Tent – canopy – umbrella – or cane – Portable shelter – Framework
Reexamination Certificate
2003-04-18
2004-09-14
Friedman, Carl D. (Department: 3635)
Tent, canopy, umbrella, or cane
Portable shelter
Framework
C135S016000, C135S090000, C135S096000, C135S117000, C135S119000, C135S120200, C135S120300, C135S143000, C248S231850, C248S316500, C248S316600, C248S316700, C248S534000, C248S535000, C248S536000, C297S184110, C297S184150, C297S188050, C297S188060
Reexamination Certificate
active
06789557
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of shades. More particularly, the present invention relates to portable sunshade apparatus which can be used by itself or removably attachable to a variety of different sizes and styles of recreational chairs or the like through use of a novel attachment mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Over the years, various sunshade devices have been developed for providing shade to sunbathers or the like. Conventional umbrella-type devices are still widely used by beachgoers, homeowners, and commercial establishments such as restaurants, hotels and resorts, as a means to provide shade to the user against the sun's rays. One problem with umbrella-type devices is that they are bulky and inconvenient for transporting them to the beach or other locations which require shade from the sun's rays. Another problem with these umbrella-type devices is that they are difficult to adjust as the sun changes locations in the sky during the course of the day. Another prior art shade is a ground supported shade having an adjustable canopy but has proven to be inflexible since the user may during one portion of the day, desire to lie upon the beach sand, while during another portion of the day prefer to sit in a beach chair. The prior art ground supported canopy is not adaptable to use on a beach chair.
The following twelve (12) prior art patents are found to be pertinent to the field of the present invention:
1. U.S. Pat. No. 405,038 issued to Koechling on Jun. 11, 1889 for “Beach Chair” (hereafter the “Koechling Patent”);
2. U.S. Pat. No. 1,480,286 issued to Morganstern on Jan. 8, 1924 for “Sand Or Outing Rest Or The Like” (hereafter the “Morganstern Patent”);
3. U.S. Pat. No. 2,660,186 issued to Marshall et al. on Nov. 24, 1953 for “Shade-Producing Apparatus” (hereafter the “Marshall Patent”);
4. U.S. Pat. No. 3,434,483 issued to Topham on Mar. 25, 1969 for “Portable Windbreaker” (hereafter the “Topham Patent”);
5. U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,318 issued to Nicholson on Dec. 20, 1977 for “Folding Frame Assembly” (hereafter the “Nicholson Patent”);
6. U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,481 issued to Gee on Oct. 20, 1981 for “Convertible Sun Shade” (hereafter the “Gee Patent”);
7. U.S. Pat. No. 265,862 issued to Caldwell on Aug. 24, 1982 for “Pole-Mounted Sun Shade” (hereafter the “Caldwell Patent”);
8. U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,901 issued to MacDonald on Mar. 8, 1983 for “Beach Chair” (hereafter the “MacDonald Patent”);
9. U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,257 issued to Clark on Mar. 17, 1992 for “Sunshade Apparatus For Chair” (hereafter the “Clark Patent”);
10. U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,363 issued to Kidwell et al. on Apr. 20, 1993 for “Portable Canopy Attachment” (hereafter the “Kidwell Patent”);
11. U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,601 issued to Gillins on Oct. 19, 1999 for “Sunshade Apparatus For Recreational Chair” (hereafter the “Gillins Patent”); and
12. PCT No. WO 99/18825 for “Sunshade For A Chair And A Chair Incorporating Same” (hereafter “the '825 PCT”).
The Koechling Patent discloses a beach chair for providing a backrest to a user.
The Morganstern Patent discloses a sand or outing rest or the like. It is a seating device which includes a rigid seat and back rest.
The Marshall Patent discloses a shade-producing apparatus. The apparatus utilizes a plurality of shorter poles which are connected by links to form an elongated pole.
The Topham Patent discloses a portable windbreaker. It comprises a frame with a cross rod and supporting legs. The cross rod is hinged at its center and the legs pivotable relative to each other and to the cross rod to fold the windbreaker up.
The Nicholson Patent discloses a folding frame assembly for providing support to a user's head.
The Gee Patent discloses a convertible sunshade which is convertible from a ground supported shade to a chair-back supported shade. The sunshade comprises a U-shaped support member with the bottom portion of the U-shaped support as a rearward support for the shade and the legs of U-shaped support being forwardly positioned.
The MacDonald Patent discloses a beach chair.
The Clark Patent discloses a sunshade apparatus for a chair. It comprises a canopy structure for supporting a fabric cover and adjustably attached to two parallel shade support arms. A pair of clamps hold the shade support arms to the back of the chair.
The Kidwell Patent discloses a portable canopy attachment.
The Gillins Patent discloses a sunshade apparatus for a recreational chair. It comprises a rigid support to which upper edge clips and side edge clips are connected for releasable attachment to the seat back upper edge and seat back side edge. The upper edge clips have a hook portion to enable the sunshade to hang on the seat back upper edge. The canopy frame can be pivoted to a collapsed flat position.
The Caldwell Patent discloses a pole-mounted sunshade. This is a design patent and only protects the shape of the device, not how it operates.
The '825 PCT discloses a sunshade which is attached to a chair.
It is desirable to provide a portable sunshade apparatus which can be used on the beach sand by itself or adaptable to a beach chair for providing shade against the sun's rays.
It is also desirable to have a unique attachment mechanism which permits the portable sunshade apparatus to be attached to any type of beach chair or lounge chair.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a portable and collapsible sunshade apparatus which is specially adapted to conveniently provide several useful features desired by anyone going to a beach or the like. The purpose of the portable sunshade apparatus is used for blocking the sun's rays to a user. In addition, the portable sunshade device can be removably attached to outdoor furniture, such as a lounge chair or beach chair by a removable clamping mechanism. Furthermore, the portable sunshade apparatus is rigid enough to be used as a back and head support.
The portable sunshade apparatus can be used by itself and is free-standing. The sunshade apparatus comprises a frame which has a top sunshade portion and a back sunshade portion. The top sunshade portion is hingeably connected to the back sunshade portion and is collapsible inwardly against the back sunshade portion for providing portability to the sunshade apparatus. Two telescopic legs are provided with the back sunshade portion and can be adjusted vertically in an up or down motion to provide a height needed by different users. The bottom ends of the telescopic legs are forced into the beach sand so that the sunshade device can be free standing for blocking the sun's rays to a user.
The portable sunshade apparatus can be used as a head and back support device, where the telescopic legs are forced into the beach sand at an angle. The top and bottom sunshade portions form an “A” cross-section configuration, thereby providing the head and back support device for the user.
The portable sunshade apparatus can be used in conjunction with a lounge chair or the like. There are provided clip-on members which can be snapped or attached onto the lounge chair, where the telescopic legs are inserted into the clip-on members for providing shade to a user sitting in the lounge chair.
An improvement in the present invention is to provide a novel attachment means in the form of a universal clip which will enable any type of sunshade apparatus to be attached to any type of beach chair or lounge chair at any desired height above the occupant of the chair and at any desired angular orientation relative to the chair.
A further improvement in the present invention is to provide a collapsible sunshade apparatus which can be conveniently folded up and carried in a bag so that the sunshade apparatus can be easily transported to the beach or other location for attachment to a beach chair or lounge chair through use of the novel attachment means of the present invention.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable sunshade apparatus for a lounge chair or the like, that will p
Chen Tony D.
Friedman Carl D.
Horton Yvonne M.
Rozsa Thomas I.
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