Collapsible shade for head chair

• US 5,551,110 A
• Filed: 06/03/1994
• Issued: 09/03/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Beachead Products Company
• Original Assignee: Beachead Products Company
• Inventors: Armstrong, Jeffrey A., Sortino, Roger L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Milano, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US08/253,731
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 297/184.15, 297/184.1, 135/96, 135/121, 135/17, 5/656, 5/418
• US Class Current: 5/656
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 9/1009 Rigid frame constructions
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 10/04 with material fixed on sections of a collapsible frame especially Florentine blinds

Abstract

A collapsible sunshade(50) includes a pair of support arms(54a, 54b). Disposed on outer ends of the support arms are a pair of ribs (62a, 62b). A fabric sheet (51) is disposed between the ribs to form a sunshade. The support arms include a pair of outwardly extending lever arms (58a, 58b). The ribs similarly include a pair of lever arms (64a and 64b). A pair of push rods (70a, 70b) extend between the lever arms of the support arms and the ribs. As the support arms are moved from a closed position in which they are substantially parallel to an open position in which they are substantially apart, the lever arms cause the ribs to extend outward thereby extending the shade. Preferably the sun shade is designed to be fitted on a collapsible headrest such that the combination of the collapsible shade and headrest can be easily stowed and transported by a user.

Claims

1. A collapsible sunshade comprising:

a first and a second support arm rotatably coupled at their lower ends for swinging movement about a first axis, the first support arm including a first lever arm that extends radially from the first axis;

a first and second rib rotatably coupled to respective outer ends of the first and second support arms;

a flexible shade disposed between the first and second rib;

at least one pushrod having a first and a second end, the first end of the pushrod being coupled to the first lever arm and the second end coupled to the rib that is rotatably coupled to the second support arm;

wherein said first and second support arms are movable from a closed position in which the first and second support arms are in a substantially parallel relationship, to an open position in which the upper ends of the support arms are spaced from each other, the swinging movement of the first and second support arms from the closed to the open position causing the pushrod to move upwardly relative to the first and second support arm and raises the ribs so that the fabric shade is extended.

2. The collapsible sunshade of claim 1 wherein the second support arm further includes:

a second lever arm that extends radially from the first axis;

a second pushrod having a first and second end, the first end being coupled to the lever arm of the second support arm and the second end coupled to the rib rotatably coupled to the first support arm.

3. The collapsible sunshade of claim 1 further comprising a hinge coupled to the first and second support arms for moving the sunshade.

4. The collapsible sunshade of claim 1 further comprising means for securing the collapsible sunshade to an object.

5. The collapsible sunshade of claim 4 wherein the object to which the sunshade is to be secured is a headrest of the type including a collapsible frame having diagonal support members and one or more fabric panels secured to the support members, wherein the means for securing the collapsible sunshade comprises a bracket including a pair of parallely spaced arms coupled to the hinge portion, and adapted to receive a pair of diagonal support members of a headrest.

6. The collapsible sunshade of claim 4 wherein the means for securing the collapsible shade is a clamp.

7. In a foldable headrest of the type having a first opened and second folded position including a first molded integral one-piece rectangular frame having upper and lower parallel ends and connecting parallel side legs, a second molded integral one-piece rectangular frame having upper and lower parallel ends and connecting parallel side legs, said second rectangular frame being rotatably coupled to the first rectangular frame, a first fabric panel having two ends, one end being connected to said first frame upper end and the other end connected to said second frame upper end, a second fabric panel having two ends, one end being connected to said first frame lower end and the other end connected to said second frame lower end, and said panels being of a length so that when said frames are in said opened positions, said panels will be substantially taut;

the improvement comprising

a collapsible sunshade adapted to be secured to the headrest including;

a first and a second support arm rotatably coupled at their lower ends for swinging about a first axis, said first and second support arm being movable between a first position in which the first and second support arms are generally parallel to each other and a second position in which the first and second arm form an acute angle with respect to each other;

a first and second rib rotatably coupled to respective outer ends of the first and second support arm;

a flexible panel disposed between the first and second ribs;

means coupled to the first and second support arms for parallely extending the ribs from a position in which the first and second ribs lie generally parallel to the first and second support arms to a position in which the ribs are in a transverse relationship to the support arms as the support arms are moved from the first position to the second position; and

means for securing the collapsible sunshade to the foldable headrest.

8. The foldable headrest of claim 7, wherein the means for parallely extending the ribs comprise:

at least one lever arm coupled to the first support arm and extending radially from the first axis; and

a pushrod having a first end coupled to the lever arm and a second end coupled to the rib that is disposed at the end of the second support arm.

9. The foldable headrest of claim 8 wherein the means for parallely extending the ribs further comprise:

a second lever arm coupled to the second support arm and extending radially from the first axis point; and

a second pushrod having a first end coupled to the second lever arm and a second end coupled to the rib disposed at the end of the first support arm.

10. The foldable headrest of claim 7, when the means for securing the collapsible sunshade to the foldable headrest further comprises means for securing the sunshade to the first rectangular side frame.

11. In a foldable headrest of the type having a first opened and second folded position including a first molded integral one-piece rectangular frame having upper and lower parallel ends and connecting parallel side legs, a second molded integral one-piece rectangular frame having upper and lower parallel ends and connecting parallel side legs, said second rectangular frame being rotatably coupled to the first rectangular frame, a first fabric panel having two ends, one end being connected to said first frame upper end and the other end connected to said second frame upper end, a second fabric panel having two ends, one end being connected to said first frame lower end and the other end connected to said second frame lower end, and said panels being of a length so that when said frames are in said opened positions, said panels will be substantially taut;

the improvement comprising

a collapsible sunshade adapted to be secured to the headrest including;

a first and a second support arm rotatably coupled at their lower ends for swinging about a first axis;

a first and second rib rotatably coupled to respective outer ends of the first and second support arm;

a flexible panel disposed between the first and second ribs;

means for parallely extending the ribs in a transverse relationship to the support arms that includes

a) at least one lever arm coupled to the first support arm and extending radially from the first axis; and

b) a pushrod having a first end coupled to the lever arm and a second end coupled to the rib that is disposed at the end of the second support arm; and

means for securing the collapsible sunshade to the foldable headrest.

12. The foldable headrest of claim 11 wherein the means for parallely extending the ribs further comprise:

a) a second lever arm coupled to the second support arm and extending radially from the first axis point; and

b) a second pushrod having a first end coupled to the second lever arm and a second end coupled to the rib disposed at the end of the first support arm.

13. The foldable headrest of claim 11, wherein the means for securing the collapsible sunshade to the foldable headrest further comprises means for securing the sunshade to the first rectangular side frame.

14. A collapsible sunshade comprising:

securing means for connecting the sunshade to an object;

a trunion rotatably connected to the securing means, the trunion including an outwardly extending post and a key disposed at an end of the post, the key having a first end with a first shape and a second end with a second shape different from the first shape;

a pair of support arms having a flexible shade secured thereto, each support arm having a keyway, the keyway being adapted to cooperate with the key disposed at the end of the post; and

one or more spring washers disposed over the post;

wherein the support arms are secured to the trunion by passing the key through the keyways and rotating the key with respect to the keyways.

15. The collapsible sunshade of claim 14, wherein the first end of the key has a length that is longer than a length of the second end of the key and wherein the second end of the key has a width that is wider than a width of the first end of the key.