub coupled with the second support member. The enclosure is disposed at the first end of the second support member and has a tilt mechanism locking device coupled therewith. The tilt mechanism locking device permits rotation of a portion of the second support member in a first configuration and prevents rotation of the second support member in a second configuration.
In some cases, the umbrella includes a canopy control mechanism includes a tilt mechanism coupled with a moveable portion of the boom, e.g., spaced away from the enclosure, to alter the angle of the canopy.
In some cases, the canopy control mechanism a canopy deployment mechanism disposed in the enclosure to open and close the canopy.
The enclosure can be disposed at the first end of the second support member. The enclosure can include a separable member. In some cases, the enclosure comprises a housing that may be separated to facilitate mounting the control mechanism therein.
In some embodiments, a plurality of locking components is provided. A first locking component is disposed on a tubular portion of a boom and a second locking component is provided on a housing of the umbrella. The first and second locking components can be moved away from each other to disengage. In an advantageous version, a spring is compressed when the locking components are disengaged. The spring urges the locking components to re-engage.
In some cases, indicia of the umbrella configuration are provided at the first end of the second support member. For example, a pointer can be mounted on one or both of the second support member and the enclosure. The pointer can point to a scale disposed on the second support member, the enclosure, or both the second support member and the enclosure.
These and other features, aspects and advantages are described below with reference to the drawings, which are intended to illustrate but not to limit the inventions. In the drawings, like reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout similar embodiments.
While the present description sets forth specific details of various embodiments, it will be appreciated that the description is illustrative only and should not be construed in any way as limiting. Furthermore, various applications of such embodiments and modifications thereto, which may occur to those who are skilled in the art, are also encompassed by the general concepts described herein. Each and every feature described herein, and each and every combination of two or more of such features, is included within the scope of the present invention provided that the features included in such a combination are not mutually inconsistent.
The umbrella 10 is provided that includes a support structure 14, a canopy 18, and a control module 22.
The support structure 14 can take a variety of forms. In one embodiment, the support structure 14 includes a support pole 34 and a strut 42 coupled with the support pole. The strut 42 and the support pole 34 also are coupled with a boom 38. The control module 22 is disposed at an end of the boom 38 adjacent to the pole 34 as discussed further below.
The support pole 34 has a lower end 46, an upper end 50 and an elongate body 54 extending therebetween. The pole can be configured to be mounted in a fixed position to the ground at or adjacent to the lower end 46. In some embodiments, it is desirable to permit the umbrella 10 to be moved. For example, a pivot device 58 can be provided at or adjacent to the lower end 46 to enable the pole 34 and the boom to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the pole 34. This permits up to 360 degree positioning of the pole 34. An example of a pivot device 58 is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,254 which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety and enclosed in the appendix.
It may be desirable to move the umbrella 10 to different locations instead of or in addition to pivoting about a longitudinal axis of the longitudinal axis of the pole 34. For such applications, the lower end can be coupled with a moveable base, such as is described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0025050, in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0024329, or in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0024330. The moveable bases of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0025050, in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0024329, or in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0024330 are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
In one embodiment, the canopy assembly 18 has an upper hub 70 having a plurality of ribs 74 extending radially therefrom. The ribs 74 provide support to a canopy fabric (not shown) and stretch the fabric to keep it taught. A second set of ribs 74A extend from the ribs 74 to a lower hub 76 disposed below the upper hub 70. A member 77 is disposed between the upper and lower hubs 70, 76. The member 77 can be a tubular body configured to permit a tension member to extend down to the lower hub 76 and to draw the lower up into position relative to the upper hub 70 in the open configuration of
The boom 38 also extends radially from the upper hub 70 in some embodiments. The boom 38 can be similar in construction at least at a first end 78 of the ribs 74. For example, the boom 38 can have a first end 82 disposed between two adjacent ribs 74 at a boom mounting location 86 of the upper hub 70. The boom mounting location 86 can have the same configuration as each of a plurality of rib mounting locations 90 of the upper hub. In one embodiment, the upper hub 70 is completely symmetrical and the rib and boom mounting locations 90, 86 are identical. This arrangement makes assembly easier in that any orientation of the upper hub 70 is acceptable. A second end 98 of the boom 38 is disposed adjacent to the support pole 34, as discussed further below.
The boom 38 has additional functions when compared with the ribs 74 and may be different from the ribs 74 at the first end 82 or at the second end 98. For example, the ribs 74 will generally have first ends coupled with the hub 70 and second ends spaced away from the hubs and not connected to other parts of the support structure 14. In contrast, the boom 38 may be coupled with the support pole 34 at the second end 98. As discussed below in more detail, the umbrella 10 is configured such that the boom 38 may rotate of the canopy 18 and may maintain the canopy at an angle other than horizontal.
The strut 42 preferably is pivotally coupled with the support pole 34 at an upper end 102 and with the boom 38 at a lower end 106. In one embodiment, the upper end 102 of the strut 42 is coupled with a cap 110 disposed at the upper end 50 of the support pole 34. The cap 110 is a bracket in one embodiment that can receive one or more pins that can also be coupled with the upper end 102 of the struts. The cap 110 may also have a decorative aspect, but generally is configured to be strong enough to support the boom 38 from above and to carry wind and other external loads to the upper end 102 of the pole 34.
The control module 22 preferably is configured to make an adjustment to the canopy 18, and thus is sometimes referred to herein as a canopy adjustment module. The control module 22 preferably is disposed between the upper hub 70 and the support pole 34. In general, the control module 22 can be part of the boom 38 and/or can be affixed to or disposed on the boom 38. In other words, the control module 22 is mounted in the umbrella 10 such that it moves with the boom 38 but may be at a variety of positions relative to the support pole 34 depending on the operational condition of the umbrella. Generally the control module 22 remains disposed along the longitudinal axis of the boom 38, although the rotational orientation of the boom 38 may change as discussed below. This provides a significant advantage in that the components of the control module 22 can be simplified or made more robust by virtue of components of control mechanisms traversing a lower or no range of angles relative to the boom 38.
With reference to
In one embodiment, the holes 216 are circular and have an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the pin 212 such that movement of the boom 38 is minimized or eliminated when the pin engages a hole. In another embodiment, the width of the holes 216 as measured in the circumferential direction of the housing 160 or of the boom 38 is slightly larger than the diameter of the pin 212 but the holes have a length that is greater than the diameter of the pin. This arrangement permits some play in the locked configuration of the shade angle mechanism 164.
The shade angle mechanism 164 is configured to rotate the boom 38 about an axis of the boom when the pin 212 is disengaged from the holes 216 or other engagement features. With reference to
The automatic return aspect of the locking device 204 allows the user to simply release the locking device 204 after it is disengaged from the holes 216 during a canopy pivoting maneuver. Once a spaced from neutral position is reached, the locking device 204 automatically advances the pin 212 into the hole 216 or other engagement features, locking the canopy 18 in a tilted from neutral position.
In order to further ease the use of the umbrella 10, the locking components 202A, 202B can be configured to automatically engage each other. In one embodiment, an energy storing device such as a spring 218 can be disposed between the tubular member of the boom 38 and the housing 160, e.g. in the space 200B. The spring 218 can have a first end abutting the enlargement 202C and a second end abutting the first shoulder of the space 200B. The spring 218 can be configured such that it is in a relaxed state when the locking components 202A, 202B are engaged. The neutral or zero position can correspond to a configuration where in the enlargement 202C is disposed close to the second shoulder of the space 200B. More generally, the spring 218 can be configured and positioned to urge the enlargement 202C toward the pole 34 relative to the housing 160. Upon actuating the actuator 208, the hollow portion of the boom 38 and the enlargement 202C are urged away from the support pole 34 and toward the first shoulder of the space 200B. During this movement, the locking components 202A, 202B disengage and the spring 218 is loaded such that strain energy is stored in the spring. After an angled position is provided by operating the actuator 208, the actuator may be released and the enlargement 202C translates back toward the second shoulder of the space 200B. This permits the locking components 202A, 202B to re-engage so that the angled position of the canopy 18 is maintained. In some embodiments, the locking components 202A, 202B are disposed in the space 200B and the spring 218 acts on other surfaces. For example, the spring 218 can be disposed between the second shoulder and the enlargement 202C in one embodiment.
Another advantage of the spring 218 is that it can provide a load absorbing function that can be important for certain embodiments. The umbrella 10 can be large and can be subject to significant loads, e.g., from wind gusts. While in inclement weather the umbrella 10 can be collapsed and stored, gusts are not predicable. A large gust could cause significant load to be focused on the pin 212. While the pin can be made of high strength materials, such focused loads could bend the pin 212 making it impossible to retract. Or the pin 212 could shear making the boom 38 less secure. The control module 22 can be configured however such that the spring 218 temporarily absorbs some or all of the load from such gusts to prevent a focused load from being applied to the pin 212. This protects the pin 212 from damage or breakage. To allow for the spring 218 to load, the holes 216 can be configured as slots, e.g., having a length and a width. The width of the holes 216 can be greater than the width such that the pin 212 can travel a distance in the holes 216 while the boom 38 remains at a selected angular orientation relative to the housing 160. Such travel induces a corresponding loading of the spring 218. The loading of the spring 218 is a temporary load absorbing by the control module 22. These are ways to configure the control module 22 with a load absorbing capability.
A tension member (not shown) can extend from the spool 224, e.g., having a first end coupled with the spool, a second end coupled with the lower hub 76 of the canopy 18, and an intermediate portion disposed between the first and second ends of the tension member. In some cases, the tension member may be made of a material that is subject to wear. The embodiments discussed herein are extremely advantageous in such cases in that the tension member will not be required to traverse any angles between the support pole 34 and the boom 38. Moreover, the tension member will not have to traverse a boundary between the slide 180 and the boom 38 because the tension member does not extend to the slide. This is particularly advantageous in that the angle between the boom 38 and the slide 180 varies by a great deal from the upper to the lower extents of the range of motion of the slide.
The movement of the slide 180 between upper and lower positions can be facilitated by rollers (not shown) disposed between the support pole 34 and the slide. The rollers can be mounted to roll along a track formed on an outside surface of the pole. In some embodiments, the rollers act on opposing surfaces of the pole 34, e.g., with one or a plurality of rollers on a side of the pole from which the boom 38 extends and one or a plurality of rollers on a side of the pole opposite from where the boom extends.
A brake 280 preferably is provided on the slide 180 to allow the user to pick the height of the slide 180 along the support pole 34. The brake 280 thus enables the user to set the angle of the opening 228 of the canopy 18 from horizontal. The angle adjusted by movement of the slide 180 is either toward or away from the support pole 34. The brake 280 can take any suitable form, for example it can be a clamp causing compression of the housing 160 onto the support pole 34. The brake 280 can include a handle for advancing a friction plate against a surface of the support pole 34. The brake 280 can be configured as a pin and detent arrangement. In other embodiments, the brake 280 can include a pawl and ratchet arrangement and/or a cam clamp. All of these and other elevation securing means are contemplated to be among the various embodiments herein.
As noted above, one of the aspects of the umbrella to be controlled by the control module 22 is the angle of tilt of the opening 228 of the canopy 18 relative to a plane intersecting the support pole 34 and the center of the boom 38. If one views the umbrella along this plane with the support pole 34 between the point-of-view and the canopy 18 the tilting will be to the left and to the right of this plane. It is advantageous in various embodiments to provide a tile angle indicator 290 to indicate to the user how much tilt is provided. This is useful at least in that the user is generally not able to view the umbrella from the point-of-view just described while operating the shade angle mechanism 164. In one embodiment, the tilt angle indicator 290 comprises a pointer 294 mounted on an elongated tubular portion of the boom 38. The pointer 294 can be disposed adjacent to the housing 160. In some embodiments, it is useful to provide visual indicia of the degree of tilt. For example, visual indicia 298 can be provided on the housing 160 adjacent to the pointer 294. In one mode of use of the umbrella 10, as the boom 38 rotates the pointer 294 moves along the indicia 298. The indicia 298 indicate the tilt angle, e.g., the shade angle of the umbrella 10.
In some embodiments, the housing 160 includes indicia 302 of directions of greater and lesser open and close. The indicia 302 and the indicia 298 comprise control indicia indicating a plurality of forms of adjustment of the umbrella 10.
Although these inventions have been disclosed in the context of certain preferred embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present inventions extend beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the inventions and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. In addition, while several variations of the inventions have been shown and described in detail, other modifications, which are within the scope of these inventions, will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art based upon this disclosure. It is also contemplated that various combination or sub-combinations of the specific features and aspects of the embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the inventions. It should be understood that various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for one another in order to form varying modes of the disclosed inventions. Thus, it is intended that the scope of at least some of the present inventions herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61880059 | Sep 2013 | US |
