Floating sun shield

• US 5,690,133 A
• Filed: 10/23/1996
• Issued: 11/25/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sun Cap, LLC
• Original Assignee: Bruce Capwell
• Inventors: Capwell, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): COGGINS, WYNN WOOD
• Application Number:
  US08/731,962
• Time in Patent Office: 398 Days
• Field of Search: 135/124, 135/96, 135/16, 4/496, 4/498, 4/499, 441/38
• US Class Current: 135/124
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 17/02 Awnings , including rigid weather protection structures, e.g. sunroofs; Tarpaulins; Accessories for awnings or tarpaulins
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 15/003 Bathing or beach cabins

Abstract

A floating sun shield apparatus includes a frame having oppositely disposed longitudinal frame members and oppositely disposed transverse frame members. The frame members have a perimeter defining a user area. Also included is a canopy operatively coupled to the frame and disposed over the user area where the canopy is configured to block sunlight from the user area. Two flexible canopy support rods releasably attach to the frame at opposite ends substantially forming an arch where each support rod is configured to attach to either the longitudinal frame members or to the transverse frame members such that the canopy support rods are maintained in a flexed convex orientation relative to the frame. The canopy has opposite longitudinal sides configured to engage the canopy support rods such that the canopy is maintained in a curved orientation above the user area. The frame is configured to be buoyant in water such that the canopy is maintained above the user area.

Claims

1. A floating sun shield apparatus comprising:

a frame having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, at least a portion of the frame formed from rigid hollow members;

the frame having a perimeter defining a throughway providing an unobstructed open area within the perimeter to create a user area within;

a canopy operatively coupled to the frame and disposed over the user area, the canopy configured to substantially block sunlight from the user area;

canopy support rods releasably attached to the frame at opposite ends of the frame, the support rods configured to support the canopy over the user area;

the canopy having sides configured to engage the canopy support rods; and

the frame configured to be buoyant in water such that the frame maintains the canopy over the user area when the frame is placed in water.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the frame further comprises at least two releasably attachable frame portions configured to form a sealed structure that is buoyant in the water.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the frame includes sealed bosses configured to receive a portion of the canopy support rod to maintain the support rod in a flexed convex orientation.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each canopy support rod has first and second opposite ends terminating in corresponding first and second vertical portions, the vertical portions configured to elevate the canopy support rods above the frame by a predetermined distance to provide a user head-room area.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the canopy is formed from at least one of a fabric material and a plastic material.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the fabric material is nylon fabric.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the canopy is formed from material configured to block a predetermined portion of sunlight.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the frame is formed from at least one of hollow tubing and floatable foam.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 further including a spacer bar disposed between the canopy support rods and transverse thereto, the spacer bar configured to maintain the canopy support rods in a spaced apart relationship such that the canopy is maintained in a substantially spread apart manner.

10. A floating sun shield apparatus comprising:

a frame having oppositely disposed longitudinal frame members and oppositely disposed transverse frame members, at least a portion of the frame members formed from rigid hollow members;

the frame having a perimeter defining a throughway providing an unobstructed open area within the perimeter defining a user area within;

a canopy operatively coupled to the frame and disposed over the user area, the canopy configured to block sunlight from the user area;

two flexible canopy support rods releasably attached to the frame at opposite ends substantially forming an arch, each support rod configured to attach to at least one of the longitudinal and transverse frame members such that the canopy support rods are maintained in a flexed convex orientation relative to the frame;

the canopy having opposite longitudinal sides configured to engage the canopy support rods such that the canopy is maintained in a curved orientation above the user area; and

the frame configured to be buoyant in water such that the canopy is maintained above the user area.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein at least one of the longitudinal frame members and the transverse frame members include a sealed boss configured to receive a portion of the canopy support rod to maintain the support rod in the flexed convex orientation relative to the frame.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein each canopy support rod has first and second opposite ends terminating in corresponding first and second vertical portions, the vertical portions configured to elevate the arch formed by the canopy support rods above the frame by a predetermined distance to provide a user headroom area.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein each end of the first and second ends of the canopy support rod meet the corresponding first and second vertical portions at a predetermined angle.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the canopy is formed from at least one of a fabric material and a plastic material.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the fabric material is nylon fabric.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein at least one of the longitudinal and transverse frame members are formed from hollow tubing, the frame members forming a sealed structure so as not to admit water within the frame such that the frame remains buoyant in water to maintain the canopy at a predetermined height above the user area.

17. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the canopy is formed from material configured to block a predetermined portion of sunlight.

18. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein at least one of the longitudinal and transverse frame members is formed from at least one of hollow plastic tubing and floatable foam.

19. The apparatus according to claim 10 further including a spacer bar disposed between the canopy support rods and transverse thereto, the spacer bar configured to maintain the canopy support rods in a spaced apart relationship such that the canopy is maintained in a substantially spread apart manner.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19 further including a canopy lifting member disposed adjacent to an inside surface of the canopy and midway along a width of the canopy, the canopy lifting member disposed between a transverse frame member and the spacer bar and configured to eliminate sagging of the canopy.

21. The apparatus according to claim 10 further including a canopy lifting member disposed adjacent to an inside surf;

ace of the canopy and extending along a portion of a length of the canopy, the canopy lifting member disposed between opposite canopy support rods in a diagonal fashion and configured to eliminate sagging of the canopy.