Hanging sun umbrella

• US 6,196,242 B1
• Filed: 05/13/1998
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zhen Miao Xu
• Original Assignee: Zhen Miao Xu
• Inventors: Xu, Zhen Miao
• Primary Examiner(s): Callo, Laura A.
• Application Number:
  US09/076,474
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• Field of Search: 135/20.1, 135/21, 135/20.3
• US Class Current: 135/20.1
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2023/005 the support arm being attached to a rib or being formed by a rib
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2025/146 with a crank connected to a rope
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 23/00 Other umbrellas
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 25/14 Devices for opening and for closing umbrellas

Abstract

A hanging sun umbrella includes a column; an umbrella frame including a hanging arm; a movable hanging arm holder for movably attaching the hanging arm to the column; a pull arm extending from the column above the hanging arm holder, wherein the hanging arm, the hanging arm holder, and the pull arm provide a cantilevered shape to the umbrella frame; a crank lift provided on the column to move the movable hanging arm holder up and down along the column for opening and closing the umbrella; and an umbrella cloth fitted on the umbrella frame. The umbrella frame, which is attached to the column, includes (a) the hanging arm hingedly attached to the column, (b) a hanging arm bracing hingedly attached to the hanging arm via a tube clamp, (c) six to eight umbrella rods, (d) an umbrella rod bracing hingedly extending from each umbrella rod via a tube clamp, (e) an upper umbrella tray holder hingedly connected to the hanging arm and each umbrella rod, and (f) a lower umbrella tray holder hingedly connected to the hanging arm bracing and each umbrella rod bracing.

Claims

1. A hanging sun umbrella comprising:

a column;

an umbrella frame attached to the column, wherein the umbrella frame includes;

a hanging arm hingedly attached to the column,

a hanging arm bracing hingedly attached to the hanging arm via a tube clamp,

six to eight umbrella rods,

an umbrella rod bracing hingedly extending from each umbrella rod via a tube clamp,

an upper umbrella tray holder hingedly connected to the hanging arm and each umbrella rod,

a lower umbrella tray holder hingedly connected to the hanging arm bracing and each umbrella rod bracing;

a movable hanging arm holder for movably attaching the hanging arm to the column;

a pull arm extending from the column above the hanging arm holder, wherein the hanging arm, the hanging arm holder, and the pull arm provide a cantilevered shape to the umbrella frame;

a crank lift provided on the column to move the movable hanging arm holder up and down along the column for opening and closing the umbrella, wherein the crank lift includes;

a first shell and a second shell together extending around the column,

a crank shaft having a first end supported in a first bushing and a second end supported in a second bushing,

a crank connected with the crank shaft, and

a locking and unlocking mechanism for selectively allowing movement of the crank shaft to facilitate opening and closing of the umbrella; and

an umbrella cloth fitted on the umbrella frame.

2. A hanging sun umbrella according to claim 1, wherein:

the upper umbrella tray holder includes an upper umbrella tray and a first pulley;

a center post connects the upper umbrella tray holder with the lower umbrella tray holder;

a plurality of evenly distributed slots are provided on a periphery of the upper umbrella tray;

the hanging arm, which includes a second pulley, extends into one of the slots; and

one of the umbrella rods extends into each of the remaining slots such that each slot includes one of the umbrella rods or the hanging arm, respectively.

3. A hanging sun umbrella according to claim 1, wherein:

the lower umbrella tray holder includes a lower umbrella tray;

a plurality of evenly distributed slots are provided on a periphery of the lower umbrella tray;

the hanging arm bracing extends into one of the slots;

one of the umbrella rod bracings extends into each of the remaining slots such that each slot includes one of the umbrella rod bracings or the hanging arm bracing, respectively;

a knot bead is provided at a lower end of the lower umbrella tray; and

a knot pin is provided to prevent the knot bead from separating from a knotted pull rope provided for opening and closing the umbrella.

4. A hanging sun umbrella according to claim 1, wherein a cross section of the hanging arm is in a shape of a rectangular tube, and wherein the tube clamp provided to connect the hanging arm with the hanging arm bracing and a tube clamp provided to connect the hanging arm with the pull arm are shaped so as to receive the rectangular tube of the hanging arm.

5. A hanging sun umbrella according to claim 1, wherein the movable hanging arm holder includes:

an opening to receive the column and limit slots to engage limit dowels provided on the column; and

wherein the hanging arm is connected to the movable hanging arm holder by a rivet, and wherein a pulley is provided on the rivet.

6. A hanging sun umbrella according to claim 1, wherein the locking and unlocking mechanism includes a ratchet fitted on an overhanging end of the crank shaft, a pawl piece meshed with the ratchet, and an unlocking button extending through a hole provided in one of the first or second shells, wherein the button can be selectively pushed to disengage the pawl piece from the ratchet.

7. A hanging sun umbrella according to claim 1, wherein the umbrella cloth is perforated at a location so as to allow the pull arm to connect with the hanging arm, and a leakproof cover is provided at the location.

8. A hanging sun umbrella comprising:

a column;

an umbrella frame attached to the column, wherein the umbrella frame includes;

a hanging arm hingedly attached to the column,

a hanging arm bracing hingedly attached to the hanging arm via a tube clamp,

six to eight umbrella rods,

an umbrella rod bracing hingedly extending from each umbrella rod via a tube clamp,

an upper umbrella tray holder hingedly connected to the hanging arm and each umbrella rod,

a lower umbrella tray holder hingedly connected to the hanging arm bracing and each umbrella rod bracing;

a movable hanging arm holder for movably attaching the hanging arm to the column;

a pull arm extending from the column above the hanging arm holder, wherein the hanging arm, the hanging arm holder, and the pull arm provide a cantilevered shape to the umbrella frame;

a crank lift provided on the column to move the movable hanging arm holder up and down along the column for opening and closing the umbrella, wherein the crank lift includes;

a first shell and a second shell together extending around the column,

a crank shaft having a first end supported in a first bushing and a second end supported in a second bushing,

a crank connected with the crank shaft, and

a locking and unlocking mechanism for selectively allowing movement of the crank shaft to facilitate opening and closing of the umbrella;

an umbrella cloth fitted on the umbrella frame; and

a pull rope wound on the crank shaft, around a first pulley provided at a top end of the column, around a second pulley provided with the movable hanging arm holder, along a third pulley at an end of the hanging arm located away from the movable hanging arm holder, around a fourth pulley provided with the upper umbrella tray holder, and to the lower umbrella tray holder.

9. A hanging sun umbrella comprising:

a column;

an umbrella frame attached to the column, wherein the umbrella frame includes;

a hanging arm hingedly attached to the column,

a hanging arm bracing hingedly attached to the hanging arm via a tube clamp,

six to eight umbrella rods,

an umbrella rod bracing hingedly extending from each umbrella rod via a tube clamp,

an upper umbrella tray holder hingedly connected to the hanging arm and each umbrella rod,

a lower umbrella tray holder hingedly connected to the hanging arm bracing and each umbrella rod bracing;

a movable hanging arm holder for movably attaching the hanging arm to the column;

a pull arm extending from the column above the hanging arm holder, wherein the hanging arm, the hanging arm holder, and the pull arm provide a cantilevered shape to the umbrella frame;

a crank lift provided on the column to move the movable hanging arm holder up and down along the column for opening and closing the umbrella;

an umbrella cloth fitted on the umbrella frame;

a chassis assembly engaged at a lower end of the column, wherein the chassis assembly includes two mutually intersecting chassis, each having a U-shaped skirt and a notch, wherein the two chassis engage one another at their respective notch;

a fixing plate connected with both chasses;

a sleeve extending from the fixing plate;

a tightening screw provided on the sleeve for fixing the column in the sleeve; and

a hold down plate for holding the two chasses.

10. A hanging sun umbrella according to claim 9, wherein:

the upper umbrella tray holder includes an upper umbrella tray and a first pulley;

a center post connects the upper umbrella tray holder with the lower umbrella tray holder;

a plurality of evenly distributed slots are provided on a periphery of the upper umbrella tray;

the hanging arm, which includes a second pulley, extends into one of the slots; and

one of the umbrella rods extends into each of the remaining slots such that each slot includes one of the umbrella rods or the hanging arm, respectively.

11. A hanging sun umbrella according to claim 9, wherein:

the lower umbrella tray holder includes a lower umbrella tray;

a plurality of evenly distributed slots are provided on a periphery of the lower umbrella tray;

the hanging arm bracing extends into one of the slots;

one of the umbrella rod bracings extends into each of the remaining slots such that each slot includes one of the umbrella rod bracings or the hanging arm bracing, respectively;

a knot bead is provided at a lower end of the lower umbrella tray; and

a knot pin is provided to prevent the knot bead from separating from a knotted pull rope provided for opening and closing the umbrella.

12. A hanging sun umbrella according to claim 9, wherein a cross section of the hanging arm is in a shape of a rectangular tube, and wherein the tube clamp provided to connect the hanging arm with the hanging arm bracing and a tube clamp provided to connect the hanging arm with the pull arm are shaped so as to receive the rectangular tube of the hanging arm.

13. A hanging sun umbrella according to claim 9, wherein the movable hanging arm holder includes:

an opening to receive the column and limit slots to engage limit dowels provided on the column; and

wherein the hanging arm is connected to the movable hanging arm holder by a rivet, and wherein a pulley is provided on the rivet.

14. A hanging sun umbrella according to claim 9, wherein the crank lift includes:

a first shell and a second shell together extending around the column,

a crank shaft having a first end supported in a first bushing and a second end supported in a second bushing,

a crank connected with the crank shaft, and

a locking and unlocking mechanism for selectively allowing movement of the crank shaft to facilitate opening and closing of the umbrella.

15. A hanging sun umbrella according to claim 14, wherein the locking and unlocking mechanism includes a ratchet fitted on an overhanging end of the crank shaft, a pawl piece meshed with the ratchet, and an unlocking button extending through a hole provided in one of the first or second shells, wherein the button can be selectively pushed to disengage the pawl piece from the ratchet.

16. A hanging sun umbrella according to claim 14, wherein a pull rope is wound on the crank shaft, around a first pulley provided at a top end of the column, around a second pulley provided with the movable hanging arm holder, along a third pulley at an end of the hanging arm located away from the movable hanging arm holder, around a fourth pulley provided with the upper umbrella tray holder, and to the lower umbrella tray holder.

17. A hanging sun umbrella according to claim 9, wherein the umbrella cloth is perforated at a location so as to allow the pull arm to connect with the hanging arm, and a leakproof cover is provided at the location.