Wind-resistant beach umbrella

An audible connection assembly for detachably coupling an upper canopy section to a lower canopy section of a wind-resistant umbrella and providing an audible warning to a user, the audible connection assembly comprising:

• a plurality of load sensitive connectors attached at a lower peripheral edge of the upper canopy section and proximal to an upper peripheral edge of the lower canopy section of the wind-resistant umbrella for detachably coupling the upper canopy section to the lower canopy section of the wind-resistant umbrella, wherein the upper canopy section is configured to partially overlap the lower canopy section along the load sensitive connectors, each of the load sensitive connectors comprising:
• a bracket assembly configured to be attached to the lower canopy section of the wind-resistant umbrella, the bracket assembly comprising:
• a base member;
• an outer bracket rigidly attached to the base member, wherein the outer bracket comprises a space defined by an inner wall of the outer bracket and an upper surface of the base member;
• an inner bracket coaxially disposed on the upper surface of the base member, within the space defined by the outer bracket and the upper surface of the base member, wherein the inner bracket comprises an opening defined by an inner wall of the inner bracket;
• and
• at least two flanges extending from at least two diametrically opposite sides of the outer bracket, wherein the at least two flanges are configured to be attached to the lower canopy section of the wind-resistant umbrella;
• and
• a bolt assembly in engageable communication with the bracket assembly, wherein the bolt assembly comprises:
• a head member configured to be attached to the upper canopy section of the wind-resistant umbrella;
• and
• an elongate member extending from a lower end of the head member, wherein the elongate member is configured to be inserted into the opening of the inner bracket of the bracket assembly for coupling the upper canopy section to the lower canopy section of the canopy, and wherein, when speed of wind impacting the wind-resistant umbrella exceeds a predefined wind speed of more than about 20 miles per hour, the elongate member of at least one of the load sensitive connectors is configured to disengage from the opening in the inner bracket of the bracket assembly of the at least one of the load sensitive connectors and generate a sound to provide an audible warning to a user that the speed of the wind is beyond a predefined safe limit.

A method for precluding dislodgment of a wind-resistant umbrella from an anchoring location and simultaneously providing one or more warnings to a user, the method comprising:

• providing the wind-resistant umbrella comprising:
• a pole member;
• a canopy attached to an upper end of the pole member, wherein the canopy comprises an upper canopy section and a lower canopy section, and wherein a surface area of the upper canopy section is of a predefined size with respect to a surface area of the lower canopy section;
• a plurality of flexible ribs extending radially from the upper end of the pole member towards a lower peripheral edge of the lower canopy section of the canopy, wherein the flexible ribs are configured to support the upper canopy section and the lower canopy section of the canopy;
• and
• a plurality of load sensitive connectors positioned on the flexible ribs and attached at a lower peripheral edge of the upper canopy section and proximal to an upper peripheral edge of the lower canopy section, wherein the upper canopy section is configured to partially overlap the lower canopy section along the load sensitive connectors;
• detachably coupling the upper canopy section to the lower canopy section of the canopy of the wind-resistant umbrella using the load sensitive connectors;
• upon impact from a wind gust that exceeds a first predefined wind speed, flexing the flexible ribs of the wind-resistant umbrella inwardly to preclude wind from traveling under the canopy of the wind-resistant umbrella;
• and
• upon impact from a wind gust that exceeds a second predefined wind speed, detaching one or more of the load sensitive connectors to allow wind to flow freely through one or more of a plurality of vents created between the detachably coupled upper canopy section and the lower canopy section between the load sensitive connectors, while generating a sound to provide an audible warning to the user, and to preclude tilting and lifting actions caused by the wind on the wind-resistant umbrella, thereby precluding dislodgment of the wind-resistant umbrella from the anchoring location.