Abstract:
The subject invention discloses an arbor comprising a frame having at least three wall supports attachable to each other, at least three legs, each leg attachable to the wall supports, a removable cover which overhangs the wall supports, and a plurality of side panels which may include mesh areas and zippered openings to allow access to the interior of the arbor. The side panels may be provided with anchoring strips to anchor the arbor to the ground. Each of the side panels may be removably attachable to an appropriate portion of the cover by means including a hook and loop strip appropriately disposed on adjacent edges of these components. Further, the arbor may also comprise roof supports where a peaked arbor is desired. The wall supports, roof supports, and legs may all be formed of respective members which can be selectively connectable to each other for length when the arbor is in use or detached from each other for convenience in storage and transportation. The wall supports may be connectable to each other and to respective roof supports and legs by wall joints which may provide a plurality of hollow tubes sized to selectively receive an end of the appropriate roof member, wall member, or leg. Similarly, a peak joint may be comprised of a backing and a plurality of tubes having hollowed ends adapted to receive the mating ends of the roof support.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to arbors. More particularly, the present invention relates to arbors with removable panels. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to screened arbors having removable panels that have anchor strips. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Arbors are used to provide temporary shelter and shade for people, typically for such leisure activities as picnics and the like. Arbors are of two general types, open and screened. Open arbors comprise a frame and a removable cover; in addition to a frame and a cover, screened arbors have screen panels; that are removably attachable to the cover. 
     Difficulties with prior art screened arbors include difficult attachment and removal of panels, and ground anchors that are weak or that tear easily. The present invention addresses both these issues. 
     The invention hereof, generally, comprises a screened arbor. The screened arbor, generally, comprises: 
     (a) a frame, the frame comprising: 
     (i) at least three wall supports, the wall supports removably attachable to each other; 
     (ii) at least three legs, the legs removably attachable to the wall supports; 
     (iii) means for removably attaching the wall supports to each other; 
     (iv) means for removably attaching the legs to the wall supports; 
     (b) a removable cover disposed upon and overhanging the wall supports, the cover having a peripheral edge, a first surface, and an opposed second surface, the cover having a hook-and-loop strip disposed on the first surface thereof proximate the peripheral edge and parallel thereto; and 
     (c) a plurality of panels, each of the plurality of panels having a top edge, a bottom edge, two spaced apart side edges extending between the top edge and the bottom edge, a first surface, and an opposed second surface, each of the plurality of panels having a hook-and-loop strip disposed on the second surface thereof proximate the top edge and parallel thereto for detachably connecting the panel to the cover, and an anchor strip disposed on the first surface thereof proximate the bottom edge and parallel thereto. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is an environmental view of an arbor according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an environmental view of the arbor of FIG. 1 in a partially assembled state; 
     FIG. 3 is an environmental view of a frame of the arbor of FIG. 1 in a partially assembled state; 
     FIG. 4 is an partially exploded view of an arbor hereof, showing the interconnecting relationship between a corner joint, peak joint, wall supports, leg, foot pad, and roof support of the frame of FIG. 3; and 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of a panel of the arbor of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to the drawings, and in accordance herewith, there is provided a screened arbor, generally, denoted at  10 . The arbor  10 , generally, comprises a frame  12 . The frame  12  comprises at least three wall supports; the example shown in the drawing and described herein has six wall supports  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 ,  24 . Preferably, each of the wall supports is similarly constructed. Therefore, for purposes of brevity, only the wall support  14  will be described herein. 
     The wall support  14 , preferably, comprises a first end wall support member  14   a , a medial wall support member  14   b , and a second end wall support member  14   c . The end members  14   a ,  14   c  removably attach to the medial member  14   b  by any suitable means in forming the wall support  14 . As shown in FIG. 4, preferably, each end member  14   a ,  14   c  has a reduced-diameter portion  32  at an end thereof, and the reduced-diameter portion slidably fits into the medial portion  14   b  and is frictionally held therein. Two apertures  26 ,  28  are formed through the medial member  14   b , one proximate each end thereof, and each of the end members  14   a ,  14   c  has a spring-loaded button clip  30  disposed on the reduced-diameter portion  32  thereof proximate an end thereof, with the spring extending between and attached to the clip and the reduced-diameter portion  32 ; the reduced-diameter portions of the end members  14   a ,  14   c  are slidably inserted into the medial member until the button of each of the button clips pops out through one of the apertures in the medial member  14   b . Alternately, other means for removable attachment of members  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c  may be used, such as appropriate threadings on the end members and medial member, or fastened connections using fasteners such as screws or the like. 
     Each of the end wall support members  14   a ,  14   c  and the medial wall support member  14   b  is, preferably, hollow and made of a strong material such as steel, though other materials such as aluminum, plastic, or the like may be used as desired if sufficiently strong. Hollow members are preferred because they typically weigh less than do solid members, though solid members may also be used, except for the portions of the medial member  14   b  into which the end members  14   a ,  14   c  insert. Alternately, the wall support  14  may be a single unitary member or a single member with fixable telescoping portions. 
     The wall support  14  may, optionally, further comprise at least one triangle clip  50 . Each triangle clip  50  is disposed on the wall support  14  proximate an end thereof and is affixed thereto by any suitable means, such as welding or the like. The triangle clip  50  is used to help stabilize the connection of the wall support  14  to a corner joint, as described below. Other stabilizers  50  known to the art may alternatively be used in place of triangle clip  50 . 
     The wall supports are arranged in a planar closed shape, such as a triangle, a rectangle, a hexagon, or the like, the shape of each arbor being governed by corner joints as described below. FIGS. 1-3 show a hexagonal configuration for the wall supports; however, it is to be understood that other closed shapes may be utilized as well, and that a square configuration as well as a hexagon configuration, is commonly used. 
     The frame  12  further comprises means  34  for removably attaching the wall supports  14  to each other. The means  34 , preferably, comprises at least three corner joints, such as the corner joint  36  shown in FIG.  4 . The number of corner joints equals the number of wall supports. Preferably, each of the corner joints is similarly constructed. Therefore, for purposes of brevity, only the corner joint  36  will be described herein. 
     The corner joint  36  comprises a backing  38  and a plurality of hollow tubes  40 ,  42 ,  44 ,  46 . Each of the tubes has a first open end and a second open end, with the first ends of the tubes being coincident with each other at a common area  48 , as shown in FIG.  4 . The tubes are angularly disposed relative to each other to accommodate the desired shape of the frame, with one wall support  14  or other element slidably fitting into the second end of each of the hollow tubes  40 ,  42 ,  44  and  46  as described below. The comer joints are, preferably, made of nylon, though similar materials may be used if desired. 
     As noted above, the wall support  14  may, optionally, comprise at least one stabilizer or triangle clip  50  disposed on the wall support  14  proximate an end that inserts into the corner joint  36 . The triangle clip  50  is compressed as the wall support  14  is inserted into the corner joint  36 , then is released when the wall support is pushed sufficiently into the corner joint that the triangle clip  50  is disposed in the common area  48  of the corner joint  36 ; the released triangle clip thus adds to the stability of the attachment of the wall support to the corner joint. 
     The frame  12  further comprises at least three legs; the example shown in the drawing and described herein has six legs  52 ,  54 ,  56 ,  58 ,  60 ,  62 . The number of legs equals the number of corner joints, which equals the number of wall supports. Preferably, each of the legs is similarly constructed. Therefore, for purposes of brevity, only the leg  52  will be described herein. 
     The leg  52  comprises at least a first leg member  52   a  and a second leg member  52   b . Preferably, the second end member has at least one aperture  124  formed therein for removable attachment of a cover extension, as described below. The first and second leg members  52   a  and  52   b  respectively, are removably attachable to each other by any suitable means in forming the leg  52 . As shown in FIG. 4, preferably, the second member  52   b  has a reduced-diameter portion  64  at an end thereof, and the reduced-diameter portion slidably fits into the first portion  52   a  and is frictionally held therein. Optionally, a spring-loaded curly clip  66  is attached to the reduced-diameter portion  64  of the second member  52   b , With the spring extending between and attached to the clip  66  and the reduced-diameter portion  64 , and is compressed when the reduced-diameter portion  64  is inserted into the first member  52   a ; this increases the frictional stability of the connection of the second member  52   b  to the first member  52   a . Alternatively, other means for removable attachment may be used, such as appropriate threadings on the leg members  52   a  and  52   b . When the leg members are assembled to each other, the legs  52 ,  54 ,  56 ,  58 ,  60  and  62  are the same length as each other. 
     Each of the first and second leg members  52   a ,  52   b  is, preferably, hollow and made of a strong material such as steel, though other materials such as aluminum, plastic, or the like may be used as desired if sufficiently strong. Hollow members are preferred because they typically weigh less than do solid members, though solid members may also be used except for the portions of the first leg member  52   a  into which the second leg member  52   b  inserts. Alternately, the leg  52  may be a single unitary member or a single member with fixable telescoping portions. 
     The leg  52  may, optionally, further comprise a stabilizer or triangle clip  68 . The triangle clip  68  is disposed on the first leg member  52   a  proximate an end thereof and is affixed thereto by any suitable means, such as welding or the like. The triangle clip  68  is used to help stabilize the connection of the leg to a corner joint, as described below. 
     The legs  52 ,  54 , etc., are attached to the rest of the frame by means  66  for removably attaching the legs to the wall supports. The means  66  are, preferably, the corner joints  36 . The first member  52   a  of each of the legs  52 , etc., slidably fits into one of the hollow tubes  44  of a respective one of the corner joints  36 , analogously to the end portions of the wall supports fitting into other hollow tubes  40 ,  42  of the corner joints as described above. 
     As noted above, the leg  52  may, optionally, comprise a stabilizer or triangle clip  68 . The stabilizer or triangle clip  68  is disposed on the first leg member  52   a  proximate the end that inserts into the comer joint  36 . The triangle clip  68  is compressed as the leg is inserted into the corner joint  36 , then is released when the leg is pushed sufficiently into the corner joint that the triangle clip  68  is disposed in the common area  48  of the corner joint  36 ; the released triangle clip  68  thus adds to the stability of the attachment of the leg to the corner joint. 
     A foot pad  70  is, preferably, removably attachable to each leg  52 , etc. Each foot pad  70  has a planar portion  72  and a tubular portion  74  projecting from the planar portion  72  normal thereto. The inner diameter of the tubular portion  74  is slightly greater than the outer diameter of the second portion  52   b  of the leg  52 , such that the leg can be pressed into the tubular portion of the foot pad  70  and frictionally held therein. The foot pads  70  are, preferably, made of nylon, though similar materials may be used if desired. 
     Optionally, and preferably, the frame  12  further comprises at least three roof supports; the example shown in the drawing and described herein has six roof supports  76 ,  78 ,  80 ,  82 ,  84 ,  86 . If present, the roof supports  76 , etc., provide for a peaked roof for the arbor  10 , which is often preferred to a flat roof in the marketplace. If roof supports  76 , etc., are used, the number of roof supports equals the number of corner joints, which equals the number of wall supports . Preferably, each of the roof supports  76 , etc., is similarly constructed. Therefore, for purposes of brevity, only the roof support  76  will be described herein. 
     The roof support  76 , preferably, comprises a first end roof support member  76   a , a medial roof support member  76   b , and a second end roof support member  76   c . The end roof support members  76   a ,  76   c  removably attach to the medial member  76   b  by any suitable means in forming the roof support  76 . As shown in FIG. 4, preferably, each end roof support member has a reduced-diameter portion  88  at an end thereof, and the reduced-diameter portion slidably fits into the medial portion  76   b  and is frictionally held therein. Optionally, a spring-loaded curly clip  90  is attached to the reduced-diameter portion  88  of each end member, with the spring extending between and attached to the clip  90  and the reduced-diameter portion  88 , and is compressed when the reduced-diameter portion  88  is inserted into the medial member  76   b ; this increases the frictional stability of the connection of the end member  76   a  or  76   c  to the medial member  76   b . Alternately, other means for removable attachment may be used, such as appropriate threadings on the end members and medial member, or fastened connections using fasteners such as screws or the like. 
     Each of the roof support end members  76   a ,  76   c  and the medial member  76   b  is, preferably, hollow and made of a strong material such as steel, though other materials such as aluminum, plastic, or the like may be used as desired if sufficiently strong. Hollow members are preferred because they typically weigh less than do solid members, though solid members may also be used except for the portions of the medial member  76   b  into which the end members  76   a ,  76   c  insert. Alternately, the roof support  76  may be a single unitary member or a single member with fixable telescoping portions. 
     As with the wall support  14 , the roof support  76  may further comprise at least one stabilizer or triangle clip  114  disposed at an end thereof and affixed thereto by any suitable means, such as welding or the like, to help stabilize the connection of the roof support  76  to other elements, as described below. 
     One of the end members of each roof support  76 , etc., slidably fits into a hollow tube  46  of a corresponding one of the corner joints  36 . The roof supports rise from the corner joints to a space  92  above the center of the planar closed shape of the wall supports. In a peaked hexagon configuration, for instance, there are six wall supports  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 ,  24  cooperating to define the circumference of a hexagon and six roof supports  76 ,  78 ,  80 ,  82 ,  84 ,  86  extending from the corner joints to the space  92  above the center of the hexagon, as shown in FIG.  3 . 
     If roof supports are used, the frame  12  further comprises means  94  for removably attaching the roof supports to each other, such as the peak joint  96  shown in FIG. 4 for a hexagonal peaked roof. The peak joint  96  is constructed similarly to the corner joint  36  described above. The peak joint  96  comprises a backing  98  and a plurality of hollow tubes  100 ,  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 . Each of the tubes  100 , etc., has a first end and a second end, with the first ends of the tubes being coincident with each other at a common area  112 , as shown in FIG. 4, and the second ends being open. The tubes are angularly disposed relative to each other to accommodate the desired shape of the roof, with one of the end portions  76   c  of each roof support  76 , etc., slidably fitting into the second end of a corresponding one of the hollow tubes  100  etc., of the peak joint  96 . The peak joint  96  is, preferably, made of nylon, though similar materials may be used if desired. The peak joint  96  is, preferably, unitarily formed, though the backing and the tubes may be formed separately and attached to each other via sonic welding or the like if desired. 
     As noted above, and similarly to the wall support  14 , the roof support  76  may comprise stabilizers or triangle clips  114  that increase the stability of the attachment of the roof support  76  to the peak joint  96  and to the corner joint  36 . 
     Disposed upon the frame is a cover  116 . The cover  116  has a first surface  117 , an opposed second surface, and a peripheral edge  118 . When the arbor  10  is assembled, the first surface  117  of the cover  10  faces outwardly, i.e. not toward the center of the arbor. The cover  116  is of sufficient size and shape to cover the wall supports  14 , etc., and, if present, the roof supports  76 , etc., and overhang the wall supports on all sides, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A hook-and-loop strip  128  is attached to the first surface  117  of the cover  116 , in the well-known manner around the entire periphery of the cover  116  proximate the edge  118 . The hook-and-loop strip  128  is used to attach panels to the cover  116 , as described below. 
     Preferably, the cover  116  has a main portion  120  and a plurality of extensions  122 . The cover extensions  122  may be unitarily formed with the main portion  120  of the cover, sewn thereonto, sonically welded thereonto, or otherwise attached to the main portion  120  of the cover. The number of cover extensions  122 , preferably, equals the number of legs, as one extension removably attaches to each leg  52 , etc., as described below. Each cover extension  122 , preferably, has at least one hook-and-loop strip  123  attached thereto in the well-known manner on the first surface  117  thereof for removable attachment of at least one panel, as described below. Each cover extension  122  projects from the main portion  120  of the cover adjacent to the legs and attaches to a corresponding leg  52 , etc., at the second portion  52   b  thereof, as shown in FIG.  1 . Preferably, and as noted above, the second member  52   b  of each leg  52 , etc., has at least one aperture  124  formed therein spaced from the area of the second member  52   b  covered by the footpad  70 , as shown in FIG. 4. A hook (not shown) removably attaches the cover extension  122  to the leg  52 , etc., by hooking into one of the apertures  124  in the second portion  52   a  of the leg. The hook may be a part of the cover extension  122  or the hook may be a separate piece, as desired; if the hook is a separate piece, the cover extension  122  has a suitable aperture formed therethrough through which the hook may project when the hook hooks into the aperture  124  in the leg  52 , etc. 
     The cover  116  is, preferably, formed of heavy duty polyethylene, though other similarly strong and lightweight materials may also be used. 
     The arbor  10  further comprises at least three removable panels; the example shown in the drawing and described herein has six panels  130 , 132 , 134 ,  136 , 138 ,  140 . The number of these side panels equals the number of wall supports. The panels are all similarly formed; accordingly, the panel  130  will be used as an exemplar herein. At least one of panels  130 , etc., includes a mesh area made of a metal or plastic mesh, with the mesh being of fine enough size that most flying insects cannot fly therethrough. The panel including the mesh area may be a unitary mesh member, son long as other requisite components described herein may be included on the mesh panel. The panels  130 , etc., is, preferably, rectangular in shape, though other shapes may be used as desired, and is at least as long as each of the legs  52 , etc. As shown in FIG. 5, the panel  130  has a top edge  130   a , a bottom edge  130   b , two spaced apart side edges  130   c ,  130   d  extending between the top edge and the bottom edge, a first surface  130   e , and an opposed second surface  130   f . When the arbor  10  is assembled, the first surface  130   e  faces outwardly, i.e. not toward the center of the arbor. A hook-and-loop strip  142  is attached to the panel  130  in the well-known manner on the second surface  130   f , thereof proximate the top edge  130   a  thereof and extending along the length of the top edge  130   a  thereof. Preferably, hook-and-loop strips  144 ,  145  are also attached to the panel in the well-known manner on the second surface  130   f  thereof proximate each of the side edges  130   c ,  130   d  thereof and extending along the length thereof. The hook-and-loop strip  142  along the top edge of the panel  130  is used to attach the panel to the cover  116  via attachment to the hook-and-loop strip  128  in the well-known manner. Similarly, the hook-and-loop strips  144 ,  145  proximate the side edges of the panel  130  are used to attach the panel  130  to cover extensions  122  via attachment to the hook-and-loop strips  123  on the cover extensions  122  in the well-known manner. 
     One or more of the panels  130 , etc., may have a zipper  146  extending from the bottom edge  130   b  to the top edge  130   a , or from a point recessed from the bottom edge  130   b  thereof to a point recessed from the top edge  130   a  thereof as desired, to allow ingress and egress through the panel  130 . 
     As shown in FIG. 1, an anchor strip  148  is secured to the first surface  130   e  of each panel  130 , etc., proximate the bottom edge  130   b  thereof along the entire extent thereof. The anchor strip  148  is, preferably, formed of polyethylene or a similarly strong material, with at least one or more suitable apertures formed therethrough for staking the arbor  10  to the ground in the well-known manner. 
     Alternately, the hook-and-loop strip  142  on the panels  130 , etc., may be disposed on the first surfaces  130   e ; that, in turn, would necessitate the hook-and-loop strips  128  on the cover being disposed on the second surfaces thereof to effect removable attachment between the panels  130  and the cover  116  via the hook-and-loop strips. 
     Preferably, the arbor  10  further comprises a plurality of spaced apart guy ropes projecting from the main portion  120  of the cover  116 , such as those depicted at  150 ,  152 , and  154  in FIG. 1, each guy rope  150 , etc., shaped such that an aperture is formed at an end of the guy rope opposite the cover  116  to assist in staking the arbor  10  to the ground in the well-known manner. 
     In use, the frame  12  is assembled by the following steps. First, each wall support  14 , etc. is assembled by inserting the two end portions  14   a ,  14   c , etc. thereof into the medial portion  14   b , etc. thereof until the spring-loaded button clips  30  of the end portions project through the apertures  26 ,  28  of the medial portion. Second, the wall supports  14 , etc. are assembled into the desired shape by inserting them into tubes  40 ,  42  of the corner joints  36  until the stabilizers or triangle clips  50  are released in the common areas  48  of the corner joints  36 . Third, the end portions  76   a , etc. of the roof supports  76 , etc. are inserted into the tubes  100 ,  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110  of the peak joint  96  until the triangle clips  114  are released in the common area  112  of the peak joint  96 . Fourth, the reduced-diameter portion  88  of each of the end portions  76   a , etc. of the roof supports  76 , etc. are inserted into a corresponding roof support medial portion  76   b , etc. Fifth, the reduced-diameter portion  88  of each of the end portions  76   c , etc. of the roof supports  76 , etc. are inserted into a corresponding roof support medial portion  76   b , etc. Sixth, the end portions  76   c , etc. of the roof supports  76 , etc. are inserted into tubes  46  of the corner joints  36  until the triangle clips  114  are released in the common areas  48  of the corner joints  36 . Seventh, the first leg portions  52   a , etc. of the legs  52 , etc. are inserted into tubes  44  of the corner joints  36  until the triangle clips  68  are released in the common areas  48  of the corner joints  36 . Eighth, the reduced-diameter portion  64  of each of the first leg portions  52   a , etc. are inserted into a corresponding second leg portion  52   b , etc. Ninth, each footpad  70  is attached to a corresponding second leg portion  52   b , etc. by pushing the second leg portions into the tubular portions  74  of the footpads  70 . Tenth, the cover  116  is emplaced over the roof supports  76 , etc. and the wall supports  14 , etc. and the cover  116  is pulled tight, as shown in FIG. 2, such that the cover  116  overhangs the wall supports  14 , etc. on all sides. Eleventh, the cover extensions  122  are pulled down alongside the legs and each cover extension  122  is hooked to the second portion of a corresponding leg by connecting hooking the hook on the cover extension  122  into one of the apertures  124  in the second portion of the leg. Twelfth, the panels  130 , etc. are attached to the cover  116  via the hook-and-loop strips  142 ,  128 ,  144 ,  145 ,  123 . The arbor  10  is now fully assembled. The arbor may be anchored to the ground by pounding stakes (not shown) through the apertures in the anchor strips  148  on the panels into the ground, and by pounding stakes (not shown) through the apertures in the guy ropes  150 , etc. into the ground, in the well-known manner. 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and the foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described fully and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.