US20040035456A1

US20040035456A1 - Portable lounge chair awning

Info

Publication number: US20040035456A1
Application number: US10/223,770
Authority: US
Inventors: Sharron Feese
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-08-20
Filing date: 2002-08-20
Publication date: 2004-02-26

Abstract

Portable lounge chair awning is a simple structure easily folded into a compact configuration for storage. The awning consists of dual elongated loops of flat spring steel covered by layers of fabric. The shape is oval. In use, the shape assumes a shaped dictated by the fabric's shape. The support and fabric assumes a generally saddle-shaped configuration. The major surfaces are adapted to reflect the sun's light and heat radiation. When open, the awning is placed over the back of a lounge chair and secured by ribbon-like ties to the side structure of a conventional lounge chair forming an awning to cover the occupant's head. The coilable frame allows the awning to be twisted and folded into a compact configuration consisting of a series of loops and fabric layers. The ribbon ties secure the compact configuration for storage.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to structures and particularly portable structures that can be rapidly transformed between a fully erected and fully collapsed configuration.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an awning attachment. More particularly, the invention relates to an awning which attaches onto a conventional lounge chair, and then selectively-blocks the sun's rays from reaching a person seated in the chair.

People enjoy lying in the sun. Sunbathing can be relaxing and is perceived to enhance one's appearance. However, while lying in the sun, many people find it undesirable to have the sun shine directly on their head. The hot sun can be irritating to sensitive facial skin, and overexposure can lead to various undesirable skin conditions. In addition, over-exposure to the sun's rays can lead to premature facial aging and permanent skin damage. People have sought to selectively block the sun's rays using umbrellas which either attach to their chairs or stick in the ground. However, it is difficult to use an umbrella to selectively block the sun from portions of the body, such as the fac, while allowing the sun's rays to reach the remainder of the body.

Others have proposed systems which attach onto pre-existing lounge chairs. While attaching onto a lounge chair is perhaps the best solution, there units have failed to provide an effective solution.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,120 to Ziolkowski discloses a sunshade using a plurality of flexible bows of a U-shaped configuration with two bow assembly bars each having a separate attachment location for each bow. Ziolkowski has failed to address the need for the structure to be compact and comprised of a minimum of component parts.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,257 to Clark discloses a sunshade apparatus for a chair. Clark's design attaches onto a chair with large C-clamps requiring a flat transverse bar on the chair in order to attach properly. Unfortunately, many standard beach chairs are made of tubular aluminum or plastic. There is no handy flat transverse bar to attach onto. Thus Clark's design will not work with most standard lounge chairs.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,281 to Pappalardo disclosed a sunshade which attaches onto a chair fram with straps, and is also supported in part by guy-wire like strings.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,405 to Foster et al. discloses a portable sunshade using sleeve means for removable attachment to the back of a lounge chair. Foster et al. employs a plurality of U-shaped bales, which are joined together at each end by a Joint. A fabric web ensheathes the bails and creates a shade providing canopy when the bails are spread apart from each other in a fan-like fashion.

While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to produce an awning that is quickly and easily attachable onto a lounge chair, for effectively and selectively blocking the sun's rays to a person seated in the chair.

It is another object of the invention to provide an awning that is capable of attaching onto a wide variety of lounge chairs, of different size, structure, and varieties.

It is a further object of the invention that the awning be flexible and easily adjustable to chairs of differing widths.

It is a still further object of the invention that the components of the awning are collapsible to allow easy, compact storage of the awning when not in use.

DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a view of the portable lounge chair awning showing my new design in collapsed, secured, and transportable form; [0014]
FIG. 2 is a front view of the portable lounge chair awning showing my new design in open form with the back of the lounge chair shown in phantom and forming no part of my new design; [0015]
FIG. 3 is a left side plan view of my new design with the two sides being the same with the back of the lounge chair shown in phantom and forming no part of my new design. [0016]
FIG. 4 is a rear view of the portable lounge chair awning with the bottom of the back of the lounge chair shown in phantom and forming no part of my new design. [0017]

Claims

1. A portable lounge chair awning comprising:

a sheet of at least one layer of a flexible first material, said sheet having front and back surfaces, and

two closed loops of a strip of a flexible, coilable, spring-like second material as a frame member secured to said sheet throughout an entire perimeter as well as passing across the sheet at the mid point along the longer side thereof. Said frame member being secured to the periphery of said body in a generally saddle-shaped configuration including two opposed smoothly curved ends;

wherein said awning is additionally maintained in saddle-shaped configuration by a rear panel attached along the middle one-third of the entire length of the surface;

therein forming a rear restraint thus preventing the awning from shifting forward from the rear of the lounge chair;

wherein ties affixed to said body at each end thereof the primary purpose being to secure the awning to the lounge chairs thereby holding the frame in the saddle-shaped configuration during use; and

wherein said awning can be (1) deployed in a first, open configuration, said closed loops being continuously deformable to a predetermined contour and, (2) twisted to form at least a pair of sections, said actions being foldable in layered fashion to form a second, compact configuration for storage; and

wherein restoring spring forces of said spring-like second material of said strip makes possible the retention of said awning around the outer structure of the back of a lounge chair.

2. The portable lounge chair awing of claim 1 wherein said closed loops have the general shape of two substantially identical circles connected by a rectangle having one side equal in length to twice the radius of said semicircles.

3. The portable lounge chair awning of claim 1 where said closed loops each having the general shape of an elongated oval.

4. The portable lounge chair awning of claim 1 wherein said strip of spring-like material comprises spring steel.

5. The portable lounge chair awning of claim 1 wherein said strips are sewn into a tubular pocket of said sheet along the perimeter as well as through the middle thereof.

6. The portable lounge chair awning of claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining collapsed configuration comprises two fabric ties attached to said sheet at opposing ends of said sheet.