Umbrella apparatus

• US 20040149325A1
• Filed: 08/28/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LakeSouth Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: World Factory Incorporated
• Inventors: Kuelbs, Gregory G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,794,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 135/20.3
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2023/0012 Ground supported umbrellas or sunshades on a single post, e.g. resting in or on a surface there below
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2200/1027 with means for generating solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2200/1036 with means for promoting air movement, e.g. ventilation holes, fans, ventilators, special shape for ventilation, suction means
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2200/1045 with a misting device having at least one nozzle for spraying a fluid, e.g. water
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 25/143 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 3/00 Sticks combined with other objects
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 3/04 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/03 rechargeable by exposure to light
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/006 General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0096 Fans, e.g. ceiling fans forced cooling of lighting devices characterised by the arrangement of fans F21V29/67
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 5/0035 using evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 5/0046 using natural energy, e.g. solar energy, energy from the ground
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/272 Solar heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/72 in street lighting
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/54 Free-cooling systems

Abstract

A lawn or patio umbrella with an integral lighting system that utilizes cold cathode ray tubes, light emitting diodes (LED'"'"'s), or florescent lights, to provide relatively bright outdoor light for reading and other activities that require relatively high light intensities is provided. In one embodiment, a modular, electrically powered lawn or patio umbrella in which lighting systems, such as those utilizing cold cathode tubes, LED'"'"'s, or florescent lights; cooling systems, such as those utilizing electric fans or misting systems; and motorized retraction systems; can be selectively interchanged is provided.

Claims

1. An umbrella apparatus comprising:

a base support portion;

a pole portion coupled to the base support portion;

a canopy portion hingedly coupled to the pole portion;

a rechargeable electrical power system for providing electrical power to the umbrella apparatus; and

a solar energy system carried by the pole portion above the canopy portion, the solar energy system being adapted to collect solar energy and convert the solar energy into electrical energy, the solar energy system being conductively coupled to the rechargeable electrical power system, such that the solar energy collected and converted into electrical energy recharges the rechargeable electrical power system.

2. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rechargeable electrical power system and the solar energy system are both carried by a housing mounted on the pole portion above the canopy portion.

3. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rechargeable electrical power system is carried by the base support portion and the solar energy system is carried by a housing mounted on the pole portion above the canopy portion.

4. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rechargeable electrical power system is powered by at least one rechargeable battery.

5. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an electrical charging system for recharging the rechargeable electrical power system, the electrical charging system being adapted to receive power from an AC power outlet.

6. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a lighting system carried by the canopy portion, the lighting system being conductively coupled to and powered by the rechargeable electrical power system.

7. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the lighting system comprises:

a plurality of rib members coupled to the canopy portion; and

a plurality of cold cathode tube elements carried by the rib members, each cold cathode tube element being conductively coupled to and powered by the rechargeable electrical power source.

8. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the lighting system comprises:

a plurality of rib members coupled to the canopy portion; and

a plurality of light emitting diode elements carried by the rib members, each light emitting diode element being conductively coupled to and powered by the rechargeable electrical power source.

9. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the lighting system comprises:

a plurality of rib members coupled to the canopy portion; and

a plurality of fluorescent light elements carried by the rib members, each fluorescent light element being conductively coupled to and powered by the rechargeable electrical power source.

10. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an electromechanical opening and closing system for opening and closing the canopy portion, the electromechanical opening and closing system being conductively coupled to and powered by the rechargeable electrical power system.

11. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the electromechanical opening and closing system comprises:

an electric motor carried by the pole portion;

a control system for controlling the electric motor;

a gear system coupled to the electric motor; and

a cable and pulley system coupled to the gear system and the canopy portion;

wherein the opening and closing of the canopy portion is achieved by the electric motor in response to selective operation of the control system.

12. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control system comprises:

a receiver conductively coupled to the electric motor;

a remote transmitter for transmitting an encoded signal to the receiver; and

a decoder conductively coupled to the receiver for decoding the encoded signal fro the transmitter.

13. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a cooling system carried by the canopy portion, the cooling system being conductively coupled to and powered by the rechargeable electrical power system.

14. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the cooling system comprises:

at least one electric fan coupled to the canopy portion, each electric fan being conductively coupled to and powered by the rechargeable electrical power system.

15. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the cooling system comprises:

a fluid reservoir operably associated with the umbrella apparatus;

at least one mist nozzle coupled to the canopy portion, each mist nozzle being in fluid communication with the fluid;

a conduit creating fluid communication between the fluid reservoir and each mist nozzle; and

a pump for pumping the fluid from the reservoir through each mist nozzle.

16. An umbrella apparatus comprising:

a base support portion;

a pole portion coupled to the base support portion;

a canopy portion hingedly coupled to the pole portion;

a rechargeable electrical power system for providing electrical power to the umbrella apparatus;

a solar energy system carried by the pole portion above the canopy portion, the solar energy system being adapted to collect solar energy and convert the solar energy into electrical energy, the solar energy system being conductively coupled to the rechargeable electrical power system, such that the solar energy collected and converted into electrical energy recharges the rechargeable electrical power system; and

a combination of two or more of the following modular systems;

a lighting system carried by the canopy portion;

an electromechanical opening and closing system for opening and closing the canopy portion;

or

a cooling system;

wherein each modular system is configured to be interchanged with each other, each modular system being conductively coupled to and powered by the rechargeable electrical power system.

17. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the lighting system comprises:

a plurality of rib members coupled to the canopy portion; and

a plurality of cold cathode tube elements carried by the rib members, each cold cathode tube element being conductively coupled to and powered by the rechargeable electrical power source.

18. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the lighting system comprises:

a plurality of rib members coupled to the canopy portion; and

a plurality of light emitting diode elements carried by the rib members, each light emitting diode element being conductively coupled to and powered by the rechargeable electrical power source.

19. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the cooling system comprises:

a fluid reservoir operably associated with the umbrella apparatus;

at least one mist nozzle coupled to the canopy portion, each mist nozzle being in fluid communication with the fluid;

a conduit creating fluid communication between the fluid reservoir and each mist nozzle; and

a pump for pumping the fluid from the reservoir through each mist nozzle.

20. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the electromechanical opening and closing system comprises:

an electric motor carried by the pole portion;

a control system for controlling the electric motor;

a gear system coupled to the electric motor; and

a cable and pulley system coupled to the gear system and the canopy portion;

wherein the opening and closing of the canopy portion is achieved by the electric motor in response to selective operation of the control system.