Adjustable canopy for a wheel chair, beach chair, and the like

An adjustable canopy for a wheel chair, beach chair and the like, which includes a tubular frame which may be turned and set to any desired angular position, and which may be coupled to a tubular back frame of the chair in frictional relationship to be slidable in the back frame so that the canopy may be set to any desired elevation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Most present-day outdoor chairs require a separate umbrella on the beach to 
provide shade. However, the umbrella is usually awkward to carry, and it 
is awkward to adjust as the rays from the sum shift during the day. An 
object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable canopy which 
may be retained on or removed from the chair and folded into a compact 
configuration for convenient carrying, and which is constructed to be 
simply adjustable so that the canopy may be set to any desired height 
according to the desires of the user, and to any desired angle 
appropriately to shield the user from the sun. Moreover, the canopy may be 
easily adjusted during the day to maintain the desired shade for relative 
movement between the sun and the person. 
Another object of the invention is to provide such a canopy which may be 
used in conjunction with wheel chairs, director's chairs, and the like.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT 
The collapsible chair and canopy combination of the invention, as more 
clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a back frame having first and 
second spaced and parallel elongated tubular members 10 and 12, and a 
slidable frame in coplanar relationship with the back frame. The frame 
includes first and second elongated side members 14 and 16 which are 
slidably received in the respective tubular side members 10 and 12 of the 
back frame. The side members 14 and 16 are welded or otherwise attached to 
a tubular cross member 25. 
Frictional coupling members, which include bushings 18 and 20, are provided 
so that the slidable frame may be moved to any desired linear displacement 
with respect to the back frame, and held in that displacement by the 
frictional coupling members. 
The frictional coupling members may be constructed, as shown in FIG. 10, to 
include a spring member 200 which slides in tubular member 10, formed of 
spring steel or other appropriate material. The lower portion of spring 
member is spring biased radially outwardly against the inner surface of 
tubular member 10 to create a frictional relationship. This enables side 
member 14 to be moved telescopically into and out of tubular member 10 so 
that the canopy may be set to any desired height relative to the frame. 
The bushing 18 is held in a press fit in tubular member 10. Spring member 
200 has an upper portion 200A which extends into bushing 18 in a press fit 
and enables bushing 18 to be held on the end of side member 14 when the 
canopy is removed from the chair. 
The combination also includes a canopy frame having first and second spaced 
and parallel elongated side members 22 and 24, and a member 23. The canopy 
frame is pivotally coupled to the cross member 25 of the slidable frame 
through frictional coupling members including threaded nuts 26 and 28, so 
that the canopy frame may be turned to any desired angular position with 
respect to the slidable frame and held in that position by the frictional 
coupling members. 
The frictional coupling members, as shown in FIG. 9, include a threaded rod 
202 which extends co-axially through cross-member 25 from one end to the 
other, a bushing 204 which fits into one end of the cross-member 25, and a 
similar bushing at the other end, and friction washers 206. Nut 26 is 
threaded to rod 202, and when the canopy has been turned to a desired 
angular position, nuts 26 and 28 may be tightened to hold the canopy in 
that position. 
The back frame includes an elongate transverse member 30 extending between 
the lower ends of the tubular side members 10 and 12 and joined to the 
side members. The elongated transverse member 30 forms a reinforcing 
support for the back frame. Moreover, the elongated transverse member 30 
is bent out from the plane of the back frame, and it functions as a 
convenient handle for the assembly, when the assembly is in its collapsed 
condition. 
The collapsible chair also includes a seat frame having first and second 
spaced and parallel elongated side members 32 and 34, and the seat frame 
also includes a transverse elongated member 36 which is joined to the rear 
ends of the side members. The transverse member 36 is bent down from the 
plane of the seat frame, and it constitutes a rear support for the chair 
assembly. The back frame is coupled to the seat frame by linkages 38 and 
40 which are pivotally coupled to the side members of the seat frame 
adjacent to the transverse member 36, and to the lower ends of the side 
members 10 and 12 of the back frame. 
The chair also includes a further frame having spaced and parallel side 
members 42 and 44 which constitute arms. The further frame also includes a 
transverse elongated member 46 which is joined to the forward ends of the 
side members 42 and 44, and which is bent down from the plane of the 
further frame to constitute a front support for the chair. The rear ends 
of side members 42 and 44 are pivotally coupled to side members 10 and 12 
by pivotal coupling members 61 and 63. 
The side members 42 and 44 of the further frame are pivotally coupled to 
the side members 32 and 34 of the seat frame by pivotal coupling members 
50 and 52. 
As shown in FIG. 1, the seat frame supports a fabric seat 60, the back 
frame supports a fabric back 62, and the canopy frame supports a fabric 
canopy 64, having a back flap 64A. The fabric forming the seat, back and 
canopy may be formed of canvas, or other appropriate material. 
In collapsing the chair, the first step is to turn the canopy frame back 
adjacent to the rear of the back frame, as shown in FIG. 3. The chair may 
then be collapsed by turning the back frame forwardly about the pivot 
points provided by the linkages 38 and 40 into the configuration shown in 
FIG. 4. The entire assembly may then be conveniently carried by grasping 
the transverse member 36. 
In the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 the canopy is provided with side flaps 
64B, 64C, to provide more complete shade for the user. When not in use, 
the side flaps may be folded over the top of the canopy, as shown in FIG. 
6, and held in place by a Velcro fastener 65. 
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the canopy may be removably mounted on a wheel 
chair 100 with the side members in 916 being telescopically received in 
tubular members 210 and 212. The tubular members are attached to the frame 
of the wheel chair by appropriate straps 211, 213 or by welding, or other 
suitable means. 
The invention provides, therefore, a simple collapsible beach chair and 
canopy combination which may be conveniently collapsed into a compact 
configuration for convenient carrying, and which incorporates a removable 
canopy which may be adjusted angularly and linearly with respect to the 
back frame of the chair to any desired position, and which is frictionally 
held in the position to which it is set. 
It will be appreciated that while a particular embodiment of the invention 
has been shown and described, modifications may be made. It is intended in 
the claims to cover all modifications which come within the spirit and 
scope of the invention.