Patent Abstract:
A folding canopy has a canopy top made of flexible sheet material; and a canopy frame. The canopy top is adapted to attach onto the canopy frame, and the canopy frame includes a number of members. A pair of left cross support bars have a first left cross support bar, and a second left cross support bar. The first left cross support bar is pivotally connected to the second left cross support bar. A pair of right cross support bars includes a first right cross support bar, and a second right cross support bar. The first right cross support bar is pivotally connected to the second right cross support bar.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention is in the field of folding canopies. 
       DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART 
       [0002]    A variety of folding canopies have been used for providing shade. One of the most common folding canopy designs sold today has a square foot print. Shade can also be provided with tents having flexible members. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A folding canopy has a canopy top made of flexible sheet material; and a canopy frame. The canopy top is adapted to attach onto the canopy frame, and the canopy frame includes a number of members. A pair of left cross support bars have a first left cross support bar, and a second left cross support bar. The first left cross support bar is pivotally connected to the second left cross support bar. A pair of right cross support bars includes a first right cross support bar, and a second right cross support bar. The first right cross support bar is pivotally connected to the second right cross support bar. 
         [0004]    A pair of left legs are pivotally connected together so that the pair of left legs form an angle between them in a deployed position. The pair of left legs form a left apex, and the pair of left legs are pivotally connected to the first left cross support bar and the second left cross support bar. A pair of right legs are pivotally connected together so that the pair of right legs form an angle between them in a deployed position. The pair of right legs form a right apex, wherein the pair of right legs are pivotally connected to the first right cross support bar and the second right cross support bar. A horizontal support frame connects between the pair of right legs and the pair of left legs. The horizontal support frame is pivotally connected to the pair of right legs and pivotally connected to the pair of left legs. 
         [0005]    The horizontal support frame is collapsible into a folded position from a deployed position. The horizontal support frame includes four bars made of hollow metal. The four bars are joined by pivot connection to each other and to the pair of left legs and to the pair of right legs. The horizontal support frame connects to the pair of left cross support bars and to the pair of right cross support bars and a right lower outside junction and at a left outside junction. 
         [0006]    The horizontal support frame connects to the pair of right legs at the right apex, and the horizontal support frame connects to the pair of left legs at the left apex. A left center post connects to the left apex, and a right center post connects to the right apex. They pair of left legs are pivotally connected to the left center post at the left apex and the pair of right legs are pivotally connected to the right center post at the right apex. The left center post is substantially vertically oriented, and the right center post is substantially vertically oriented. 
         [0007]    A right extension sleeve can be sliding mounted to the right center post lower section. The right extension sleeve has a pair of right sleeve struts. The pair of right sleeve struts are connected to the pair of right legs. A left extension sleeve can be sliding mounted to the left center post lower section. The left extension sleeve has a pair of left sleeve struts, and the pair of left sleeve struts are connected to the pair of left legs. 
         [0008]    A right center post lower cap and a right extension grommet can bound a range of travel of the right extension sleeve between a right upper bound defined by the right extension grommet and a right lower bound of the right-center post lower cap. A left center post lower cap and a left extension grommet can bound a range of travel of the left extension sleeve between a left upper bound defined by the left extension grommet and a left lower bound of the left center post lower cap. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the canopy frame in a half opened position. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a close-up of a portion of the canopy frame showing details of the leg connection. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a diagram of the canopy frame in fully open and deployed position. 
       
    
    
       [0012]    The following callout list of elements references the elements of the drawings.
     20  Canopy Frame     21  First Cross Support Bar     22  Support Bar To Support Leg Joint     23  Connecting Bar     24  Center Post     25  Center Post Pivotal Connection     26  Second Cross Support Bar     27  Support Leg     28  Horizontal Support Frame     29  Lower Outside Junction     31  Left inside Junction     32  Upper Junction     33  Lower Junction     34  Right Inside Junction     35  Right Third Pivot     36  Foot Supports     37  Right Pair Of Cross Support Bars     41  First Pivot     42  Left Third Pivot     43  Telescopic Extension Grommet     44  Center Post Upper Section     45  Upper Portion Of The Support Legs     46  Sleeve Struts     47  Extension Sleeve     48  Center Post Lower Cap     49  Center Post Lower Section     50  Canopy Fabric   
 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0040]    The present invention has a canopy fabric  50  supported by a canopy frame  20 . The canopy frame  20  preferably includes eighteen parts and many formed as linkages that pivot relative to each other or are in telescopic sliding configuration relative to each other. Pivoting connections are preferably made by rivets. A variety of bushings, joints and caps connect the linkages together. The linkages are preferably made of hollow and metal members while the bushings, joints and caps are preferably made of steel and plastic. The size of the folding canopy may provide about a 6 m 2  footprint of shade and the canopy fabric can be made in a variety of different colors. 
         [0041]    The plurality of linkage assemblies can also have subassemblies that can be called a frame since can be relatively rigid or optionally lock together. Locking together to form a formal ‘frame’ as defined in civil engineering or not locking together to maintain a linkage assembly is an optional feature of the present invention. The present invention stays open or stays closed in the fully deployed position or in the folded position. 
         [0042]    The frame includes a first cross support bar  21  connecting with a second cross support bar  26  that are parallel and vertically oriented when folded up, but parallel and horizontally oriented when a deployed position. The first cross support bar  21  connects with the second cross support bar  26  at a connecting bar  23 . The connecting bar  23  limits the rotational motion of the cross support bars and maintains a straight horizontal profile of the first cross support bar  21  and the second cross support bar  26 . The connecting bar  23  is attached to the first cross support bar by a pair of rivets so that it does not move or rotate relative to the first cross support bar. 
         [0043]    The lower outside junction preferably is a double swivel connection to either the connecting bar  23 , the first cross support bar  21 , or to the second cross support bar  26 . The double swivel could provide a first swivel in the plane of the horizontal support frame, and also provide a second swivel in the plane of the folding support legs. The lower outside junction could also be a ball joint, but the double swivel connection is preferred. 
         [0044]    A center post  24  receives a center post pivotal connection  25  to a pair of support legs  27 . The pair of support legs  27  fold together and apart. The pair of support legs  27  start off as parallel in the folded position and then have an angle and angled position. The pair of support legs  27  or pivotally mounted to the center post  24  at an upper end of the center post  24 . The center post pivotal connection  25  has a first pivot connecting to the first leg, a second pivot connecting to a second leg, and a third pivot normal to the first pivot and the second pivot. 
         [0045]    The third pivot connects to a horizontal support frame  28 . The horizontal support frame is preferably made of four elongated members connected at an upper end at the left third pivot and the right third pivot  35 . The left third pivot and the right third pivot are approximately equivalent and approximately mirror images of each other. The horizontal support frame  28  has a pair of inside junctions of pivotal connection. The first inside junction is the left inside junction  31  and the second inside junction is the right inside junction  34 . The inside junctions provide pivotal connection of the members of the horizontal support frame. The horizontal support frame also includes an upper junction  32  and a lower junction  33 . The horizontal support frame connects to one of the cross support bars such as the second cross support bar  26  at a lower outside junction  29 . The junctions of the horizontal support frame  28  are formed in a plane. 
         [0046]    The foot supports  36  provide grip and are rested on the ground. The foot supports  36  are connected to lower support legs that can be telescopic extended from the pair of support legs  27  when in a deployed position. After use, the lower support legs can be retracted into the pair of support legs  27 . 
         [0047]    The right pair of cross support bars  37  can be the same as or inverted from the left pair of cross support bars  21 ,  26 . Depending upon external forces anticipated, the horizontal support frame could be connected to the right pair of cross support bars at the second cross support bar on the right side and connected to the left pair of cross support bars at the first cross support bar on the left side. The horizontal support frame could be connected to both the right pair of cross support bars and to the left pair of cross support bars. 
         [0048]    The center post  24  has a center post upper section  44  and a center post lower section  49  connected at a extension grommet  43 . The left third pivot  42  is connected to an upper portion of the center post upper section  44  to provide pivoting of the horizontal support frame  28 . The horizontal support frame is not literally always a frame since it has pivoting motion and therefore it is like a four bar mechanism that locks to become a frame when in a deployed position. The horizontal support frame only becomes a rigid frame in the deployed position. The extension sleeve  47  fits around the center post lower section to provide sliding control of the center post lower section. The sleeve struts  46  are pivotally connected between the extension sleeve  47  and the upper portion of the support legs  45 . The support legs  27  are therefore connected to the center post at the sleeve struts  46  and also to the first pivot  41 . The extension sleeve  47  rides along the center post  24  up and down like riding on a track of an elevator. A center post lower cap is positioned on the center post  24  to cap the opening of the hollow metal tube of the center post. The center post lower cap may have a button for engaging with the extension sleeve when the extension sleeve goes to a lower position during a folded position. The center post lower cap is preferably made a plastic material. The center post lower cap  48  and the extension grommet  43  may define an upper and lower bound of travel for the extension sleeve  47 . 
         [0049]    In a deployed position, as seen in  FIG. 3 , the fabric canopy connects to the apex formed of the between the support legs  27  and the fabric canopy connects to the outside tips of the cross support bars to provide tension support. The fabric canopy supports the tips of the cross support bars with balanced tension in the front and back. 
         [0050]    Optionally, the pair of sleeve struts can be formed as a chain or rope. Other tension only members is can be formed as chain or rope, but it is preferred to use rigid members on all parts to avoid binding and tangles. 
         [0051]    The canopy top can be made of a traditional fabric material, or a non-woven fabric, or a roll plastic sheet having no woven fibers or threads. The canopy fabric can be made of a translucent material, or a transparent material. The canopy fabric can have openings for allowing sunlight to pass through. The canopy fabric can be made opaque and having colored stripes. 
         [0052]    Optionally, the center post has a height and direction that is adjusted to abut or snap connect to the cross support bars to support the cross support bars and to limit the motion of the cross support bars. The cross support bars are shown in the outermost layer to the left and right and the legs and center post are shown in the innermost layer inside the outermost layer. Optionally, the center post does not touch the cross support bars. 
         [0053]    Persons of ordinary skill in the art may find obvious modifications of the above detailed description of the preferred embodiments. The scope of the invention is to be defined only by the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4