Solar lighting system for outdoors umbrella

• US 6,830,058 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2003
• Issued: 12/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oliver Joen-An Ma
• Original Assignee: Wanda Ying Li
• Inventors: Li, Wanda Ying
• Primary Examiner(s): Canfield, Robert
• Application Number:
  US10/436,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20040226598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 135/16, 135/98, 135/910, 362/102
• 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 2200/1027 with means for generating solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 23/00 Other umbrellas
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 25/10 Umbrella crowns A45B25/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 3/04 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/035 the solar unit being integrated within the support for the lighting unit, e.g. within or on a pole
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/088 Clips; Clamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0004 Personal or domestic articles
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/008 Leisure, hobby or sport articles, e.g. toys, games or first-aid kits; Hand tools; Toolboxes
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/10 Outdoor lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/72 in street lighting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 135/91 Illuminated cane or umbrella

Abstract

A solar lighting system, which is incorporated with an outdoors umbrella, includes a solar energy collector mounted on top of the outdoors umbrella, a light support, which is adjustably mounted along a supporting shaft of the outdoors umbrella at a position within the shadowing area of the awning frame, including a plurality of supporting arms radially extended from the supporting shaft, and a plurality of illuminators connecting to the supporting arms respectively in a movably suspended manner such that by selectively adjusting a position of the light support along the supporting shaft, the illuminators are suspendedly self-repositioned for maximizing a light coverage area within the shadowing area.

Claims

1. An outdoors umbrella, comprising:

an awning frame defining a shadowing area thereunder;

a supporting frame comprising a supporting shaft having an upper portion connected to said awning frame; and

a solar lighting system, comprising;

a solar energy collector mounted on top of said awning frame for collecting solar energy;

a light support, which is adjustably mounted along the supporting shaft at a position within the shadowing area of the awning frame, comprising a central hub having a central sliding through slot for said supporting shaft sliding therethrough, and a plurality of supporting arms radially extended from said central hub; and

a plurality of illuminating units each comprising an illuminator electrically connected to said solar energy collector through said awning frame and a coupling joint connecting said illuminator to said respective supporting arm in a movably suspended manner such that by selectively adjusting a position of said light support along said supporting shaft, said illuminators are suspendedly self-repositioned for maximizing a light coverage area within said shadowing area.

2. The outdoors umbrella, as recited in claim 1, wherein said central hub comprises a boundary sleeve having an arc-shaped and a boundary cover interlocked with said boundary sleeve to form said central sliding through slot within inner walls of said boundary sleeve and said boundary cover, and a locking member having a locking end rotatably penetrated through said boundary cover to bias against said supporting shaft so as to lock up said central hub at said supporting shaft in position.

3. The outdoors umbrella, as recited in claim 2, wherein said boundary sleeve has two locking grooves formed along two edge portions and said boundary cover has two locking edges, each having a hook shaped corresponding to said locking groove, fittedly engaged with said locking grooves so as to interlock said boundary cover with said boundary sleeve.

4. The outdoors umbrella, as recited in claim 2, wherein said light support further comprises a first securing member detachably attached to said inner wall of said boundary sleeve to bias against said supporting shaft and a second securing member attached to said locking end of said locking member at said inner wall of said boundary cover, wherein said second securing member is driven by said locking member to substantially bias against said supporting shaft such that said supporting shaft is securely clamped between said first and second securing members.

5. The outdoors umbrella, as recited in claim 3, wherein said light support further comprises a first securing member detachably attached to said inner wall of said boundary sleeve to bias against said supporting shaft and a second securing member attached to said locking end of said locking member at said inner wall of said boundary cover, wherein said second securing member is driven by said locking member to adjust a size of said central sliding through slot for fittingly biasing against said supporting shaft such that said supporting shaft is securely clamped between said first and second securing members.

6. The outdoors umbrella, as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said coupling joints has a ball slot formed at a distal end of said respective supporting arm and comprises a spherical head which is formed on top of said respective illuminator and is arranged to rotatably engage with said respective ball slot in free-swinging manner.

7. The outdoors umbrella, as recited in claim 2, wherein each of said coupling joints has a ball slot formed at a distal end of said respective supporting arm and comprises a spherical head which is formed on top of said respective illuminator and is arranged to rotatably engage with said respective ball slot in free-swinging manner.

8. The outdoors umbrella, as recited in claim 5, wherein each of said coupling joints has a ball slot formed at a distal end of said respective supporting arm and comprises a spherical head which is formed on top of said respective illuminator and is arranged to rotatably engage with said respective ball slot in free-swinging manner.

9. The outdoors umbrella, as recited in claim 1, wherein said solar energy collector comprises a collector base, having a circular shaped, coaxially mounted on a top end portion of said supporting shaft at a position above said awning frame, and a solar energy collecting device which is provided on a platform of said collector base and is upwardly oriented for collecting said solar energy so as to convert said solar energy into electrical energy to said illuminators.

10. The outdoors umbrella, as recited in claim 5, wherein said solar energy collector comprises a collector base, having a circular shaped, coaxially mounted on a top end portion of said supporting shaft at a position above said awning frame, and a solar energy collecting device which is provided on a platform of said collector base and is upwardly oriented for collecting said solar energy so as to convert said solar energy into electrical energy to said illuminators.

11. The outdoors umbrella, as recited in claim 8, wherein said solar energy collector comprises a collector base, having a circular shaped, coaxially mounted on a top end portion of said supporting shaft at a position above said awning frame, and a solar energy collecting device which is provided on a platform of said collector base and is upwardly oriented for collecting said solar energy so as to convert said solar energy into electrical energy to said illuminators.

12. The outdoors umbrella, as recited in claim 9, wherein said solar energy collector further comprises a protective cover substantially affixed to said upper housing on top of said supporting shaft to securely sandwich said collector base between the upper housing and the protective cover, so as to retain said solar energy collecting device in position.

13. The outdoors umbrella, as recited in claim 10, wherein said solar energy collector further comprises a protective cover substantially affixed to said upper housing on top of said supporting shaft to securely sandwich said collector base between the upper housing and the protective cover, so as to retain said solar energy collecting device in position.

14. The outdoors umbrella, as recited in claim 11, wherein said solar energy collector further comprises a protective cover substantially affixed to said upper housing on top of said supporting shaft to securely sandwich said collector base between the upper housing and the protective cover, so as to retain said solar energy collecting device in position.

15. The outdoors umbrella, as recited in claim 1, wherein said awning frame comprises an upper housing affixed on top of said supporting shaft to support said solar energy collector, a lower housing slidably connected to said supporting shaft at a position below said upper housing, a plurality of hollow awning arms radially and pivotally extended from said upper housing to support an awning shelter thereon, and a plurality of hollow awning ribs pivotally connecting said lower housing with said awning arms respectively, wherein said solar energy collector is electrically connected with said illuminators via an electric cable which extended through one of said awning arms and said awning rib.

16. The outdoors umbrella, as recited in claim 8, wherein said awning frame comprises an upper housing affixed on top of said supporting shaft to support said solar energy collector, a lower housing slidably connected to said supporting shaft at a position below said upper housing, a plurality of hollow awning arms radially and pivotally extended from said upper housing to support an awning shelter thereon, and a plurality of hollow awning ribs pivotally connecting said lower housing with said awning arms respectively, wherein said solar energy collector is electrically connected with said illuminators via an electric cable which extended through one of said awning arms and said awning rib.

17. The outdoors umbrella, as recited in claim 14, wherein said awning frame comprises an upper housing affixed on top of said supporting shaft to support said solar energy collector, a lower housing slidably connected to said supporting shaft at a position below said upper housing, a plurality of hollow awning arms radially and pivotally extended from said upper housing to support an awning shelter thereon, and a plurality of hollow awning ribs pivotally connecting said lower housing with said awning arms respectively, wherein said solar energy collector is electrically connected with said illuminators via an electric cable which extended through one of said awning arms and said awning rib.

18. The outdoors umbrella, as recited in claim 1, wherein said solar lighting system further comprises a power source unit which comprises a power source supported by said supporting frame to electrically connect with said illuminating units and an recharging device electrically connecting said solar energy collector with said power source for converting said solar energy into electrical energy so as to recharge said power source.

19. The outdoors umbrella, as recited in claim 11, wherein said solar lighting system further comprises a power source unit which comprises a power source supported by said supporting frame to electrically connect with said illuminating units and an recharging device electrically connecting said solar energy collector with said power source for converting said solar energy into electrical energy so as to recharge said power source.

20. The outdoors umbrella, as recited in claim 17, wherein said solar lighting system further comprises a power source unit which comprises a power source supported by said supporting frame to electrically connect with said illuminating units and an recharging device electrically connecting said solar energy collector with said power source for converting said solar energy into electrical energy so as to recharge said power source.