초록 ▼

An umbrella system for rafts and other moving vehicles is described. The umbrella system includes a support system offset from the umbrella so that the support mast. The support system also includes one or more quick-connection/quick-disconnection systems so that the umbrella system can be quickly r

An umbrella system for rafts and other moving vehicles is described. The umbrella system includes a support system offset from the umbrella so that the support mast. The support system also includes one or more quick-connection/quick-disconnection systems so that the umbrella system can be quickly removed from the raft or vehicle and disassembled into several, shorter, more compact parts. The preferred umbrella opening and closing system does not include cables, cranks, or other complex structure, but rather is made from a handle underneath the center of the umbrella that can be manually pushed and pulled upward and downward, respectively, to open and close the umbrella. The umbrella system can be adjusted to shade a large area by a few simple adjustments of a preferred pivotal joint, or by quick detachment of the support system from the raft and re-attachment in another location on the raft, for example.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An umbrella system comprising a support system having a mast axis and an umbrella portion having an umbrella axis, wherein the support system comprises:a mast adapted to be anchored to a surface by a quickly-releasable connection at a proximal end of the mast; and a curved arm connected to a dist

1. An umbrella system comprising a support system having a mast axis and an umbrella portion having an umbrella axis, wherein the support system comprises:a mast adapted to be anchored to a surface by a quickly-releasable connection at a proximal end of the mast; and a curved arm connected to a distal end of the mast by a quickly-releasable quick-connection; and wherein the umbrella portion is suspended from a distal end of the arm by a quick-releasable quick-connection, and the umbrella portion hangs down from the arm with said umbrella axis offset to a side of the mast so that no portion of the mast extends through the umbrella portion and so that the mast axis is not coaxial with the umbrella axis, wherein the umbrella portion further comprises: a center member with a center shaft on said umbrella axis; a hub on said umbrella axis below the center member but not attached to the center member or to the center shaft; a plurality of bows radially extending out from the center member and supporting a fabric umbrella shade; and a plurality of push-rods each having an inner end and an outer end, the push-rods pivotally extending radially out from the hub and pivotally attaching to said plurality of bows at said push-rod outer ends; wherein the umbrella portion is movable to an open positions wherein the hub is moveable up toward the center member so that the push-rods pivot to an inclined position with their outer ends in a plane transverse to the center axis, and with the inner ends above said plane so that the inner ends are closer to the center member than are their outer ends, and so that a top end of the hub abuts against the center member, and the umbrella portion is maintained in said open position by compression force on the push-rods by the fabric shade and by the hub abutting against the center member; and wherein the hub comprises a funnel-shaped hollow member with an enlarged diameter top end and a smaller-diameter lower end parallel to the umbrella axis, wherein, when the umbrella portion is opened, the enlarged diameter top end of the hollow member abuts against the center member and the center shaft extends into the smaller-diameter lower end so that the center shaft is maintained coaxial with the umbrella axis. 2. An umbrella system as in claim 1, wherein the support system comprises a lockable pivotal joint for adjusting the arm position relative to the mast to move the umbrella axis to be non-parallel to the mast axis.3. An umbrella system as in claim 1, wherein the quickly-releasable connection at the proximal end of the mast comprises a u-bolt bracket tightenable around a cylindrical raft frame member.4. An umbrella system as in claim 3, wherein the bracket comprises a quick-releasable pin inserted through the u-bracket and through the mast.5. An umbrella system as in claim 1, wherein the quickly-releasable quick-connection connecting the curved arm to the distal end of the mast comprises a quick-releasable pin inserted through the curved arm and through the mast distal end.6. An umbrella system as in claim 1, wherein the quickly-releasable quick-connection connecting the curved arm to the umbrella comprises a quick-releasable pin inserted through the curved arm and through an upward extension of the umbrella portion center member.7. An the umbrella system comprising a support system having a mast axis and comprising no cables and an umbrella portion having an umbrella axis, wherein the support system comprises:a mast adapted to be anchored to a surface by a quickly-releasable connection at a proximal end of the mast; a curved arm connected to a distal end of the mast by a quickly-releasable quick-connection; and an adjustable and lockable joint adapted to adjust and lock the position of the curved arm relative to the mast; wherein the umbrella portion is suspended from a distal end of the arm by a quick-releasable quick-connection, and the umbrella portion hangs down from the arm with said umbrella axis offset to a side of the mast so that no portion of the mast extends through the umbrella portion and so that the mast axis is no coaxial with the umbrella axis; and wherein the umbrella portion further comprises: a center member with a center shaft on said umbrella axis; a hub on said umbrella axis below the center member but not attached to the center member or to the center shaft; a plurality of bows radially extending out from the center member and supporting a fabric umbrella shade; a plurality of push-rods each having an inner end and an outer end, the push-rods pivotally extending radially out from the hub and pivotally attaching to said plurality of bows at said push-rod outer ends; wherein the umbrella portion is movable to an open position, wherein the hub is moveable up toward the center member so that the push-rods pivot to an inclined position with their outer ends in a plane transverse to the center axis, and with the inner ends above said plane so that the inner ends are closer to the center member than are their outer ends, and so that a top end of the hub abuts against the center member, and the umbrella portion is maintained in said open position by compression force on the push-rods by the fabric shade and by the hub abutting against the center member; and wherein the hub comprises a funnel-shaped hollow member with an enlarged diameter top end and a smaller-diameter lower end parallel to the umbrella axis, wherein, when the umbrella portion is opened, the enlarged diameter top end of the hollow member abuts against the center member and the center shaft extends into the smaller-diameter lower end so that the center shaft is maintained coaxial with the umbrella axis. 8. The umbrella system as in claim 7, wherein said quick-connections between the umbrella portion and the arm, between the arm and the mast, and between the mast and the surface are all double-snap-button mechanisms.9. A raft system comprising:a raft having a frame surface, and an umbrella system connected to the raft comprising: a support system having a mast axis and an umbrella portion having an umbrella axis, wherein the support system comprises: a mast anchored to said raft frame surface by a quickly-releasable connection at a proximal end of the mast; and a curved arm connected to a distal end of the mast by a quickly-releasable quick-connection; wherein the umbrella portion is suspended from a distal end of the arm by a quick-releasable quick-connection, and the umbrella portion hangs down from the arm with said umbrella axis offset to a side of the mast so that no portion of the mast extends through the umbrella portion and so that the mast axis is no coaxial with the umbrella axis; wherein the umbrella portion comprises: a center member with a center shaft on said umbrella axis; a hub on said umbrella axis below the center member but not attached to the center member or to the center shaft; a plurality of bows radially extending out from the center member and supporting a fabric umbrella shade; and a plurality of push-rods each having an inner end and an outer end, the push-rods pivotally extending radially out from the hub and pivotally attaching to said plurality of bows at said push-rod outer ends; wherein the umbrella portion is movable to an open position, wherein the hub is moveable up toward the center member so that the push-rods pivot to an inclined position with their outer ends in a plane transverse to the center axis, and with the inner ends above said plane so that the inner ends are closer to the center member than are their outer ends, and so that a top end of the hub abuts against the center member, and the umbrella portion is maintained in said open position by compression force on the push-rods by the fabric shade and by the hub abutting against the center member; and wherein the hub comprises a funnel-shaped hollow member with an enlarged diameter top end and a smaller-diameter lower end parallel to the umbrella axis, wherein, when the umbrella portion is opened, the enlarged diameter top end of the hollow member abuts against the center member and the center shaft extends into the smaller-diameter lower end so that the center shaft is maintained coaxial with the umbrella axis. 10. The raft system as in claim 9, wherein said quick-connections between the umbrella portion and the arm, between the arm and the mast, and between the mast and the surface are all double-snap-button mechanisms.11. An umbrella system comprising a support system and an umbrella portion,wherein the support system comprises:a mast having a proximal end adapted to be anchored to a surface, a distal end, and a mast axis; and a curved arm connected to the distal end of the mast; wherein the umbrella portion has an umbrella axis and is suspended from a distal end of the curved arm so that said umbrella axis is offset to a side of the mast axis, the umbrella portion further comprising: a center member, and a center shaft extending down from said center member on said umbrella axis and having a center shaft diameter; a hub below the center member but not attached to the center member or to the center shaft, the hub comprising a hollow member parallel to the umbrella axis and having a top opening that is enlarged relative to the center shaft diameter; and a plurality of bows radially extending out from the center member and supporting a fabric umbrella shade; a plurality of push-rods each having an inner end and an outer end, the push-rods pivotally extending radially out from the hub and pivotally attached to said plurality of bows at said push-rod outer ends; wherein the hub is moveable up toward the center member to pivot the push-rods first to a position perpendicular to the umbrella axis and then to an inclined position wherein the inner ends are closer to the center member than are their outer ends, and so that a top end of the hub abuts against the center member, and the umbrella portion is maintained in an open position by compression force on the push-rods by the fabric shade and the hub abutting against the center member; and wherein the center shaft and the hub are adapted so that, when the umbrella portion is being opened, the hollow member top opening receives said center shaft prior to the push-rods pivoting to said position perpendicular to the umbrella axis; and wherein the hollow member is funnel-shaped with an enlarged diameter top end that comprises said top opening and a smaller-diameter lower end parallel to the umbrella axis, wherein, when the umbrella portion is opened, the enlarged diameter top end of the hollow member abuts against the center member and the center shaft extends into the smaller-diameter lower end so that the center shaft is maintained coaxial with the umbrella axis. 12. An umbrella system comprising a support system and an umbrella portion,wherein the support system comprises:a mast having a proximal end adapted to be anchored to a surface, a distal end, and a mast axis; and a curved arm connected to the distal end of the mast; wherein the umbrella portion has an umbrella axis and is suspended from a distal end of the curved arm so that said umbrella axis is offset to a side of the mast axis, the umbrella portion further comprising: a center member, and a center shaft extending down from said center member on said umbrella axis and having a center shaft diameter; a hub below the center member but not attached to the center member or to the center shaft, the hub comprising a hollow member parallel to the umbrella axis and having a top opening that is enlarged relative to the center shaft diameter; and a plurality of bows radially extending out from the center member and supporting a fabric umbrella shade; a plurality of push-rods each having an inner end and an outer end, the push-rods pivotally extending radially out from the hub and pivotally attached to said plurality of bows at said push-rod outer ends; wherein the hub is moveable up toward the center member to pivot the push-rods first to a position perpendicular to the umbrella axis and then to an inclined position wherein the inner ends are closer to the center member than are their outer ends, and so that a top end of the hub abuts against the center member, and the umbrella portion is maintained in an open position by compression force on the rush-rods by the fabric shade and the hub abutting against the center member; and wherein the center shaft and the hub are adapted so that, when the umbrella portion is being opened, the hollow member top opening receives said center shaft prior to the push-rods pivoting to said position perpendicular to the umbrella axis; wherein the push-rods are generally at 45 degrees to said umbrella axis when said hollow member receives said center shaft; and wherein the hollow member is funnel-shaped with an enlarged diameter top end that comprises said top opening and a smaller-diameter lower end parallel to the umbrella axis, wherein, when the umbrella portion is opened, the enlarged diameter top end of the hollow member abuts against the center member and the center shaft extends into the smaller-diameter lower end so that the center shaft is maintained coaxial with the umbrella axis.