Patent Application
20240401366
The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a sun shade assembly that provides improved noise dampening characteristics. The presently disclosed subject matter further includes methods of making and using the disclosed assembly.
Beach umbrellas and sail assemblies are used to create an area shaded from the sunlight beneath the sail or umbrella canopy. They are particularly useful at the beach where there is generally a lack of trees or roofed structures to provide shade. Because the skin of the beachgoer is largely exposed at the beach, there is a greater need to provide protection from harmful ultraviolet rays, which may cause sunburn or melanomas. Many beachgoers also require some form of shade to minimize heat discomfort. The shade and shelter provided by a beach umbrella or sail assembly is also useful in protecting the user's valuables and shielding perishable items from direct sunlight. However, conventional umbrellas and sails loudly flap and move in response to wind gusts. Particularly, the trailing end of the umbrella or sail flaps and creates noise pollution. As a result, users are prevented from fully enjoying the umbrella or sail assembly. In addition, users often must yell to communicate with others due to the noise produced by the sails. Further, neighboring people are often annoyed by the loud noises produced by umbrellas and sail assemblies. It would therefore be beneficial to provide an improved sun shade assembly that reduces or eliminates the flapping noises produced in response to wind gusts.
In some embodiments, the presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a sun shade assembly. The assembly comprises a sail defined by a leading edge and an opposed trailing edge, at least one side edge positioned between the leading and trailing edges, and a top face and an opposed bottom face. The assembly also includes an attachment comprising a first edge, second edge, and one or more side edges, wherein the first edge is attached at the trailing edge of the sail. The attachment is constructed from silk, satin, sateen, mesh, or combinations thereof.
In some embodiments, the sun shade assembly further comprises at least one mast and/or a support. The support can be defined by at least one arm, rib, or both.
In some embodiments, the attachment is positioned along an entire length of the trailing edge.
In some embodiments, the attachment lacks a coating.
In some embodiments, the sail is constructed from nylon, polyester, vinyl, rayon, canvas, acrylic fabric, neoprene, linen, polypropylene, hemp, cotton, or combinations thereof.
In some embodiments, the sail comprises a coating on the top face, bottom face, or both.
In some embodiments, the coating has an ultraviolet protection coefficient rating of 30 or more in accordance with ASTM D6544.
In some embodiments, the coating is selected from one or more of urethane polyurethane, polyethylene, resin, epoxy, polystyrene, rubber, lacquer, or combinations thereof.
In some embodiments, the leading edge of the sail has a length that comprises a channel that spans the length.
In some embodiments, the channel comprises one or more apertures along the leading edge.
In some embodiments, the attachment is permanently attached to the trailing edge of the sail.
In some embodiments, the attachment is releasably attached to the trailing edge of the sail.
In some embodiments, the attachment has a length of about 3-20 feet and a width of about 0.1-3 feet.
In some embodiments, the presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a method of using the disclosed sun shade assembly. The method comprises positioning the attachment on the trailing edge of the sail and stabilizing the sail leading edge with a support and/or mast to anchor the assembly in the ground. The sail and attachment blow or float in response to wind.
In some embodiments, the blowing or floating in the wind has a lower noise level compared to a sail without an attachment.
In some embodiments, movement of the sail in response to the wind is decreased compared to a sail without an attachment.
The presently disclosed subject matter is introduced with sufficient details to provide an understanding of one or more particular embodiments of broader inventive subject matters. The descriptions expound upon and exemplify features of those embodiments without limiting the inventive subject matters to the explicitly described embodiments and features. Considerations in view of these descriptions will likely give rise to additional and similar embodiments and features without departing from the scope of the presently disclosed subject matter.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which the presently disclosed subject matter pertains. Although any methods, devices, and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the presently disclosed subject matter, representative methods, devices, and materials are now described.
Following long-standing patent law convention, the terms “a”, “an”, and “the” refer to “one or more” when used in the subject specification, including the claims. Thus, for example, reference to “a device” can include a plurality of such devices, and so forth. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and/or “including” when used herein specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of components, conditions, and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about”. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the instant specification and attached claims are approximations that can vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the presently disclosed subject matter.
As used herein, the term “about”, when referring to a value or to an amount of mass, weight, time, volume, concentration, and/or percentage can encompass variations of, in some embodiments +/−20%, in some embodiments +/−10%, in some embodiments +/−5%, in some embodiments +/−1%, in some embodiments +/−0.5%, and in some embodiments +/−0.1%, from the specified amount, as such variations are appropriate in the disclosed packages and methods.
As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Relative terms such as “below” or “above” or “upper” or “lower” or “horizontal” or “vertical” may be used herein to describe a relationship of one element, layer, or region to another element, layer, or region as illustrated in the drawing figures. It will be understood that these terms and those discussed above are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in addition to the orientation depicted in the drawing figures.
Any dimensions expressed or implied in the drawings and these descriptions are provided for exemplary purposes. Thus, not all embodiments within the scope of the drawings and these descriptions are made according to such exemplary dimensions. The drawings are not necessarily made to scale. Thus, not all embodiments within the scope of the drawings and these descriptions are made according to the apparent scale of the drawings with regard to relative dimensions in the drawings. However, for each drawing, at least one embodiment is made according to the apparent relative scale of the drawing.
The embodiments set forth below represent the necessary information to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and illustrate the best mode of practicing the embodiments. Upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawing figures, those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of the disclosure and will recognize applications of these concepts not particularly addressed herein. It should be understood that these concepts and applications fall within the scope of the disclosure and the accompanying claims.
Sail 10 can be configured in any desired shape, such as (but not limited to) square, rectangular, triangular, trapezoidal, circular, oval, and the like.
The sail can further have any desired dimensions, as shown in
Sail 10 can have any desired thickness 60, such as about 1 inch or less, as illustrated in
In some embodiments, the sail can be formed as a single portion of material. In other embodiments, the sail can be constructed from two or more pieces of material joined together, such as by welding or sewing.
Sail 10 can be constructed from any desired lightweight and flexible material. The term “lightweight material” refers to any material that is able to be lifted and carried by the wind (e.g., a wind speed of at least about 2-3 mph). The term “flexible” refers to the ability to bend easily and/or the ability to withstand stress and strain without being damaged or broken. Thus, the materials used to construct the sail allow the sail to suspend and move in response to the wind. Suitable materials can therefore include (but are not limited to) nylon, polyester, vinyl, rayon, canvas, acrylic fabric, neoprene, linen, polypropylene, hemp, cotton, or combinations thereof.
In some embodiments, the material(s) used to construct the sail can have a UPF (ultraviolet protection coefficient) rating of about 30 or more in accordance with ASTM D6544, incorporated by reference herein.
As shown in the cross-sectional views of
Coating 65 can comprise any material that would serve to reduce the amount of noise and/or movement of sail 10 or provide suitable UPF or SPF protection for a user positioned beneath the sail. Suitable coating materials can therefore include (but are not limited to) urethane polyurethane, plastic (e.g., polyethylene), resin, epoxy, polystyrene, rubber, lacquer, or combinations thereof.
Coating 65 can have any thickness, such as about 0.0001 inches to about 0.1 inches. In some embodiments, the coating can impart a waterproof or water-resistant quality to sail 10. The term “waterproof” refers to a material that is impervious to water. The term “water-resistant” refers to the ability of a material to resist the entry of water to some degree but not entirely.
In some embodiments, the sail can include channel 45, as noted above. The channel can include closed edge 71 (formed via sewing, adhesive, magnets, VELCRO® or any other mechanism) and open ends 72 that form a passageway. The channel can optionally include one or more apertures 70 that allow the sail to cooperate with support 15. For example, channel aperture(s) 70 can be sized and shaped to allow support 15 to be inserted into the channel. The channel can further include one or more apertures sized and shaped to allow each support arm to connect with an appropriate rib that spans the distance between the assembly mast and the support, as shown in
As illustrated in
The term “silk” refers to a textile material produced by the weaving of natural protein fiber comprising fibroin. Fibroin is a natural material produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons (e.g., the silkworm).
The term “satin” refers to a type of woven fabric that produces a glossy, smooth, and/or lustrous feel. The satin weave is characterized by four or more fill or weft yarns floating over a warp yarn, and four warp yarns floating over a single weft yarn. Floats are missed interfacings, for example where the warp yarn lies on top of the weft in a warp-faced satin. The floats explain the high luster and even sheen, as unlike in other weaves, light is not scattered as much when hitting the fibers, resulting in a stronger reflection. Satin is usually a warp-faced weaving technique in which warp yarns are “floated” over weft yarns. If a fabric is formed with a satin weave using filament fibers such as silk, polyester, or nylon, the corresponding fabric is considered satin. If the yarns used are short-staple yarns such as cotton, the fabric formed is considered a sateen. Thus, the term “sateen” refers to a fabric constructed using a satin weave structure but made with spun years instead of filament (e.g., cotton or other non-silk fabric).
Alternatively or in addition, the attachment can be formed as a mesh material (e.g., mosquito netting). The term “mesh” refers to a material made from connected strands of materials present in a grid or web or crossed arrangement. One embodiment of a mesh is illustrated in
In some embodiments, the material used to construct sail 10 is different from the material used to construct the attachment. Notably, the material used with the attachment is softer and/or quieter than the material used with the sail and further lacks a coating. As a result, movement of the attachment in response to wind flow has a reduced noise characteristic, especially compared to sails configured without an attachment.
The attachment can be configured in any suitable dimensions. As shown in
The attachment can have length 85 (e.g., the distance between side edges 82) of about 3-20 feet (e.g., at least/no more than about 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, or 20 feet). The attachment can have width 86 (the distance between edges 80, 81) of about 0.1-3 feet (e.g., at least/no more than about 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1, 1.25, 1.5, 1.75, 2, 2.25, 2.5, 2.75, or 3 feet). However, the dimensions of the attachment are not limited to the ranges given herein.
Attachment 30 can have a thickness of about 1, 0.9, 0.8, 0.7, 0.6, 0.5, 0.4, 0.3, 0.2, 0.1, 0.01, 0.001 inches or less. However, the presently disclosed subject matter is not limited and the attachment can have a thickness of greater or less than the range given above.
Attachment 30 can be permanently or releasably adhered to trailing edge 41 of the sail at first edge 80 using any suitable method, such as (but not limited to) sewing, adhesive, taping, hot welding, VELCRO®, mechanical elements (e.g., magnets, snaps, clips, etc.), or combinations thereof.
While coatings 65 can impart desired characteristics to materials (such as UV protection, water resistance, and the like) the coatings create a stiffness that increases noisiness. For this reason, attachment 30 can be constructed without a coating in some embodiments to ensure quietness during use.
Assembly 5 can also include one or more additional features, such as mast 20 that reinforces support 15 and ribs 16 (also optional) and provides height to the assembly, as shown in
It should be readily understood that components of the sun shade can be made of metal, wood, plastic, and the like. Further, it should be understood that the shade can be of all shapes and sizes, can be made of any material, and can adhere to any number of configurations, alignments, and specifications so long as it includes attachment 30.
In use, the disclosed sun shade assembly can be positioned at a desired location. For example, in some embodiments, mast 20 can be positioned into a support surface (e.g., the ground, sand, grass) using an anchor. However, it should be appreciated that the assembly can include any of a wide variety of configurations and is not limited to sun shades that have a mast and/or anchor. Rather, the sun shade can include any mechanism used to retain the assembly in a desired support surface. For example, the assembly can include a single support that is positioned with each end in the ground and the body of the support curving therebetween. In other embodiments, the assembly can be used with an umbrella. In still other embodiments, the assembly can be used with a mast that extends upward to cooperate with the sail and/or support.
The attachment can then be attached to trailing edge 41 of sail 10 using any suitable mechanism (e.g., magnets, fasteners, VELCRO®, and the like). In some embodiments, attachment 30 is pre-assembled on the trailing edge of the sail (i.e., permanently attached via sewing, adhesives, etc.).
The sail can then be constructed to form assembly 5. For example, in some embodiments, one or more support arms can be positioned within channel 45 of the sail. In some embodiments, one or more ribs can be inserted through one or more sail apertures to provide an assembled sunshade that allows the sail to blow in response to the wind. However, the presently disclosed subject matter is not limited and any system or method can be used to secure the sail into position relative to a support and/or mast.
Once assembled, the wind flows through the sail to keep it aloft, as illustrated in
In addition, by using the sail as a shade form the sun, users receive a reduction in ultraviolet (UV) light that is a part of the sun's light spectrum. The shade provided by the sail provides a cooler climate and prevents overexposure to UV radiation that is known to cause sunburn and cancer.
The presently disclosed assembly offers many advantages over prior art sun shades. For example, the use of attachment 30 at the trailing end of the shade provides users with decreased noisiness as the wind whips over and under the sail.
The disclosed assembly increases user enjoyment, allowing people to talk more easily and enjoy the quietness of their surroundings.
The disclosed sun shade assembly is easy to use and assemble, such that even children or the elderly can enjoy assembly 5.
Assembly 5 also prevents irritation to other beachgoers or users that result from loud sun shades that whip in the wind.
The disclosed assembly utilizes the wind and/or other natural surrounding elements to provide sun and rain protection.
The disclosed assembly is capable of being quickly assembled. Users can easily set up the umbrella assembly in about 40 seconds or less. Likewise, the assembly can be quickly and easily disassembled in about 40 seconds or less.
Use of attachment 30 may also reduce the amount of wear and tear on sail 10 due at least in part to the soft and/or pliable nature of the materials used.
The disclosed system can be deployed during periods of high winds and other inclement weather during which many other canopy systems cannot be deployed.
Advantageously, the disclosed assembly and/or sail can be used as a wind-driven shade or in association with any type of wind-driven shade.
The disclosed assembly can be easily folded up and down for portability and for use by two or more people for protection from the sun and rain.
As described above, although several embodiments of the present invention have been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions, and substitutions are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/469,687, filed May 30, 2023, the entire content of which is incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63469687 | May 2023 | US |
