Two tier canopy system

A two-tier canopy system is provided that includes a canopy support structure having a central post and a plurality of radially extending arms. A first canopy covering is supported by the radially extending arms and has a central opening, wherein the central post extends through the central opening. A second canopy covering, having at least a portion thereof disposed above the central opening, is supported by the central post, wherein the central post is biased towards the second canopy covering.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a two-tier canopy system having first and second canopy coverings, wherein the first canopy covering has a central opening and the second canopy covering is supported by a central post that extends through the central opening and is biased towards the second canopy covering.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Canopies often include support structures that support a covering. The support structure typically includes a frame having legs that extend upwardly from a ground surface and arms that extend from the legs. The covering often is disposed directly above and attached to the arms. It is often desirable to stretch the covering tautly over the arms to produce an overall appearance that is visually appealing.

SUMMARY

In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention is a two-tier canopy system that includes a canopy support structure having a central post and a plurality of radially extending arms. A first canopy covering is supported by the radially extending arms and has a central opening, wherein the central post extends through the central opening. A second canopy covering, having at least a portion thereof disposed above the central opening, is supported by the central post, which is biased towards the second canopy covering.

In another exemplary embodiment, the present invention is a two-tier canopy system that includes a canopy support structure having a central post and a plurality of radially extending arms, wherein the central post includes an upper sleeve that is slideable relative to a lower sleeve, such that the length of the central post varies. A first canopy covering is supported by the radially extending arms and has a central opening, wherein the central post extends through the central opening. A second canopy covering, having at least a portion thereof disposed above the central opening, is supported by the central post, which is biased towards the second canopy covering. At least one of the plurality of radially extending arms has a hook that extends through the central opening and attaches to the second canopy.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown inFIGS. 1–8, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed to a two-tier canopy system having first and second canopy coverings, wherein the first canopy covering has a central opening and the second canopy covering is supported by a central post (or center pole) that extends through the central opening and is biased towards the second canopy covering.

As shown inFIG. 1, the two tier canopy system10includes a support structure12for supporting both a first covering14and a second covering16. As shown inFIG. 2, the support structure12includes vertically extending legs18that are laterally supported by a frame member20. In the exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 2, the frame member20is formed in a substantially square-shaped configuration. However, in other embodiments the frame member20may form rectangular and/or other configurations. As used herein terms such as “upper”, “lower”, “top” and “bottom” are relative terms and do not necessarily denote the actual position of an element.

Each of the legs18is formed from a pair of two substantially rectangular leg frames62and64that are positioned at substantially90degrees of one another. The edge joining the leg frames62and64define the respective corner of the support structure12. The leg frames62and64, for example, may be joined to each other through welding, screw fastening and/or any other suitable fastening method known to those skilled in the art. The legs18may have any other shapes and/or decorations in other embodiments. The legs18are attached to the frame member20by any one of a variety of fastening methods, such as welding and/or any other suitable fastening device/method.

FIG. 3illustrates an inside perspective view of a corner of a support structure12′ for a two-tier canopy in another exemplary embodiment according to the present invention. In the exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 3, legs18′ are column-shaped unlike the legs made of rectangular leg frames in the exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 1. However, the mechanism for realizing the two-tier canopy is substantially the same in both exemplary embodiments.

Each leg18′ is attached to the frame member20′ by a mounting plate22and one or more braces24. The mounting plate22secures the leg18′ against an inner corner of the frame20′ by fasteners23, such as screw fasteners. The braces24further secure the leg18′ to the frame20by fasteners23. While the legs18′ each have a column shape, in practice, the legs18′ may have any appropriate shape, configuration and/or decoration.

Unlike the first covering14ofFIG. 1, a first covering14′ ofFIG. 3has scalloped edges65around its periphery. However, such scalloped edges are used for ornamental purposes only, and the first covering14′ is attached to the support frame12′ in substantially the same way as how the first covering14is attached the support frame12. Further, the first coverings14and14′ are interchangeable provided that the support frames12and12′ have substantially the same size.

Returning now toFIG. 2, the support structure12includes a plurality of arms21. Each arm21is connected to the frame20and/or one of the legs18by any one of a variety of fastening devices/methods, such as welding and/or other fastening devices/methods. In the exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 2, the arms21are approximately equally spaced and radially extend in a substantially conical configuration. However, in other embodiments the arms21may form other configurations.

The support structure12′ ofFIG. 3also includes arms21′ that are substantially the same as the arms21ofFIG. 2. In addition, the support structure12′ includes arm support members27(as shown inFIG. 5), each of which is disposed between the respective arm21′ and the leg18′ As shown inFIG. 5, the arm support member27has a curvature that is convex towards the corner of the support structure12′ when viewed from the outside of the two-tier canopy. However, in other embodiments, the arm support members may be straight or have any other curvatures suitable for supporting the arm21′.

As shown, for example inFIG. 4, the first covering14is disposed directly above the arms21and is attached to one or more of the arms21. As shown inFIG. 4, the first covering14includes a plurality of sleeves26, wherein each sleeve26forms a pocket that receives a peripheral end of a corresponding one of the arms21. In one embodiment, the sleeves26are individually mounted to the first covering14. The sleeves26may be formed of the same material of the first covering14or the sleeves26may be formed of a material that is stronger than the first covering14so that the arms21are less likely to tear the sleeves26when the arms21are attached therein. For example, in one embodiment the first covering14is made of a canvass material and the sleeves26are made of a leather material.

The sleeves26may be attached to the first covering14by any one of a variety of fastening methods, such as by stitching or threading. In another embodiment, the sleeves26may be integrally formed with the first covering14. In one embodiment, the support structure12includes eight arms21and the first covering14includes four sleeves26, such that every other arm21is attached to a corresponding sleeve.

It can be seen inFIG. 5that the first covering14′ is disposed directly above and attached to the arms21′ in substantially the same relationship as the first covering14and the arms21. Hence, the first covering14′ also includes a plurality of sleeves26′, wherein each sleeve26′ forms a pocket that receives a peripheral end of a corresponding one of the arms21′. The first covering14′, the arms21′ and the sleeves26′, for example, may have substantially the same configuration, number and sizes as, and be made using the same material and methods as the first covering14, the arms21and the sleeves26, respectively.

As shown for example inFIG. 4, the first covering14has a central opening28(see alsoFIGS. 1 and 6). At least a portion of the second covering16is disposed above the central opening28. Corresponding ones of the arms21have hooks30that extend through the central opening28and attach to the second covering16. Each hook has a generally vertical member67that protrudes upward from the respective arm21and a generally horizontal member69that is attached to the upper end of the generally vertical member67and extends outward towards the four corners of the two-tier canopy.

As with the first covering14, the second covering16includes a plurality of sleeves32, wherein each sleeve32forms a pocket that receives a peripheral end of the generally horizontal member69of a corresponding one of the hooks30. For example, as can be seen inFIG. 6, the generally vertical members67are attached to the respective arms21between the center of the two-tier canopy and four vertices of a square periphery of the second covering16. The generally horizontal members69extend all the way to the four vertices of the second covering16so as to engage the respective sleeves32.

In one exemplary embodiment, the sleeves32are individually mounted to the second covering16. The sleeves32may be formed of the same material as the second covering16or the sleeves32may be formed of a material that is stronger than the second covering16so that the hooks30are less likely to tear the sleeves32when the hooks30are attached therein. For example, in one exemplary embodiment the second covering16is made of a canvass material and the sleeves32are made of a leather material.

The sleeves32may be attached to the second covering16by any one of a variety of fastening methods, such as by stitching or threading. In another exemplary embodiment, the sleeves32may be integrally formed with the second covering16. In one embodiment, the support structure12includes eight arms21, with a hook30extending from every other arm21and the second covering16includes four sleeves32, which each receive a corresponding one of the hooks30.

As shown inFIG. 7, the support structure12includes a connecting plate34. The connecting plate34includes a plurality of radially extending spokes36. Each spoke36includes an opening for receiving a corresponding one of the arms21. Each arm21is attached to its corresponding spoke by any one of a variety of fastening device/methods, such as welding, bolts, screws and/or any other suitable fastening devices/methods.

Also attached to the connecting plate34is a central post38. The central post38extends through the central opening28of the first covering14to support an intermediate portion of the second covering16. As shown inFIG. 8, the central post38includes an upper sleeve40and a lower sleeve42. The upper sleeve40is slidably connected to the lower sleeve42, so that the upper sleeve40overlaps a varying portion of the lower sleeve42depending of the position of the upper sleeve40relative to the lower sleeve42. As such the length of the central post38varies depending on the position of the upper sleeve40relative to the lower sleeve42.

In the depicted embodiment ofFIG. 8, the upper sleeve40includes an opening44for receiving a pin46. The pin46also extends into a slot48in the lower sleeve42. The slot48defines the maximum and minimum overlapping of the upper sleeve40relative to the lower sleeve42, and therefore defines the maximum and minimum lengths of the central post38. That is, when the pin46contacts an upper end50of the slot48, the overlapping portion of the upper sleeve40relative to the lower sleeve42is minimized and the length of the central post38is maximized; and when the pin46contacts an lower end52of the slot48, the overlapping portion of the upper sleeve40relative to the lower sleeve42is maximized and the length of the central post38is minimized.

The lower sleeve42may be integral formed with or rigidly affixed to a top surface of the plate34. The central post38includes a biasing member54, for example a spring such as a compression spring, for biasing the upper sleeve40away from the lower sleeve42and towards the second covering16. As such, the central post38biases the second covering16upwardly. For example in the exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 8, a lower portion of the biasing member54contacts a lower surface of the lower sleeve42and an upper portion of the biasing member contacts an upper surface of the upper sleeve40.

The upward biasing of the central post38on the intermediate portion of the second covering16, which may be located approximately in the center of the second covering16, causes the second covering sleeves32to be pulled closely against the hooks30of the support structure12. Thus causing the second covering16to be tautly held to the support structure12. Therefore, during the installation of the second covering16in the two-tier canopy system ofFIG. 1, the central post38may be compressed to insert the hooks30into the sleeves32, and then released so that the second covering16is tightly supported by the central post38and the four hooks30. Further, to remove the second covering16, the central post38may be compressed to loosen the second covering16to facilitate unhooking thereof. AlthoughFIG. 8depicts the lower sleeve42as sliding within the upper sleeve40, in another embodiment, the upper sleeve40slides within the lower sleeve42.

While the hooks30, the connecting plate34, the central post38, the second covering16and the sleeves32of FIGS.4and6–8have been described in reference to the exemplary two-tier canopy system ofFIGS. 1 and 2, they may be applicable equally as well to the exemplary two-tier canopy system ofFIGS. 3 and 5. Therefore, it is to be understood that the exemplary embodiment ofFIGS. 3 and 5has substantially the same hooks, connecting plate, central post, second covering and the sleeves as described herein.

In one embodiment, the support structure12is made from a metal material such as stainless steel and the coverings14and16and covering sleeves26and32are made from a cloth material, such as canvass or leather. The support structure12′ ofFIGS. 3 and 5may be made of substantially the same material as the support structure12. Further, the first and second coverings and the covering sleeves for the support structure12′ may also be made of substantially the same material as the covering14and16and the covering sleeves26and32, respectively.

The preceding description has been presented with references to certain exemplary embodiments of the invention. Persons skilled in the art and technology to which this invention pertains will appreciate that alterations and changes in the described structures and methods of operation can be practiced without meaningfully departing from the principle, spirit and scope of this invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description should not be read as pertaining only to the precise structures described and shown in the accompanying drawings.