Patent Publication Number: US-6711769-B1

Title: Pillow with retractable umbrella

Description:
II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention. 
     The present invention relates to sunning accessories, and more particularly, to pillows with retractable umbrellas. 
     2. Description of the Related Art. 
     Many designs for sunning accessories, such as pillows and neck supports, have been designed in the past. None of them, however, comprise a pillow assembly having a supporting assembly and a retractable umbrella assembly that is easily transportable and allows a user to support his/her head while covering their face from sunlight. 
     There are no sunning accessories to the best of applicant&#39;s knowledge that include a pillow with a retractable umbrella, comprising a pillow assembly having a channel, wherein the retractable umbrella lays within the channel in the stored position, and has rotating and swivel means for umbrella positioning. 
     III. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A pillow with a retractable umbrella, comprising a pillow assembly having first and second ends. A supporting assembly has third and fourth ends and is fixedly secured onto the first end. The supporting assembly further has rotating means adjacent to the third end. Swivel means are mounted to the third end of the supporting assembly and an umbrella assembly is secured to the swivel means. The rotating means and the swivel means are used to position the umbrella assembly, allowing a user to lay his/her head on the pillow assembly and in shade from sunlight. 
     The pillow assembly has a channel extending between the first and second ends for stowing the umbrella assembly. 
     The supporting assembly has a cavity for storage of items. The cavity extends from the fourth end to the rotating means and the fourth end has a removable end-cap to access the cavity. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the umbrella assembly has telescopic means to extend the umbrella assembly to a predetermined height. 
     It is therefore one of the main objects of the present invention to provide a pillow with a retractable umbrella for a user to rest his/her head. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide a pillow with a retractable umbrella that may be positioned to cover a user from sunlight. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide a pillow with a retractable umbrella that may store items within. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a pillow with a retractable umbrella that is easily transportable. 
     It is yet another object of this invention to provide such a device that is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain while retaining its effectiveness. 
     Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon. 
    
    
     IV. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     With the above and other related objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 represents a front isometric view of the instant invention in the stored position. 
     FIG. 1A is a top isometric view of the instant invention taken from the line  1 A— 1 A as seen in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 2 shows a front isometric view of the instant invention illustrating the swivel means of the instant invention. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of the instant invention with the umbrella assembly in the open position. 
     FIG. 3A illustrates an isometric view of the supporting assembly and the rotating and swivel means of the instant invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the instant invention in the open position with the umbrella assembly partially covering a user. 
    
    
     V. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, where the present invention is generally referred to with numeral  10 , it can be observed that it basically includes pillow assembly  20 , supporting assembly  40 , and umbrella assembly  70 . 
     As seen in FIGS. 1 and 1A, pillow assembly  20  comprises walls  22  and  22 ′ having mutual ends  24  and  26 , which are approximately perpendicular to mutual ends  28  and  30 . 
     Fixedly secured onto end  26  is supporting assembly  40 . Supporting assembly  40  has elongated tube  42  extending nearly the length of end  26 . Extending from tube  42  is shaft  43 , which terminates as disk  48 . Biasing disks  48  and  58  to one another is pin  60 . Extending from disk  58  is shaft  72 . Shaft  72  is telescopically connected to shaft  72 ′, seen in FIG. 3, of umbrella assembly  70 . 
     As better seen in FIG. 1A, end  30  of pillow assembly  20  has elongated channel  32 , which extends from end  24  to end  26 . In the stored position, as illustrated, umbrella assembly  70  lays within channel  32 . In addition, as best illustrated in the present figure, supporting assembly  40  has plates  50  that extend into pillow assembly  20  and are secured onto the interior surface of walls  22  and  22 ′. Through holes  52 , seen in FIG. 2, rivets  54  or similar means of attachment, including but not limited to screws, and nuts and bolts, or adhesives may secure plates  50  thereon. Plates  50  cover a sufficient area over the interior surface of walls  22  and  22 ′ to keep supporting assembly  40  secure, especially when umbrella assembly  70  is in the open position, as seen in FIG.  4 . 
     As seen in FIG. 2, supporting assembly  40  is secured onto end  26 . Supporting assembly  40  comprises elongated tube  42 , which is hollow. At one end of tube  42  is end-cap  44 . In the preferred embodiment, end-cap  44  is a screw-on type cap having threading with matching characteristics to an end portion of tube  42 . Opposite end-cap  44  is interior wall  46 . 
     Umbrella assembly  70  comprises shaft  72 , and panels  74  that terminate at bullet  76 . As depicted in the illustration, umbrella assembly  70  may swivel from a stored position, when laying within channel  32 , to an erect position, wherein shaft  72 , and more specifically disk  58 , seen in FIG. 3A, is rotatably mounted upon pin  60 . 
     As seen in FIG. 3, umbrella assembly  70  further comprises shaft  72 ′, which is telescopically connected to shaft  72 . Shaft  72  has a locking mechanism, not seen, that cooperates with shaft  72 ′ to lock at a predetermined position, when shaft  72 ′ is extended from shaft  72 . As depicted in the illustration, umbrella assembly  70  may swivel from an erect position to an open position, wherein shaft  72 , and more specifically disk  58 , seen in FIG. 3A, is rotatably mounted upon pin  60 . 
     As seen in FIG. 3A, tube  42  of supporting assembly  40  may be utilized to store items such as keys K, money M, or other items fitting within. End-cap  44  provides access to store or remove the items, and the items remain within tube  42  between end-cap  44  and interior wall  46 . 
     At a predetermined distance from disk  48 , shaft  43  has rotating assembly  56 . Rotating assembly  56  may be a ratchet-type assembly, allowing shaft  43  to snap, click, or otherwise position into an adjustable locking position with relation to supporting assembly  40 , thereby providing a rotating means for umbrella assembly  70 . In addition, as best seen in this illustration, rivets  54  secure plates  50 . 
     As seen in FIG. 4, the instant invention allows user U to lay his head on pillow assembly  20  while covering his face from sunlight. In addition, the invention may be stored in a drawstring-type case for easy carrying. 
     The foregoing description conveys the best understanding of the objectives and advantages of the present invention. Different embodiments may be made of the inventive concept of this invention. It is to be understood that all matter disclosed herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.