Abstract:
A demountable wind-resistant sunshade canopy for shading children&#39;s play areas or other actively used areas. The canopy device is removably secured over a support structure, and is comprised of a hip beams supported by columns mounted on the support structure, and the hip beams extend upwardly and inwardly toward an apex or ridge beam. Cantilevered ends of the hip beam extend beyond the support structure, providing shade for equipment, such as children&#39;s play equipment or other actively used areas.

Description:
RELATED U.S. APPLICATION DATA  
       [0001]     This application is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 10/429,403 filed on May 06, 2003 and a Continuation of application Ser. No. 10/679,469, filed on Oct. 07, 2003, which is a Continuation In Part of application Ser. No. 09/960,483 filed on Sep. 24, 2001, now Pat. No. 6,651,685, each of the descriptions and drawings of application Ser. Nos.: 10/429,403 and 10/679,469 being incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     Background of the Invention  
       [0002]     This invention at hand relates generally to a demountable sunshade canopy structure and in particular to sunshade canopies for ultraviolet UV sun ray protection of children&#39;s play areas.  
         [0003]     It is increasingly acknowledged that physically challenging outdoor play structures are of a benefit to the physical and emotional development of young children. A code of safety specifications for the construction and maintenance of children&#39;s play structures has been developed by National Play and Playground Authorities, published (1996) by the National Recreation and Park Association of Arlington Va. These construction specifications describe construction features for support of children&#39;s slides, swings, climbing apparatus, etc. which minimize risk of injury to children engaged in all manner of predictable use or misuse of the play structures.  
         [0004]     The specification requires that the play structures be mounted on a platform or on towers elevated up to six feet above a resilient (non-hardened) surface such as cork or rubber panels and the towers or the platform be supported by a very limited number of support columns. The columns are to be capped at the top without exterior fittings on which a child may be injured while climbing upon or falling from the platform or tower. The support columns are capped at the top to discourage a child from climbing or holding on while suspended from the column top. The vertical support columns have been in the past a source of injuries to children engaged in unintended use of these structures. Accordingly, the minimum of vertical columns, all free of hand-or foot holds, has become a specification for an acceptable and safe design.  
         [0005]     Separate from the safe construction design referred to above which have and are significantly reduce playground injuries, there is a growing threat to children&#39;s health when they are engaged in outdoor play and or exercise in the sun shine.  
         [0006]     There are numerous publications that exhibit various canopies over play areas and covers over other areas as follows:  
         [0007]     U.S. Pat. No. 589,563 to Jensen shows a canopy to act as a tent. It is so designed that it is collapsible and has movable joints and brackets for the purpose.  
         [0008]     U.S. Pat. No. 1,878,758 to Clayton shows a cover a mery-go-around having cover extensions that extend past the perimeter of the platform. The merry-go-around as propelled by children that are standing on the platform and hanging on to hand rails. There are no play ground devices located on the platform.  
         [0009]     U.S. Pat. No. 1,900,274 to Brockie illustrates a collapsible play pen having vertical support columns including brackets that support hip beams. There are no cantilevered beams to extend outwardly from the brackets supporting the hip beams.  
         [0010]     U.S. Pat. No. 2,015,321 to Shelton discloses canopy including a frame. The frame has brackets that support the frame on vertical columns including beams that extend in a horizontal direction. Hip beams are deployed by operating a central hand crank screw drive. The hip beams do not extend from the brackets on the vertical supports.  
         [0011]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,992 to Gremont shows a canopy structure that employs rigid bracket to support hip beams but no cantilevered beams are disclosed.  
         [0012]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,525 to Briggs discloses an elevated platform having a canopy placed there over but children&#39;s play devices are placed at a remote location.  
         [0013]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,165,106 to McBride illustrates an elevated platform with children&#39;s play devices attached to the platform but there is no teaching that play devices may be placed on and in contact with elevated platform.  
         [0014]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,200,060 describes a dome tent pole connector wherein the bracket my collapsibly support dome shaped hip beams.  
         [0015]     The earth&#39;s protective atmosphere ozone layer has significantly been depleted due to release of chemical pollutants into the atmosphere during the last five decades. The result of the ozone depletion is that the solar ultraviolet UV rays are significantly more intense and comprise a serious health risk to children when playing in the now unfiltered UV sun radiation. In 1930 the risk of developing melanoma form sun exposure was 1 in 1500. Today, a person&#39;s risk of developing skin cancer at some time during their life is 1 in 75. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States each year with more than one million cases diagnosed each year. Currently, this year, 47,700 Americans will be diagnosed with life threatening melanoma and 7,700 will die of this disease. The current prognosis for this disease is that approximately one out of five children in the United States will experience some form of skin cancer during their lifetime. Furthermore, exposure to the current intensity of solar UV radiation reduces the effectiveness of the immune system. This effect is of special importance to children&#39;s health.  
         [0016]     Sources of the above statistics can be found in publications of the American Academy of dermatology, American Cancer Society, National Institutes Health, US Center for disease Control and the Australian Cancer Society.  
         [0017]     The copending application Ser. No. 09/960,483 goes into detail how to construct a shaded canopy over a children&#39;s playground or exercise area which is incorporated herein by reference. Of particular interest are the connections of the cantilevered beams and the angled hip beams that are made to conform to the vertical support columns. These connections are simplified by constructing certain fittings that will greatly simplify those connections in a standard and more precise way and at a much lower cost.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]     A demountable wind resistant sun shade canopy suitable for mounting on a limited number of vertical columns, erected for the purpose of, or suitable for mounting on extensions of a limited number of standard safe play area support columns. The canopy support structure includes a plurality of uniquely shaped bracket fittings. The bracket fittings are of a unitary and rigid construction. The bracket fittings are more aptly described as a transverse rod connectors. The brackets, when each is fixedly mounted, provides at each column a mount for a cantilever beam extending outwardly toward the perimeter of the area to be shaded, and simultaneously provides for the mounting of a hip beam extending upwardly and extending toward the inner portion of the area to be shaded. Thus, an extended-area to be shaded includes a rigid support structure which is provided over a designated area which may be dependently shaded from the sun&#39;s rays when a high density knitted polyethylene porous canopy cover is placed over the unique bracket fitting supporting a plurality of cantilever and hip beams support members and secured about the perimeter of the canopy cover with an adjustable tension means. The hip beams may be combined by way of an apex fitting which is instrumental in forming an apex of at least four hip beams. One of the beams connected into the apex fitting may be a horizontal tube that extends toward another apex so that two distant apexes can be connected to each other to form a larger canopy to form a cover over a rectangular play area. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a portion of an existing safe play structure without a sun protective canopy, the play structure is shown mounted above a resilient ground cover;  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is cross-section through of the upper portion of the support of the prior art device of  FIG. 1  taken along the plane  2 - 2 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a plane view of a specified single tower children&#39;s play area on which the innovative sun shade canopy has been erected, the play exercise devices are shown in phantom lines. From this illustration it can be seen that the perimeter of the shaded area extends beyond the basic area of the play area perimeter;  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is a sectional elevational view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3  with portions of the play structures and canopy support members shown phantom;  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a construction bracket or fitting for mounting cantilever and hip beam members to form a support structure for mounting the canopy cover;  
         [0024]      FIG. 6  is a cross-section of the bracket or fitting shown in  FIG. 5  taken along the plane  6 - 6 ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of the connector or fitting for a four hip beam canopy support construction shown in the embodiments of the sun shade canopy illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ;  
         [0026]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the hip beam connector fitting of  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 9  shows a detail of the means for fastening the cover to the support structure with adjustable tension means;  
         [0028]      FIG. 10  shows an elevation of an extended end of the cantilever member showing means for securing the canopy cover;  
         [0029]      FIG. 11  is an elevational view of a second embodiment of the sun shade canopy structure mounted to cover a two tower specified safe children&#39;s play area;  
         [0030]      FIG. 12  is a plan view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 11  with the children&#39;s play area devices in phantom.  
         [0031]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a connector fitting using connector plates to establish certain angles between the vertical support column and the hip beam member.  
         [0032]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the connector plates of  FIG. 13  connected together;  
         [0033]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of two apex fittings being connected by a root ridge beam. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0034]      FIG. 1  illustrates a prior art safe design of a children&#39;s play structure wherein a plurality of fixedly mounted vertical support columns  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c  and  12   d  are shown. The columns  12   a  and  12   b , etc. are mounted in foundations (not shown) beneath a resilient ground cover  14 . The ground cover may be made of rubber or cork or matted materials to soften an impact and reduce injuries to a child fallen thereon. The columns support a platform  16  from which a slide  18 , a closed chute  20  and other children&#39;s climbing devices may be positioned.  
         [0035]     The upper ends of the conventionally designed vertical columns  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c  and  12   d  are shown in  FIG. 2  in a cross-sectional plane  2 - 2 . A column cap  22  fits over the top of column  12   d . The cap  22  is shaped with a reduced diameter lower section  24  which, when inserted into the hollow opening  26  of the vertical column comprises a secure mount for the column cap  22 . Although such conventionally designed columns are fully compatible with the invention, in order to avoid the possibility of rainwater leaking into the seam between the lower portion  24  and the column  12   d , it is preferable to have the column designed as depicted in  FIG. 6  where the upper end of the column  12   a  and  12   b  etc. has a smaller diameter than bracket  52  so that rainwater will flow over the juncture between the two tubes without entering the seam.  
         [0036]      FIGS. 1 and 2  are illustrative of safe children&#39;s play structures in compliance with the safety specifications developed by the National Play and Playground Authorities. At this date there are tens of thousands of such play structures erected and being erected in the United States without any provisions for effective sun shades for children using such structures.  
         [0037]     A plan view of a first embodiment of this invention is shown in  FIG. 3  wherein a canopy  30  is shown as being supported over structural members described below in subsequent FIGS. which in turn are mounted above a children&#39;s exercise and play area with play devices shown in phantom lines below the canopy  30 .  
         [0038]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional elevation of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3  in a plane  4 - 4 . Vertical columns  34  and  36  are fixedly mounted, respectively, in concrete foundation footings  40  and  42 . The vertical columns  34  and  36  constituting a plurality of first upright members support a platform or deck  44  at ends  44   a  and  44   b  fastened to the columns  34  and  36 . The columns  34  and  36  terminate at approximately four feet above the platform or deck  44  the play devices  32  and  32   a  are either located on the surface and in contact with the platform or are dependent therefrom but are always within the perimeter of the shade canopy itself. The caps  22  such as shown in  FIG. 2  have been removed from the upper ends of the columns  34  and  36  to expose the tops  48  and  50 , respectively. A plurality of second upright members  60  and  62  are attached to the tops  48  and  50  of columns  34  and  36 . At top ends of the second upright members there are provided transitional fittings  55  and  57  which are inserted into the tops of the second upright members. A detailed description will appear below with reference to  FIGS. 13 and 14 . The letter A illustrates a drop line from the outer perimeter of the canopy to the ground, while the letter B illustrates the distance between the outer or second perimeter of the canopy and the first perimeter of the play area.  
         [0039]      FIGS. 5 and 6  are illustrative of the structural bracket fittings  55  and  57 . More specifically,  FIG. 5  depicts the bracket fitting  55  in a perspective cut-away and fragmentary view, while  FIG. 6  is a view of the structural or transitional bracket  55  shown as a cross-section on plane  6 - 6 .  
         [0040]     In preferred embodiments, the lower portion  56  of the structural bracket fitting  55  fits over the reduced diameter upper end  52  of the upper column portion  60 . In rainy weather, water will flow over the juncture of lower portion  56  and upper end  52  and will not enter the seam between the two elements where it might cause damage. The upper end of each the bracket fittings  55  and  57  is terminated with a transverse, angularly placed, cylindrical rod  64 . The rod  64  is mounted at an acute angle with the vertical cylindrical extension or transitional fitting  55 . The angle with the horizontal is normally 22 degrees but is subject to adjustments for specific applications. The rod  64  is part of the transverse rod connector. The rod  64  is transverse to the bracket fittings  55  and is a connector for the cantilever beams  80  and the hip beams  82  and the hip beams  72  and  74  ( FIG. 4 ).  
         [0041]      FIGS. 5 and 6  further show the mounting of the cylindrical rod  64  on a plate  83  which in turn is mounted at an angle from the horizontal to bracket fitting  55 . The cylindrical rod  64  has an upper or first end  68  and a lower or second end  70 . The hip beam  72  comprises a straight section of a hollow metal steel pipe or rod. The hip beam  72  is positioned over the upper or first end of  68  of the angularly mounted cylindrical rod  64  and is secured with threaded bolts  76  passing through the hip beam  72  and the cylindrical rod  64 .  
         [0042]     The lower or second  70  end of the solid metal rod  64  is mounted by insertion into the upper end of the cantilevered beam  80  and is secured therein by threaded means  81 . The cantilevered beam member  80  is comprised of a straight section of a hollow steel pipe or tube. The lower end of the cantilever beam is terminated with an oblong eyelet connector  84 . As is shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the four hip beams  72  and  74  and the counter parts  72   a  and  74   a  terminate in juxtaposition and are secured to each other by way of the right angle joint  86  to thereby form an apex fitting which is shown in  FIG. 8 .  
         [0043]     Referring now back to  FIG. 3 , a porous knitted polyethylene canopy cover  30  is placed over the structure comprised of the hip beams  72 ,  72   a ,  74  and  74   a  and cantilever beams members  80 ,  80   a ,  82  and  82   a . The canopy details are more clearly shown in  FIG. 9 . The canopy cover  30  is secured about its perimeter with a tension cable  90  which in turn is secured within a cable channel  92  sewn about the canopy perimeter  94 . The tension on the cable is adjusted and maintained with a turn buckle  96 . The canopy cover  30  is provided at its four corners with a reinforced opening  98  through which the oblong connector  84  located on the extreme end of the cantilevered beam  80  and its counterpart cantilever beam members  80  and its counterpart  82 , etc., protrudes.  
         [0044]     A second embodiment of this invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 11 and 12  wherein a two tower&#39; safe design children&#39;s play area is shown. The play and exercise devices are shown in phantom lines. A porous shade canopy cover  104  is fabricated from knitted polyethylene strips and is constructed similarly to the single tower canopy  30 . The two tower canopy cover  104  is sewn so that it provides a cable channel  106 . A tension cable  108  is threaded through the channel  106  and when positioned over the metal support structure of hip beams  110   a ,  110   b ,  110   c , etc., forms a sunshade canopy. A turn buckle tension means  116  is attached to the ends of cable  108  to provide adjustments and to maintain cable tension.  
         [0045]     The canopy cover  104  is provided at each corner with a reinforced opening  98  as is shown in  FIG. 9  through which the oblong eyelet connector  84  on the cantilever beam member extends.  
         [0046]      FIG. 13  illustrates a bracket fitting  100  to be used in erecting the structure that will support the sunshade canopy. This fitting is pre-assembled and will always include the correct angle of the slanted roof structure. The explanation will apply to one column only but it is applicable to all columns when the canopy structure is assembled. To this end, the fitting includes a lower insert pipe  115  which is of a reduced diameter when compared to the upstanding vertical columns  34 ,  36  ( FIG. 4 ). Therefore, when installing structure for the canopy  30  or  104 , the fitting is merely slipped into the opening of vertical columns  34  and  36  with its lower insert pipe  55  and  57  ( FIG. 4 ). With other words, it is an interfitting concept. The lower insert pipe  55  or  56  has a limiting ring  116  which limits the extent of the insert pipes  55  or  57  into either of the vertical columns  34  or  56 . Since the slant of the roof of the canopy is predetermined, a connector plate  119  is attached to the top of the insert pipe  55  by way of a welding  117 . The predetermined angle is shown at  118 . Since all the angles and distances are predetermined in the bracket fitting  100  includes a counter plate  120  which is welded to a saddle pipe  122  at  121 . The saddle pipe  122  has an outer diameter that matches the outer diameter of the cantilever pipes  80  and  82  ( FIG. 4 ) and the outer diameter of hip beams  72  and  74  ( FIG. 4 ).  
         [0047]     With other words, there is a smooth transition between the saddle pipe and the cantilever pipes or beams when connected to each other. Therefore, the cantilever beam and the hip beam have a diameter reduced at the point of insertion into the saddle pipe. Once the connector plate  119  and the counter plate  120  are aligned with each other, the bolts  123  are passed through both of the plates  119  and  120  which will connect the two plates  119  and  120  by way of the bolts and the nuts  124  and the lock washers  125 .  
         [0048]      FIG. 14  shows the assembled bracket or fitting  100  in combination with the upstanding vertical columns  60  and  62  ( FIG. 4 ) or  34  and the saddle pipe  122 . The reference character  110   a  indicates a reduced diameter of the cantilevered pipe  110 . This way the cantilevered pipe or beam  110  can easily slip into the pipe of the saddle pipe  122 .  
         [0049]      FIG. 15  shows a construction wherein at least two apexes  140  are combined with each other. In this construction there are at least two hip beams  141  and  142 , being the equivalents of hip beams  72  and  74  of  FIG. 4 , are connected to each other including one horizontal beam or tube  143  that will receive a horizontal connector beam or tube  144  so that the distant apexes  140  can be pre-constructed and can be delivered to the construction site for assembly.