Patio umbrella support apparatus

• US 7,156,357 B1
• Filed: 06/22/2004
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William M. Kocur
• Original Assignee: William M. Kocur
• Inventors: Kocur, William M.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAN, KO HUNG
• Application Number:
  US10/873,786
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 248/519, 248/523, 248/530, 248/534, 248/539, 248/231.9, 521/273, 525/09, 43/212, 256/65.14, 403/388, 403/237
• US Class Current: 248/519
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/2215 driven into the ground ground anchors E02D5/80
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/2269 in a socket

Abstract

A patio umbrella support apparatus can be engaged by the mast of a patio umbrella to permit the positioning of the patio umbrella at desired, selected positions on a patio deck built with deck planks spaced apart by a conventional gap. The umbrella support apparatus is formed with an upright support member affixed to a pair of opposing horizontal support flanges that ride on top of the deck surface. A generally vertical anchoring fin is affixed to the support flanges and upright support member to fit within the conventional gap between deck planks. The anchoring fin and the horizontal flanges provide positional stability for the patio umbrella and permit flexibility in the location of the umbrella on the deck. A notch formed in the anchoring fin can receive a deck support cross beam and further limit movement of the umbrella support apparatus relative to the deck.

Claims

1. An apparatus for supporting an umbrella on a deck formed with deck planks having a thickness dimension and defining a top surface of said deck, said deck planks being positioned with a gap between adjacent planks, said umbrella including a mast, comprising:

a base member including a pair of opposing flanges oriented for engagement with said top surface of said deck;

an upright member projecting upwardly and centrally from said base member for engagement with said umbrella mast; and

an anchoring fin affixed to said base member at a central position relative to said base member and extending downwardly therefrom generally perpendicularly to said base member, said anchoring fin being positionable through said gap between adjacent deck planks, said anchoring fin having a depth dimension measured from said base member, said anchoring fin being formed with a notch sized to fit over a transversely extending frame member of said deck positioned below said deck planks.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said notch is centrally located on said anchoring fin and has a depth that is smaller than said depth dimension of said anchoring fin.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the difference in the depth of said notch and said depth dimension of said anchoring fin is substantially equal to said thickness dimension of said deck planks.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said upright member is tubular to receive said umbrella mast internally of said upright member.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said upright member includes at least one adjustment member cooperable with said upright member to engage said umbrella mast and detachably secure said umbrella mast against an interior surface of said tubular upright member.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said adjustment member is a set screw threadably engaged in a sidewall of said upright member to extend internally of said upright member and engage said umbrella mast.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said upright member is sized to fit internally of a hollow said umbrella mast.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said flanges are formed with substantial width and length dimensions to stabilize said upright member on said top surface of said deck, said anchoring fin providing positional stability for said upright member with respect to movement over said top surface.

9. In a stand for removably mounting a mast member of furniture on a deck formed from deck planks having a thickness dimension and defining a top surface of said deck, said deck planks being spaced apart by a gap, said stand having an upright member engagable with said mast member for support thereof and a base member positionable against said top surface of said deck for positional stability of said upright member, the improvement comprising:

an anchoring fin centrally affixed to said base member and being positionable through said gap between said deck planks to provide positional stability of said stand with respect to movement over said top surface of said deck said anchoring fin having a depth dimension greater than said thickness dimension of said deck planks so that said anchoring fin extends below said deck planks;

wherein said base member is formed with a pair of opposing flanges with said upright member being substantially centrally positioned between said flanges; and

wherein said anchoring fin is formed with a notch sized to fit over a frame member of said deck positioned below said deck planks.

10. The stand of claim 9 wherein said anchoring fin has a major axis that is oriented in a first direction, said opposing flanges defining a second major axis that is oriented perpendicularly to said major axis of said anchoring fin.

11. The stand of claim 9 wherein said upright member is tubular to receive said umbrella mast internally of said upright member, said upright member including at least one adjustment member cooperable with said upright member to engage said umbrella mast and detachably secure said umbrella mast against an interior surface of said tubular upright member.

12. The stand of claim 11 wherein said adjustment member is a set screw threadably engaged in a sidewall of said upright member to extend internally of said upright member and engage said umbrella mast.

13. A patio umbrella support stand for supporting a patio umbrella on a deck formed with deck planks having a thickness dimension and defining a top surface of said deck, said deck planks being positioned with a gap between adjacent planks, said patio umbrella including a mast, comprising:

a base member including a pair of opposing flanges oriented for engagement with said top surface of said deck;

an upright member projecting upwardly from said base member for receipt of said umbrella mast, said upright member being substantially centrally positioned between said flanges; and

an anchoring fin centrally affixed to said base member and extending downwardly therefrom generally perpendicularly to said base member, said anchoring fin being positionable through said gap between adjacent deck planks to provide positional stability of said stand with respect to movement over said top surface of said deck, said anchoring fin having a depth dimension measured from said base member and being greater than said thickness dimension of said deck planks so that said anchoring fin extends blow said deck planks, said anchoring fin being formed with a notch sized to fit over a transversely extending frame member of said deck positioned below said deck planks.

14. The patio umbrella support stand of claim 13 wherein said notch is centrally positioned on said anchoring fin and has a depth dimension that is smaller than said depth dimension of said anchoring fin.

15. The patio umbrella support stand of claim 14 wherein the difference in the depth of said notch and said depth dimension of said anchoring fin is substantially equal to said thickness dimension of said deck planks.

16. The patio umbrella support stand of claim 15 wherein said upright member is tubular and includes at least one set screw threadably engaged in a sidewall of said upright member to engage said umbrella mast and detachably secure said umbrella mast against an interior surface of said tubular upright member.