Railing mounted shade

• US 8,393,343 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Susan Vanvonderen
• Original Assignee: Susan Vanvonderen
• Inventors: VanVonderen, Susan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hawk, Noah Chandler
• Application Number:
  US13/374,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20120145207A1
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 135/20.1, 135/98, 135/15.1, 135/16, 248/534, 248/539, 248/218.4, 248/219.3
• US Class Current: 135/98
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2023/0087 having a planar opening movement wherein the struts or screen sheet rotate and spread around an axis, e.g. around the stick
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 10/04 with material fixed on sections of a collapsible frame especially Florentine blinds
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 11/181 Balustrades
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2011/1876 Movable elements, e.g. against sunlight
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 15/02 Tents combined or specially associated with other devices
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 15/28 Umbrella type tents

Abstract

A shade assembly adapted for use with deck and balcony settings. A shade cover piece is supported to a pole. The support pole includes a hub assembly for horizontally varying the diametric displacement of a number of stays and the shade cover and a hinge assembly for adjusting the angle of the shade cover relative to the support pole. Associated fasteners having channel and collar pieces adapted to rails, balusters and deck boards secure the support pole and shade cover to rails, balusters and/or deck boards of a deck, patio or balcony railing system. Split band collars compressively grip the support pole and rigidly anchor the support pole and cover piece to the railing. Alternative stay stops and non-marring fastener liners are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A shade assembly adapted to attach to a railing system including a plurality of horizontal rail members coupled to a plurality of baluster members vertically projecting relative to a floor comprising:

a) a shade cover having a flexible member and means for expanding and contracting the flexible member to vary the tension of the flexible member between collapsed and deployed conditions;

b) a pole adapted to support said shade cover and including means for varying the relative angular displacement of the shade cover to the pole; and

c) first and second fasteners each having a horizontal channel space adapted to respectively contain a first and a second rail member of a railing system within the horizontal channel space and further including respective first and second collars adapted to contain said pole to said first and second fasteners and fix the separation of the first and second fasteners to the first and second rail members, wherein at least one of said first and second fasteners includes first and second channel pieces mounted to reciprocally telescope relative to each other to extend and abut adjoining balusters of a railing system, wherein a fastener fixes the relative extension of said first and second channel pieces, whereby upon mounting the first and second fasteners to the first and second rail members and the pole to the first and second fasteners, the pole and cover are contained to a railing system.

2. A shade assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said flexible member comprises a fabric.

3. A shade assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said flexible member is supported by a plurality of underlying stays that horizontally radiate from a hub mounted to said pole, wherein said hub includes at least one semi-circular plate, wherein each stay is mounted to said plate and secured to independently pivot coplanar to said first plate, wherein a bracket depends from said plate, and wherein a plurality of said stays are secured to said cover such upon radially pivoting said stays the cover expands and contracts.

4. A shade assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said hub is mounted to pivot about an axle fitted to said bracket and including means for fixing the relative angular alignment of the colanar hub, stays and fabric member to the pole once pivoted.

5. A shade assembly as set forth in claim 4 including a coupler mounted for reciprocating movement along said pole and having arms coupled to said stays to vary the angular alignment of said hub and flexible member to the pole.

6. A shade assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pole comprises first and second sections interconnected to each other at a coupler adapted to pivot about an included axle to vary the axial alignment of the first and second sections relative to each other.

7. A shade assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first collar includes a slit communicating with a bore and including means for drawing portions of said collar on opposite sides of said slit into compression with said pole.

8. A shade assembly as set forth in claim 1 including a member mounted to transversely and reciprocally extend and retract relative at least one of said first and second fasteners and supporting either said first or said second collar and including means for fixing the extension of said first or second collar to said first or second fastener and thereby the displacement of the pole away from a contained rail member.

9. A shade assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said first and second fasteners comprises said first and second channel pieces and fasteners for fixing the relative extension of the channel pieces between adjoining balusters, wherein the first collar is adapted to compressively fasten to said pole, wherein the second fastener contains a second rail member extending horizontal beneath said first rail member, and wherein the second collar supports a bottom end of the pole.

10. A shade assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein each of said first sand second fasteners includes a member mounted to transversely and reciprocally extend and retract relative to the included first and second channel pieces, wherein the transversely extending members support said first and second collars and include means for fixing the extension of the first and second collars and thereby the displacement of the pole away from the contained rail members.

11. A shade assembly adapted to attach to a railing system including a plurality of horizontal rail members coupled to a plurality of baluster members vertically projecting relative to a floor comprising:

a) a shade cover having a fabric member supported by a plurality of underlying stays that radiate from a central hub, wherein said hub includes first and second plates, wherein each stay is mounted between said first and second plates and secured to independently pivot coplanar to said first and second plates, wherein a bracket depends from one of said first and second plates, and wherein a plurality of said stays are secured to said cover such that said cover expands and contracts as said stays pivot at the first and second plates;

b) a pole mounted to an axle fitted to said bracket to pivot about the axle and including means for fixing the relative angular alignment of the coplanar hub, stays and fabric member to the pole once pivoted

c) a first fastener having a horizontal channel space adapted to contain a first rail member of a railing system within the channel space, wherein first and second channel pieces are mounted to laterally telescope relative to each other to extend and abut adjoining balusters of a railing system, wherein a fastener fixes the extension of said first and second channel pieces, and wherein a first collar projects from said first fastener and is adapted to contain and fasten said pole to said first fastener to fix said first fastener along said pole; and

d) a second fastener having a horizontal channel space adapted to contain a second horizontal rail member extending beneath said first rail member within the channel space and including a second collar adapted to contain an end of said pole such that upon mounting said first and second channel pieces of said first fastener to the first rail, inserting the pole in said first and second collars and fastening the first collar to the pole, the pole and cover are contained to the railing system.

12. A shade assembly as set forth in claim 11 including a coupler mounted for reciprocating movement along said pole and having arms coupled to said stays to pivot said hub, stays and flexible member to vary the angular alignment of said cover relative to the pole.

13. A shade assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said first collar includes a slit communicating with a bore and including means for drawing portions of said collar on opposite sides of said slit into compression with said pole.

14. A shade assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said second fastener includes first and second channel pieces mounted to laterally telescope relative to each other to extend and abut adjoining balusters of a railing system, wherein a fastener fixes the extension of said first and second channel pieces, and wherein said second collar projects from the first and second channel pieces of said second fastener, wherein said second collar includes a stop to limit the separation of said pole from said first fastener and vertically fix said first fastener to the first rail member.

15. A shade assembly as set forth in claim 11 including a member mounted to transversely and reciprocally extend and retract relative at least one of said first and second fasteners and supporting either said first or said second collar and including means for fixing the displacement of said first or second collar and pole away from the first or second fastener and contained rail member.

16. A shade assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said first fastener includes a member mounted to transversely and reciprocally extend and retract relative the first and second channel pieces of the first fastener and support said first collar and including means for fixing the displacement of said first collar and pole away from the first fastener and a contained rail member.

17. A shade assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said second fastener includes first and second channel pieces that define the channel space and mount together to laterally telescope relative to each other to extend and abut adjoining balusters of a railing system, wherein a fastener fixes the extension of said first and second channel pieces, wherein said second fastener includes a member mounted to transversely and reciprocally extend and retract relative one of said first and second channel pieces and support said second collar and including means for fixing the displacement of said second collar and pole away from the second fastener and a contained rail member.

18. A shade assembly adapted to attach to a railing system including a plurality of horizontal rail members coupled to a plurality of baluster members vertically projecting relative to a floor comprising:

a) a shade cover having a fabric member contained to and supported by a plurality of underlying stays that radiate from a central hub, wherein said hub includes first and second semi-circular plates, wherein each stay is mounted between said first and second plates and secured to independently pivot coplanar to said first and second plates, wherein a bracket depends from one of said first and second plates, and wherein a plurality of said stays are secured to said cover such that said cover expands and contracts as said stays pivot coplanar to said plates;

b) a pole mounted to pivot about an axle fitted to said bracket and adapted to support the fabric member and including means for fixing the relative angular alignment of the coplanar hub, stays and fabric member to the pole once pivoted;

c) a first fastener defining a horizontal generally U-shaped channel space adapted to contain a first rail member of a railing system within the channel space, wherein first and second channel pieces are mounted to laterally telescope relative to each other to extend and abut adjoining balusters of a railing system, wherein a fastener fixes the extension of said first and second channel pieces, and wherein a first collar projects from said first fastener and is adapted to contain and fasten said pole to said first fastener to fix said first fastener along said pole; and

d) a second fastener having a horizontal channel space adapted to contain a second horizontal rail member of a railing system extending beneath said first rail member and including a second collar having a stop to contain an end of said pole and whereby upon mounting said first and second pieces of said first and second rail members, inserting the pole in said first and second collars and fastening the first collar to the pole, the pole and cover are contained to the railing system.