GB2297099A

GB2297099A - Umbrella-like shelter

Info

Publication number: GB2297099A
Application number: GB9500879A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Reginald George Purssord
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-01-18
Filing date: 1995-01-18
Publication date: 1996-07-24
Anticipated expiration: 2015-01-18
Also published as: GB9500879D0; GB2297099B

Abstract

A canopy of the type having no central pole or shaft is provided in which umbrella ribs (4) are pivotally mounted to a central hub (10). The canopy is fastened to the ribs and has a radial slit provided between one pair of adjacent ribs, together with means, such as a Zip fastener, for releasable joining together the edges of the slits. With the radial slit unjoined the ribs, with the canopy attached thereto, may be swung about their pivots (7) to be, either gathered together for storage and carrying purposes, or to be pivoted outwardly to an "umbrella erected" position. (Fig. 7, ghost and solid-lines respectively).

Description

A CANOPY This invention relates to canopies, particularly dismantleable and portable structures intended to provide shelter from the weather elements.

Canopies of this type are well-known for use by riverside fishermen to protect the users from exposure to wind, rain, snow and generally they take the form of a large umbrella. More recently, developments have taken place in the design of such umbrella whereby it has been possible to eliminate the need for a central pole or shaft whereby the user has been unimposed by such a shaft in pursuit of his fishing activities.

Similar types of structure have also found uses as garden or beach shelters both for protection from the elements and for the provision of some degree of privacy.

One such arrangement disclosed in British patent 2237193 is an umbrella-like structure provided with a number of canopy-supporting ribs pivotally mounted on a hub member. A pressure plate is located onto a threaded stud and caused to apply pressure to the ribs in order to maintain the umbrella in opened operative position, by means of a nut which is normally tightened on to the stud. The pressure plate replaces the conventional rib-supporting struts which depend outwardly from a sleeve slideable along the central shaft.

In the above known structure, erection is difficult as the user needs to hold the canopy in its opened condition whilst threading first, the pressure plate, and then the nut onto the threaded stud in order to hold the ribs in their erected positions. At the same time the canopy has to be stretched and the ends of at least two of the ribs placed into retaining pockets on the inner face of the canopy. When dismantling the canopy the pressure plate cannot be released until at least two ribs have been disengaged from their retaining pockets. All of the above actions add to the difficulty of erection and dismantling.

It is an object of the invention to provide a canopy of the type having no centre pole or shaft, which can be erected simply and quickly, and/or to provide improvements generally over and above the known art.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a canopy of the type having no central pole or shaft in which a plurality of umbrella ribs are pivotally mounted to a central hub and adapted to pivot into a canopy tensioning position, and where the canopy is fastened to the ribs and has a radial slit provided between one pair of adjacent ribs and having means for releasable joining together the edges of the slits.

Preferably the means for joining together with edges of the slits is a slide fasteners, or alternatively hook and loop type fastening means or hook and eye type fastening elements may be provided.

With the radial slit unjoined the ribs, with the canopy attached thereto may be swung about their pivots to either be gathered together for storage and carrying purposes, or to be pivoted outwardly to an "umbrella erected" position and the edges of the radial slit closed by its jointing means in order to tension the canopy.

The central hub is preferably formed with a profile against which selected ribs are held in tension when the canopy is in its erected condition.

The ribs may vary in thickness along their length in order to allow of varying degrees of bending of the ribs as the canopy is placed under tension. They may taper from a thicker dimension adjacent the hub to a narrow dimension adjacent the periphery of the canopy.

Alternatively, two or more axially aligned components, jointed together may be of differing thicknesses.

In accordance with the second aspect of the invention a canopy comprises a series of umbrella ribs pivoted to a central hub so as to be able to be gathered together centrally for storage and carrying purposes. In order to erect the canopy the ribs are pivoted outwards from their stowed position to beyond the conventional "umbrella erected" position. As a result, effectively, the umbrella reverses or "umbrellas", or inverts.

In accordance with this second aspect of the invention, the arrangement whereby the ribs are pivoted to the central hub permits such inversion.

Moreo^ver, the hub is constructed so that the stays can pivot beyond their mid-point position to an inclined position suitable for the erected form of the umbrella or canopy. The hub has suitably profiled surfaces for this purpose.

Likewise in accordance with the second aspect of the invention, the sheet material of the canopy permits the above-described movements, being attached to the ribs but having a radial slit between two of these, the slit being openable and closable by closure means such as a zip.

To open and close the canopy the ribs are moved between the positions discussed above. In the open position of the canopy, the assembly is effectively retained in this configuration by the tension in the canopy itself which has been set up when the zip is zipped up, and this tension holds the ribs against the profiled surfaces of the hub.

In accordance with this aspect of the invention, the canopy is capable of single-handed erection and collapsing. Moreover, the reverse arrangement of ribs and canopy have the result that the collapsed configuration of the ribs and their erected configuration are effectively on opposite sides of the central mean plane. Additionally, the use of the slit and fastener enables not only securing but also tensioning of the canopy.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which : Figure 1 is a perspective view of a canopy according to the invention; Figure 2 is a front view of the canopy in its erected condition; Figure 3 is a view taken along the line of the axis of the hub member from the front of an assembled canopy.

Figure 4 is a view from the front of a partly assembled canopy; Figure 5 is a plan view of the hub member showing the system for pivotally mounting the ribs of the canopy; Figure 6 is a side view showing the ribs and canopy in their folded condition for storage or carriage; Figure 7 is a section view on the line VII-VII of Figure 5; Figure 8 is a scrap view of parts of the canopy showing a closure member.

As seen in the drawings the canopy according to the invention comprises a frame 2 including a number of ribs 4 pivotally mounted at their innermost ends on swivel pins 6 by means of ferrules 8 to a hub 10 as seen clearly in Figures 5 and 7. The outermost ends of the ribs 4 are located in pockets 12 sewn to a canopy covering sheet 14.

The ferrules 8 are pivotable through approximately 90 degrees upwardly about pins 7 fast in the swivel pins 6 as seen in chain lines in Figure 7 and the swivel pins are rotatable through approximately 180 degrees about their own axes. Thus, the ribs may pivot through about 180 degrees with respect to their mountings on the hub 10 and through about 90 degrees about their pins 7 to fold upwardly to the dismantled position illustrated in Figure 6.

The sheet 14 comprises a number of separate panels joined together by seams adjacent the ribs 4.

As seen clearly from Figure 3, panels 16 and 16A are substantially identical in size and shape. Panels 18 are about one half size of the panels 16 and are provided on their innermost radial edges with a slide fastener 20 (eg a "zip" fastener) . Alternatively a hook and loop fastener or hook and eye fasteners may be provided. With the fastener unconnected the canopy may adopt the configuration illustrated in Figure 4 whilst with the fastener connected, the configuration is as see in Figure 3.

If desired, each pair of panels 16A and 18 may be formed as one complete panel, ie not joined by a seam.

As seen clearly in Figures 1 to 4, two further panels 22 are provided and are joined by seams 24 to the panel 16A.

The panels 18 are formed adjacent the slide fasteners 20 with hems 26 to receive poles 28 and 30, see particularly Figures 8 and 9. The pole 28 is formed at its bottom end with a point 32 which may be pressed into the ground, and a wire loop 34 is provided to clip the ends of the poles 28 and 30 together when the canopy is in its tensioned condition, in order to relieve the fastener 20 of some of the possible strain.

A pair of poles 26 are pivoted at each of their upper ends to those pockets 12 adjacent the joining seams of panels 16 and 16A, and pass downwardly through retaining loops 38 on the panels 22. The poles are formed with points 40 at their lower ends which may be pressed into the ground to maintain the panels 22 in position as seen particularly in Figure 1.

In order to cause the ribs 4 to flex to a greater degree towards their outermost ends than that adjacent the hub, they may be tapered, lessening in diameter towards their outermost extremities. Alternatively they may be formed from two separate rods joined approximately mid-way of their length, the innermost section being of greater diameter than the outermost section.

It is preferred that those ribs 4 which are adjacent the seams joining the panels 16A and 18, and the poles 28 and 30 are not flexed to the same extent as the other ribs 4. With this in view the hub 10 is formed with a flange 11 (see Figures 5 and 7). Part of the flange has a level face 12 which restricts the downward component of pivotal movement of the ferrules 8 and the ribs 4 before bending of the ribs is effected. A different part of the flange is machined to provide an angled face 15 to allow a greater degree of pivotal movement of the ferrules connecting with the lower ribs 4 and the poles 28 and 30. Thus the ribs and poles located towards the lower part of the canopy is erected, whilst the ribs located around the upper part of the canopy are flexed against the face 13 of the hub to provide a curved format or "overhang" of the panels 16.

The ribs 4 may be of lightweight plastics or metal rod, or of fibre glass or carbon fibre.

Thus, in its carrying the storing condition the points 32 and 40 of the poles 28, 30 and 36 are withdrawn from the ground and the fastening means 20 is uncoupled and the wire clip 34 disconnected to release the tension in the canopy. The poles 36 are drawn out of their retaining loops 38 to be stored separately.

The ribs 4 and the poles 28, 30 are then swung upwardly about their swivel pins 6 to the position shown in Figure 6 and inserted with the poles 36 axially into a convenient valise.

Erection of the canopy is simply a reverse procedure of that above whereby the tension of the canopy, by closure of the fastening means 20 and engagement of the wire clip 34, causes the appropriate ribs to be placed in tension. The points 32 and 40 on the poles 28, 30 and 36 are pushed into the ground to stabilise the canopy and to allow the panels 22 to provide protection from ingress of weather from the sides. Thus protection is afforded from three sides and from above.

It is found that the device according to the invention can be erected speedily and simply, provides a stable and efficient shelf having no restrictions of a central pole or shaft associated with other known arrangements and has a minimum of separate components.

The canopy shape, combined with the profile of the hub and the flexibility of the ribs determines the final shape of the canopy and the essential feature which allows it to work and erect simply is the split in the cover joined by the slide fastener. The fact that the ribs can freely swivel in two directions from the storage position seen in Figure 6 to the erected position seen in Figures 1 and 2 allow it to be manipulated in one circular movement by the user.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1 A canopy comprising a plurality of umbrella ribs, being pivotally mounted to a central hub and adapted to pivot into a canopy tensioning position, and wherein the canopy is fastened to the ribs and has a radial slit provided between one pair of adjacent ribs and having means for releasable joining together the edges of the slits.

2 A canopy according to claim 1 wherein the means for joining together the edges of the slits comprises a slide fastener, or alternatively hook and loop type fastening means, or hook and eye type fastening elements.

3 A canopy according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the central hub is formed with a profile against which selected ribs are held in tension when the canopy is in its erected condition.

4 A canopy according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the ribs vary in thickness along their length to allow for varying degrees of bending of the ribs as the canopy is placed under tension.

5 A canopy according to claim 4 wherein the ribs taper from a thicker dimension adjacent the hub to a narrow dimension adjacent the periphery of the canopy.

6 A canopy according to claim 4 wherein said ribs comprise two or more axially aligned components, jointed together are of differing thicknesses.

7 A canopy comprising a series of umbrella ribs pivoted to a central hub so as to be able to be gathered together centrally for storage and carrying purposes.

8 A canopy according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the canopy may be erected by pivoting the ribs outward from a stowed position to beyond the conventional erected position to invert, or reverse the canopy to an erect position.

9 A canopy according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the hub is constructed so that the stays can pivot beyond their mid-point position to an inclined position suitable for the erected form of the umbrella or canopy.

10. A canopy substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10 A canopy according to claim 9 wherein the hub is provided with profiled surfaces to define said inclined position.

11 A canopy comprising a series of umbrella ribs pivoted to a central hub so as to be able to be gathered together centrally for storage and carrying purposes, said canopy being capable of being erected by pivoting the ribs outwards from said stowed position to beyond the conventional erected position, and said hub being constructed to permit such pivotal movement beyond said conventional erected position and defining an inclined position of said ribs for the erected form of the canopy.

12 A canopy according to anyone of claims 7 to 11 wherein the sheet material of the canopy permits the above-described movements, being attached to the ribs but having a radial slit between two of these, the slit being openable and closable by closure means such as a zip.

13 A canopy according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the canopy is capable of single-handed erection and collapsing.

14 A canopy substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A canopy of the type having no central pole or shaft comprising a plurality of umbrella ribs, being pivotally mounted to a central hub and adapted to pivot into a canopy tensioning position, and wherein the canopy is fastened to the ribs and has a radial slit provided between one pair of adjacent ribs and having means for releasable joining together the edges of the slits and wherein the means for joining together the edges of the slits comprises a slide fastener, or alternatively hook and loop type fastening means, or hook and eye type fastening elements.

2. A canopy according to claim 1 wherein the central hub is formed with a profile against which selected ribs are held in tension when the canopy is in its erected condition.

3. A canopy according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the ribs vary in thickness along their length to allow for varying degrees of bending of the ribs as the canopy is placed under tension.

4. A canopy according to claim 3 wherein the ribs taper from a thicker dimension adjacent the hub to a narrow dimension adjacent the periphery of the canopy.

5. A canopy according to claim 3 wherein each of the ribs comprises two or more axially aligned components, jointed together and the components of each rib are of differing thicknesses.

6. A canopy according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the canopy may be erected by pivoting the ribs outward from a stowed position to beyond the conventional erected position to invert, or reverse the canopy to an erect position.

7. A canopy according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the hub is constructed so that the ribs can pivot beyond their mid-point position to an inclined position suitable for the erected form of the umbrella or canopy.

8. A canopy according to claim 7 wherein the hub is provided with profiled surfaces.

9. A canopy according to any one of claims 6 to 8 wherein the sheet material of the canopy permits the above-described movements, being attached to the ribs but having a radial slit between two of these, the slit being openable and closable by closure means such as a zip.