Patent ID: 7950342

Claim:
An automated bimini top device for a boat structure, comprising: a piece of canvas material; a frame assembly erected upon the boat structure and operatively connected to support the canvas material thereon, said frame assembly being adapted to fold together in reversible directions between a retracted and an extended position with the canvas material supported thereon, said frame assembly including a first bow member supported in a fixed raised position, a second bow member adapted to slide along a length of the first bow member and pivot relative thereto, and a third bow member pivotally connected along a length of the second bow member and adapted to rotate relative thereto; actuator means operatively connected to the first bow member for moving the second bow member in reversible directions along the length of the first bow member pivotally outward therefrom into the extended position and backward along the length pivotally inward toward the first bow member into the retracted position; and strap means connected between the first and second bow members and looped intermediately therebetween about the third bow member for rotating the third bow member in opposite directions during movement of the second bow member, said strap means being further attached beneath the canvas material to maintain the canvas material upon the frame assembly between the retracted and the extended positions thereof.