Patent Application
20060124157
The present invention is related to a setup comprising an umbrella with solar collectors and various accessories, particularly a safe powered by electric power obtained from said collectors.
In the state of the art, umbrellas are used for protection against precipitation as well as sunbeams. Especially at the beachs, umbrellas are mounted either to a table or to sunbeds.
As people who want to spend a day at the beach have to take some personal belongings such as a radio, walkman, etc., they need to store their belongings and valuables in a safe place when they go swimming.
In the state the art, in order to attribute more functions to umbrellas, many solutions have been offered. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,487,977 U.S. patent discloses a setup comprising an umbrella and a table plate. 2002/0078985 U.S. patent describes an umbrella having a cold water compartment. U.S. Pat. No. 374,839 U.S. patent describes an umbrella having a heat insulated locker underneath. Top of said locker is used as a table. U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,762 U.S. patent discloses a setup kept in a bag comprising a tray mounted to the handle to put glasses and other articles. However, none of these documents disclose a setup to store the valuables and belongings safely.
A setup comprising an umbrella and a safe is mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,157. Here, a safe having a cover at the top and a padlock mounted to the handle of the umbrella by means of inserts provided at the side is desribed. A stick located below the safe enables penetration of this latter into said and thus supports the umbrella. However, the safe is not appropriate to take on any further function as far as its design is concerned.
Of documents already known in the art, 93/00840 PCT application describes an umbrella having solar collectors on its upper face and a lamp, alarm devices, radio, etc, which are made operational by means of electric power obtained from such solar collectors. U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,389 U.S. patent, discloses a setup having solar collectors at its concave inner surface to make coffee by the power obtained from such collectors. But, to do so, umbrella must be turned upside down. When used straight, the setup functions like a common umbrella.
The object of the present invention is to realize a setup providing means to user such as keeping belongings safety enabling listening to music and at the same time functioning as an umbrella.
The setup comprising an umbrella and a safe realized to attain the object of the invention has been illustrated in the attached drawings wherein;
The components shown in the drawings have been numbered as follows:
The setup (1) according to this invention comprises an umbrella (2) and a handle (4) supporting the umbrella and characterized by a body (6) through which the handle (4) passes and houses various accessories below the umbrella (2), one or more electronic safes (7) inside the body (6) and a control panel (8) used to control the safe and other accessories.
In an embodiment of the invention, power required to operate the electronic safe and accessories located on the body is obtained from power sources acting independent such as batteries or cells located inside the body (6). In the preferred embodiment of the invention, power is obtained from one or more solar collectors (3) located on the umbrella (2) and transmitted by means of conductors to the electronic safe and to accessories located on the body. In another embodiment of the invention, both solar collectors and cell/battery can be utilized.
The umbrella (2) is manufactured from a multilayer material such as fabric, plastic, wood, etc. of width sufficient to protect the user from both sunbeams and rain. The umbrella may be of any shape such as oval, triangular, rectangular or circular. The multilayer material may be reinforced by a frame made of a solid material.
The handle (4) supports the umbrella and ensures it to be fixed into ground. Moreover, the body (6) may also be mounted onto the handle. If the umbrella is intended to be fixed into sand, the tip of the handle is made pointed. In order to use the setup on grounds other than soft sands, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the handle (4) is located onto a bedplate (5) manufactured of solid material. However, it is preferred to have a bedplate formed by casting concrete into a mould. An ashtray (13) is provided on this bedplate. Said ashtray is in the form a holder covered with a grid (12). However, said ashtray (13) may be formed as a drawer to be slided into the insert from the side to provide easy cleaning.
Solar collectors (3) are placed onto the upper face of the umbrella to form vertical angle of 90 degrees to receive sunbeams at any time in the course of a day. In order to eliminate the imbalance of the umbrella due to the presence of the solar collectors, are mounted to the centre of the umbrella by connecting with the handle. Electrical power obtained from collectors are transmitted to the accessories located on the body by means of conductors passing through the handle.
The body (6) has a side wall joining the edges of upper and lower walls laid parallel to each other. Safe (7), accessories such as radio, cassette player (10), load speaker (11) are located inside this inner part surrounded by the walls of the body and access to such accessories is provided from those walls. The body (6) is mounted to the handle (4) at a specific height. It is preferred that this height be, for instance, in the range of 20 to 90 cm, which is common for a table or a coffee table. Again, on this upper table, there are holders (15) in various shapes and sizes to place glasses and containers for beverages and food. On side walls, drawers are installed at appropriate locations. Control panel (8) fixed on side wall of the body enables to command and control the accessories such as radio, cassette player placed inside the body and to enter codes required to open the safe (7).
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is a menu (9) having two or more side walls on the handle (4). Thanks to its multiple side walls, contents of the subject menu (9) can be read from all over the body.
In another embodiment of the invention, a lamp connected to the control panel is provided. This lamp is utilized to call waiter by pushing a button on the panel (8).
In another embodiment of the invention, products (9) are encoded in the menu and a transmitter connection with the control panel (8) is provided inside the body. In this way, the code of a product selected from the menu is transmitted to the control panel to send an order signal to a receiver present at service centre.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the setup of the invention comprises a hanger, placed underneath the body to dry wet swimsuits. Such a hanger (18) may be designed either as a fixed piece or in the form of a bar moving back and forth by sliding within a rail. In another embodiment of the invention, the hanger may have a telescopic structure formed of drawtubes
In addition a litter box (19) that can be opened by pulling back exists under the body (6). This box (19) may be in the form of a drawer attached to rails with the open end located below the body.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the body is mounted to a sunbed or is manufactured in the form of a sunbed.
The preferred embodiment of the subject setup is as follows: The handle (4) fixed over a bedplate of heavy concrete (5) carries the body (6) located at an approximate height of 30 to 40 cm from ground. On the upper tip of the handle, there is an umbrella (2) in hexagonal shape. On top of the umbrella, solar connectors (3) are provided. Electrical power obtained from those collectors is transmitted to the electronic safe (7), control panel (8), radio (10) and loud speakers (11), and to the bulb (17) located on the umbrella by means of wires passing through the handle. There are holders to locate glasses and bottles for beverages on the body and a hanger to hang clothes under the body. When the user whishes to leave to 90 swimming he opens the safe by using his own code and puts his belongings in there. After the swims, he can hang his wet swimsuit. As he wishes to call the waiter, he lights up the lamp using the control panel.
The setup of the present invention has been designed particularly to be used as an umbrella and table at beaches. Electronic safe placed inside the body (6) provides the user to store the valuables safely. Accessories powered by solar collectors are advantagous. Furthermore, as the base is heavy, it is not likely that the set up is hit down by strong winds.
While the inventions has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof it will be understood that the invention is as explained in the claims.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/TR03/00026 | 4/1/2003 | WO | 9/30/2005 |
