US20030159748A1

US20030159748A1 - Sunshade canopy with meshes

Info

Publication number: US20030159748A1
Application number: US10/080,753
Authority: US
Inventors: Benson Tung
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-02-22
Filing date: 2002-02-22
Publication date: 2003-08-28

Abstract

A sunshade comprises a canopy including a first gore piece and a second gore piece. The first gore piece has a first edge and the second gore piece has a second edge. The first edge of the first gore piece and the second edge of the second gore piece are adjacent to each other without being sewn together, thereby defining a passage. A mesh is sewn to and thus covers each passage, allowing wind to pass through the mesh. When the sunshade is subject to a wind flowing upward from an underside of the canopy, at least a portion of the wind passes through the mesh, thereby reducing the force exerting on the canopy.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a sunshade canopy with at least one mesh that allows passing of a wind while shielding from sunlight.

2. Description of the Related Art

A sunshade is generally provided for shielding people from sunlight and rain. It was, however, found that the sunshade could fall when subject to a strong wind even if a base is provided. This is particularly true when the strong wind flows upward from an underside of the canopy of the sunshade. FIG. 1 of the drawings illustrates a conventional sunshade including a

base

3, a support 2, and a canopy 1 comprised of plural gores 11 that are sewn together along their edges. Each gore 11 includes an upper gore piece 113 and a lower gore piece 11. A lower edge of each upper gore piece 113 and an upper edge of the associated lower gore piece 111 are adjacent to each other without being sewn together, thereby leaving a passage 12. When a strong wind flows upward from an underside of the canopy 1, a portion of the wind may pass through the passages 12, thereby reducing the force exerting on the canopy 1. The risk of falling of the sunshade is thus reduced. However, the upper gore pieces 113 and the lower gore pieces 111 tend to separate from each other under such a strong wind. The life of the sunshade is thus shortened. Further, sunlight would be incident on the person under the sunshade through the passages 12; namely, the shielding effect is adversely affected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a sunshade canopy with at least one mesh that allows passing of a wind without adversely affecting the shielding effect.

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a sunshade comprises a canopy including a first gore piece and a second gore piece. The first gore piece has a first edge and the second gore piece has a second edge. The first edge of the first gore piece and the second edge of the second gore piece are adjacent to each other without being sewn together, thereby defining a passage. A mesh is sewn to and thus covers the passage, allowing wind to pass through the mesh.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, a sunshade comprises a canopy including a plurality of annularly disposed gores. Each gore includes an upper gore piece and a lower gore piece. Each upper gore piece has a lower edge and each lower gore piece has an upper edge. The lower edge of each upper gore piece and the upper edge of an associated lower gore piece are adjacent to each other without being sewn together, thereby defining a passage. A mesh is sewn to and thus covers each passage, allowing wind to pass through the mesh.

In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, a sunshade comprises a canopy including a plurality of annularly disposed gores. Each gore includes an upper gore piece, an intermediate gore piece, and a lower gore piece. Each upper gore piece has a lower edge, each intermediate gore piece has an upper edge and a lower edge, and each lower gore piece has an upper edge and a lower edge. The lower edge of each upper gore piece and the lower edge of an associated intermediate gore piece are adjacent to each other without being sewn together, thereby defining an upper passage. An upper mesh is sewn to and thus covers each upper passage, allowing wind to pass through the upper mesh. The lower edge of each intermediate gore piece and the upper edge of an associated lower gore piece are adjacent to each other without being sewn together, thereby defining a lower passage. A lower mesh is sewn to and thus covers each lower passage, allowing wind to pass through the lower mesh.

When the sunshade is subject to a wind flowing upward from an underside of the canopy, at least a portion of the wind passes through the meshes, thereby reducing the force exerting on the canopy.

Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional sunshade in accordance with the present invention. [0011]
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a sunshade in accordance with the present invention, wherein the sunshade is subject to a wind. [0012]
FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the sunshade in accordance with the present invention, wherein the sunshade is not subject to a wind. [0013]
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along plane [0014] 4-4 in FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a top view of the sunshade of FIG. 3. [0015]
FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a second embodiment of the sunshade in accordance with the present invention. [0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a first embodiment of a sunshade in accordance with the present invention generally comprises a [0017] base 3, a support 2 extending upright from the base 3, and a canopy 4 or the like. Of course, the canopy 4 can be supported by a plurality of ribs (not labeled). The canopy 4 includes a plurality of annularly disposed gores 41 that are sewn together along their edges. In this embodiment, the each gore 41 includes a substantially triangular upper gore piece 414, a substantially trapezoidal intermediate gore piece 417, and a substantially trapezoidal lower gore piece 411. A upper edge 413 of each lower gore piece 414 and a lower edge 418 of an associated intermediate gore piece 417 are adjacent to each other without being sewn together, thereby defining a passage 42. Similarly, an upper edge 419 of each intermediate gore piece 417 and a lower edge 415 of an associated upper gore piece 414 are adjacent to each other without being sewn together, thereby defining a passage 42. A mesh 43 is sewn to and thus covers each passage 42.
Referring to FIGS. 2 through 4, each [0018] upper mesh 43 has an upper side sewn to the lower edge 415 of the associated upper gore piece 414 along a sewing line 44. Further, each upper mesh 43 has a lower side sewn to the upper edge 419 of the associated intermediate gore piece 417 along the sewing line 44. Each lower mesh 43 has an upper side sewn to the lower edge 418 of the associated intermediate gore piece 417. Further, each lower mesh 43 has a lower side sewn to the upper edge 413 of the associated lower gore piece 411. Thus, when there is no wind, the meshes 43 are hidden when viewed from top of the sunshade, as shown in FIG. 5.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, when the [0019] canopy 4 is subject to a wind that flows upward from an underside of the canopy 4, the passages 42 appear when the gore pieces 411, 414, and 417 are subject to the wind and thus move relative to each other. At least a portion of the wind passes through the passages 42 to thereby reduce the force exerting on the canopy 4. In addition, the meshes 43 shield a portion of sunlight passing through the passages 412. In addition to the sunlight-shielding effect, the meshes 43 increase the bonding strength between the gore pieces 411, 414, and 417. Thus, the gore pieces 411, 414, and 417 are less likely to be damaged by the strong wind.
FIG. 6 illustrates a second embodiment of the invention, the [0020] canopy 4 a includes a plurality of annularly disposed gores 41 a that are sewn together along their edges. In this embodiment, the each gore 41 a includes a substantially triangular upper gore piece 414 a and a substantially trapezoidal lower gore piece 411 a. An upper edge 413 a of each lower gore piece 411 a and a lower edge 415 a of an associated upper gore piece 414 a are adjacent to each other without being sewn together, thereby defining a passage 42 a. A mesh 43 a is sewn to and thus covers each passage 42 a.
Similar to the first embodiment, each [0021] mesh 43 a has an upper side sewn to the lower edge 415 a of the associated upper gore piece 414 a. Further, each mesh 43 a has a lower side sewn to the upper edge 413 a of the associated lower gore piece 411 a. Thus, when there is no wind, the meshes 43 a are hidden when viewed from top of the sunshade. When the canopy 4 a is subject to a wind that flows upward from an underside of the canopy 4 a, the passages 42 a appear when the gore pieces 411 a and 414 a are subject to the wind and thus move relative to each other. At least a portion of the wind passes through the passages 42 a to thereby reduce the force exerting on the canopy 4 a. In addition, the meshes 43 a shield a portion of sunlight passing through the passages 42 a.
In addition to the sunlight-shielding effect, the [0022] meshes 43 a increase the bonding strength between the gore pieces 411 a and 414 a. Thus, the gore pieces 411 a and 414 a are less likely to be damaged by the strong wind. Although the meshes 43, 43 a illustrated are provided on each gore 41, 41 a, it is noted that the canopy 4, 4 a in accordance with the present invention may include at least one mesh 43, 43 a on at least one of the gores 41, 41 a. Further, the canopy 4, 4 a illustrated is comprised of a plurality of gores 41, 41 a, but it can be an integral gore having at least one passage 42, 42 a to which a mesh 43, 43 a is attached. In addition, the passage(s) 42, 42 a may be arranged along any desired orientations. Further, the canopy 4, 4 a in accordance with the present invention is also resistant to a strong wind that directly blows on the upper side of the canopy 4, 4 a, as the strong wind may pass through the passages 42, 42 a.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. [0023]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A sunshade comprising a canopy including a first gore piece and a second gore piece, said first gore piece having a first edge, said second gore piece having a second edge, said first edge of said first gore piece and said second edge of said second gore piece being adjacent to each other without being sewn together, thereby defining a passage, a mesh being sewn to and thus covering the passage, allowing wind to pass through said mesh.

2. A sunshade comprising a canopy including a plurality of annularly disposed gores, each said gore including an upper gore piece and a lower gore piece, each said upper gore piece having a lower edge, each said lower gore piece having an upper edge, said lower edge of each said upper gore piece and said upper edge of an associated one of said lower gore pieces being adjacent to each other without being sewn together, thereby defining a passage, a mesh being sewn to and thus covering each said passage, allowing wind to pass through said mesh.

3. The sunshade as claimed in claim 1, wherein said meshes on said gores together form a polygonal mesh area.

4. A sunshade comprising a canopy including a plurality of annularly disposed gores, each said gore including an upper gore piece, an intermediate gore piece, and a lower gore piece, each said upper gore piece having a lower edge, each said intermediate gore piece having an upper edge and a lower edge, each said lower gore piece having an upper edge and a lower edge, said lower edge of each said upper gore piece and said lower edge of an associated one of said intermediate gore pieces being adjacent to each other without being sewn together, thereby defining an upper passage, an upper mesh being sewn to and thus covering each said upper passage, allowing wind to pass through said upper mesh, said lower edge of each said intermediate gore piece and said upper edge of an associated one of said lower gore pieces being adjacent to each other without being sewn together, thereby defining a lower passage, a lower mesh being sewn to and thus covering each said lower passage, allowing wind to pass through said lower mesh.

5. The sunshade as claimed in claim 4, wherein said upper meshes on said gores together form a polygonal mesh area.

6. The sunshade as claimed in claim 4, wherein said lower meshes on said gores together form a polygonal mesh area.

7. The sunshade as claimed in claim 4, wherein said upper meshes on said gores together form an inner polygonal mesh area, and wherein said lower meshes on said gores together form an outer polygonal mesh area surrounding said inner polygonal mesh area.