Patent Application
20210300548
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The disclosure relates to umbrella assemblies and more particularly pertains to a new umbrella assembly for shielding a user from the elements.
The prior art relates to umbrella assemblies and may comprise a helium filled umbrella shaped bladder having a propeller positioned on a concave surface thereof for directional stabilization. Related prior assemblies may comprise one or more drones engaged to a planar panel and being operable for positioning between a user and the sun.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising an umbrella and a drone module. The umbrella comprises a shaft and a frame, which has a canopy engaged thereto. The frame is engaged to a first end of the shaft and is configured to be selectively positioned in a collapsed configuration and a deployed configuration, wherein the frame has a concave face and a convex face. The shaft extends from the concave face. The drone module is engaged to the shaft and is configured to receive commands and to selectively provide directional thrust. A control unit is configured to transmit commands to the drone module, enabling the drone module to track the control unit. The control unit is positioned to command the drone module to maintain a relative position above a user who possesses the control unit. The canopy thus is configured to shield the user from the elements.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
The frame 18 is engaged to a first end 24 of the shaft 16 and is configured to be selectively positioned in a collapsed configuration, as shown in
A grip 34 is engaged to the shaft 16 proximate to a second end 36 thereof. The grip 34 is configured to be grasped in a hand of a user, enabling the user to manipulate the umbrella 12. The grip 34 comprises at least one of silicone, rubber, and elastomer.
The drone module 14 is engaged to the shaft 16 and is configured to receive commands and to selectively provide directional thrust. The drone module 14 comprises a housing 38, which is engaged to the shaft 16 so that the shaft 16 extends axially therefrom. The housing 38 defines an interior space 40 in which a battery 42 is positioned. The battery 42 may be rechargeable. A flight control module 44 and a transceiver 46 are coupled to the housing 38 and are positioned in the interior space 40. The flight control module 44 is operationally engaged to the battery 42 and the transceiver 46. The flight control module 44 also may be operationally coupled to the frame 18, such that the frame 18 is positioned to actuate the flight control module upon being positioned in the deployed configuration.
A plurality of rotors 48 is operationally engaged to the flight control module 44. Each rotor 48 is hingedly engaged to the housing 38. The plurality of rotors 48 is selectively positionable in a collapsed orientation, as shown in
The assembly 10 also comprises a control unit 50, which is configured to transmit commands to the drone module 14, enabling the drone module 14 to track the control unit 50. The control unit 50 is positioned to command the drone module 14 to maintain a relative position above a user who possesses the control unit 50. The canopy 20 thus is configured to shield the user from the elements.
The control unit 50 comprises an electronic device 52, which comprises a transmitter 54 positioned to wirelessly communicate the commands from the control unit 50 to the flight control module 44 via the transceiver 46. The electronic device 52 may comprise a smartphone 56, as shown in
In use, the frame 18 and the plurality of rotors 48 are positioned in the deployed configuration and deployed orientation, respectively, which actuates the flight control module 44. The user then use the smartphone 56 to set the position of the umbrella 12 above their head. The drone module 14 maintains the relative position above the user as the user moves, thus shielding the user from the elements and leaving the user's hands free to perform other tasks.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the elements is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
