Illumination wiring arrangement for outdoor umbrella

• US 20070058360A1
• Filed: 09/12/2005
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oliver Joen-An Ma
• Original Assignee: Wandra Li
• Inventors: Li, Wandra
• Granted Patent: US 7,422,343 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/102
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2200/1027 with means for generating solar energy
• 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: Y02B 20/72 in street lighting

Abstract

An outdoor umbrella includes an awning, a main frame, an illumination system, and an illumination wiring arrangement. The illumination wiring arrangement includes a first wiring unit including a connector plug provided at a first connector end of a first post of the main frame to electrically connect to the illumination system. The second wiring unit includes a power socket which is electrically extended from a power source and is extended through a second post of the main frame at the second connector end thereof to electrically connect to the connector plug, wherein when the first post is coupled with the second post, the power socket is free to move within the second post to keep intact an electrical connection between the power socket and the connector plug even when vibration occurs at the main frame.

Claims

1. An outdoor umbrella, comprising:

an awning;

a main frame comprising a tubular first post having a first connector end, a tubular second post having a second connector end detachably coupling with said first connector end of said first post in an end-to-end manner to form an elongated supporting post, and an awning supporting frame provided on top of said supporting post to support said awning to define a shading area thereunder;

an illumination system provided on said main frame for illuminating said shading area of said awning; and

an illumination wiring arrangement, which comprises;

a first wiring unit comprising a connector plug provided within said first connector end of said first post to electrically connect to said illumination system; and

a second wiring unit comprising a power socket which is electrically extended from a power source and is extended within said second post at said second connector end thereof in a suspended manner to electrically connect to said connector plug in a detachably connecting manner, wherein when said first post is coupled with said second post, said power socket is free to move within said second post to keep intact an electrical connection between said power socket and said connector plug so as to ensure said illumination system electrically connecting with said power source through said illumination wiring arrangement when vibration occurs at said main frame.

2. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 1, wherein said second wiring unit further comprises a power outlet provided on an outer peripheral side of said second post for electrically connecting to said power source and an electric wire electrically extended from said power outlet to said power socket through an interior of said second post such that said power socket is freely slid within said interior of said second post to electrically connect to said connector plug.

3. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 2, wherein said electric wire has a predetermined length longer than a distance between said power socket and said second connector end of said second post so as to allow said power socket pulling out from said second connector end of said second post to electrically connect to said connector plug.

4. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 1, wherein said illumination wiring arrangement further comprises a supporting seat securely mounted at said second connector end of said second post and a suspension element substantially supported at said supporting seat for applying an urging force against said power socket towards said connector plug for not only absorbing said vibration induced at said power socket but also ensuring said connector plug being electrically connected with said power socket.

5. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 2, wherein said illumination wiring arrangement further comprises a supporting seat securely mounted at said second connector end of said second post and a suspension element substantially supported at said supporting seat for applying an urging force against said power socket towards said connector plug for not only absorbing said vibration induced at said power socket but also ensuring said connector plug being electrically connected with said power socket.

6. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 3, wherein said illumination wiring arrangement further comprises a supporting seat securely mounted at said second connector end of said second post and a suspension element substantially supported at said supporting seat for applying an urging force against said power socket towards said connector plug for not only absorbing said vibration induced at said power socket but also ensuring said connector plug being electrically connected with said power socket.

7. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 4, wherein said suspension element comprises a compression spring, which is coaxially supported within said second post, having two ends substantially biasing against said supporting seat and said power socket such that said compression spring not only acts as a vibration absorber for substantially absorbing said vibration induced at said power socket when said vibration occurs at said main frame but also ensures said connector plug being electrically connected with said power socket when said compression spring pushes said power socket towards said connector plug.

8. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 5, wherein said suspension element comprises a compression spring, which is coaxially supported within said second post, having two ends substantially biasing against said supporting seat and said power socket such that said compression spring not only acts as a vibration absorber for substantially absorbing said vibration induced at said power socket when said vibration occurs at said main frame but also ensures said connector plug being electrically connected with said power socket when said compression spring pushes said power socket towards said connector plug.

9. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 6, wherein said suspension element comprises a compression spring, which is coaxially supported within said second post, having two ends substantially biasing against said supporting seat and said power socket such that said compression spring not only acts as a vibration absorber for substantially absorbing said vibration induced at said power socket when said vibration occurs at said main frame but also ensures said connector plug being electrically connected with said power socket when said compression spring pushes said power socket towards said connector plug.

10. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 4, wherein said illumination system further comprises a socket holder securely holding said power socket at a position that said suspension element is disposed between said supporting seat and said socket holder such that when said first connector end of said first post is connected to said second connector end of said second post, said suspension element is compressed between said supporting seat and said socket holder for pushing said power socket towards said connector plug.

11. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 6, wherein said illumination system further comprises a socket holder securely holding said power socket at a position that said suspension element is disposed between said supporting seat and said socket holder such that when said first connector end of said first post is connected to said second connector end of said second post, said suspension element is compressed between said supporting seat and said socket holder for pushing said power socket towards said connector plug.

12. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 9, wherein said illumination system further comprises a socket holder securely holding said power socket at a position that said suspension element is disposed between said supporting seat and said socket holder such that when said first connector end of said first post is connected to said second connector end of said second post, said suspension element is compressed between said supporting seat and said socket holder for pushing said power socket towards said connector plug.

13. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 1, wherein said illumination system further comprises a plug holder substantially mounted at said first connector end of said first post to securely retain said connector plug thereat to electrically connect to said power socket.

14. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 3, wherein said illumination system further comprises a plug holder substantially mounted at said first connector end of said first post to securely retain said connector plug thereat to electrically connect to said power socket.

15. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 12, wherein said illumination system further comprises a plug holder substantially mounted at said first connector end of said first post to securely retain said connector plug thereat to electrically connect to said power socket.

16. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 1, wherein said awning supporting frame comprises a central housing affixed on top of said first post and a plurality of awning arms radially extended from said central housing to support said awning thereon, wherein said illumination system comprises a power distribution system which is disposed within said central housing and is electrically connected with said connector plug, and a plurality of illuminators spacedly mounted along each of said awning arms to electrically couple with said power distribution system, such that when said connector plug is electrically connected to said power socket, said illuminators are adapted for illuminating said shading area under said awning.

17. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 9, wherein said awning supporting frame comprises a central housing affixed on top of said first post and a plurality of awning arms radially extended from said central housing to support said awning thereon, wherein said illumination system comprises a power distribution system which is disposed within said central housing and is electrically connected with said connector plug, and a plurality of illuminators spacedly mounted along each of said awning arms to electrically couple with said power distribution system, such that when said connector plug is electrically connected to said power socket, said illuminators are adapted for illuminating said shading area under said awning.

18. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 15, wherein said awning supporting frame comprises a central housing affixed on top of said first post and a plurality of awning arms radially extended from said central housing to support said awning thereon, wherein said illumination system comprises a power distribution system which is disposed within said central housing and is electrically connected with said connector plug, and a plurality of illuminators spacedly mounted along each of said awning arms to electrically couple with said power distribution system, such that when said connector plug is electrically connected to said power socket, said illuminators are adapted for illuminating said shading area under said awning.

19. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 16, wherein each of said awning supporting arms has an indent and elongated mounting slot, wherein said illuminators are spacedly received in said mounting slots for illuminating said shading area under said awning.

20. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 17, wherein each of said awning supporting arms has an indent and elongated mounting slot, wherein said illuminators are spacedly received in said mounting slots for illuminating said shading area under said awning.

21. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 18, wherein each of said awning supporting arms has an indent and elongated mounting slot, wherein said illuminators are spacedly received in said mounting slots for illuminating said shading area under said awning.