Light support adapter

• US 7,856,996 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2008
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oliver Joen-An Ma
• Original Assignee: Oliver Joen-An Ma
• Inventors: Ma, Oliver Joen-an
• Primary Examiner(s): YIP, WINNIE S
• Application Number:
  US12/167,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20090007945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 135/16, 135/21, 135/20.1, 135/910, 135/90, 135/91, 135/94, 135/135, 362417-419, 362/102, 362/396
• US Class Current: 135/16
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2023/0031 Cantilever umbrellas or sunshades with a support arm
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 3/02 with illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 135/901 Hunting blind or ice-fishing shelter

Abstract

A light support system is provided for a structure for supporting a light device thereon. The system can comprise a deployable member and a retention mechanism. The deployable member can have an exterior surface onto which the light device can be mounted. The deployable member can be selectively movable from a stowed position to an extended position in which the member can support the lighting device. The member can be engaged in order to retain or lock the member in at least one of the stowed and extended positions.

Claims

1. A light support system for an outdoor shade structure, the system comprising:

a support hub having a chamber;

a light support member having an exterior surface and proximal and distal portions, the light support member being positionable into the chamber of the support hub to assume a stowed position in which the distal portion of the light support member is positioned adjacent to an opening of the chamber and a portion of the exterior surface of the light support member is concealed within the chamber, the light support member being extendable from the chamber to assume a deployed position in which the proximal portion of the light support member is positioned adjacent to the opening of the chamber and the portion of the exterior surface of the light support member is exposed, the exterior surface of the light support member being configured to couple with a lighting device such that the light support member can support the lighting device when the light support member is in the deployed position; and

a retention mechanism being configured to facilitate locking and unlocking of the light support member to restrain the light support member at least in the stowed position, the light support member being restrained relative to the support hub when the retention mechanism locks the light support member at least in the stowed position.

2. The light support system of claim 1, wherein the retention mechanism is disposed at the distal portion of the light support member.

3. The light support system of claim 1, wherein the retention mechanism is attached to the light support member.

4. The light support system of claim 1, further comprising an actuator element being configured to facilitate movement of the light support member from at least one of the stowed position to the deployed position and the deployed position to the stowed position, the actuator element being configured to allow a user to actuate the retention mechanism for locking and unlocking the light support member.

5. The light support system of claim 4, wherein the actuator element is a grippable portion disposed along the exterior surface of the light support member.

6. The light support system of claim 5, wherein the grippable portion is a knob having a gripping surface.

7. The light support system of claim 6, wherein the light support member has a longitudinal axis and the knob extends along that axis away from the distal portion of the light support member.

8. The light support system of claim 1, wherein the light support member is generally cylindrical.

9. The light support system of claim 1, wherein the light support member has a longitudinal axis and an outer surface extending in the direction of that axis configured to accept a light that frictionally engages that surface and extends around the axis.

10. The light support system of claim 1, wherein the light support member has a longitudinal axis and is configured to move between the stowed and deployed positions generally along that axis.

11. The light support system of claim 1, wherein the light support member includes a stop element disposed on the exterior surface at the proximal end thereof to limit longitudinal displacement of the light support member.

12. The light support system of claim 11, wherein the stop element is engageable by a motion limiting element disposed on the interior surface of the chamber of the support hub.

13. The light support system of claim 12, wherein the stop element is a protrusion extending radially from the light support member.

14. The light support system of claim 13, wherein the stop element is a lip that extends circumferentially about the light support member.

15. The light support system of claim 1, wherein the support hub is an umbrella hub having a top and a bottom and a plurality of apertures for receiving ribs of an umbrella canopy support frame, and wherein the chamber extends axially in the hub, the light support member being positionable in the chamber to assume a stowed position.

16. The light support system of claim 15, wherein the hub includes upper and lower portions disposed at the respective ones of the top and bottom ends, the upper portion having a bottom surface being configured to mate with a top surface of the lower portion, the upper and lower portions defining the plurality of pin apertures, the upper and lower portions further defining the central chamber.

17. The light support system of claim 15, wherein the retention mechanism is removably attachable to the distal portion of the light support member, the light support member having a stop element disposed at the proximal portion thereof, the light support member being insertable into a lower section of the chamber defined by the lower portion of the hub with the retention mechanism being attached to the light support member such that the stop element and the retention mechanism limit longitudinal movement of the light support member relative to the lower portion of the hub.

18. The light support system of claim 1, wherein the retention mechanism comprises a plurality of threads being configured to threadingly attach to a corresponding plurality of threads disposed within a lower section of the chamber.

19. A method of supporting a lighting device on an umbrella, the method comprising:

deploying a light support member from a stowed position within a chamber of a support hub in which an exterior surface of the light support member is concealed within the chamber, toward a deployed position in which the light support member extends from the chamber of the support hub to expose the exterior surface of the light support member;

restraining the light support member relative to the hub to limit movement of the light support member relative to the hub in at least the deployed position; and

attaching the lighting device to the light support member when the light support member is in the deployed position.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of unlocking the light support member from engagement with the support hub in the stowed position to permit the light support member to be moved to the deployed position.

21. The method of Claim 20, further comprising gripping an actuator element to rotate a retention of the light support member for locking and unlocking the light support member in the stowed position.

22. A light support system for an outdoor shade structure, the system comprising:

a support hub defining a chamber and an engagement section;

an elongate deployable member being positionable within the chamber of the support hub in a stowed position, the deployable member being movable from the stowed position to a deployed position to expose an exterior surface of the deployable member, the deployable member being configured to support a lighting device when the deployable member is in the deployed position; and

a retention mechanism being coupled to the deployable member, the retention mechanism configured to restrain the deployable member relative to the support hub when the deployable member is positioned at least in the stowed position.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the deployable member further comprises a stop element configured to be engaged by an interior surface of the chamber of the support hub when the deployable member is in the deployed position to limit movement of the deployable member beyond the deployed position.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the stop element comprises a radially extending lip.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the stop element of the deployable member is a protrusion that extends radially from a proximal portion of the deployable member for engaging a motion-limiting element of the support hub.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the support hub comprises upper and lower portions that define the chamber, the upper portion having a bottom surface being configured to mate with a top surface of the lower portion, and wherein the motion-limiting element is a lip disposed on the lower portion of the hub that extends radially inwardly into the chamber.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the engagement section of the support hub comprises threads.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the retention mechanism comprises a threaded portion configured to engage with the threads of the engagement section of the support hub.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the deployable member further comprises an actuator knob for rotating the deployable member to facilitate engagement of the retention mechanism with the hub.

30. The system of claim 22, wherein in the stowed position, a distal portion of the light support member is positioned adjacent to an opening of the chamber and the exterior surface of the light support member is concealed within the chamber.

31. The system of claim 22, wherein the chamber and the deployable member are generally cylindrical.

32. The system of claim 22, wherein the deployable member is configured to mate with a portion of the retention mechanism for securing the retention mechanism to the deployable member.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the deployable member is hollow and defines an interior dimension configured to receive an upper portion of the retention mechanism, the system further comprising a screw for securing the retention mechanism to the deployable member.