Patent Publication Number: US-9834906-B1

Title: Beach umbrella with built-in hole digger

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to beach umbrellas and, more particularly, to a special kind of beach umbrella with an incorporated sand hole digging apparatus. 
     A beach umbrella is an umbrella used at the beach to protect a user from the sun. To setup a beach umbrella, a hole needs to be dug in the sand. The shaft of the umbrella is then placed in the hole, and sand fills the remaining space in the hole. Digging the hole requires additional tools, such as shovels, a corkscrew mechanism and the like. Therefore, additional equipment must be carried to the beach to setup the beach umbrella. 
     As can be seen, there is a need for a digging apparatus that is integrated to the beach umbrella so that there is no need to carry a separate appliance to perform the hole digging. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a digging apparatus comprises: a tube comprising an interior sidewall forming a hollow core, a top end comprising a top opening, and a bottom end comprising bottom opening; a piston disposed within the hollow core of the tube and comprising an elongated rod having a top end protruding from the top opening and a bottom end comprising a head slidably engaged with the interior sidewall, wherein when the top end of the of the piston is pulled, the head slides along the interior sidewall and a low pressure is formed within the hollow core; and an umbrella comprising an elongated pole having a top end and a bottom end, wherein a folding frame and a canopy are attached to the top end and the bottom end is releasably attachable to the top end of the tube. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a method of setting up an umbrella comprises the steps of: providing a digging apparatus comprising: a tube comprising an interior sidewall forming a hollow core, a top end comprising a top opening, and a bottom end comprising bottom opening; and a piston disposed within the hollow core of the tube and comprising an elongated rod having a top end protruding from the top opening and a bottom end comprising a head slidably engaged with the interior sidewall; placing the bottom end of the digging apparatus against sand; pulling the top end of the piston upwards, thereby creating a low pressure within the hollow core and pulling the sand into the hollow core, wherein a hole is formed in the sand; pushing the top end of the piston inwards and thereby dumping the sand from the hollow core outside of the hole; placing the digging apparatus into the hole; and attaching the umbrella to the top end of the tube. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the present invention taken along line  2 - 2  in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a section detail cross sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in use; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross sectional perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in use; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in use; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross sectional perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in use; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in use; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in use; 
         FIG. 10  is section detail cross sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 11  is a section detail view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 11 , the present invention includes a digging apparatus (the bottom pole of the umbrella). The digging apparatus includes a tube  10  and a piston  12 . The tube  10  and piston  12  may be made of brass, steel, polymers such as PVC piping, iron, nickel alloy and other materials. The tube  10  may include a cylindrical shape having an interior sidewall forming a hollow core. The tube  10  further includes a top end forming a top opening and a bottom end forming a bottom opening. The piston  12  includes an elongated rod  14 . The elongated rod  14  includes a top end protruding from the top opening of the tube  10 . A head  16  is attached to the bottom end of the piston  12 . The head  16  is disposed within the hollow core of the tube  10  and is slidably engaged with the sidewall. 
     The digging apparatus may further include a guide for the piston  12 . In such embodiments, the present invention may include a top cap  20 . The top cap  20  is secured within the top opening of the top end of the tube  10 . The top cap  20  may include a hollow core forming the guide for the elongated rod  14  of the piston  12 . The elongated rod  14  slides within the guide. 
     The piston  12  of the present invention may include a handle  18 . In certain embodiments, the handle  18  is secured to the top end of the elongated rod  14  of the piston  12 . The handle  18  may be used to pull the piston  12  upwards out of the tube  10  and push the piston  12  downwards into the tube  10 . The handle  18  may include a ball or alternatively, may include a cylinder with a plurality of finger groves. 
     The present invention further includes an umbrella  22 . The umbrella  22  includes an elongated pole  24  having a top end and a bottom end. A folding frame  28  and a canopy  26  are attached to the top end of the elongated poll  24 . The bottom end of the elongated poll  24  is releasably attachable to the top end of the tube  10 . For example, the bottom end of the elongated pole  24  may fit over the top end of the tube  10 . In certain embodiments, a latch  29  is pivotally secured to the bottom end of the elongated pole  24 . The bottom end of the elongated pole  24  may be placed over the top end of the tube  10  and the latch  29  may be pivoted until the latch  29  engages the tube in a locked position. The locked position secures the umbrella  22  to the tube  10 . 
     A method of setting up an umbrella  22  may include the following steps. Provide the digging apparatus (bottom pole) described above. Place the bottom end of the digging apparatus against sand  30 . Pull the handle  18  of the piston upwards, which pulls the head  16  upwards within the hollow core of the tube  10  creating a low pressure within the hollow core. Sand  30  is thereby pushed into the hollow core, forming a hole in the sand  30 . Move the bottom end of the tube  10  away from the hole. Push the handle  18  of the piston downwards. The head  16  pushes the sand  30  out of the hollow core and dumps the sand  30  onto the ground. The tube  10  of the digging apparatus is placed within the hole. The umbrella  22  is then attached to the top end of the tube  10 . A user may then open the frame  28  and use the umbrella for shade. 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.