Outdoor umbrella with audio system

• US 7,778,624 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2006
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• 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): Anderson; Matthew D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bilodeau; David
• Application Number:
  US11/515,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20080076379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 455/344, 381/103
• US Class Current: 455/344
• 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 2023/0037 the support arm being attached to the stick or to the crown, the canopy being suspended there below
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2023/005 the support arm being attached to a rib or being formed by a rib
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2023/0056 the support arm being formed by lazy-tongs, one support arm being a rib and the other arm being attached to the runner and to the rib
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2023/0068 the support arm being foldable
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2200/1018 with illuminating devices, e.g. electrical
• 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 23/00 Other umbrellas
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 27/00 Ladies' or like fans
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 3/04 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F

Abstract

An outdoor umbrella includes a supporting frame, an awning frame and an audio system. The awning frame includes a functional umbrella hub suspendedly supported by the supporting frame, a plurality of awning frames radially and outwardly extended from the functional umbrella hub, and an awning supported by the awning arms to define a shading area under the awning, wherein the functional umbrella hub has a speaker compartment and an audio outlet. The audio system, as a built-in sound system includes a control panel supported at the supporting frame for inputting an audio signal, and a speaker unit. The speaker unit is supported within the speaker compartment of the functional umbrella hub to align with the audio outlet, wherein when the audio signal is input at the control panel, the audio signal is transmitted to the speaker unit for generating an audio sound as an additional function for the outdoor umbrella.

Claims

1. An outdoor umbrella, comprising:

a supporting frame;

a foldable awning frame which comprises a functional umbrella hub suspendedly supported by said supporting frame, a plurality of awning frames radially and outwardly extended from said functional umbrella hub, and an awning supported by said awning arms to define a shading area under said awning, wherein said functional umbrella hub has a speaker compartment and an audio outlet; and

an audio system, as a built-in sound system, comprising;

a control panel comprising an auxiliary input for inputting an audio signal, said control panel is located at a position consisting of inside said functional umbrella hub and at said supporting frame at a distance greater than the radius of said awning frame from the top of said supporting frame;

a speaker unit supported within said speaker compartment of said functional umbrella hub to align with said audio outlet, wherein when said audio signal is input at said control panel, said audio signal is electrically communicated to said speaker unit for generating an audio sound as an additional function for said outdoor umbrella; and

a wireless transmission link for wirelessly transmitting said audio signal from said control panel to said speaker unit, wherein said wireless transmission link comprises a wireless transmitter integrated with said control panel and a wireless receiver which is integrated with said speaker unit and is wirelessly communicating with said wireless transmitter to wireless transmit said audio signal from said control panel to said speaker unit.

2. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 1, wherein said control panel is supported at said supporting frame, and comprises an auxiliary input for communicatively connecting to a portable music player to receive said audio signal therefrom such that said control panel transmits said audio signal to said speaker unit for music broadcasting, a control circuitry electrically communicated with said speaker unit to selectively operate and control said speaker unit, and a display screen electrically connected to said control circuitry for displaying an operation status thereof.

3. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 1, wherein said supporting frame comprises a hollow supporting shaft having an upper portion coupling with said awning frame, wherein said audio system comprises an audio transmitting cable extending from said control panel to said speaker through said supporting shaft so as to transmit said audio signal from said control panel to said speaker unit via said audio transmitting cable.

4. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 2, wherein said supporting frame comprises a hollow supporting shaft having an upper portion coupling with said awning frame, wherein said audio system comprises an audio transmitting cable extending from said control panel to said speaker through said supporting shaft so as to transmit said audio signal from said control panel to said speaker unit via said audio transmitting cable.

5. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 1, wherein said functional umbrella hub further has a resonance chamber at said speaker compartment, wherein said speaker unit further comprises a subwoofer speaker supported at said resonance chamber for enhancing a sound quality of said audio sound output from said speaker unit.

6. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 2, wherein said functional umbrella hub further has a resonance chamber at said speaker compartment, wherein said speaker unit further comprises a subwoofer speaker supported at said resonance chamber for enhancing a sound quality of said audio sound output from said speaker unit.

7. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 4, wherein said functional umbrella hub further has a resonance chamber at said speaker compartment, wherein said speaker unit further comprises a subwoofer speaker supported at said resonance chamber for enhancing a sound quality of said audio sound output from said speaker unit.

8. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 6, wherein said control panel comprises a radio broadcasting circuit for receiving radio wave as said audio signal, such that said control panel transmits said audio signal to said speaker unit for radio broadcasting.

9. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 7, wherein said control panel comprises a radio broadcasting circuit for receiving radio wave as said audio signal, such that said control panel transmits said audio signal to said speaker unit for radio broadcasting.

10. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 8, wherein said audio system further comprises a sealing holder mounted at said supporting frame at a position adjacent to said control panel for holding said portable music player in said sealing holder in a waterproof enclosing manner.

11. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 9, wherein said audio system further comprises a sealing holder mounted at said supporting frame at a position adjacent to said control panel for holding said portable music player in said sealing holder in a waterproof enclosing manner.

12. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 10, wherein said speaker unit comprises a plurality of speakers radially supported within said speaker compartment for creating a stereo surround sound effect when said audio signal is transmitted to said speaker unit.

13. The outdoor umbrella, as recited in claim 11, wherein said speaker unit comprises a plurality of speakers radially supported within said speaker compartment for creating a stereo surround sound effect when said audio signal is transmitted to said speaker unit.