US20110203624A1

US20110203624A1 - Patio umbrella with air pump

Info

Publication number: US20110203624A1
Application number: US12/930,074
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert F. Wise
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-02-19
Filing date: 2010-12-28
Publication date: 2011-08-25
Also published as: CA2698206A1

Abstract

It is an integrated pole unit that is connected to a patio umbrella canopy that allows it to be raised by a pump (foot, hand or low psi) and lowered by releasing air via an air pressure valve. The external umbrella pole is hollow with a slit at the top and contains an “internal pole mechanism” with a metal insert attached to the base of the canopy and moves up the slit with increased air pressure in the pole raising the umbrella canopy. There is an air pressure valve that, when closed, keeps the umbrella canopy in the full open position, when open, releases the air, resulting in the umbrella canopy closing automatically in a slow and controlled manner.

Description

The technical field related to this invention is mechanical engineering. This product will allow a person to raise a patio umbrella through the use of an air pump and lower the umbrella by releasing the air via a valve; therefore, making a laborious task easier. Others have tried to modify the process of opening and closing large umbrellas; however, previous efforts have proven to be too complicated in design which detracts from their function. This invention has modified the pole of a patio umbrella to allow for the use of air pressure via a pump (foot, hand held, or low psi compressor) to raise a standard umbrella canopy with minimal effort. This product is intended for use by anyone with a patio umbrella but would be especially helpful for persons with disabilities, ailments (ex. Arthritis) or the elderly.

LIST OF FIGURES FOR THE INVENTION

FIG. 1—hollow umbrella pole

FIG. 2—“slit in patio umbrella pole”. This is a long rectangular opening cut into the hollow umbrella pole ¼% inch in width that extends from the bottom of the canopy when it is in the closed position to the location where the umbrella canopy stops when it is in the fully open position.

FIG. 3—“slit cover” is optional and is a flexible plastic cover that blocks the opening detailed in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4—“pole insert” is a solid piece of material, suitable for this function, that fits inside of the hollow umbrella pole and is used to raise the umbrella canopy.

FIG. 5—“plug for metal insert” is a plug to hold the metal insert (FIG. 6) in place.

FIG. 6—“metal insert ” is a metal device that is inserted into FIG. 4 and extends out of FIG. 2 and attaches to the umbrella canopy and raises the canopy with increased air pressure.

FIG. 7—“base plug” is a plug made of suitable material that attaches to the bottom of FIG. 4 and seals the unit to retain the air pressure.

FIG. 8—“base pole cap” is a cap that covers and seals the opening of the base of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9—“hollow tubing” is attached to FIG. 8 and is used to increase the air pressure in FIG. 1 by connecting a pump (foot, hand, low psi) and is also used to release the air pressure in FIG. 1 via an air valve.

FIG. 10—“lubrication opening” is an opening at the bottom of FIG. 4 that allows lubrication of the “internal pole mechanism” when the umbrella canopy is in the raised position.

FIG. 11—“air pressure valve” is installed to seal and release the air pressure of FIG. 1.

FIG. 12—“pressure relief valve” is installed to automatically release the air pressure if it is too high (optional).

FIG. 13—“safety device” optional which is a metal rod that will hold the umbrella canopy in the raised position while in use (optional).

FIG. 14—“pump” which is used to raise the umbrella canopy which may be a hand, foot or low psi compressor pump.

DEFINITION

“internal pole mechanism”—this refers to all the parts that make up the internal pole which include, but are not limited to, FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 10.
A Detailed Description of the Invention is as Follows:
This patio umbrella pole is an integrated unit that allows for a person to easily, and effortlessly, raise and lower a patio umbrella with the use of an air pump (hand, foot or low psi compressor).
The final product is assembled by modifying FIG. 1 the hollow umbrella pole to incorporate the requirements of FIG. 2.
Manufacture all elements of the “internal pole mechanism” by completing the details outlined in FIGS. 4, 5 and 7. Insert completed pole into FIG. 1 until the plug for metal insert indicated in FIG. 5 is observable at the bottom of the slit shown in FIG. 2. Install the metal insert indicated in FIG. 6. After the above steps are complete, attach FIG. 8 and connect FIG. 9 and create an air tight seal. Connect FIG. 11 to the tubing which will allow control of the air pressure and lower the canopy.
To raise the patio umbrella canopy, connect the manual foot pump, or any kind of low pressure pump to FIG. 9. The pump is operated to pump air into the pole to lift the umbrella canopy. It does not take that much pressure to lift the umbrella canopy. The canopy will stay up until the air pressure is released via the valve shown in FIG. 11 on the hollow tubing (FIG. 9) which lowers the air pressure, causing the “internal pole mechanism” to fall and result in the umbrella canopy lowering. The canopy will fall with the metal insert outlined in FIG. 6 and push the internal pole mechanism down to the lower half of the umbrella pole (FIG. 1). The canopy lowers slowly and the speed of the fall can be controlled by the air valve (FIG. 11) on hollow tubing shown in FIG. 9. The umbrella canopy is now in the closed position.
FIG. 10 is used for maintenance to lubricate the interior of the umbrella pole when the canopy is in the full raised position.
Optional items include FIGS. 3, 12 and 13 which can be used if required.

Claims

1. A. In the case of an apparatus:

1. It is a pole that has been modified to allow for the raising of an umbrella canopy with the use of an air pump (either a manual foot or hand pump or a low psi compressor pump) and the lowering of the umbrella canopy is done via the air pressure valve.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 and includes an external pole sealed with a base pole cap (FIG. 8) with a slit cut (FIG. 2) into the top and a metal insert sticking out from an “internal pole mechanism” (shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 10 as outlined in the drawings) and attached to the umbrella canopy that work as an integrated sealed unit to push the umbrella canopy to the fully open position when air is introduced inside the sealed pole.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 and claim 2 that has a pole with an air connection system for use with an air pump (foot or hand manual pump or a low psi air compressor pump). This air connection system that includes an air pressure valve and is outlined in FIGS. 9, 11, 12 and 14.

4. A device as defined in claims 1 through 3 that allows for the connection of an air pump to the pole that is easily attached to the air connection system outlined above and more specifically in FIG. 9 as outlined in the drawings.

5. A device as defined in claims 1 through 4 and when the air pump is operated it will push air into the sealed patio umbrella pole and raise the umbrella as outlined in item number 2 above.

6. A device as outlined in claims 1 to 5 that will enable the air to be released via an air pressure valve attached to the umbrella pole that will cause the “internal pole mechanism” to lower when the air is released out of the pole resulting in the internal components of the umbrella pole to fall thus lowering the umbrella.

B. In the case of the process:

1. A process for raising a patio umbrella canopy via the use of a manual air pump (foot or hand) or a low psi compressor pump that when attached to the hollow tubing and pumped, or turned on, supplies air into the pole allowing the use of air to push up an “internal pole mechanism” inside the pole which raises the umbrella canopy causing it to open. Closing the umbrella canopy happens automatically when the air pressure valve is opened allowing the air to escape causing the “internal pole mechanism” to fall which closes the umbrella canopy.

2. A process as defined in claim 1, in which a person may use their hand, foot or a low psi electric pump to connect to the hollow tubing at the base of the pole in order to pump air into the pole and raise the patio umbrella canopy via the “internal pole mechanism”.

3. A process as defined in claims 1 and 2, in which the internal pole mechanism when raised has a metal insert (FIG. 6) attached at the top that extends through the slit of the external pole and attaches to the base of the umbrella canopy, lifting the canopy as the “internal pole mechanism” is raised with the increase in air pressure.

4. A process as defined in claims 1 through 3 where air is sealed in the pole unit by closing the air pressure valve to hold the umbrella canopy open for a period of time.

5. A process as defined in claims 1 through 4 where air is released in the pole unit by opening the air pressure valve to allow the air to escape thereby, lowering the air pressure which causes the “internal pole mechanism” to fall which results in the umbrella canopy closing as air pressure is reduced.

C. In the case of the article:

1. A specialized patio pole unit with an air tight seal that is comprised of an external pole with a long slit that extends from the top of the pole to the middle of the pole with a metal insert that extends out from the “internal pole mechanism” and is attached to the base of the umbrella canopy.

2. A specialized patio pole unit as defined in claim 1 with an “internal pole mechanism” that is constructed of a smaller pole insert (FIG. 4), a plug for the metal insert (FIG. 5), a metal insert that attaches to the base of the umbrella canopy (FIG. 6), a base plug that attaches to the bottom of the smaller insert pole (FIG. 7) and pole cap for the bottom of the umbrella (FIG. 8) and lubrication opening (FIG. 10).

3. A specialized patio pole unit as defined in claims 1 and 2 with tubing attached to the pole cap (FIG. 8) that has an air tight seal to allow for the connection of an air pump which will introduce air into the pole.

4. A specialized patio pole unit as defined in claims 1 to 3 that has an air pressure valve that controls the air in the patio pole unit. When air is pumped into the unit, the air pressure valve is closed to retain the air and keep the canopy open. When the air pressure valve is opened the air will release resulting in the canopy closing in a slow and controlled manner.

5. A specialized patio umbrella pole as defined in claims 1 through 4 that includes for maintenance of the pole via the lubrication opening shown in FIG. 10.

6. A specialized patio umbrella pole as defined in claims 1 through 5 that also can incorporate safety devices such as an air pressure valve shown in FIG. 12 and a safety pin that can be inserted after the canopy is fully open to prevent it from falling closed shown in FIG. 13.

7. A specialized patio pole as defined in claims 1 through 6 that will allow for a flexible slit cover to seal the external pole and protect the “internal pole mechanism” from the outside elements.