Patent ID: 7640703

Claim:
A canopy, comprising: a number of vertical supports each comprising: (i) an insert tube having opposed ends; (ii) a footer located in the ground beneath finish grade, a first end of said insert tube being mounted to said footer, an exposed portion of said insert tube extending outwardly from said footer so that a second end of said insert tube is positioned below said finish grade of the ground; (iii) a post having a first end, a second end and an outer wall defining a hollow interior, a number of screw cases being affixed to said outer wall within said hollow interior and extending between said first and second ends, said exposed portion of said insert tube being received within said hollow interior of said post and being mounted to said outer wall thereof; a number of beams, each of said beams spanning a space between two of said vertical supports and being mounted to said posts via said screw cases; and a number of decking sections, each of said decking sections extending between and mounted to adjacent beams.