Adjustable shade-providing building structure

• US 7,392,816 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2005
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Porter Incorporated (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Andrew H. Porter, William H. Porter
• Inventors: Porter, Andrew H., Porter, William H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chapman; Jeanette
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kenny; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US11/242,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20070074461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 135/121, 135/122, 135/20.1, 135/23, 135/123, 135/117, 135/15.1, 135/90, 135/98
• US Class Current: 135/123
• 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 2023/0025 Umbrellas or sunshades mounted laterally on a wall or on an apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 23/00 Other umbrellas
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 10/02 of flexible canopy materials, e.g. canvas ; Baldachins
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 15/28 Umbrella type tents

Abstract

A shade structure includes a vertical column and a roof having a cover, a framework supporting the cover, and a mount attached for rotational adjustment to a top of the column and supporting the roof on the column. The framework includes a triangularly-shaped main beam arrangement comprising a plurality of beams secured together to form a triangle that lies in a vertical plane and that defines a peak and opposing first corners, with the mount being located between the peak and one of the opposing corners. The framework further includes a pair of transverse beams and a bracing beam secured to the triangular main beam arrangement that define opposing second corners. By this arrangement, an adjustable shade structure is provided that is able to withstand over 40 mph wind loads.

Claims

1. A shade structure comprising:

a vertical column; and

a roof including a cover defining an off-center single-point peak, a framework located under and supporting the cover, and a single mount located under the cover and rotatably attached to a top of the column and supporting the roof for rotation to different shade positions around the colunm including immediately adjacent the column, the mount being located inside a perimeter defined by the cover but spaced horizontally from the peak and from a center of the cover, so that the roof can be rotationally adjusted to the different shade positions to selectively provide shade around and immediately adjacent the column throughout a sunny day;

wherein the cover includes a cable extending around the perimeter, and wherein the framework includes beams with hooks on ends of the beams for engaging the cable to retain the cover to the framework, and further including a tensioner on at least one of the beams that is extendable in a direction parallel the one beam to positively engage and retain the cable under tension on the framework.

2. The shade structure defined in claim 1, wherein the framework includes beams secured together to withstand the force of over 40 mph winds.

3. The shade structure defined in claim 2, wherein the framework includes a matrix of interconnected tubular beams.

4. The shade structure defined in claim 3, wherein the cover includes a four-sided perimeter.

5. The shade structure defined in claim 1, wherein the mount includes a tube section shaped to fit onto and rotatably engage the top of the column.

12. The shade structure defined in claim 1, wherein the beams include opposing beams, each having one of the tensioners.

13. The shade structure defined in claim 1, A shade structure comprising:

a vertical column; and

a roof including a cover defining an off-center single-point peak, a framework located under and supporting the cover, and a single mount located under the cover and rotatably attached to a top of the colunm and supporting the roof for rotation to different shade positions around the colunm including immediately adjacent the column, the mount being located inside a perimeter defined by the cover but spaced horizontally from the peak and from a center of the cover, so that the roof can be rotationally adjusted to the different shade positions to selectively provide shade around and immediately adjacent the column throughout a sunny day;

wherein the framework includes first, second, and third beams secured rigidly together to form a triangular arrangement defining a vertical plane, including opposing corners and a peak.

15. The shade structure defined in claim 1, wherein the cover is a fabric material.

16. The shade structure defined in claim 15, wherein the framework includes a tensioner for tensioning a perimeter of the cover to retain the cover to the framework.

17. The shade structure defined in claim 15, including a permanent foundation, the column being secured to the foundation to form a building structure.

18. The shade structure defined in claim 1, including bearing material positioned on and around the colunm for rotatably supporting the mount on the column.

19. The shade structure defined in claim 18, wherein the bearing material includes at least one top pad and at least three side pads engaging the top of the colunm and an inside of the mount.

6. A shade structure comprising:

a vertical column; and

a roof including a cover defining an off-center single-point peak, a framework located under and supporting the cover, and a single mount located under the cover and rotatably attached to a top of the colunm and supporting the roof for rotation to different shade positions around the colunm including immediately adjacent the column, the mount being located inside a perimeter defined by the cover but spaced horizontally from the peak and from a center of the cover, so that the roof can be rotationally adjusted to the different shade positions to selectively provide shade around and immediately adjacent the column throughout a sunny day;

wherein the mount includes a tube section shaped to fit onto and rotatably engage the top of the column;

wherein the framework includes first and second beams fixed to and extending from the mount at different height locations.

7. The shade structure defined in claim 6, wherein the framework includes a third beam secured to and extending from an inboard end of the first beam and that defines a peak with the first beam.

8. The shade structure defined in claim 7, including fourth and fifth beams connected to the peak and extending in a lateral direction from the peak, the first, third, fourth and fifth beams forming corners on the cover.

9. A shade structure comprising:

a vertical column; and

a roof including a cover, a framework supporting the cover, and a mount attached to a top of the column and supporting the roof for rotation to different shade positions around the colunm including immediately adjacent the column, the mount being located inside a perimeter defined by the cover but spaced horizontally from a center of the cover, so that the roof can be rotationally adjusted to the different shade positions to selectively provide shade around and immediately adjacent the column throughout a sunny day;

wherein the mount includes a tube section shaped to fit onto and rotatably engage the top of the column;

wherein the framework includes first and second beams fixed to and extending from the mount at different height locations;

wherein the framework includes a third beam secured to and extending from an inboard end of the first beam and that defines a peak with the first beam;

including fourth and fifth beams connected to the peak and extending in a lateral direction from the peak, the first, third, fourth and fifth beams forming corners on the cover; and

a transverse beam connecting the fourth and fifth beams at a location spaced from the peak to stabilize the fourth and fifth beams on the framework.

10. A shade structure comprising:

a vertical column; and

a roof including a cover defining an off-center single-point peak, a framework located under and supporting the cover, and a single mount located under the cover and rotatably attached to a top of the colunm and supporting the roof for rotation to different shade positions around the colunm including immediately adjacent the column, the mount being located inside a perimeter defined by the cover but spaced horizontally from the peak and from a center of the cover, so that the roof can be rotationally adjusted to the different shade positions to selectively provide shade around and immediately adjacent the column throughout a sunny day;

including a locking mechanism on the mount and on the top of the column that is selectively engageable to hold the mount in a selected angular position on the column.

11. The shade structure defined in claim 10, wherein the locking mechanism includes a locking pin and further includes a plurality of holes in the mount and in the top of the column that can be selectively aligned at different angular positions of the mount to receive the locking pin.

14. A shade structure comprising:

a vertical column; and

a roof including a cover defining an off-center single-point peak, a framework located under and supporting the cover, and a single mount located under the cover and rotatably attached to a top of the colunm and supporting the roof for rotation to different shade positions around the colunm including immediately adjacent the column, the mount being located inside a perimeter defined by the cover but spaced horizontally from the peak and from a center of the cover, so that the roof can be rotationally adjusted to the different shade positions to selectively provide shade around and immediately adjacent the column throughout a sunny day;

including a rotation lock mechanism for locking the mount on the top of the column in different angular positions.

20. A shade structure comprising:

a vertical column; and

a roof including a cover, a framework, and a mount rotatably attached to a top of the column and supporting the roof on the column, the framework including a triangular main beam arrangement comprising a plurality of beams secured together to form a triangular structure lying in a first vertical plane and defining a single-point peak offset from a center of the roof and opposing first corners, with the mount being located under the cover and between the peak and one of the opposing first corners, the framework further including at least one transverse beam secured to the triangular main beam arrangement and extending laterally that defines opposing second corners, the cover being symmetrically bisected by the first vertical plane but being asymmetrical when bisected by a second vertical plane passing through the second corners, at least two of the beams being fixed to and extending from the mount at different height locations.

21. The shade structure defined in claim 20, wherein the at least one transverse beam includes a pair of transverse beams and a bracing beam secured to the triangular main beam arrangement and that define opposing second corners.

22. A shade structure comprising:

an overhead metal frame;

fabric stretched over an outside of the frame with the frame being under the fabric, the overhead metal frame including at least one tensioning device for tensioning a cable extending around a perimeter of the fabric and retaining the fabric on the overhead metal frame;

an offset column mounted near but inside a perimeter of the overhead metal frame; and

a single mount rotatably engaging a top of the colunm and defining a pivot joint that is the sole support that connects the colunm to the overhead metal frame so that the overhead metal frame and fabric can be rotated to provide shading to fixed objects therebelow as the sun moves across the sky, the mount including a tube section and a top plate rotatably engaging a top of the column, the overhead metal frame including at least two beams being fixed to and extending from the mount at different height locations.