Umbrella apparatus

• US 7,753,546 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2008
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LakeSouth Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: World Factory Incorporated
• Inventors: Kuelbs, Gregory G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sawhney; Hargobind S
• Application Number:
  US12/255,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20090056775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 362/102, 362/191, 362/577, 135/20.1, 135/20.3, 135/22, 135/24, 135/25.4, 135/98, 135/161, 135/910, 242/390.8
• 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 2025/146 with a crank connected to a rope
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2200/1018 with illuminating devices, e.g. electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2200/1045 with a misting device having at least one nozzle for spraying a fluid, e.g. water
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 25/14 Devices for opening and for closing umbrellas
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 3/04 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/03 rechargeable by exposure to light
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/006 General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0096 Fans, e.g. ceiling fans forced cooling of lighting devices characterised by the arrangement of fans F21V29/67
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 5/0035 using evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/54 Free-cooling systems

Abstract

An umbrella apparatus includes a pole portion, a canopy portion hingedly coupled to the pole portion, the canopy portion having a plurality of support ribs and a plurality of support struts, and at least one lamp module mounted to the canopy portion, each lamp module having a plurality of light emitting diodes, each light emitting diode being aimed in a selected fixed direction, at least one of the light emitting diodes being aimed in a direction that is not normal to the support rib to which the lamp module is mounted.

Claims

1. An umbrella apparatus, comprising:

a pole portion;

a canopy portion hingedly coupled to the pole portion, the canopy portion having a plurality of support ribs and a plurality of support struts; and

a battery module installed around the pole portion, the battery module having multiple batteries arranged in an array about the pole portion and having a base coupled to the pole portion and a separate cover removable removal from the base, so as to expose the multiple batteries;

wherein the battery module includes an upper plate and a lower plate that cooperate to retain the batteries in the battery module; and

wherein the base remains coupled to the pole portion when the cover is separated from the base.

2. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the removable cover translates coaxially with the pole.

3. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a lighting system carried by the battery module.

4. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base is a two-piece spool-shaped component.

5. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base is a one-piece spool-shaped component.

6. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the battery module is rotatably installed around the pole portion.

7. The umbrella apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a lighting system carried by the battery module;

wherein the battery module is rotatably positioned about the pole portion such that light emitted from the lighting system is directed for illuminating a selected location.