Patent Application
20140311536
This invention relates to a stand to hold beach umbrellas and the like.
Going to the beach or playing at the park is a cost-effective way to spend time with the family or enjoy a relaxing day. Unfortunately, the beaches and sometimes the parks lack sufficient shading to avoid sunburns caused by the sun. Many people bring beach umbrellas. However, the beach umbrellas are difficult to drive into the sand or grass to provide sufficient support to keep the beach umbrella upright. The sand may be too soft to keep the umbrella. standing. The grass may be too tough to drive the umbrella deep enough into grass to keep it standing.
Therefore, there is a need for an umbrella stand that can be used at a variety of places, such as the park or the beach, that is easy to set up, stable, and versatile enough to change the angle of the umbrella as the sun shifts.
The present invention is directed to an umbrella stand that is easy to use, easy to transport, and easy to store. The umbrella stand comprises a base, a holder, and a plurality of stakes. When not in use, the holder and stakes can be attached to the base in an efficient and compact manner for storage purposes. The holder can be adjustable to allow the umbrella to be positioned at various angles.
The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently-preferred embodiments of the invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. It is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to he encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.
The invention of the present application is an umbrella stand 100 for oversized umbrellas, such as beach umbrellas, that is easy to set up, easy to transport, and easy to store. As shown in
In the preferred embodiment, the base 102 is circular in shape having a top surface 200 and a bottom surface 202 opposite the top surface 200, and the top and bottom surfaces 200, 202 are bound by an outer perimeter 204. The base 102 comprises a main hole 206 at the center, a plurality of stake holes 208a-h along and adjacent to the outer perimeter 204 of the base 102, and a plurality of auxiliary holes 210a-f adjacent to the main hold 206. A main axis M passes through the center of the main hole 206, perpendicular to the top and bottom surfaces 200, 202. The main hole 206 may be threaded. The plurality of stake holes 208a-h may be intermittently and evenly spaced along and adjacent to the outer perimeter 204 of the base 102. The plurality of stakes 106a-d may be inserted into the plurality of stake holes 208a-h to secure the base 102 to the ground, such as in the grass or sand. The plurality of auxiliary holes 210a-f may be positioned adjacent to the main hole 206 for reasons discussed below. The top surface 200 further comprises a channel 212 with a plurality of protruding pegs 214a-d. The plurality of protruding pegs 214a-d may be used to secure the holder 104 when not in use, as shown in
The bottom surface 202 comprises a recessed portion 216. The recessed portion 216 causes the top surface 200 to have an elevated portion to accommodate the recessed portion 216. Within the recessed portion 216 may be a plurality of stake holders 218a-d. The plurality of stake holders 218a-d may be used to secure the plurality of stakes 106a-d when not in use, as shown in
The holder 104 comprises a main cylindrical tube 300 defining a first axis A. The main tube 300 has a proximal end 302, a distal end 304 opposite of the proximal end 302, and openings on both ends. In the preferred embodiment, the proximal end 302 may be threaded to screw into the main hole 206. An umbrella could be inserted into the holder 104 to support an umbrella in an upright configuration parallel to and coaxial with the main axis M.
Oftentimes the user would like to be able to adjust the angle of the umbrella as the sun moves. To permit the umbrella to be inserted at an angle, the holder 104 may comprise a secondary cylindrical tube 310 attached to the main tube 300. The secondary tube 310 defines a second axis B. The secondary tube 310 has a connectable end 312 and a free end 314. The secondary tube 310 may be movably connected to the main tube 300 via a pair of link arms 316a,b. Each link arm 316a,b has a first end 318a,b and a second end 320a,b. The first end 318a,b of each link arm is rotatably connected to the main tube 300 at its distal end 304. The second end 320a,b of each link arm 316a,b is rotatably connected to the connectable end 312 of the secondary tube 310. This rotatable linkage of the main tube 300 to the secondary tube 310 allows the secondary tube 310 to be adjusted relative to the main tube 300. In the preferred embodiment, the secondary tube 310 can be adjusted relative to the main tube 300 such that the second axis B can be coaxially aligned with the first axis A or positioned at any angle between 0 and 180 degrees, relative to the first axis A.
Each of the plurality of stakes 106a-d can be any kind of sturdy rod having a top 400, a bottom 402, and a middle portion 404 there between. In the preferred embodiment, each of the plurality of stakes 106a-d tapers into a sharp point at the bottom 402. The top 400 may have a flat head 406 so that the stake can be pounded into the ground. In the preferred embodiment, a stop 408 is positioned on the middle portion 404, closer to the top 400 than the bottom 402. The dimensions of each of the plurality of stakes 106a-d are such that it can be inserted into the stake holes 208a-h. The stop 408 prevents each of the plurality of stakes 106a-d from being inserted too deep into the stake holes 208a-h, which would make it difficult or inconvenient to pull out each of the plurality of stakes 106a-d. In the preferred embodiment, a pair of stake prongs 410a, 410b may he connected or formed together creating a pi-shaped, two-prong stake (π) 106a-d. In such an embodiment, the stake holes 208a,b; 208c,d; 208e,f; 208g,h are arranged in pairs so that each prong 410a, 410b of the two-prong stake embodiment can be inserted simultaneously into one of the pairs of stake holes 208a,b; 208c,d; 208e,f; 208g,h. Having two prongs, the stake heads 406 of each of the plurality of the two-prong stakes 106a-d increase in surface area, making it easier to pound each of the plurality of stakes 106a-d into the ground.
The two-prong stake embodiment also creates the C-shaped gap 412 mentioned above and is defined by the inner wall 414 of the first prong 410a, the bottom surface 418 of the head 406, and the inner wall 416 of the second prong 410b. This gap 412 is designed to be substantially similar to the C-shaped protuberance 218 on the bottom surface 202 of the base 102. This allows each of the plurality of two-prong stakes 106a-d to be secured to the protuberances 218 via resistance fit. In some embodiments, the protuberances 218 may each have a small lip to catch the stakes 106 in the C-shaped gap 412. The C-shaped protuberances 218 are strategically arranged so that the stakes 106 can be efficiently arranged within the recess 216 so as to minimize wasted space.
In some embodiments, the umbrella holder may come with an insert 500 that can be inserted into the openings 304, 314 of the cylindrical tubes 300, 310. The insert 500 comprises a narrower hole 502 than the openings 304, 314 of the cylindrical tubes 300, 310 so that the holder 104 can be used with umbrellas with thinner poles 10. The insert 500 may be a disk-like cylinder. At one end may be a flanged lip 504 to prevent the insert 500 from being lodged too deep inside the cylindrical tubes 300, 310.
In use, the user places the base 102 on the ground, such as sand or grass. The stakes 106a-d are driven into the stake holes 208a-d to secure the base 102 to the ground. The holder 104 is screwed into the main hole 206 via the main tube 300. The main tube 300 may be aligned with the secondary cylindrical tube 310 so that their axes are coaxially aligned. An umbrella is then inserted into the secondary cylindrical tube 310 through the main cylindrical tube 300 and, optionally, through the main hole 206 into the ground. In this configuration the umbrella is perfectly upright, coaxially aligned with the cylindrical tubes 300, 310, and perpendicular to the base 102.
If the user wants the umbrella to be tilted, the user can pull the umbrella up so as to be removed from the main cylindrical tube 300 but still within the secondary cylindrical tube 310. The secondary tube 310 is then tilted by rotating the secondary cylindrical tube 310 about the pins 319a,b that secure the secondary cylindrical tubes 310 to the link arms 316a,b so that the second axis B is angled relative to the first axis A. The degree of the angle is up to the user. The user can then push the umbrella down and insert the pole 10 of the umbrella into one of the auxiliary holes 210a-f as shown in
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited by this detailed description, but by the claims and the equivalents to the claims appended hereto.
This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/815,166 filed Apr. 23, 2013 for Umbrella Stand, which application is incorporated herein by this reference thereto.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61815166 | Apr 2013 | US |
