Patent Publication Number: US-11391055-B2

Title: Umbrella pole adapter for boat table leg mounts

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/006,809 filed on Apr. 8, 2020. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     REFERENCE TO A “SEQUENCE LISTING” A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON COMPACT DISC AND AN INCORPORATION BY-REFERENCE OF THE MATERIAL ON THE COMPACT DISC 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY AN INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an umbrella pole adapter. More particularly, it relates to an umbrella pole adapter used to easily convert boat dining table leg mounts into temporary umbrella stands. 
     As a long time boater our experience and those of many others is; there is not enough shaded areas on recreational boats. The Bimini or hard tops, that are provided by the manufacturer for recreational boats, only provide limited shade for the center of the boat, mostly designed to protect the boat center console and limited center sitting area. 
     If you want to sit in the forward “Bow” area or in the rear “Stern” area of the boat, you are sitting in the hot unprotected sun. Some of the best views and cross breezes are in the forward Bow or rear Stern area. 
     The majority of boat manufacturers have dining table leg mounts both in the Bow and Stern area. 
     Having the ability to easily convert the dining table leg mount into a temporary umbrella stand provides the much needed additional shade, so you can comfortably enjoy all the sitting or lounging areas of recreational boating while shading yourself from the sun. 
     Therefore there exists a need in the known art for a removable device that is capable of securing an umbrella inside a boat dining table leg mount to provide additional shade on boats. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a means to easily convert, with a single removable device, a boat dining table leg mount, located in the front Bow and rear Stern areas, into a temporary umbrella stand. This will provide additional shade and comfort to sitting and lounging areas in the front Bow and rear Stern areas of the boat that receive full unprotected sun. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
       Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout. 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the umbrella adapter. 
         FIG. 2  shows a close-up view of the umbrella adapter inserted into the hollow boat dining table leg mount with an umbrella pole inserted into the center opening of the umbrella adapter. 
         FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the umbrella adapter in use on the Bow of a boat. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment, examples of which are illustrated in the accompany drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the umbrella pole adapter. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.
         Referring to  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the umbrella adapter. The adapter is single device made of 100% Neoprene Rubber and no other parts, comprising of a unitary tubular oval design shape or substantially cylindrical member having an exterior surface and an interior surface, with an open upper end  1  and an open bottom end  2 . The upper and lower ends ( 1 ,  2 ) are flat. The tubular oval shape center opening  3  runs thru the entire length of the adapter. The rubber exterior wall  4  thickness surrounds the entire length of the center opening  3 . The flattened exterior side wall or portion  6  creates the tubular oval shape design that runs the entire length of the adapter.       

     In order to achieve the necessary grip for the umbrella pole, the manufacturing of the adaptor design involves not rotating the tubular rubber material while being shaped on the production tool. This creates a flat side wall  6  which is a critical design step in the manufacturing, to allow the adapter to take on a tubular oval shape for both the center opening  3  and the exterior walls  5  and  6 . 
     The tubular oval shape design along with the quality grade Neoprene rubber material, allows the umbrella anchor pole to fit secure inside the center opening  3  and for the adapter exterior walls  5  and  6  to fit secure inside the cylindrical hollow dining table leg mount shown in  FIG. 2   
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment close-up of the umbrella pole adapter upper end  1  and bottom end  2  inserted into a boat dining table leg mount  8  and the umbrella anchor pole  7  inserted thru the entire length of the center opening  3  of the adapter. 
     Both the umbrella anchor pole  7  and the adaptor upper end  1  and bottom end  2  are removal by hand when ready to convert back to a boat dining table leg mount. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment of the umbrella pole adapter  5  in use on a boat Bow  9 . In use, the umbrella pole adapter  5  is inserted into the hollow dining table leg mount  8 . The umbrella anchor pole  7  is then inserted into the adapter securing the umbrella pole in place. Once the umbrella anchor pole is secured, you can attach and open the umbrella. 
     It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in various embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications and other embodiments i.e. use in fishing rod holders on boats, will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the part of the invention, to include variations in sizes, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specifications are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.