Tilt mechanisms and actuators for umbrellas

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12317977-B2
Application number	US-202117646132-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 27, 2021
Priority date	Mar 21, 2019
Publication date	Jun 3, 2025
Grant date	Jun 3, 2025

Abstract

A patio umbrella that includes a tilt mechanism for adjusting a shade angle of the umbrella canopy. The umbrella canopy can be opened and closed by a crank and spool mechanism. The tilt mechanism can be controlled by an actuator that operates independently of the crank and spool mechanism. The actuator can be mounted on the upright pole of the patio umbrella.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An umbrella, comprising:
an upright pole, the upright pole comprising an upper pole portion and a lower pole portion;
a canopy assembly comprising the upper pole portion;
a first mechanism for opening and closing the canopy assembly;
a second mechanism for adjusting an angle between the upper pole portion and the lower pole portion, the second mechanism comprising a driver having an end disposed in a channel of a channel member, the channel guiding the end of the driver disposed therein; and
an actuator for the second mechanism, the actuator coupled with the lower pole portion and configured to adjust the second mechanism from a first configuration to a second configuration when a portion of the actuator directly actuated by a user is lowered from a raised position relative to a longitudinal axis of the upright pole to a lowered position below the raised position relative to the longitudinal axis of the upright pole, the second configuration corresponding to the upper pole portion and the lower pole portion being tilted relative to each other and the first configuration corresponding to the upper pole portion and the lower pole portion being axially aligned;
wherein the second mechanism further comprises:
an upper coupler attached with the upper pole portion;
a lower coupler attached with the lower pole portion;
the upper coupler and the lower coupler attached at a pivot;
a guide track assembly comprising the channel member having the channel,

the channel having a camming surface disposed in the upper coupler; the driver having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end disposed in the guide track assembly and configured to be guided by the channel, the lower end coupled with the actuator by a tension member;
wherein from the first configuration, downward movement of the driver engages the upper end of the driver with the camming surface and tilts the upper pole portion relative to the lower pole portion about the pivot; and
wherein from the second configuration, upward movement of the driver engages the upper end of the driver with the camming surface and aligns the upper pole portion relative to the lower pole portion.

2. The umbrella of claim 1 , wherein the second mechanism further comprises a spring, the spring configured to bias the second mechanism in the first configuration.

3. The umbrella of claim 1 , wherein the second mechanism further comprises an upper coupler and a lower coupler, the upper coupler coupled to the upper pole portion and the lower coupler coupled to the lower pole portion, wherein the upper coupler and lower are pivotally coupled together.

4. An umbrella comprising:
an upright pole, the upright pole comprising an upper pole portion and a lower pole portion;
a canopy assembly comprising the upper pole portion;
a first mechanism for opening and closing the canopy assembly;
a second mechanism for adjusting an angle between the upper pole portion and the lower pole portion, the second mechanism comprising a driver having an end disposed in a channel of a channel member, the channel guiding the end of the driver disposed therein; and
an actuator for the second mechanism, the actuator coupled with the lower pole portion and configured to adjust the second mechanism from a first configuration to a second configuration when the actuator is lowered, the second configuration being tilted relative to the first configuration, wherein the actuator comprises:
a sleeve slidingly engaged with the upright pole between a raised position and a lowered position, the sleeve coupled with the second mechanism by a tension member, the sleeve comprising an upper sleeve portion and a lower sleeve portion,

the upper sleeve portion and the lower sleeve portion coupled together by a sliding catch;
a hook member coupled with the lower sleeve portion, the hook member biased to engage with a catch in the lowered position of the sleeve;
an internal projection extending from the upper sleeve portion, the internal projection configured to engage with an angled end of the hook member;
wherein relative movement of the upper sleeve portion relative to the lower sleeve portion engages the internal projection with the angled end of the hook member to release the hook member from the catch;
wherein moving the sleeve into the lowered position actuates the second mechanism into the second configuration; and
wherein releasing the sleeve from the lowered position by movement of the upper sleeve portion relative to the lower sleeve portion returns the second mechanism into the first configuration.

5. The umbrella of claim 4 , wherein the relative movement of the upper sleeve portion is upward movement.

6. An umbrella comprising:
an upright pole, the upright pole comprising an upper pole portion and a lower pole portion;
a canopy assembly comprising the upper pole portion;
a first mechanism for opening and closing the canopy assembly;
a second mechanism for adjusting an angle between the upper pole portion and the lower pole portion, the second mechanism comprising a driver having an end disposed in a channel of a channel member, the channel guiding the end of the driver disposed therein; and
an actuator for the second mechanism, the actuator coupled with the lower pole portion and configured to adjust the second mechanism from a first configuration to a second configuration when the actuator is lowered, the second configuration being tilted relative to the first configuration, wherein the actuator comprises:
a grip handle configured to be moved between a raised position and a lowered position, the grip handle coupled with the second mechanism;
wherein moving the grip handle into the lowered position actuates the second mechanism into the second configuration; and
wherein releasing the grip handle from the lowered position returns the second mechanism into the first configuration.

7. The umbrella of claim 6 , wherein the movement of the grip handle from the lowered position to the raised position disengages a locking device disposed within an inner space of the grip handle.

8. An umbrella comprising:
an upright pole, the upright pole comprising an upper pole portion and a lower pole portion;
a canopy assembly comprising the upper pole portion;
a first mechanism for opening and closing the canopy assembly;
a second mechanism for adjusting an angle between the upper pole portion and the lower pole portion, the second mechanism comprising a driver having an end disposed in a channel of a channel member, the channel guiding the end of the driver disposed therein; and
an actuator for the second mechanism, the actuator coupled with the lower pole portion and configured to adjust the second mechanism from a first configuration to a second configuration when the actuator is lowered, the second configuration being tilted relative to the first configuration;
wherein the driver further comprises a second end opposite the end disposed in the channel of the channel member, the second end configured to couple with a drive rod or cord, wherein the drive rod or cord is configured to exert a downward force on the driver to adjust the second mechanism to the second configuration, and
wherein the second mechanism further comprises a spring configured to apply a force on the drive rod or cord to adjust the second mechanism from the second configuration to the first configuration.

Assignees

• Ma Zhun An

Inventors

• Ma Zhun-An

Classifications

• A45B17/00 Primary

  Tiltable umbrellas · CPC title

• A45B2025/146

  with a crank connected to a rope · CPC title

• A45B25/14 Primary

  Devices for opening and for closing umbrellas · CPC title