Portable sun shelter

A foldable shelter is disclosed which is suitable for personal use on a beach. The shelter includes a number of ribs which are pivotally connected together at their ends so as to enable adjustment or folding of the shelter. The joints are of novel construction and provide for ease of manufacture and more independent movement of the respective ribs.

This invention relates to a portable sun shelter generally of the type 
disclosed in Australian Pat. No. 494,923. 
The specification noted above discloses a portable sun shelter which is 
suitable for personal use on a beach or the like. The shelter has a ribbed 
framework which is collapsible to a relatively flat state for transport 
and in which the shelter can be used as a carrying bag. The framework can 
alternatively be erected into a hood-like arrangement in which state it 
can be used as a convenient personal sun shelter. The ribs are generally 
U-shaped and are connected together at joints on either side of the 
shelter. The joints include a clutch like arrangement which permits the 
user to alter the relative positions of the ribs by directly moving the 
ribs themselves without the need to make any adjustments at the joints. 
This feature makes the shelters most convenient to the users. 
The object of the present invention is to provide improved forms of joints 
in shelters of the character described above. 
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a foldable 
shelter comprising a framework having two joints, first, second and a 
plurality of intermediate ribs each of generally U-shaped configuration, a 
flexible cover connected to said ribs one end of the cover being connected 
to the first rib and the other end of the cover being connected to the 
second rib, one of the free ends of each rib being connected at one of 
said joints and the other of the free ends of each rib being connected at 
the other of said joints, said joints permitting the ribs to be rotatable 
relative to one another, at least one of the joints including resilient 
means for resiliently restraining rotation of at least the first and 
second ribs relative to said joints, characterized in that said one joint 
includes isolating means for isolating rotational movement of the first 
and second ribs relative to one another so that these can be moved 
independently. 
In a preferred form of the invention the first and second ribs are mounted 
for rotation on a common shaft but are isolated from one another by an 
intermediate washer or the like which is non-rotatably mounted on the 
shaft. In an alternative arrangement the first and second ribs can be 
mounted on separate shafts so as to effectively isolate rotational 
movements of the first and second ribs. 
The sun shade having a joint or joints as defined above has the advantage 
that at least the first and second ribs can be moved independently of one 
another so as to make it easier for the user to effect adjustment of the 
shelter. 
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a foldable 
shelter comprising a framework having two joints, first, second and a 
plurality of intermediate ribs each of generally U-shaped configuration, a 
flexible cover connected to said ribs one end of the cover being connected 
to the first rib and the other end of the cover being connected to the 
second rib, one of the free ends of each rib being connected at one of 
said joints and the other of the free ends of each rib being connected at 
the other of said joints, said joints permitting the ribs to be rotatable 
relative to one another characterized in that at least one of said joints 
includes a number of rotatable carrier elements to which the ends of the 
ribs are connected. 
Preferably, the carrier elements are disc like and are provided with an 
annular recess into which a curved end portion of the free end of the ribs 
is located. 
Preferably, the carrier elements are formed from plastics material.

The illustrated sun shelter comprises a number of generally U-shaped ribs 
which are preferably formed from wire, the ends of which are pivotally 
connected at joints 4 and 6. As best seen in FIG. 2, the ribs include a 
forward rib 2a, a rearward rib 2b, and a base rib 2c. The shelter includes 
a flexible cover 8 which is attached to each of the ribs except the base 
rib 2c in a manner which permits the shelter to be folded up into a 
position in which all of the ribs lie generally in the same plane, as best 
seen in FIG. 1, or alternatively in which the ribs are spaced apart so 
that the shelter can assume a hood like structure, as best seen in FIG. 2. 
The shelter includes a generally U-shaped fabric floor 20 which is 
connected to the base rib 2c so that in use the cover 8 can be moved 
independently of the floor 20. In this way ventilating openings can be 
formed between the floor and the cover 8. A flap 22 is stitched to the 
fabric 20 so that the space therebetween can be used as a carrying bag. A 
strap 28 is provided between the joints 4 and 6 to make the shelter more 
useful for this purpose. The ends of the strap 28 are formed with loops 
which pass through slots 30 formed in the joints 4 and 6. 
The preferred form of joint in accordance with the invention is illustrated 
in more detail in FIGS. 3 and 4. The joints include a body portion 32 
which is preferably moulded from plastics material such as nylon 
(Registered Trade Mark). The body 32 includes a plate portion 34 formed 
with the slot 30 and a second slot 36 which is used as a connecting point 
for the fabric floor 20. Projecting outwardly from the plate 34 is a 
central shaft portion 40 formed with an internally threaded bore. 
Rotatably mounted on the shaft 40 are disc carriers 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d and 
42e. Each of the carriers has an annular recess 44 into which curved end 
portions 46 of the ribs are located. The carriers 46 are preferably 
moulded from plastics material such as nylon (Registered Trade Mark). 
Washers 48 are interposed between the carriers 42a and 42d, 42d and 42e, 
and 42e and 42b so as to effectively isolate rotational movement of the 
ribs 2a, 2b, 2d, and 2e from one another. This isolation is enhanced by 
making the washers 48 non-rotatably mounted on the shaft 38. This is 
preferably effected by providing a pair of axial slots 50 into which 
project teeth 52 formed on the inner peripheries of the washers 48. 
The base rib 2c is non-rotatably mounted relative to the body 32 and this 
is effected by means of engagement in a recess 54 formed in an annular 
projection 56 upstanding from the plate 32. A compression spring say in 
the form of a spring washer 58 is located on the shaft 40 between the 
plate 34 and acts between the plate 34 and the carrier 42c. The carriers 
42 are retained on the shaft 40 by means of an end moulding 60 having an 
annular surface 62 which bears against the side of the carrier 42a. The 
end moulding 60 is retained in position by means of a screw 64 which is 
threadably received in the shaft 40. The moulding 60 is provided with 
inwardly projecting tab portions 66 which engage the slots 50 of the shaft 
and prevent the moulding from rotating relative to the shaft. It will be 
appreciated that adjustment of the screw 64 alters the axial position of 
the moulding 60 and thereby determines the axial compressive forces 
applied by the spring 58. The joint thus acts as a friction clutch in 
which the carriers 42 are movable independently of one another. It will be 
appreciated that the arrangement of the invention is simple to construct 
and is of neat appearance. Further, it will be appreciated that it could 
be modified in many ways. For instance, all of the disc carriers 42 need 
not be mounted on a common shaft. Further, it is not necessary that all of 
the ribs be resiliently restrained against rotation since the shelter can 
be effectively used if only the first and second ribs 2a and 2b are so 
restrained. The spring 58 is mounted between washers 59 which help 
distribute the load on adjacent components of plastics materials and thus 
avoid stress concentrations. 
Many modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without 
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.