Patio umbrella with radiant heater

• US 5,964,233 A
• Filed: 08/12/1998
• Issued: 10/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: M Robert Davis
• Original Assignee: Davis M. Robert, Walter B. Clark
• Inventors: Davis, M. Robert, Clark, Walter B
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KANG, TIMOTHY B
• Application Number:
  US09/133,098
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• Field of Search: 135/15.1, 135/16, 135/33.6, 135/48, 135/91, 135/92, 135/94
• US Class Current: 135/16
• 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 2025/186 Umbrellas with two or more covers
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2200/1063 with tables
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 23/00 Other umbrellas
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 3/00 Sticks combined with other objects
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 1/12 of circular shape

Abstract

A patio umbrella that includes a dining table and a fuel-burning radiant heater avoids overheating of the upper canopy by mounting the support on which the upper canopy rests in the shadow cast by a reflector that converges upwardly to a chimney portion. The reflector is affixed to the housing of the combustion chamber. In addition to reflecting radiant heat downwardly onto the table and the diners, the reflector shields the upper canopy support from radiant heat and provides a duct for venting the products of combustion. As the latter pass up through the chimney portion, cooler air is drawn up through the space between the reflector and the upper canopy support thereby preventing hot air from stagnating there. The upper canopy support is mounted to the reflector and spaced above it by a number of insulative ceramic spacers. Brackets affixed to the reflector extend outwardly of the pivotal attachment of the ribs of the umbrella, thereby permitting the ribs to clear the combustion chamber and at the same time shortening the ribs so that when the umbrella is closed the lower ends of the ribs are well above the table top so as not to intrude into the space used for serving food. A safety switch, mounted within the column that supports the heater, extinguishes the heater as the umbrella is closed.

Claims

1. A patio umbrella capable of providing radiant heating in its vicinity, comprising in combination:

a fuel-burning radiant heater having a base, having a hollow column extending upward from said base, having a table top above said base and surrounding said hollow column, and having a combustion chamber attached to the top of said hollow column;

a reflector converging upwardly to a chimney portion;

means for supporting said reflector above and spaced from said combustion chamber so that hot products of combustion arising from said combustion chamber will pass upward through the chimney portion of said reflector thereby drawing cool air upward through the space between said combustion chamber and said reflector, whereby said reflector is cooled;

an upper canopy support converging upwardly from a lower edge to an aperture that surrounds and is spaced from the chimney portion of said reflector;

insulative means for supporting said upper canopy support in the shadow cast by said reflector in radiant energy emitted by said heater, above and spaced from said reflector so that air that has become heated in the space between said reflector and said upper canopy support can pass upward through that space and escape upward between said upper canopy support and the chimney portion of said reflector thereby drawing cool air upward into the space, whereby said upper canopy support is cooled.

2. The patio umbrella of claim 1 further comprising a lower canopy extending downward and outward from the lower edge of the upper canopy support, and further comprising a lining on the inner side of said lower canopy, said lining composed of a reflective pliable material for reflecting radiant energy emitted by said heater away from said lower canopy, whereby overheating of said lower canopy is prevented.

3. A patio umbrella capable of providing radiant heating in its vicinity, comprising in combination:

a fuel-burning radiant heater having a base, having a hollow column extending upward from said base, having a table top above said base and surrounding said hollow column, and having a combustion chamber attached to the top of said hollow column;

a reflector converging upwardly to a chimney portion;

means for supporting said reflector above and spaced from said combustion chamber;

a bracket attached to said reflector and having a portion that extends outward beyond said reflector;

a rib extending downward and outward;

rib pivot means for pivotally attaching said rib to said bracket, said rib pivot means located outward beyond said reflector so that as said rib pivots from an open position to a closed position it does not interfere with said reflector.

4. The patio umbrella of claim 3 further comprising:

a sleeve surrounding said hollow column and slidable along said hollow column from a lowest position occupied when the patio umbrella is in a closed configuration to a highest position occupied when the patio umbrella is in a fully-opened configuration;

said hollow column including portions defining a hole so located vertically that the hole is alternately covered and uncovered by said sleeve as said sleeve is raised and lowered between its lowest and highest positions;

an arm having an upper end pivotally attached to said rib and having a lower end pivotally attached to said sleeve;

an electrical switch located within said hollow column and including an actuator arm that extends outward through the hole in said hollow column so that passage of said sleeve over said actuator arm actuates said electrical switch.

5. A patio umbrella capable of providing radiant heating in its vicinity, comprising in combination:

a fuel-burning radiant heater having a base, having a hollow column extending upward from said base, having a table top above said base and surrounding said hollow column, and having a combustion chamber attached to the top of said hollow column;

a reflector converging upwardly to a chimney portion;

means for supporting said reflector above and spaced from said combustion chamber so that hot products of combustion arising from said combustion chamber will pass upward through the chimney portion of said reflector thereby drawing cool air upward through the space between said combustion chamber and said reflector, whereby said reflector is cooled;

an upper canopy support converging upwardly from a lower edge to an aperture that surrounds and is spaced from the chimney portion of said reflector;

insulative means for supporting said upper canopy support in the shadow cast by said reflector in radiant energy emitted by said heater, above and spaced from said reflector so that air that has become heated in the space between said reflector and said upper canopy support can pass upward through that space and escape upward between said upper canopy support and the chimney portion of said reflector thereby drawing cool air upward into the space, whereby said upper canopy support is cooled;

a bracket attached to said reflector and having a portion that extends outward beyond said reflector;

a rib extending downward and outward; and

,

rib pivot means for pivotally attaching said rib to said bracket, said rib pivot means located outward beyond said reflector so that as said rib pivots from an open position to a closed position it does not interfere with said reflector.