Functional umbrella hub

• US 7,481,547 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2006
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oliver Joen-An Ma
• Original Assignee: Wanda Ying Li
• Inventors: Li, Wanda Ying
• Primary Examiner(s): Negron; Ismael
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALLEN, DANIELLE NICOLE
• Application Number:
  US11/515,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20080055886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 362/102
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2023/005 the support arm being attached to a rib or being formed by a rib
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2200/1027 with means for generating solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2200/1036 with means for promoting air movement, e.g. ventilation holes, fans, ventilators, special shape for ventilation, suction means
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 3/00 Sticks combined with other objects
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 3/04 electrical

Abstract

A functional umbrella hub for an outdoor umbrella having a plurality of awning arms and a connector head electrically extended from a power source, wherein the functional umbrella hub includes a functional appliance, a hub body, and a functional hub. The hub body has a plurality of hinges for respectively coupling with the awning arms in a radially extending manner and an interior cavity for the connector head disposing therein. The functional hub has a speaker compartment and an audio outlet, wherein the functional appliance is built-in with the functional hub that the speaker is securely supported within the speaker compartment at the audio outlet such that the functional umbrella hub is adapted for not only operatively incorporating with the outdoor umbrella via the hub body but also providing the additional function for the outdoor umbrella via the functional hub to enhance a practical use thereof.

Claims

1. A functional umbrella hub for an outdoor umbrella having a plurality of awning arms and a connector head electrically extended from a power source, wherein said functional umbrella hub comprises:

a functional appliance for electrically connecting with said connector head, wherein said functional appliance comprises a speaker unit to generate an audio sound as an additional function for said outdoor umbrella;

a hub body having a plurality of hinges for respectively coupling with said awning arms in a radially extending manner and an interior cavity for said connector head disposing therein; and

a functional hub, which is downwardly extended from said hub body to communicate with said interior cavity thereof, having a speaker compartment and an audio outlet, wherein said functional appliance is built-in with said functional hub that said speaker is securely supported within said speaker compartment at said audio outlet such that said functional umbrella hub is adapted for not only operatively incorporating with said outdoor umbrella via said hub body but also providing said additional function for said outdoor umbrella via said functional hub to enhance a practical use thereof.

2. The functional umbrella hub, as recited in claim 1, wherein said functional appliance further comprises a light arrangement provided at a bottom side of said functional hub for electrically connecting with said connector head so as to generate a light illumination as another additional function for said outdoor umbrella.

3. The functional umbrella hub, as recited in claim 2, wherein said light arrangement comprises a ring-shaped light housing, having a connector inlet for electrically connecting to said connector head, mounted to said bottom side of said functional hub and a plurality of illumination elements spacedly and coaxially mounted at said light housing for illuminating an area under said awning arms.

4. The functional umbrella hub, as recited in claim 1, wherein said functional hub is integrally extended from said hub body to form a one-piece integral hub for allowing said connector head extending into said functional hub from said interior cavity of said hub body.

5. The functional umbrella hub, as recited in claim 2, wherein said functional hub is integrally extended from said hub body to form a one-piece integral hub for allowing said connector head extending into said functional hub from said interior cavity of said hub body.

6. The functional umbrella hub, as recited in claim 3, wherein said functional hub is integrally extended from said hub body to form a one-piece integral hub for allowing said connector head extending into said functional hub from said interior cavity of said hub body.

7. The functional umbrella hub, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a mounting unit for detachably mounting said functional hub under said hub body, wherein said mounting unit comprises a retaining panel integrally formed at said bottom side of said hub body and at least a fastening element detachably fastening said functional hub at said retaining panel to detachably mount said functional hub to said hub body.

8. The functional umbrella hub, as recited in claim 2, further comprising a mounting unit for detachably mounting said functional hub under said hub body, wherein said mounting unit comprises a retaining panel integrally formed at said bottom side of said hub body and at least a fastening element detachably fastening said functional hub at said retaining panel to detachably mount said functional hub to said hub body.

9. The functional umbrella hub, as recited in claim 3, further comprising a mounting unit for detachably mounting said functional hub under said hub body, wherein said mounting unit comprises a retaining panel integrally formed at said bottom side of said hub body and at least a fastening element detachably fastening said functional hub at said retaining panel to detachably mount said functional hub to said hub body.

10. The functional umbrella hub, as recited in claim 7, wherein said functional appliance further comprises a ventilation arrangement provided at said hub body for electrically connecting with said connector head, wherein said ventilation arrangement comprises a ring-shaped driving rotor rotatably and coaxially mounted at an outer wall of said hub body and a plurality of fan blades spacedly mounted to said driving rotor such that when said driving rotor is driven to rotate, said fan blades are swinging for creating a ventilating effect under said awning arms.

11. The functional umbrella hub, as recited in claim 8, wherein said functional appliance further comprises a ventilation arrangement provided at said hub body for electrically connecting with said connector head, wherein said ventilation arrangement comprises a ring-shaped driving rotor rotatably and coaxially mounted at an outer wall of said hub body and a plurality of fan blades spacedly mounted to said driving rotor such that when said driving rotor is driven to rotate, said fan blades are swinging for creating a ventilating effect under said awning arms.

12. The functional umbrella hub, as recited in claim 9, wherein said functional appliance further comprises a ventilation arrangement provided at said hub body for electrically connecting with said connector head, wherein said ventilation arrangement comprises a ring-shaped driving rotor rotatably and coaxially mounted at an outer wall of said hub body and a plurality of fan blades spacedly mounted to said driving rotor such that when said driving rotor is driven to rotate, said fan blades are swinging for creating a ventilating effect under said awning arms.

13. The functional umbrella hub, as recited in claim 10, wherein said hub body has an ring-shaped upper portion defining said hinges thereat and a lower portion which is operatively coupling with said ventilation arrangement and is detachably engaging with said functional hub.

14. The functional umbrella hub, as recited in claim 11, wherein said hub body has an ring-shaped upper portion defining said hinges thereat and a lower portion which is operatively coupling with said ventilation arrangement and is detachably engaging with said functional hub.

15. The functional umbrella hub, as recited in claim 12, wherein said hub body has an ring-shaped upper portion defining said hinges thereat and a lower portion which is operatively coupling with said ventilation arrangement and is detachably engaging with said functional hub.

16. A functional umbrella hub, functional umbrella hub for an outdoor umbrella having a plurality of awning arms and a connector head electrically extended from a power source, wherein said functional umbrella hub comprises:

a functional appliance for electrically connecting with said connector head, wherein said functional appliance comprises a light arrangement to generate light illumination as an additional function for said outdoor umbrella;

a hub body having a plurality of hinges for respectively coupling with said awning arms in a radially extending manner and an interior cavity for said connector head disposing therein; and

a functional hub integrally and downwardly extended from said hub body in one-piece integral structure to communicate with said interior cavity thereof, wherein said functional appliance is built-in with said functional hub that said light arrangement is provided at a bottom said of said functional hub, such that said functional umbrella hub is adapted for not only operatively incorporating with said outdoor umbrella via said hub body but also providing said additional function for said outdoor umbrella via said functional hub to enhance a practical use thereof.

17. The functional umbrella hub, as recited in claim 16, wherein said light arrangement comprises a ring-shaped light housing, having a connector inlet for electrically connecting to said connector head, mounted to said bottom side of said functional hub and a plurality of illumination elements spacedly and coaxially mounted at said light housing for illuminating an area under said awning arms.

18. The functional umbrella hub, as recited in claim 17, wherein said illumination elements are a plurality of LEDs electrically and spacedly mounted at said light housing.

19. The functional umbrella hub, as recited in claim 16, wherein said light arrangement comprises a light housing having a connector inlet for electrically connecting to said connector head, mounted to said bottom side of said functional hub and a ring-shaped light tube mounted at said light housing for illuminating an area under said awning arms.

20. The functional umbrella hub, as recited in claim 19, wherein said light tube is a ring-shaped fluorescent light tube.