Outdoor umbrella with lighting arrangement

• US 6,439,249 B1
• Filed: 11/13/2000
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oliver Joen-An Ma
• Original Assignee: Wilson Linwei Weng, Xing Yuan Pan
• Inventors: Pan, Xing Yuan, Weng, Wilson Linwei
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yip, Winnie
• Application Number:
  US09/712,071
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 135/16, 135/20.1, 135/21, 135/910, 135/98, 135/99, 135/90, 135/91, 362/102, 362/234, 362/249
• US Class Current: 135/16
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2019/005 without stick
• 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 2023/005 the support arm being attached to a rib or being formed by a rib
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 25/14 Devices for opening and for closing umbrellas
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 3/04 electrical
• 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: Y10S 135/91 Illuminated cane or umbrella

Abstract

An outdoor umbrella with lighting arrangement includes a plurality of illuminating units each including an electrical extension mounted on a mounting slot of an awning tube of the outdoor umbrella and at least an illuminating connector having a replaceable illuminator mounted thereon electrically mounted on the electrical extension. The illuminating units are electrically connected together at an upper casing of the outdoor umbrella and electrically extended to a switchable power supply. So, when the outdoor umbrella is unfolded, the lighting arrangement is capable of illuminating an area under the outdoor umbrella.

Claims

1. An outdoor umbrella, comprising an awning frame supporting a fabric thereon and a lighting arrangement;

wherein

said awning frame comprises an upper casing, a lower casing, and a folding frame foldably connected between said upper casing and said lower casing wherein said folding frame comprises a plurality of hollow awning tubes radially extended from said upper casing and a plurality of hollow supporting bars each radially extended from said lower casing and rotatably connected to said respective awning tube, and a supporting frame for supporting said awning frame comprising a stand and a hollow supporting shaft upwardly extended from said stand; and

said lighting arrangement comprises a mounting slot longitudinally formed on each of said awning tubes, a plurality of illuminating units each comprising a electrical extension securely mounted along said mounting slot of said awning tube respectively and illuminating connectors electrically connected to said electrical extension for mounting replaceable illuminators wherein said illuminating units are electrically connected together at said upper casing and electrically extended to a switchable power supply provided in said supporting frame.

2. An outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 1, wherein said lighting arrangement further comprises a circuit board mounted in said upper casing in such a manner that said illuminating units are electrically connected to said circuit board, and an electric wire electrically extended from said circuit board to said switchable power supply, so as to electrically connect said illuminating units with said switchable power supply.

3. An outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 2, wherein said lighting arrangement further comprises an auto switching device, which is provided in said lower casing and electrically connected with said illuminating units, is adapted for automatically switching on and off said illuminating units by a folding motion of said outdoor umbrella.

4. An outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 3, wherein said electric wire is passing from said circuit board through said hollow awning tube, said hollow supporting bar, and said hollow supporting shaft respectively to said switchable power supply.

5. An outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 4, wherein said illuminator is a LED.

6. An outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 4, wherein said illuminator is a light bulb.

7. An outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 3, wherein said outdoor umbrella further comprises a hollow supporting arm foldably extended from a top of said supporting shaft to said awning frame wherein said electric wire is passing from said circuit board through said hollow awning tube, said hollow supporting arm, and said hollow supporting shaft respectively to said switchable power supply.

8. An outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 7, wherein said lighting arrangement further comprises a light bulb mounted underneath said lower casing wherein said light bulb is electrically connected to said circuit board through said folding frame.

9. An outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 8, wherein said illuminator is a light bulb.

10. An outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 7, wherein said illuminator is a LED.

11. An outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 2, wherein said electric wire is passing from said circuit board through said hollow awning tube, said hollow supporting bar, and said hollow supporting shaft respectively to said switchable power supply.

12. An outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 2, wherein said outdoor umbrella further comprises a hollow supporting arm foldably extended from a top of said supporting shaft to said awning frame wherein said electric wire is passing from said circuit board through said hollow awning tube, said hollow supporting arm, and said hollow supporting shaft respectively to said switchable power supply.

13. An outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 12, wherein said lighting arrangement further comprises a light bulb mounted underneath said lower casing wherein said light bulb is electrically connected to said circuit board through said-folding frame.

14. An outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 1, wherein said lighting arrangement further comprises an auto switching device, which is provided in said lower casing and electrically connected with said illuminating units, is adapted for automatically switching on and off said illuminating units by a folding motion of said outdoor umbrella.