Patent Publication Number: US-2004055627-A1

Title: Umbrella and kit therefor

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] This invention relates generally to shading apparatus and more particularly to free standing umbrellas.  
       [0002] The date of the first umbrella is not known, but as long ago as 1786, Barbeu du Bourg translated the writings of Benjamin Franklin into French and then came up with the lightning-conductor umbrella. Since then, there have been a never ending progression of changes to the fundamental umbrella, including the use of alpaca covering (1848), the curved-steel rib frame (1874), and more recently the telescopic umbrella (1930).  
       [0003] Through all of this though, the umbrella&#39;s basic concept has been constant.  
       [0004] Unfortunately, all too often the umbrella&#39;s use (or alternatively it&#39;s non-use) is not foreseen. As example, in the case of an outdoor umbrella, the umbrella&#39;s main function is to provide shade. The user often forgets that the umbrella is “open” and simply retires to the house, only to have the umbrella toppled by a wind later.  
       [0005] There is a need for an umbrella that is easy to use and deploy.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006] The invention is an umbrella combination in which a stand includes an electric motor and a power source. In this context, the umbrella of the present invention relates to a free standing umbrella, typically a beach, pool, or other type of outdoor umbrella.  
       [0007] The stand is weighted to keep the umbrella from falling during a breeze. An electric motor is contained with the stand (usually at the bottom of the stand to provide additional stabilizing weight to the stand).  
       [0008] A power source is used to energize the motor. This power source is ideally a battery (also contained within the stand). The use of a battery permits the stand and umbrella combination to be easily moved to meet the needs of the specific moment.  
       [0009] An alternative power source is common household electrical current. This current is communicated to the motor through an electrical line which plugs into the house&#39;s electrical socket. If household electrical current is used, then a protective covering is provided for the electrical line to prevent it from becoming frayed.  
       [0010] Through the use of a switch, the electric motor is selectively operated in two different directions. With the electric motor connected to the umbrella, the electric motor is able to selectively move the umbrella from an open to a closed position (and vice versa). One such switch is a three way switch with a resting position that is open (non-conducting). The two closed positions pass the current through the electric motor in opposing directions, thereby obtaining opposing directional movement by the electric motor and by extension the movement of the umbrella.  
       [0011] Mechanical connection of the electric motor to the umbrella is obtained through a variety of mechanisms obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art, including, but not limited to: cables and gearing mechanisms.  
       [0012] In the preferred embodiment, a radio receiver is incorporated into the stand. The radio receiver is responsive to radio waves coming from a hand-held transmitter. In response to these radio waves, the radio receiver operates the electric motor to either raise or lower the umbrella.  
       [0013] In this manner, a user is able to control the umbrella from a distance. This embodiment is particularly useful where the user wants to lower an umbrella after a day&#39;s activities after retiring to the house.  
       [0014] As noted earlier, in one embodiment of the invention, the power source is a battery. To maintain the battery&#39;s charge, solar panels are included in some embodiments. These solar panels permit the battery to maintain its charge without extra work on the part of the user. 
     
    
    
     [0015] The invention, together with various embodiments thereof, will be more fully explained by the accompanying drawings and the following description thereof.  
     DRAWINGS IN BRIEF  
     [0016]FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a pictorial and working views of an embodiment of the invention.  
     [0017]FIG. 2 illustrates the preferred embodiment&#39;s use of a hand-held transmitter used for operation of the invention.  
     [0018]FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a pictorial and a working view of an embodiment of the invention utilizing gears for the raising/lowering of the umbrella.  
     [0019]FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which operation of the mechanism is accomplished through a coin-operated mechanism.  
     [0020]FIG. 5 illustrates the placement of sensors to control movement of the electric motor to prevent damaging the mechanism.  
     [0021]FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which a light is incorporated into the umbrella.  
     [0022]FIG. 7 illustrates a kit which is used to upgrade an existing umbrella.  
    
    
     DRAWINGS IN DETAIL  
     [0023]FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a pictorial and working views of an embodiment of the invention.  
     [0024]FIG. 1A shows umbrella  10  in an open position. Struts  6 , secured to slide  11 , maintain umbrella  10  in the open position. Movement of slide  11  along pole  18 , as shown by arrow  5 , will open or close umbrella  10 . Movement  5  is effectuated by cables  16 A which pull slide  11  up; releasing cables  16 A allow slide  11  to fall (due to gravity).  
     [0025] Pole  18  is secured to stand  12 . Stand  12  contains switch  13  which is used to activate the internal motor  19 . Solar cells  14  provide a current to recharge the internal battery  9 .  
     [0026] Inlet  15  is used to fill internal water reservoir  7 , thereby providing ballast to stand  12  to keep it from tipping.  
     [0027]FIG. 1B illustrates the internal mechanisms and operation of this embodiment.  
     [0028] Within stand  12  is switch  13  which is used to selectively communicate power from battery  9  to electric motor  19 . Switch  13  allows the user to define the direction of the current flow; thereby allowing the user to control the direction of rotation of motor  19 .  
     [0029] Pulley  8  is connected to motor  19 . Cables  16 B are attached to pulley  8 . Rotation of pulley  8  causes cables  16 B to either retract or to be fed therefrom. Cables  16 B extend through the interior of pole  18  and then exit from the top of pole  18 , around pulley  17  to then connect as cables  16 A with slide  11 .  
     [0030] In this manner, the user is able to operate switch  13  to either raise or lower slide  11 ; which, in turn either opens or closes umbrella  10 .  
     [0031] Inlet  15  allows the user to add water to water reservoir  7  to provide ballast to stand  12 . When empty, the assembly is more easily moved; when full, the assembly is properly weighted.  
     [0032]FIG. 2 illustrates the preferred embodiment&#39;s use of a hand-held transmitter used for operation of the invention.  
     [0033] In this embodiment of the invention, hand-held transmitter  20  sends radio signal  22  to radio receiver  21  within stand  23 . User  26  is able to select button  25 A (for down) or button  25 B (for up). Radio receiver  21  is responsive to radio signal  22  and serves the same function as switch  24  outlined in FIGS. 1A and 1B; thereby permitting user  26  to remotely raise or lower the umbrella (not shown in this figure).  
     [0034] This embodiment is particularly useful for resorts, allowing the staff to remotely open the outdoor umbrellas without having to open each one individually. In this application, a resort, the coding of hand-held transmitter  20  is such that a single hand-held transmitter  20  is able to communicate with numerous umbrellas. While FIG. 2 illustrates only a single umbrella being affected, the invention includes multiple umbrellas being controlled by a single transmitter.  
     [0035] This embodiment is also useful in lowering an umbrella after everyone has retired to the house and forgotten to lower the umbrella; thereby saving the home-owner the effort of traveling back to the umbrella.  
     [0036]FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a pictorial and a working view of an embodiment of the invention utilizing gears for the raising/lowering of the umbrella.  
     [0037] In these illustrations, umbrella  30  is in a closed or down position. Umbrella  30  is supported by pole  31  which attaches to base  33  with table  34  thereon.  
     [0038] Contained within base  33  is motor  32  which is powered by traditional household current  35 .  
     [0039] Rotation of motor  32  causes worm drive  36  to rotate as indicated by arrow  38 A. Worm drive  36  engages gear  37 . Rotation  38 A causes gear  37  to either raise or lower  38 B (depending on the direction of rotation  38 A).  
     [0040] Gear  37  engages the lift mechanism for umbrella  30 ; hence, as gear  37  rises or lowers, a corresponding action occurs in umbrella  30 .  
     [0041] This embodiment provides for affirmative powered movement of the umbrella as this embodiment does not rely upon gravity.  
     [0042]FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which operation of the mechanism is accomplished through a coin-operated mechanism.  
     [0043] Pole  40  is mounted to base  46  with table  41  thereon. Coin receiving mechanism  40 A accepts coins via coin deposit  40 B and communicates the event to computer  42 . The coins are stored in coin reservoir  40 C.  
     [0044] Computer  42 , upon the event of the payment of the coins, activates motor  44  which drives pulley  45  as outlined relative to the embodiment of FIGS. 1A and 1B. This causes the umbrella on pole  40  (not shown) to raise. As the umbrella is raised, computer  42  causes speaker  43  to emit a warning signal that the umbrella is being raised to keep the user from being contacted by the umbrella as it raises.  
     [0045] Speaker  43  is also used to produce music and messages.  
     [0046] Computer  42  maintains a countdown time monitor. When the specified time has elapsed fro the opening of the umbrella (corresponding to the amount of payment received), computer  42  causes motor  44  to lower the umbrella and a warning signal is generated by speaker  43 . In this way, a user is able to pay for a specified amount of time for the shade and have the umbrella automatically deployed and retracted.  
     [0047] This embodiment is particularly useful for resorts and beach front restaurants.  
     [0048]FIG. 5 illustrates the placement of sensors to control movement of the electric motor to prevent damaging the mechanism.  
     [0049] This safety feature is designed to keep the motor from moving the umbrella too far in either direction. While FIG. 5 illustrates one such mechanism for this purpose, those of ordinary skill in the art readily recognize that a variety of other mechanisms will work in this capacity.  
     [0050] Pole  50  supports the umbrella (not shown) which is deployed by raising or lowering slide  51  as indicated by arrows  53  (as discussed above). At an upper bound, sensor  52 A is II depressed by slide  51 . Depression of sensor  52 A causes the motor to stop its upward movement; also, the circuitry is switched so that the motor will only operate in the opposing direction.  
     [0051] In like manner, sensor  52 B defines a lower limit for slide  51 . Again, when sensor  52 B is engaged by slide  51 , the motor is stopped and the circuitry is altered so that the motor will only operate to raise slide  51 .  
     [0052] In this fashion, slide  51  is kept within a defined range on pole  50 . With the range having an upper limit where the umbrella is fully opened, and at a lower limit where the umbrella is fully closed.  
     [0053]FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which a light is incorporated into the umbrella.  
     [0054] Pole  61  is used to support umbrella  60 . Connected to pole  61  is light fixture  63  which draws its energy from the power source within the stand. Light fixture  63  is activated by ambient light sensor  62 , which is exposed when umbrella  60  is fully open. If the ambient light is dim, then light fixture is activated.  
     [0055] Open/closed sensor  64  (similar to that shown in FIG. 5) identifies when umbrella is closed. In a closed state, open/closed sensor  64  stops the electrical energy to both ambient light sensor  62  and light  63 , thereby effectively preventing light  63  from being activated when umbrella  60  is closed.  
     [0056]FIG. 7 illustrates a replacement kit which is used to upgrade an existing umbrella.  
     [0057] In this kit embodiment of the invention, the existing pole for the umbrella is separated into section  70 A and  70 B. Section  70 A has hand-crank  81  therein. Hand-crank  81  is used to manually raise and lower the umbrella (not shown).  
     [0058] Kit section  71  is slid over the top of pole section  70 B as illustrated by arrows  80 B; and pole section  70 A is slid into kit section  71  as illustrated by arrows  80 A. When fully engaged, worm gear  78  engages the mechanism controlled by hand-crank  81 ; thereby allowing movement of worm gear  78  to raise and lower the umbrella.  
     [0059] Kit section  71  has within it, motor  77  which is powered by battery  76 . Battery  76  is recharged by solar panel  72 .  
     [0060] Operation of electric motor  77  is done by either switch  73  or hand-held transmitter  74  which communicates with receiver  75 .  
     [0061] Kit section  71  also includes table  79 .  
     [0062] In application of this kit, the user obtains the kit having kit section  71  and hand-held transmitter  74  and installs the entire assembly as outlined above to convert an existing umbrella into a motorized one.  
     [0063] It is clear the present invention provides for a highly improved free standing umbrella.