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High capacity solar charging umbrella

  • US 9,125,462 B2
  • Filed: 04/16/2015
  • Issued: 09/08/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2014
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An umbrella comprising:

  • a shaft;

    an umbrella shade, coupled between a cap retainer and the shaft;

    a frame comprising;

    a cap, coupled between the cap retainer and the umbrella shade, comprising a cap opening and at least a first hinge portion and a second hinge portion, wherein the cap retainer couples to a bolt of the shaft that passes through the cap opening;

    a first strut, comprising first and second ends, a third hinge portion at the first end, and between the first and second ends is a first sleeve that holds a first solar panel, wherein the third hinge portion is adapted to mate with the first hinge portion of the cap to form a first strut hinge; and

    a second strut, comprising third and fourth ends, a fourth hinge portion at third end, and between the third and fourth ends is a second sleeve that holds a second solar panel, wherein the fourth hinge portion is adapted to mate with the second hinge portion of the cap to form a second strut hinge,the umbrella comprises an open position during which the umbrella shade is extended into a position away from the shaft and a closed position during which the umbrella shade is folded into a position closer to the shaft,when changing the umbrella from the closed to the open position, the umbrella shade pushes against a bottom of the struts while the umbrella shade is extended, causing the struts to rotate via the first and second strut hinges in a first turn direction, so that an angle between a top of the first strut and a top of the cap increases from a first angle in the closed position to a second angle in the open position, and the second angle is greater than the first angle, andwhen changing the umbrella from the open to the closed position, the bottom of the struts rest against the umbrella shade while the umbrella is folded, causing the struts to rotate via the first and second strut hinges in a second turn direction, so that the angle between the top of the first strut and the top of the cap decreases from the second angle to the first angle, and the second turn direction is opposite of the first turn direction;

    a rechargeable battery;

    a battery charging circuit, coupled to the rechargeable battery;

    a plurality of electrical wires, coupling the first and second solar panels in parallel to the electrical charger circuit, wherein the battery charging circuit can charge the rechargeable battery using solar power received from the first and second solar panels; and

    a first printed circuit board (PCB) comprising a PCB hole though which the shaft of the umbrella passes through, wherein the battery charging circuit and the voltage converter circuit are formed on the printed circuit board.

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