Patent ID: 8087423
Filing Date: 2012-01-03
Classification: E04H

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for providing protection against the sun, said apparatus comprising a rod assembly, a fabric that is stretchable over said rod assembly, the fabric having two lateral edges and two bottom edges, and first and second ground strap segments, wherein the rod assembly includes two rods, with each rod having two ends, wherein the rods each intersect at only a single location to define an intersection region, are each resiliently bendable and can be braced in an arched manner by coupling the rod ends to ends of the first and second ground strap segments, with the rod ends being subjected to tensile stressing, and further comprising first and second tent strap segments extending from one of the bottom edges of the fabric and third and fourth tent strap segments extending from the other bottom edge of the fabric, with the first and second tent strap segments being coupled to the ends of the rods and the third and fourth tent strap segments being coupled to opposite ends of the rods, with the fabric being stretched over the rod assembly, wherein one of the rods is coupled to and extends diagonally across the fabric between the first tent strap segment and the third tent strap segment and the other rod is coupled to and extends diagonally across the fabric between the second tent strap segment and the fourth tent strap segment, wherein each rod is longer than a straight distance from where each is coupled to the first tent strap segment and the third tent strap segment and from the second tent strap segment to the fourth tent strap segment, respectively, such that the rods have a double curvature when coupled to the tent strap segments to stretch the fabric, and further comprising a cross-strut that is supported in the intersection region of the rods to support the fabric, with the fabric also extending over the cross-strut, wherein the double curvature is such that on each side of the cross-strut, each rod curves outward toward its adjacent lateral edge and away from a straight line extending between the first tent strap segment and the third tent strap segment and from the second tent strap segment to the fourth tent strap segment, respectively.