Portable and collapsible sunshade apparatus for providing shade to a user having a universal clip to attach the sunshade to any type of beach chair or lounge chair

• US 6,789,557 B1
• Filed: 04/18/2003
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gene Wahl Jr
• Original Assignee: Gene Wahl Jr
• Inventors: Wahl, Gene Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HORTON, YVONNE MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US10/419,019
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 135/16, 135/90, 135/96, 135/87, 135/98, 135/88.01, 135/88.1, 135/88.15, 135/120.1, 135/120.2, 135/120.3, 135/143, 135/154, 135/156, 135/115, 135/117, 135/119, 248/230, 248/231.8, 248/534-536, 248/541, 248/316.1, 248/316--31, 297/184.1, 297/184.11, 297/184.15, 297/188-4-1
• US Class Current: 135/154
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/66 Means to protect against weather

Abstract

A portable and collapsible sunshade apparatus which can be conveniently folded up and carried in a bag so that the sunshade apparatus can be easily transported to the beach or other locations for attachment to a beach chair or lounge chair through use of a novel attachment clip. The universal clip enables any type of sunshade apparatus to be attached to any type of beach chair or lounge chair at any desired height above the occupant of the chair and at any desired angular orientation relative to the chair.

Claims

1. An attachment member for attaching the leg of a sunshade to the side of a chair, comprising:

a. an openable clamshell bracket member having an outer parallel arcuate member including a first elongated arcuate wall and a parallel second elongated arcuate wall, and an inner arcuate member having a first elongated arcuate wall and a parallel second elongated arcuate wall, the first elongated arcuate walls being adjacent each other and forming one half of the clamshell bracket and the second elongated arcuate walls being adjacent each other and forming the second half of the clamshell bracket, the two halves rotatably attached to each other, the clamshell bracket further having means to tighten the two halves against each other and to enable the halves to be opened;

b. a first body member extending away from the second outer and second inner arcuate walls, the first body member having a transverse wall which is perpendicular to the second inner arcuate wall, the transverse wall having a multiplicity of teeth on one surface;

c. a second body member having a transverse wall parallel to the transverse wall of the first body member, the transverse wall of the second body member having a multiplicity of mating teeth so that the teeth on the two transverse walls form a ratchet mechanism, and means to adjust and tighten the teeth against each other; and

d. the second body member terminating in a hollow cylindrical leg receiving member including a cylindrical wall and an adjustment means extending into the hollow portion of the cylindrical leg receiving member to fasten an inserted leg at any desired portion of the cylindrical leg receiving member;

e. whereby the attachment member is attached to the side of a chair by clamping either the parallel walls of the outer parallel arcuate member or the parallel walls of the inner parallel arcuate member around the side of a chair and fastening them against the side of the chair by adjusting the clamshell tightening means, the leg of a sunshade is affixed within the cylindrical leg receiving member and tightened to any desired height above the chair by the adjustment means, and the angle of the sunshade relative to the chair is adjusted by rotating the second body member relative to the first body member by the ratchet mechanism and tightening the two together at the desire orientation by the adjustment and tightening means.

2. The attachment member in accordance with claim 1, wherein the means to tighten the two halves of the clamshell bracket together comprises a threaded bolt extending through the clamshell member.

3. The attachment member in accordance with claim 1, wherein the means to adjust and tighten the ratchet mechanism further comprises a threaded bolt extending through the ratchet mechanism.

4. The attachment member in accordance with claim 1, wherein the adjustment means on the cylindrical leg receiving member further comprises a threaded bolt extending through the wall of the cylinder and into the hollow area in the cylinder.

5. The attachment member in accordance with claim 1, wherein the attachment mechanism is made of plastic.

6. An attachment member for attaching the leg of a sunshade to the side of a chair, comprising:

a. an openable clamshell bracket member having a first half rotatably attached to a second half, the two halves having mating inner parallel walls and mating outer parallel walls whereby one set of parallel walls, can be clamped around the side of a chair, the clamshell bracket member further having means to tighten the two halves against each other and to enable the halves to be opened;

b. a first body member extending transversely to the clamshell bracket member and having a multiplicity of teeth on one side of its transverse wall;

c. a second body member having a transverse wall with mating teeth on its transverse wall to mate with the teeth on the transverse wall of the first body member to form a ratchet mechanism, and means to adjust and tighten the teeth against each other; and

d. the second body member terminating in a hollow cylindrical leg receiving member including a cylindrical wall and an adjustment means extending into the hollow portion of the cylindrical leg receiving member to fasten an inserted leg at any desired portion of the cylindrical leg receiving member.

7. The attachment member in accordance with claim 6, wherein the means to tighten the two halves of the clamshell bracket together comprises a threaded bolt extending through the clamshell member.

8. The attachment member in accordance with claim 6, wherein the means to adjust and tighten the ratchet mechanism further comprises a threaded bolt extending through the ratchet mechanism.

9. The attachment member in accordance with claim 6, wherein the adjustment means on the cylindrical leg receiving member further comprises a threaded bolt extending through the wall of the cylinder and into the hollow area in the cylinder.

10. The attachment member in accordance with claim 6, wherein the attachment mechanism is made of plastic.

11. An attachment member for attaching the leg of a sunshade to the side of a chair, comprising:

a. an openable clamshell bracket member having a first half rotatably attached to a second half, the two halves having at least one pair of mating parallel walls which are clamped around the side of a chair, the clamshell bracket member further having means to tighten the two halves against each other and to enable the halves to be opened;

b. a first body member extending from one half of the clamshell bracket member and having a wall with a multiplicity of teeth on one surface;

c. a second body member having a wall with a multiplicity of teeth on one surface which mate with the teeth on the first body member to form a ratchet mechanism, and means to adjust and tighten the teeth against each other; and

d. the second body further comprising a cylinder with a hollow interior into which a leg of a sunshade is inserted, and an adjustment means by which the inserted leg can be fastened within the cylinder at any desired location along the length of the leg.

12. The attachment member in accordance with claim 11, wherein the means to tighten the two halves of the clamshell bracket together comprises a threaded bolt extending through the clamshell member.

13. The attachment member in accordance with claim 11, wherein the means to adjust and tighten the ratchet mechanism further comprises a threaded bolt extending through the ratchet mechanism.

14. The attachment member in accordance with claim 11, wherein the adjustment means on the cylinder further comprises a threaded bolt extending through the wall of the cylinder and into the hollow interior in the cylinder.

15. The attachment member in accordance with claim 11, wherein the attachment mechanism is made of plastic.

16. A portable and collapsible sunshade apparatus comprising:

a. a first horizontal bar and a second parallel horizontal bar, the bars maintained in their parallel horizontal orientation by a pair of spaced apart spreading bars including a first and second spreading bar;

b. said first spreading bar having a first arm and a second arm, the first arm rotatably attached at its exterior end to the first horizontal bar, the second arm rotatably attached at its exterior end to the second horizontal bar, and the two arms rotatably attached to each other at their overlapping interior ends;

c. said second spreading bar spaced apart from the first spreading bar, the second spreading bar having a first arm and a second arm, the first arm rotatably attached at its exterior end to the first horizontal bar, the second arm rotatably attached at its exterior end to the second horizontal bar, and the two arms rotatably attached to each other at their overlapping interior ends;

d. a first support bracket attached at one end of the first horizontal bar and a parallel second support bracket attached at one end of the second horizontal bar, a first vertical leg rotatably attached to the first support bracket, the bracket including orientation means to cause the first vertical leg to extend perpendicular to the first horizontal bar and a second vertical leg rotatably attached to the second support bracket, the bracket including orientation means to cause the second vertical leg to extend perpendicular to the second horizontal bar and parallel to the first vertical leg; and

e. a first shade member supported between the first and second horizontal bars and a second shade member supported between the first and second vertical legs.

17. A portable and collapsible sunshade apparatus comprising:

a. a first horizontal bar and a second parallel horizontal bar, the bars maintained in their parallel horizontal orientation by a pair of spaced apart spreading bars including a first and second spreading bar;

b. said first spreading bar having a first arm and a second arm, the first arm rotatably attached at its exterior end to the first horizontal bar, the second arm rotatably attached at its exterior end to the second horizontal bar, and the two arms rotatably attached to each other at their overlapping interior ends;

c. said second spreading bar spaced apart from the first spreading bar, the second spreading bar having a first arm and a second arm, the first arm rotatably attached at its exterior end to the first horizontal bar, the second arm rotatably attached at its exterior end to the second horizontal bar, and the two arms rotatably attached to each other at their overlapping interior ends; and

d. a first support bracket attached at one end of the first horizontal bar and a parallel second support bracket attached at one end of the second horizontal bar, a first vertical leg rotatably attached to the first support bracket, the bracket including orientation means to cause the first vertical leg to extend perpendicular to the first horizontal bar and a second vertical leg rotatably attached to the second support bracket, the bracket including orientation means to cause the second vertical leg to extend perpendicular to the second horizontal bar and parallel to the first vertical leg.

18. A portable and collapsible sunshade apparatus in accordance with claim 17, further comprising a first shade member supported between the first and second horizontal bars.

19. A portable and collapsible sunshade apparatus in accordance with claim 18, further comprising a second shade member supported between the first and second vertical legs.

20. A portable and collapsible sunshade apparatus comprising:

a. a first horizontal bar and a second parallel horizontal bar, the bars maintained in their parallel orientation by a first spreading bar attached adjacent parallel locations of the horizontal bars and a second spreading bar attached adjacent parallel locations on the horizontal bars and at locations spaced apart from the attachment of the first spreading bar;

b. the first spreading bar rotatably attached to the horizontal bars and having means on the interior of the spreading bars by which the spreading bar is rotated to a fixed position to cause the horizontal bar to be spread apart and by which the spreading bar is rotated so the two horizontal bars are adjacent each other;

c. the second spreading bar rotatably attached to the horizontal bars and having means on the interior of the spreading bar by which the spreading bar is rotated to a fixed position to cause the horizontal bars to be spread apart and by which the spreading bar is rotated so the two horizontal bars are adjacent each other;

d. a first support bracket attached at one end of the first horizontal bar and a parallel second support bracket attached at one end of the second horizontal bar, a first vertical leg rotatably attached to the first support bracket, the bracket including means to cause the first vertical leg to extend perpendicular to the first horizontal bar and a second vertical leg rotatably attached to the second support bracket, the bracket including means to cause the second vertical leg to extend perpendicular to the second horizontal bar and parallel to the first vertical leg;

e. a first shade member supported between the first and second horizontal bars and a second shade member supported between the first and second vertical legs.

21. A portable and collapsible sunshade apparatus comprising:

a. a first horizontal bar and a second parallel horizontal bar, the bars maintained in their parallel orientation by a first spreading bar attached adjacent parallel locations of the horizontal bars and a second spreading bar attached adjacent parallel locations on the horizontal bars and at locations spaced apart from the attachment of the first spreading bar;

b. the first spreading bar rotatably attached to the horizontal bars and having means on the interior of the spreading bars by which the spreading bar is rotated to a fixed position to cause the horizontal bar to be spread apart and by which the spreading bar is rotated so the two horizontal bars are adjacent each other;

c. the second spreading bar rotatably attached to the horizontal bars and having means on the interior of the spreading bar by which the spreading bar is rotated to a fixed position to cause the horizontal bars to be spread apart and by which the spreading bar is rotated so the two horizontal bars are adjacent each other; and

d. a first support bracket attached at one end of the first horizontal bar and a parallel second support bracket attached at one end of the second horizontal bar, a first vertical leg rotatably attached to the first support bracket, the bracket including means to cause the first vertical leg to extend perpendicular to the first horizontal bar and a second vertical leg rotatably attached to the second support bracket, the bracket including means to cause the second vertical leg to extend perpendicular to the second horizontal bar and parallel to the first vertical leg.

22. A portable and collapsible sunshade apparatus in accordance with claim 21, further comprising a first shade member supported between the first and second horizontal bars.

23. A portable and collapsible sunshade apparatus in accordance with claim 22, further comprising a second shade member supported between the first and second vertical legs.

24. The combination of an attachment member for attaching the leg of a sunshade to the side of a chair and a portable and collapsible sunshade apparatus, comprising:

a. an openable clamshell bracket member having an outer parallel arcuate member including a first elongated arcuate wall and a parallel second elongated arcuate wall, and an inner arcuate member having a first elongated arcuate wall and a parallel second elongated arcuate wall, the first elongated arcuate walls being adjacent each other and forming one half of the clamshell bracket and the second elongated arcuate walls being adjacent each other and forming the second half of the clamshell bracket, the two halves rotatably attached to each other, the clamshell bracket further having means to tighten the two halves against each other and to enable the halves to be opened;

b. a first body member extending away from the second outer and second inner arcuate walls, the first body member having a transverse wall which is perpendicular to the second inner arcuate wall, the transverse wall having a multiplicity of teeth on one surface;

c. a second body member having a transverse wall parallel to the transverse wall of the first body member, the transverse wall of the second body member having a multiplicity of mating teeth so that the teeth on the two transverse walls form a ratchet mechanism, and means to adjust and tighten the teeth against each other;

d. the second body member terminating in a hollow cylindrical leg receiving member including a cylindrical wall and an adjustment means extending into the hollow portion of the cylindrical leg receiving member to fasten an inserted leg at any desired portion of the cylindrical leg receiving member;

e. a first horizontal bar and a second parallel horizontal bar, the bars maintained in their parallel horizontal orientation by a pair of spaced apart spreading bars including a first and second spreading bar;

f. said first spreading bar having a first arm and a second arm, the first arm rotatably attached at its exterior end to the first horizontal bar, the second arm rotatably attached at its exterior end to the second horizontal bar, and the two arms rotatably attached to each other at their overlapping interior ends;

g. said second spreading bar spaced apart from the first spreading bar, the second spreading bar having a first arm and a second arm, the first arm rotatably attached at its exterior end to the first horizontal bar, the second arm rotatably attached at its exterior end to the second horizontal bar, and the two arms rotatably attached to each other at their overlapping interior ends;

h. a first support bracket attached at one end of the first horizontal bar and a parallel second support bracket attached at one end of the second horizontal bar, a first vertical leg rotatably attached to the first support bracket, the bracket including orientation means to cause the first vertical leg to extend perpendicular to the first horizontal bar and a second vertical leg rotatably attached to the second support bracket, the bracket including orientation means to cause the second vertical leg to extend perpendicular to the second horizontal bar and parallel to the first vertical leg; and

i. a first shade member supported between the first and second horizontal bars and a second shade member supported between the first and second vertical legs;

j. whereby the attachment member is attached to the side of a chair by clamping either the parallel walls of the outer arcuate member or the parallel walls of the inner arcuate member around the side of a chair and fastening them against the side of a chair by adjusting the clamshell tightening means, and one of the two vertical legs of the portable and collapsible sunshade apparatus is affixed within the cylindrical leg receiving member and tightened to any desired height above the chair by the adjustment means, and the angle of the shade members relative to the chair is adjusted by rotating the second body member relative to the first body member by the ratchet mechanism and tightening the two together at the desired amount by the adjustment and tightening means.

25. The combination of an attachment member for attaching the leg of an awning to the side of a chair and a portable and collapsible sunshade apparatus, comprising:

a. an openable clamshell bracket member having a first half rotatably attached to a second half, the two halves having mating inner parallel walls and mating outer parallel walls whereby one set of parallel walls can be clamped around the side of a chair, the clamshell bracket member further having means to tighten the two halves against each other and to enable the halves to be opened;

b. a first body member extending transversely to the clamshell bracket member and having a multiplicity of teeth on one side of its transverse wall;

c. a second body member having a transverse wall with mating teeth on its transverse wall to mate with the teeth on the transverse wall of the first body member to form a ratchet mechanism, and means to adjust and tighten the teeth against each other;

d. the second body member terminating in a hollow cylindrical leg receiving member including a cylindrical wall and an adjustment means extending into the hollow portion of the cylindrical leg receiving member to fasten an inserted leg at any desired portion of the cylindrical leg receiving member;

e. a first horizontal bar and a second parallel horizontal bar, the bars maintained in their parallel orientation by a first spreading bar attached adjacent parallel locations of the horizontal bars and a second spreading bar attached adjacent parallel locations on the horizontal bars and at locations spaced apart from the attachment of the first spreading bar;

f. the first spreading bar rotatably attached to the horizontal bars and having means on the interior of the spreading bars by which the spreading bar is rotated to a fixed position to cause the horizontal bar to be spread apart and by which the spreading bar is rotated so the two horizontal bars are adjacent each other;

g. the second spreading bar rotatably attached to the horizontal bars and having means on the interior of the spreading bar by which the spreading bar is rotated to a fixed position to cause the horizontal bars to be spread apart and by which the spreading bar is rotated so the two horizontal bars are adjacent each other;

h. a first support bracket attached at one end of the first horizontal bar and a parallel second support bracket attached at one end of the second horizontal bar, a first vertical leg rotatably attached to the first support bracket, the bracket including means to cause the first vertical leg to extend perpendicular to the first horizontal bar and a second vertical leg rotatably attached to the second support bracket, the bracket including means to cause the second vertical leg to extend perpendicular to the second horizontal bar and parallel to the first vertical leg; and

i. a first shade member supported between the first and second horizontal bars and a second shade member supported between the first and second vertical legs;

j. whereby the attachment member is attached to the side of a chair by clamping either the parallel walls of the outer arcuate member or the parallel walls of the inner arcuate member around the side of a chair and fastening them against the side of a chair by adjusting the clamshell tightening means, and one of the two vertical legs of the portable and collapsible sunshade apparatus is affixed within the cylindrical leg receiving member and tightened to any desired height above the chair by the adjustment means, and the angle of the shade members to the chair is adjusted by rotating the second body member relative to the first body member by the ratchet mechanism and tightening the two together at the desired amount by the adjustment and tightening means.

26. The combination of an attachment member for attaching the leg of an awning to the side of a chair and a portable and collapsible sunshade apparatus, comprising:

a. an openable clamshell bracket member having a first half rotatably attached to a second half, the two halves having at least one pair of mating parallel walls which are clamped around the side of a chair, the clamshell bracket member further having means to tighten the two halves against each other and to enable the halves to be opened;

b. a first body member extending from one half of the clamshell bracket member and having a wall with a multiplicity of teeth on one surface;

c. a second body member having a wall with a multiplicity of teeth on one surface which mate with the teeth on the first body member to form a ratchet mechanism, and means to adjust and tighten the teeth against each other;

d. the second body further comprising a cylinder with a hollow interior into which a leg of an sunshade apparatus is inserted, and an adjustment means by which the inserted leg can be fastened within the cylinder at any desired location along the length of the leg;

e. a first horizontal bar and a second parallel horizontal bar, the bars maintained in their parallel orientation by a first spreading bar attached adjacent parallel locations of the horizontal bars and a second spreading bar attached adjacent parallel locations on the horizontal bars and at locations spaced apart from the attachment of the first spreading bar;

f. the first spreading bar rotatably attached to the horizontal bars and having means on the interior of the spreading bars by which the spreading bar is rotated to a fixed position to cause the horizontal bar to be spread apart and by which the spreading bar is rotated so the two horizontal bars are adjacent each other;

g. the second spreading bar rotatably attached to the horizontal bars and having means on the interior of the spreading bar by which the spreading bar is rotated to a fixed position to cause the horizontal bars to be spread apart and by which the spreading bar is rotated so the two horizontal bars are adjacent each other;

h. a first support bracket attached at one end of the first horizontal bar and a parallel second support bracket attached at one end of the second horizontal bar, a first vertical leg rotatably attached to the first support bracket, the bracket including means to cause the first vertical leg to extend perpendicular to the first horizontal bar and a second vertical leg rotatably attached to the second support bracket, the bracket including means to cause the second vertical leg to extend perpendicular to the second horizontal bar and parallel to the first vertical leg; and

i. a shade member supported between the first and second horizontal bars;

j. whereby the attachment member is attached to the side of a chair by clamping the at least one pair of mating parallel walls around the side of a chair and fastening them against the side of a chair by adjusting the clamshell tightening means, and one of the two vertical legs of the portable and collapsible sunshade apparatus is affixed within the cylindrical leg receiving member and tightened to any desired height above the chair by the adjustment means, and the angle of the shade member to the chair is adjusted by rotating the second body member relative to the first body member by the ratchet mechanism and tightening the two together at the desired amount by the adjustment and tightening means.