Sunshades with Solar Power Supplies for Charging Electronic Devices

• US 20140028242A1
• Filed: 07/29/2013
• Published: 01/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Legacy Consulting, LLC
• Original Assignee: ZON
• Inventors: Akin, Sarah, Johnson, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,088,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/101
• 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 2025/003 Accessories not covered by groups A45B25/24 - A45B25/30
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2200/1027 with means for generating solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2200/1063 with tables
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 23/00 Other umbrellas
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 25/02 Umbrella frames
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 25/10 Umbrella crowns A45B25/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/042 PV modules or arrays of single PV cells supporting structures for PV modules H02S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/465 with solar battery as charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A device for providing electrical power from light for charging a portable electronic device includes a frame structure, a shade attached to the frame structure, and a solar panel attached to the frame structure and positioned above the shade. The device includes a rechargeable battery configured to be recharged by the solar panel, and a charging terminal configured to connect to the portable electronic device and supply charge from the rechargeable battery to the portable electronic device.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a frame structure;

a shade attached to the frame structure;

a solar panel attached to the frame structure and positioned above the shade;

a rechargeable battery configured to be recharged by the solar panel; and

a charging terminal configured to connect to a portable electronic device and supply charge from the rechargeable battery to the portable electronic device.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

an umbrella pole attached to the frame structure; and

a printed circuit board having an aperture formed therein for receiving the umbrella pole.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the aperture is centrally located in the printed circuit board.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the printed circuit board is round and is substantially centered about the umbrella pole.

5. The device of claim 2 further comprising a battery shelf having an aperture formed therein for receiving the umbrella pole, wherein the rechargeable battery is positioned on the battery shelf.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the rechargeable battery is substantially cylindrical and an aperture of the rechargeable battery is configured to receive the umbrella pole.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the battery shelf is positioned above the printed circuit board.

8. The device of claim 2 further comprising a cap positioned at a top of the umbrella pole and having a connector, wherein the connector is configured to hinge couple to an end of the solar panel.

9. The device of claim 2 further comprising:

a plurality of solar panels, wherein the first mentioned solar panel is included in the plurality of solar panels; and

a cap positioned at a top of the umbrella pole and having a plurality of connectors, wherein the connectors are configured to respectively hinge couple to ends of the solar panels.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein each connector includes a curved arm that curves downward to a hinge portion of the connectors and the hinge portions are configured to respectively hinge couple to the ends of the solar panels.

11. The device of claim 9 wherein each of the solar panels includes a housing and a plurality of photovoltaic cells positioned in the housing.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the photovoltaic cells in each of the housings are configured to generate 12 volts of direct current.

13. The device of claim 9 wherein:

the frame structure is configured to fold downward to close the shade and unfold upward to open the shade,

the solar panels are configured to hinge downward about the ends and the connectors as the frame structure is folded downward, and

the solar panels are configured to hinge upward about the ends and the connectors as the frame structure is unfolded upward.

14. The device of claim 2 further comprising a table positioned below the printed circuit board and configured to support the portable electronic device during charging.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the table has an aperture formed therein for receiving the umbrella pole.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the aperture of the table is substantially centered in the table and the table is substantially centered about the umbrella pole.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein the charging terminal is a universal serial bus charging terminal.

18. The device of claim 1 further comprising a battery charge indicator configured to indicate an amount of charge in the rechargeable battery.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein the battery charging indicator includes a plurality of lights configured to indicate the amount of charge in the rechargeable battery.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein the plurality of lights include a plurality of light emitting diodes.