Inflatable shaded float

An inflatable shaded float that includes a horizontal base upon which a number of users may sit or recline, a vertical support extending up from the base, and a horizontal canopy attached to the support to provide shade for a portion of the base. The base, support, and canopy are all inflatable so that the float may be entirely deflated to a compact package that is easily transported from one location to another. The support and canopy are shaped to give the appearance of the tail of a whale while making a dive.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 The present invention relates to the field of water recreation devices, and
 more particularly to an air inflatable shaded float.
 2. Description of Related Art
 The prior art is replete with myriad and diverse water recreation devices
 that include a mechanism for providing shade. While all of the
 aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the
 basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed,
 they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a
 simple, efficient, and practical inflatable shaded float.
 As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a
 longstanding need for a new and improved inflatable shaded float and the
 provision of such a construction is a stated objective of the present
 invention.
 BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 Briefly stated, the present invention provides an inflatable shaded float
 that includes a horizontal base upon which a number of users may sit or
 recline, a vertical support extending up from the base, and a horizontal
 canopy attached to the support to provide shade for a portion of the base.
 The base, support, and canopy are all inflatable so that the float may be
 entirely deflated to a compact package that is easily transported from one
 location to another. The support and canopy are shaped to give the
 appearance of the tail of a whale while making a dive.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
 As can be seen by reference to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1,
 the inflatable shaded float that forms the basis of the present invention
 is designated generally by the reference number 10. The float 10 includes
 a horizontal base 20, a vertical support 50 extending up from one side of
 the base 20, and a horizontal canopy 80 extending out from both sides of
 the top 60 of the support 50.
 The base 20 comprises a number of inflatable concentric rings 22, 24, 26,
 28 disposed around an inflatable center 30. The center 30 and the rings
 22, 24, 26, 28 are connected by webs 32, 34, 36, 38 with air flow openings
 40 formed therein. An air inflation valve 42 is carried by the ring 22 to
 provide for the inflation of the entire base 20. An open well 44 extends
 through the base 20 on the side opposite the support 50.
 The vertical support 50 extends up from one side of the base 20, and curves
 upwardly and inwardly toward the center 30. The support 50 is
 progressively narrowed from the bottom 55 to the top 60 and is formed in
 the shaped of a part of a whale's tail. An inflation valve 70 carried on
 the support 50 provides inflation of the support 50.
 The canopy 80 is formed of two tail sections 82 that extend horizontally
 out from both sides of the top 60 of the support 50. Each tail section 82
 includes a number of connected chambers 84 that all communicate with an
 inflation valve 90 carried on the underside of the tail sections 82. The
 tail sections 82 are formed in the shape of a portion fo a whale's tail.
 Each of the base 20, the support 50, and the canopy 80 are individually
 inflatable. The float 10 may be transported in a number of fully or
 partially deflated configurations to suit a particular mode of transport.
 When fully inflated users may sit or recline on one side of the base 20
 while being shaded from the sun by the canopy 80, or move to another side
 of the base 20 to be exposed to the sun.
 Although only an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been described
 in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that
 many modifications are possible without materially departing from the
 novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such
 modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this
 invention as defined in the following claims.
 Having thereby described the subject matter of the present invention, it
 should be apparent that many substitutions, modifications, and variations
 of the invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is
 therefore to be understood that the invention as taught and described
 herein is only to be limited to the extent of the breadth and scope of the
 appended claims.