Tent – canopy – umbrella – or cane – Portable shelter – Umbrella-type
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-20
2001-09-11
Kent, Christopher T. (Department: 3635)
Tent, canopy, umbrella, or cane
Portable shelter
Umbrella-type
C135S020100, C135S099000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06286530
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
While a well-tanned complexion had become a symbol of good health and vitality in the last few decades, medical research has more recently linked overexposure to the sun with premature aging and skin cancer. As awareness of this danger increases, demand for sun screen products and umbrellas to provide shade increases.
This invention relates to a reconfigurable sun shade and shelter apparatus, and more particularly for a reconfigurable sun shade and shelter comprising at least one novel control hub for configuring the sun shade and shelter apparatus in one of a plurality of configurations.
2. Description of Related Art
Traditional shade umbrellas have several disadvantages in that they are often heavy, hard to handle, require a specific mounting, and do not always provide a high degree of protection from the sun. While traditional shade umbrellas are usually easily mounted in sand or soft earth, they have the disadvantage in that they are not easily mounted on a hard surface. Traditional shade umbrellas can be deployed either in only the fully open vertical position, or in some cases, the canopy may be tilted with respect to the vertical base. A further disadvantage of traditional shade umbrellas is that they do not perform well in high wind conditions.
Traditional shade umbrellas can be aesthetically pleasing and are often used in home gardens and for covering patio furniture. Traditional patio umbrella shade structures are often used as semi-permanent structures. The cloth or fabric that covers the frame of the semi-permanent shade structure deteriorates from the effects of rain, wind and sun. Accordingly, such structures are capable of being folded to minimize exposure to the elements. The folding mechanisms are often cumbersome and difficult to operate.
A further disadvantage of traditional shade umbrellas is a centrally located support shaft. This centrally located support shaft reduces the available usable area covered by the umbrella. Accordingly, towels or picnic blankets and the like must be arranged to avoid the central support shaft. Furthermore the shaded area shifts between sunrise and sunset, and articles protected beneath the umbrella must be shifted if continuous shade is required. A further disadvantage of traditional shade umbrellas is that they do not provide protection from wind.
A disadvantage of tents and canopies is that they are not easily reconfigurable for use in varied situations.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a reconfigurable sun shade and shelter apparatus. This device can provide shade from the sun and protection from wind and rain. The invention relates more particularly to a reconfigurable sun shade that is convenient and portable.
The present invention aims to alleviate the above disadvantages and to provide a reconfigurable sun shade and shelter which will be reliable and effective in use. The square shape of the preferred embodiment and the central locking control hub allow the sun shade and shelter to be reconfigured into many useful shapes.
The reconfigurable sun shade and shelter apparatus includes a central locking control hub and a plurality of support ribs that support a flexible shade cover. Alternatively, the reconfigurable sun shade and shelter apparatus includes a plurality of central locking control hubs. The central locking control hub allows the plurality of support ribs to be independently displaced at various angles in a vertical direction from one another in relation to the horizontal plane of the central locking control hub.
As will be appreciated, the plurality of support ribs of the reconfigurable sun shade and shelter apparatus support the flexible shade cover. The support ribs may be locked into many configurations in which any of the ribs are displaced at different angles from the central locking control hub. As described herein, the sun shade and shelter apparatus can be reconfigured into many shapes for use in different situations. The central locking control hub is preferably locked by a cam being moved into a locked position which pushes a locking piston along a cylinder in the housing of the central locking control hub thereby engaging a pivot mount attached to the hub. Each pivot mount is attached to a corresponding support rib which can be independently rotated vertically before the hub is locked.
The various parts of the central locking control hub can be constructed of plastic, metal alloy, fiberglass or other suitable material. The housing preferably comprises plastic parts including two housing halves to create a housing with an opening for a cam and 8 cylinder openings. The housing halves when combined create an opening for the cam to freely rotate when the key is turned. The housing halves comprise pivot pin channels for mounting the pivot pins. The housing halves may be fastened by glue or preferably the parts are fastened by screws.
The cental locking control hub comprises a key to lock and unlock the hub. In the preferred embodiment, the key is a T shaped key and the top of the T shape is contoured to fit comfortably in the palm of the operator's hand. The base of the key is preferably a square with detent holes in the four sides to engage a matching detent ball in the matching key receptacle in the central locking control hub. Alternatively, the key does not have to be temporarily locked into the central locking control hub when engaged. The key receptacle could be on either the bottom or top of the central locking control hub, or a receptacle could be on each side. The preferred embodiment comprises a key that resembles a T shaped handle, however a configuration using a standard hex key is possible. Alternatively, the key can be non-removable and can be part of the housing.
The key receptacle is attached to the cam that is displaced in a cylindrical opening at the center of the housing of the central locking control hub. Alternatively, the cam is mounted in the housing using ball bearings in the housing of the central locking control hub.
The cam has a plurality of cam lobes used to engage the locking pistons. In the preferred embodiment there are 8 cam lobes equally spaced from each other. A groove is situated in the top side of the cam and the groove continues along the perimeter of the cam for receiving each engaging pin of the corresponding locking piston such that the rotation of the cam will move the locking piston engaging pin along the cam channel thereby moving the locking piston along the cylinder formed in the housing of the central locking control hub. Alternatively, each locking piston could be spring loaded and the cam could use the face of each lobe to force the locking piston along the cylinder to be later returned by the spring.
Each locking piston engages a corresponding pivot mount that is preferably rotatably connected to the housing of the central locking control hub by a pin mounted in a channel in the housing of the central locking control hub. The pivot mount preferably comprises an inner end that is cylindrical from a side view and an outer end that attaches to the corresponding support rib. The pin is situated in a cylindrical opening in the center of the pivot mount that allows the pivot mount to pivot about the pin in a vertical plane from the central locking control hub. Each pivot mount may independently pivot vertically at different angles from the central locking control hub. Each pivot mount is rotatably connected to the housing of the central locking control hub toward the outer end of a cylinder formed in the housing of the central locking control hub. In the preferred embodiment, the inside cylindrical end of the pivot mount comprises a plurality of teeth of a gear. The portion of the locking piston situated away from the cam is then configured with a partial inside cylinder with teeth to engage the teeth of the pivot mount.
Alternatively, the matching surfaces of the locking piston and the pivot mount could be engaged by friction on a surface such as rubber mating surfaces. Fu
Kent Christopher T.
MacDonald George M.
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