Abstract:
A portable shade. An illustrative embodiment of the portable shade includes a canopy; a plurality of generally elongated, curved, spaced-apart tent poles carried by the canopy; and a plurality of anchor units receiving the plurality of tent poles, respectively. Each of the anchor units comprises an anchor plate, a striker plate pivotally carried by the anchor plate and a pole receptacle pivotally carried by the striker plate and receiving a corresponding one of the tent poles.

Description:
FIELD 
   The present disclosure relates to shades. More particularly, the present invention relates to a portable shade which is compact and lightweight and can be deployed and disassembled by one or two persons. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Tents are commonly used to shade persons from the sun during outdoor events. However, many conventional tents are cumbersome and time-consuming to set up and take down and may require several persons for the purpose. Therefore, a portable shade is needed which is compact, lightweight and can be deployed and disassembled by one or two persons. 
   SUMMARY 
   The present invention is generally directed to a portable shade. An illustrative embodiment of the portable shade includes a canopy; a plurality of generally elongated, curved, spaced-apart tent poles carried by the canopy; and a plurality of anchor units receiving the plurality of tent poles, respectively. Each of the anchor units comprises an anchor plate, a striker plate pivotally carried by the anchor plate and a pole receptacle pivotally carried by the striker plate and receiving a corresponding one of the tent poles. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The disclosure will now be made, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of the portable shade, deployed in a functional configuration; 
       FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of the portable shade, deployed in a functional configuration; 
       FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of an alternative illustrative embodiment of the portable shade; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an illustrative anchor unit which is suitable for supporting an illustrative embodiment of the portable shade in a functional configuration; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating an exemplary technique for attaching a tie-down cord to the tent canopy element of an illustrative embodiment of the portable shade; and 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of a tent pole extending through a pole sleeve element of an illustrative embodiment of the portable shade. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring to the drawings, an illustrative embodiment of the portable shade is generally indicated by reference numeral  1 . The portable shade  1  includes a canopy  2  which may be any suitable flexible, durable, waterproof material such as vinyl or nylon, for example. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the canopy  2  of the canopy  1  includes a main canopy section  2   a  having a generally elongated, rectangular shape. The main canopy section  2   a  has a pair of longitudinal edges  3  and a pair of transverse edges  4 . In some embodiments of the canopy  1 , a window canopy section  2   b  extends from each longitudinal edge  3  of the main canopy section  2   a . In other embodiments of the portable shade  1   a  shown in  FIG. 3 , the canopy sections  2   b  are omitted from the longitudinal edges  3  of the main canopy section  2   a . At least one vent panel  5  is typically provided in the main canopy section  2   a.    
   As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , at least one window  6  is provided in each window section  2   b  of the portable shade  1 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , each window  6  typically includes a netted or meshed window screen  8 . A solid window cover  7  is attached to the window section  2   b  and can be selectively extended over the window screen  8 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   At least one reinforcing strap  10  (shown in phantom) extends along the main canopy section  2   a , generally adjacent and spaced-apart with respect to each longitudinal edge  3  of the main canopy section  2   a . As shown in  FIG. 5 , a cord tab  11 , having a cord opening  11   a , extends from each end of each reinforcing strap  10 , at each transverse edge  4  of the main canopy section  2   a . An attachment hook  18  extends through the cord opening  11   a  of each cord tab  11 . A cord loop  16   a  provided on one end of a tie-down cord  16  engages the attachment hook  18 . A second end of the tie-down cord  16  is attached to a stake  17 . In use of the portable shade  1 , as will be hereinafter described, the stakes  17  are inserted in the ground (not shown) to deploy the portable shade  1  in the functional configuration shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
   Multiple, spaced-apart, transverse pole sleeves  12   a  are provided in the main canopy section  2   a  of the portable shade  1   a  shown in  FIG. 3  and in both the main canopy section  2   a  and the window canopy sections  2   b  of the portable shade  1  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The pole sleeves  12  are oriented in generally parallel relationship with respect to the transverse edges  4  of the main canopy section  2   a . A first, lateral pair of the pole sleeves  12   a  typically extends along the respective transverse edges  4  of the main canopy section  2   a  and a second, middle pair of the pole sleeves  12   b  extends between the lateral pair of pole sleeves  12   a . Each pole sleeve  12  is adapted to receive a generally elongated, curved tent pole  14  which extends through each pole sleeve  12 . The ends of each tent pole  14  protrude beyond the longitudinal edges  3  of the main canopy section  2   a  of the canopy  2  in the portable shade  1   a  shown in  FIG. 3  and further beyond the longitudinal edge of each window canopy section  2   b  in the portable shade  1  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , an anchor unit  20  receives each end of each tent pole  14  to anchor the tent poles  14  in the deployed configuration of the portable shade  1  and the portable shade  1   a . Each anchor unit  20  may have any design which is capable of anchoring the tent poles  14  in the deployed configuration. As shown in  FIG. 4 , in some embodiments each anchor unit  20  includes a generally flat or planar anchor plate  21 . An anchor stake  22  extends from a lower surface of the anchor plate  21 . A striker plate  25  is provided on the anchor plate  21 . A pole receptacle  23  is pivotally attached to the striker plate  25  via a pivot pin  26 . The pole receptacle  23  is adapted to receive an end of a tent pole  14 . A lock button  24  may extend from the pole receptacle  23  to detachably engage and lock the tent pole  14  in the pole receptacle  23 . In some embodiments, a support plate  27  extends from the anchor plate  21 , adjacent to the pole receptacle  23 . A gusset  28  may reinforce the support plate  27  on the anchor plate  21 . A lock pin  29  extends through the support plate  27  and removably engages the pole receptacle  23  to secure the pole receptacle  23  in the upright, pole-supporting configuration shown in  FIG. 4 . 
   The portable shade  1  is deployed in the functional position by inserting the anchor stake  22  of each of multiple anchor units  20  in the ground (not shown) in positions which will correspond to the ends of the tent poles  14 . The tent poles  14  are extended through the respective pole sleeves  12  of the canopy  2 , after which the ends of the tent poles  14  are inserted and secured in the pole receptacles  23  of the respective anchor units  20 . Each tie-down cord  16  is attached to each cord tab  11  ( FIG. 5 ), after which the tie-down cord  16  is pulled taut and the stake  17  provided on each tie-down cord  16  is inserted in the ground. Therefore, the tie-down cords  16  and tent poles  14  support the canopy  2  in the functional configuration shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . Therefore, the portable shade  1  shades persons from the sun or other inclement weather as the persons stand or sit under the canopy  2 . In the portable shade  1  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , one or more of the windows  6  can be opened by raising and securing the window cover  8  and exposing the window screen  7  of the window  6 . Each vent panel  5  in the canopy  2  facilitates ventilation of the deployed canopy  2 . The portable canopy  2  is selectively disassembled typically by reversing the steps which were heretofore set forth. The canopy can be folded for space-efficient storage. 
   While the illustrative embodiments of the disclosure have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications can be made in the embodiments and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the disclosure.