Umbrella assembly set up devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11013303-B2
Application number	US-201916530794-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2019
Priority date	Oct 25, 2016
Publication date	May 25, 2021
Grant date	May 25, 2021

Abstract

An umbrella is provided that has a support pole, a canopy frame, and a set up assembly. The canopy frame is coupled with the support pole. The set up assembly is coupled with the canopy frame. The set up assembly is configured to open the canopy frame. The set up assembly has an actuator handle, a recess disposed on or in the support pole, and a locking pin. The locking pin is coupled with the handle and is moveable by the handle along a first direction between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the locking pin is disposed in the recess. In the second position the locking pin is spaced away from the recess. Movement of the locking pin along the umbrella pole adjacent to the recess in a second direction transverse to the first direction moves the locking pin between the first position and the second position in the first direction without moving the actuator handle in the first direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shade structure, comprising:
a straight support pole extending along a longitudinal axis and having a lower end and an upper end;
a canopy frame;
an actuator assembly comprising:
a rod disposed along the support pole and coupled with the canopy frame;
a traveler coupled with the rod, a handle of the traveler pivotable about a pivot axis; and
a locking device coupled with the traveler, the locking device coupled with the handle and configured to engage a locking surface coupled with the support pole in an open configuration of the canopy frame;

wherein the rod and traveler are configured to move up and down axially on the support pole to open and close the canopy;
wherein the locking device is configured to disengage with the locking surface upon pivoting of the handle about the pivot axis to allow the canopy frame to collapse from the open configuration;
wherein the support pole extends along a longitudinal axis that defines an axial direction, a cross section of the support pole normal to the axial direction defines a first plane, a second plane intersections the longitudinal axis, and the handle, and is orthogonal to the first plane, and the pivot axis is normal to the second plane.

2. The shade structure of claim 1 , wherein the locking surface is part of a ratchet comprising a plurality of teeth.

3. The shade structure of claim 2 , wherein the locking device comprises a locking pin biased into the ratchet by a spring contained in the traveler.

4. The shade structure of claim 3 , wherein rotation of the handle of the traveler about the pivot axis moves the locking pin along a first direction to disengage from the locking surface, the pivot axis being offset from the locking pin.

5. The shade structure of claim 2 , wherein the locking pin can reciprocate in the first direction without rotation of the handle in the first direction.

6. The shade structure of claim 5 , wherein the traveler comprises a sliding block disposed in a channel of the support pole and a longitudinal recess having an open lower end configured to be slideably advanced over the ratchet.

7. The shade structure of claim 1 , wherein the canopy frame comprises:
a plurality of first ribs;
an upper hub coupled with first ends of the plurality of first ribs;
a plurality of second ribs;
a lower hub coupled with first ends of the plurality of second ribs, the plurality of second ribs having second ends coupled with the plurality of first ribs;
a plurality of third ribs;
a middle hub disposed at an elevation between the upper hub and the lower hub, the middle hub coupled with first ends of the plurality of third ribs, the plurality of third ribs having second ends coupled with the plurality of second ribs.

8. The shade structure of claim 7 , wherein the connected upper hub, middle hub, and lower hub provide a weight balanced neutral position of the canopy frame and downward movement of the rod, the upper hub, and the traveler from the neutral position moves the canopy frame into the open configuration.

9. The shade structure of claim 7 , wherein the open configuration of the canopy frame is achieved by downward movement of the rod, the upper hub, and the traveler relative along the support pole.

10. A shade structure, comprising:
a straight support pole;
a canopy frame coupled with the support pole;
a set up assembly coupled with the canopy frame, the set up assembly comprising:
an actuator handle;
a locking surface disposed on or in the support pole;
a locking pin coupled with the actuator handle and moveable by the actuator handle along a first direction between a first position in which a first end of the locking pin is engaged with the locking surface and a second position in which the first end is spaced away from the locking surface;

wherein movement of the locking pin along the support pole adjacent to the locking surface in a second direction transverse to the first direction moves the locking pin between the first position and the second position in the first direction;
wherein a distance between the first end of the locking pin and the actuator handle changes when the locking pin moves relative to the actuator handle between the first position and the second position.

11. The shade structure of claim 10 , wherein the locking surface is disposed between a plurality of ratchet features coupled with the support pole and wherein the ratchet features move the locking pin in the first direction between the first position and the second position during movement of the locking pin in the second direction without moving the actuator handle in the first direction.

12. The shade structure of claim 10 , wherein an axle coupled to the actuator handle and to the locking pin transfers movement of the actuator handle in the first direction to the locking pin.

13. The shade structure of claim 10 , wherein an open configuration of the canopy frame is achieved by downward movement of the set up assembly and an upper hub of the canopy frame.

14. The shade structure of claim 10 , wherein the canopy frame includes a connected upper hub, middle hub, and lower hub to provide a weight balanced neutral position of the canopy frame and downward movement of the middle hub from the neutral position moves the canopy frame into an open configuration.

15. The shade structure of claim 10 , wherein the locking surface is part of a ratchet comprising a plurality of teeth.

16. The shade structure of claim 15 , wherein the locking pin is biased into the ratchet by a spring contained in the set up assembly.

17. The shade structure of claim 15 , wherein the set up assembly comprises a sliding block disposed in a channel of the support pole and a longitudinal recess having an open lower end configured to be slideably advanced over the ratchet.

18. A shade structure, comprising:
a support pole having a canopy frame coupled therewith;
an actuator assembly coupled with the canopy frame, the actuator assembly comprising:
a handle;
a locking surface disposed on or in the support pole;
a locking member coupled with the handle and moveable by the handle to facilitate engagement with the locking surface and disengagement from the locking surface;

wherein a slot in the locking member allows the locking member to move away from the support pole upon movement of the actuator assembly along the support pole without moving the handle away from the support pole.

19. The shade structure of claim 18 , wherein a second slot in the actuator handle overlaps with the slot in the locking member.

20. The shade structure of claim 19 , wherein the lower periphery of the second slot has a convex curve between the ends.

Assignees

• Ma Zhun An

Inventors

• Ma Zhun-An

Classifications

• A45B25/14 Primary

  Devices for opening and for closing umbrellas · CPC title

• A45B2200/1081

  Umbrella handles · CPC title

• A45B23/00

  Other umbrellas · CPC title

• E04H15/28

  Umbrella type tents · CPC title

• A45B25/08

  Devices for fastening or locking · CPC title