Power supplying system for outdoor umbrella

• US 7,431,469 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2005
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oliver Joen-An Ma
• Original Assignee: Wanda Ying Li
• Inventors: Li, Wanda Ying
• Primary Examiner(s): Ward; John A
• Application Number:
  US11/292,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20070127231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 362/102, 362/252, 362/390, 362/183, 135/16, 135/910
• US Class Current: 362/102
• 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 3/00 Sticks combined with other objects
• 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 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0004 Personal or domestic articles
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/465 with solar battery as charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/202 Casings or frames around the primary casing of a single cell or a single battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/244 Secondary casings; Racks; Suspension devices; Carrying devices; Holders characterised by their mounting method
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/251 specially adapted for stationary devices, e.g. power plant buffering or backup power supplies
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 30/20 Collapsible or foldable PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/38 Energy storage means, e.g. batteries, structurally associated with PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/72 in street lighting
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 135/91 Illuminated cane or umbrella

Abstract

An outdoor umbrella includes an awning, an umbrella frame, an illumination system, a power supplying system, a solar energy supplying system, and a powering control circuit. The power supplying system includes a rechargeable battery supported by the umbrella frame and is electrically connected with the illumination system for supplying electrical power to the illumination system. The solar energy supplying system includes a solar energy collection unit for collecting solar energy, and a solar battery unit. The powering control circuit electrically connects the solar battery unit with the rechargeable battery to coordinate a power supply to the illumination system, wherein the powering control circuit selectively switches the power supply of the illumination system between the power supplying system and the solar energy supplying system for ensuring the illumination system obtaining sufficient power to provide optimal level of illumination.

Claims

1. An outdoor umbrella, comprising:

an awning;

an umbrella frame comprising an upward supporting post, and an awning supporting frame which is detachably coupled with a top portion of said supporting post and is radially extended to support said awning to define a shading area thereunder;

an illumination system provided at said umbrella frame for illuminating said shading area of said awning;

a power supplying system, which comprises a rechargeable battery which is supported by said umbrella frame and is electrically connected with said illumination system for supplying electrical power to said illumination system; and

a solar energy supplying system, comprising;

a solar energy collection unit supported on top of said umbrella frame for collecting solar energy so as to transform said solar energy into an electrical energy;

a solar battery unit which is supported at said umbrella frame and is electrically connected between said solar energy collection unit and said illumination system, wherein said solar battery unit is adapted for storing said electrical energy from said solar energy collection unit in use for said illumination system; and

a powering control circuit electrically connecting said solar battery unit with said rechargeable battery to coordinate a power supply to said illumination system, wherein said powering control circuit selectively switches said power supply of said illumination system between said power supplying system and said solar energy supplying system for ensuring said illumination system obtaining sufficient power to provide optimal level of illumination, and comprises a power switch electrically connecting between said power supplying system and said solar energy supplying system to automatically switch said power supply from said solar energy supplying system to said power supplying system when said electrical energy stored in said solar energy collection unit is below a predetermined level,

wherein said solar collection unit comprises a solar energy housing, haying at least one solar energy collection panel transversely extended on top of said solar energy housing for exposing towards sunlight, mounted on top of said supporting post, and a solar conversion circuitry which is disposed in said solar energy housing and is electrically connected between said solar energy collection panel and said solar battery unit for converting solar energy collected by said solar energy collection panel into electrical power which is then transmitted to said solar battery unit for storage,

wherein said power supplying system further comprises an electric socket supported by said supporting post to electrically connect with said illumination system and a battery recharge housing receiving said rechargeable battery to detachably couple with said electric socket so as to electrically connect said rechargeable battery with said illumination system,

wherein said electric socket, having at least a socket slot, is supported within said supporting post, wherein said battery recharge housing has at least a corresponding plugging head slidably inserted into said socket slot through said supporting post to electrically connect said rechargeable battery with said illumination system;

wherein said power supplying system further comprises a locking hub for detachably locking said battery recharge housing at said supporting post, wherein said locking hub comprises a hub body having two securing slots and two engaging arms spacedly extended from said battery recharge housing to detachably insert into said securing slots respectively so as to lock up said battery recharge housing at said supporting post.

2. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 1, wherein said hub body comprises two actuation members slidably mounted therein to form said two securing slots between two inner walls of said hub body and two outer walls of said actuation members respectively, and a resilient element having two ends biasing against said two actuation members respectively for applying an urging force against said actuation members so as to substantially retain said two engaging arms at said securing slots respectively.

3. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said engaging arms has a plurality of attachment teeth spacedly formed thereon and each of said securing slots has a plurality of engaging teeth spacedly formed on an inner walls thereof to engage with said attachment teeth when said engaging arms are slidably inserted into said securing slots respectively so as to securely lock up said battery recharge housing with said locking hub.

4. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 2, wherein each of said engaging arms has a plurality of attachment teeth spacedly formed thereon and each of said securing slots has a plurality of engaging teeth spacedly formed on an inner walls thereof to engage with said attachment teeth when said engaging arms are slidably inserted into said securing slots respectively so as to securely lock up said battery recharge housing with said locking hub.

5. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 1, wherein said electric socket further comprises an AC electric adapter provided on said umbrella frame for electrically connecting with an external AC power source so as to directly supply electricity to said illumination system without utilizing said solar energy supplying system and said power supplying system.

6. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 4, wherein said electric socket further comprises an AC electric adapter provided on said umbrella frame for electrically connecting with an external AC power source so as to directly supply electricity to said illumination system without utilizing said solar energy supplying system and said power supplying system.

7. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 6, further comprising a control switch provided on said outdoor umbrella to electrically connect with said powering control circuit for manually switching an operation of said power supplying system and said solar energy supplying system.