Patent ID: 6860280
Filing Date: 2005-03-01
Classification: A45B,B63B

Abstract:
1. An umbrella system comprising a support system having a mast axis and an umbrella portion having an umbrella axis, wherein the support system comprises: a mast adapted to be anchored to a surface by a quickly-releasable connection at a proximal end of the mast; and a curved arm connected to a distal end of the mast by a quickly-releasable quick-connection; and wherein the umbrella portion is suspended from a distal end of the arm by a quick-releasable quick-connection, and the umbrella portion hangs down from the arm with said umbrella axis offset to a side of the mast so that no portion of the mast extends through the umbrella portion and so that the mast axis is not coaxial with the umbrella axis, wherein the umbrella portion further comprises: a center member with a center shaft on said umbrella axis; a hub on said umbrella axis below the center member but not attached to the center member or to the center shaft; a plurality of bows radially extending out from the center member and supporting a fabric umbrella shade; and a plurality of push-rods each having an inner end and an outer end, the push-rods pivotally extending radially out from the hub and pivotally attaching to said plurality of bows at said push-rod outer ends; wherein the umbrella portion is movable to an open positions wherein the hub is moveable up toward the center member so that the push-rods pivot to an inclined position with their outer ends in a plane transverse to the center axis, and with the inner ends above said plane so that the inner ends are closer to the center member than are their outer ends, and so that a top end of the hub abuts against the center member, and the umbrella portion is maintained in said open position by compression force on the push-rods by the fabric shade and by the hub abutting against the center member; and wherein the hub comprises a funnel-shaped hollow member with an enlarged diameter top end and a smaller-diameter lower end parallel to the umbrella axis, wherein, when the umbrella portion is opened, the enlarged diameter top end of the hollow member abuts against the center member and the center shaft extends into the smaller-diameter lower end so that the center shaft is maintained coaxial with the umbrella axis.