Attachable/detachable sun shade apparatus

• US 7,753,063 B1
• Filed: 12/17/2008
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iron Turtle, LLC
• Original Assignee: John E. Laws
• Inventors: Laws, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): YIP, WINNIE S
• Application Number:
  US12/336,599
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 135/90, 135/96, 135/117, 135/155, 135/88.04, 135/143, 297/184.1, 297/184.11, 297/184.15, 297/184.17, 280/647, 280/650
• US Class Current: 135/96
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/66 Means to protect against weather

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to portable sun shades, and more particularly to those that are attachable to portable chairs. The sun shade invention includes a set of chair connectors that are “press fit” onto a frame member of a portable chair, and the chair connectors mechanically support the weight of the sun shade so that it maintains its position on the chair, without any other fasteners or locking hardware. The sun shade also includes a flexible support member along each side of its overall frame structure, which allows the sun shade to be positioned at various angles with respect to the horizontal plane. The sun shade further includes an adjustable width capability so that it can be mounted onto different models of portable chairs, of different widths.

Claims

1. A support frame apparatus for a sun shade, said support frame comprising:

(a) a first frame-half sub-assembly, comprising;

a first elongated support member extending between a first end and a second end along a first longitudinal axis;

a first elongated press fit chair connector member extending between a third end and a fourth end along a second longitudinal axis;

a first variable angle member that is in mechanical communication with said second end of the first elongated support member and that is in mechanical communication with said third end of the first elongated press fit chair connector member;

(b) a second frame-half sub-assembly, comprising;

a second elongated support member extending between a fifth end and a sixth end along a third longitudinal axis;

a second elongated press fit chair connector member extending between a seventh end and an eighth end along a fourth longitudinal axis;

a second variable angle member that is in mechanical communication with said sixth end of the second elongated support member and that is in mechanical communication with said seventh end of the second elongated press fit chair connector member; and

(c) at least one cross-frame member that is in mechanical communication with said first elongated support member and with said second elongated support member and, in one configuration, which tends to hold said first and second elongated support members in a spaced-apart relationship;

wherein;

said first and second press fit chair connector members each are capable of being press fit to, and then maintain their positions on, an external object without the use of locking/unlocking hardware; and

said first and second press fit chair connector members are spaced-apart from one another, and at their fourth and eighth ends are capable of being moved to a plurality of different positions, each having a varying distance from one another, without the use of locking/unlocking hardware.

2. The support frame apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one cross-frame member comprises:

(a) a first elongated support arm extending between a ninth end and a tenth end along a fifth longitudinal axis, in which said ninth end is pivotally mounted to said first elongated support member;

(b) a second elongated support arm extending between an eleventh end and a twelfth end along a sixth longitudinal axis, in which said eleventh end is pivotally mounted to said second elongated support member; and

(c) a locking member that engages said tenth end of the first support arm and engages said twelfth end of the second support arm, in which both said tenth end and said twelfth end are pivotally mounted to said to said locking member;

wherein;

(d) said first and second support arms can be positioned in a first configuration such that their fifth and sixth longitudinal axes are substantially co-linear to one another, and thereby essentially lock said first and second elongated support members into a distal spaced-apart position; and

(e) said first and second support arms can be pivoted from said first configuration and re-positioned into a second configuration such that their fifth and sixth longitudinal axes are substantially parallel to one another, and thereby essentially collapse said first and second elongated support members into a proximal position.

3. The support frame apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

(a) said distal spaced-apart position of the first and second elongated support members places the first and second elongated support members at a maximum distance from one another for use as a sun shade, and

(b) said proximal position of the first and second elongated support members places the first and second elongated support members at a minimum distance from one another, for storage.

4. The support frame apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first and second variable angle members each comprise:

a torsion spring having a first extension wire that is in contact with one of said first and second elongated support members, and a second extension wire that is in contact with one of said first and second elongated press fit chair connector members.

5. The support frame apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first and second variable angle members each comprise:

an elongated flexible tubular member that extends between an end having a first coupler and an end having a second coupler, wherein said first coupler is in contact with one of said first and second elongated support members, and said second coupler is in contact with one of said first and second elongated press fit chair connector members.

6. The support frame apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a flexible material covering that is positioned between said first and second elongated support members to create a shade area beneath said flexible material covering.

7. The support frame apparatus of claim 6, wherein said wherein said at least one cross-frame member is deployed in a maximum length configuration that tends to stretch said flexible material covering.

8. The support frame apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first elongated press fit chair connector member exhibits a first elongated slot opening at its fourth end, and said second elongated press fit chair connector member exhibits a second elongated slot opening at its eighth end.

9. The support frame apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first and second elongated slots are sufficiently rigid to maintain a mechanical fit between an external chair and said support frame apparatus at attachment points, but also said first and second elongated slots exhibit sufficient flexibility to allow said external chair to be of different sizes at the attachment points.

10. The support frame apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) a first set of retainer strings that extend between said first elongated press fit chair connector member and said first end of the first elongated support member, and

(b) a second set of retainer strings that extend between said second elongated press fit chair connector member and said fifth end of the second elongated support member.

11. A support frame apparatus for a sun shade, said support frame comprising:

(a) a first frame-half sub-assembly, comprising;

a first elongated support member extending between a first end and a second end along a first longitudinal axis;

a first elongated press fit chair connector member extending between a third end and a fourth end along a second longitudinal axis;

a first variable angle member that is in mechanical communication with said second end of the first elongated support member and that is in mechanical communication with said third end of the first elongated press fit chair connector member;

(b) a second frame-half sub-assembly, comprising;

a second elongated support member extending between a fifth end and a sixth end along a third longitudinal axis;

a second elongated press fit chair connector member extending between a seventh end and an eighth end along a fourth longitudinal axis;

a second variable angle member that is in mechanical communication with said sixth end of the second elongated support member and that is in mechanical communication with said seventh end of the second elongated press fit chair connector member; and

(c) at least one cross-frame member that is in mechanical communication with said first elongated support member and with said second elongated support member and, in one configuration, which tends to hold said first and second elongated support members in a spaced-apart relationship;

wherein;

said first variable angle member allows a first angle between said first longitudinal axis and said second longitudinal axis to be varied by a human user, without the use of additional fasteners, while maintaining structural mechanical communication between said first elongated support member and said first variable angle member, and while maintaining structural mechanical communication between said first variable angle member and said first elongated press fit chair connector member;

said second variable angle member allows a second angle between said third longitudinal axis and said fourth longitudinal axis to be varied by a human user, without the use of additional fasteners, while maintaining structural mechanical communication between said second elongated support member and said second variable angle member, and while maintaining structural mechanical communication between said second variable angle member and said second elongated press fit chair connector member; and

said first and second elongated press fit chair connector members each are capable of being affixed to an external object.

12. The support frame apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

said first and second press fit chair connector members each are capable of being press fit to, and then maintain their positions on, said external object without the use of locking/unlocking hardware; and

said first and second press fit chair connector members are spaced-apart from one another, and at their fourth and eighth ends are capable of being moved to a plurality of different positions, each having a varying distance from one another, without the use of locking/unlocking hardware.

13. The support frame apparatus of claim 11, wherein said at least one cross-frame member comprises:

(a) a first elongated support arm extending between a ninth end and a tenth end along a fifth longitudinal axis, in which said ninth end is pivotally mounted to said first elongated support member;

(b) a second elongated support arm extending between an eleventh end and a twelfth end along a sixth longitudinal axis, in which said eleventh end is pivotally mounted to said second elongated support member; and

(c) a locking member that engages said tenth end of the first support arm and engages said twelfth end of the second support arm, in which both said tenth end and said twelfth end are pivotally mounted to said to said locking member;

wherein;

(d) said first and second support arms can be positioned in a first configuration such that their fifth and sixth longitudinal axes are substantially co-linear to one another, and thereby essentially lock said first and second elongated support members into a distal spaced-apart position; and

(e) said first and second support arms can be pivoted from said first configuration and re-positioned into a second configuration such that their fifth and sixth longitudinal axes are substantially parallel to one another, and thereby essentially collapse said first and second elongated support members into a proximal position.

14. The support frame apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

(a) said distal spaced-apart position of the first and second elongated support members places the first and second elongated support members at a maximum distance from one another for use as a sun shade, and

(b) said proximal position of the first and second elongated support members places the first and second elongated support members at a minimum distance from one another, for storage.

15. The support frame apparatus of claim 11, wherein said first and second variable angle members each comprise:

a torsion spring having a first extension wire that is in contact with one of said first and second elongated support members, and a second extension wire that is in contact with one of said first and second elongated press fit chair connector members.

16. The support frame apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a flexible material covering that is positioned between said first and second elongated support members to create a shade area beneath said flexible material covering.

17. The support frame apparatus of claim 16, wherein said wherein said at least one cross-frame member is deployed in a maximum length configuration that tends to stretch said flexible material covering.

18. The support frame apparatus of claim 11, wherein said first elongated press fit chair connector member exhibits a first elongated slot opening at its fourth end, and said second elongated press fit chair connector member exhibits a second elongated slot opening at its eighth end.

19. The support frame apparatus of claim 18, wherein said first and second elongated slots are sufficiently rigid to maintain a mechanical fit between an external chair and said support frame apparatus at attachment points, but also said first and second elongated slots exhibit sufficient flexibility to allow said external chair to be of different sizes at the attachment points.

20. The support frame apparatus of claim 15, wherein said first elongated support member and said first elongated press fit chair connector member can be folded at said torsion spring, thereby placing said support frame apparatus into a compacted configuration for storage.