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US 9,526,306 B2Granted
Umbrella assembly
AssigneeEllen D. Fitzgerald
InventorsEllen D. Fitzgerald, Jeffrey R. Lake
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An umbrella assembly, in one embodiment, includes a housing for a canopy. The umbrella assembly has a mechanism powered to open and close the canopy. During opening, the canopy slides upward through the housing and extends outward in a blooming formation.
Claims20
An umbrella assembly comprising:
- a housing extending along an axis;
- a plurality of elongated ribs configured to be at least partially housed within the housing;
- a canopy coupled to at least one of the elongated ribs, the canopy configured to be housed within the housing when the umbrella assembly is closed;
- a position control assembly configured to be at least partially housed within the housing, the position control assembly including:
- (a) at least one drive member configured to rotate to drive the elongated ribs between a plurality of positions including:
- (i) a first position in which at least portions of the elongated ribs are housed within the housing;
- and (ii) a second position in which the portions extend outside of the housing;
- (b) at least one rib steering device coupled to each one of the elongated ribs, the at least one rib steering device configured to:
- (i) control an angle of the elongated rib relative to the axis;
- and (ii) stabilize the canopy to withstand an upward force of environmental elements;
- (c) a drive element configured to threadably engage the at least one drive member and move along the axis as the at least one drive member rotates;
- and
- (d) a mount configured to engage the at least one drive member and remain in a fixed position on the axis as the at least one drive member rotates;
- and
- at least one stop member coupled to the housing, the stop member configured to:
- (i) support the elongated ribs when the elongated ribs are in the second position;
- and (ii) stabilize the canopy to withstand a downward force of environmental elements.
14 more elements
An umbrella assembly comprising:
- a housing extending along an axis;
- a plurality of elongated ribs configured to be at least partially housed within the housing;
- a canopy coupled to at least one of the elongated ribs, the canopy configured to be housed within the housing;
- a position control assembly configured to be at least partially housed within the housing, the position control assembly including:
- (a) at least one drive member configured to drive the elongated ribs between a plurality of positions including:
- (i) a first position in which at least portions of the elongated ribs are housed within the housing;
- and (ii) a second position in which the portions extend outside of the housing;
- and
- (b) at least one rib steering device coupled to each one of the elongated ribs, the at least one rib steering device configured to:
- (i) control an angle of the elongated rib relative to the axis;
- and (ii) stabilize the canopy to withstand an upward force of environmental elements;
- at least one stop member coupled to the housing, the stop member configured to:
- (i) support the elongated ribs when the elongated ribs are in the second position;
- and (ii) stabilize the canopy to withstand a downward force of environmental elements;
- and
- an actuator operatively coupled to the position control assembly, the actuator being positioned within the housing and configured to be operatively coupled to an electrical power source so as to cause a change between:
- (a) a closed umbrella mode associated with the first position;
- and (b) an open umbrella mode associated with the second position.
15 more elements
An umbrella assembly comprising:
- a housing extending along an axis;
- a canopy configured to be at least partially housed within housing, the canopy including a canopy center and a canopy edge;
- and
- at least one drive member moveably positioned within the housing, the drive member being configured to:
- (a) cause the canopy center to move from an initial canopy center position within the housing to a final canopy center position located above the initial canopy center position;
- and
- (b) cause the canopy edge to move from an initial canopy edge position within the housing to a final canopy edge position located outside of the housing, wherein the canopy edge emerges from the housing before the canopy center reaches the final canopy center position;
- and
- an actuator operatively coupled to the at least one drive member, the actuator being at least partially positioned within the housing, the actuator being configured to:
- receive an input signal;
- and
- in response to the input signal, control a change between the initial canopy center position and the final canopy center position.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.