US20080283105A1

US20080283105A1 - Body shape

Info

Publication number: US20080283105A1
Application number: US12/080,035
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert H. DuBose, III
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-04-24
Filing date: 2008-04-01
Publication date: 2008-11-20

Abstract

A body shade used for sun protection including a shading material removably attachable to a flexible frame that is removably attachable to items including sand, frames, chairs, boats, and kayaks via clamps, hooks, or screws in order to provide quick and easy shade to a desired area. The shade is formed from an opaque or partially translucent material, and along with the frame is adjustable, light weight, and easily collapsible and storable within a light weight carrying bag. The shade can also be used individually by using sand screws to secure the frame within sand or dirt surfaces.

Description

PRIORITY

Priority is claimed to Provisional Application No. 60/926,017 filed on Apr. 24, 2007.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to body shades that are used for sun protection that include a shading material removably attachable to a flexible frame that is removably attachable to items including sand, frames, chairs, boats, and kayaks via clamps, hooks, or screws in order to provide quick and easy shade to a desired area. The shade is formed from an opaque or partially translucent material, and along with the frame is adjustable, light weight, and easily collapsible and storable within a light weight carrying bag. The shade can also be used individually by using sand screws to secure the frame within sand or dirt surfaces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In many instances there is a need for a mechanism or item to provide quick, easy, and adjustable shade to protect an area from the heating and burning effects of the sun. In the past, cumbersome umbrellas were held by large poles, or large canopies were held by large frames. These configurations were heavy and too large to be transported by hand or within an average sized trunk of a car. There became a strong need for smaller and more transportable versions that could be quickly and easily removably attached to items such as sand, frames, chairs, boats, and kayaks. Further, most of the prior art shades do not provide adjustment capabilities necessary to provide constant shade over a long period of time or to withstand strong winds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The instant invention is designed for quick, easy, adjustable, and detachable attachment to items such as sand, frames, chairs, boats, and kayaks. Using a lightweight collapsible frame, a shading or sun screening material is detachably attached thereto by removable fastening means. The frame is then either removably secured within sand or dirt via means such as sand screws, or removably attached to frames, chairs, boats, and kayaks via adjustable clamps, hooks, or screws. The frame also can include adjustable and telescoping arms that aid in the positioning and adjustment of the shading material. The arms can be formed as separable members held together by connecting sleeves. The tips of the arms can include flexible tips that allow further fine adjustment capabilities and offer shock absorbing capabilities when exposed to strong winds. Arms of the frame can also include sand screws at their distal ends that are used to screw into sand or dirt surfaces to thereby hold the body shade in position by itself.
The frame of the shade configuration can be formed from plastic, metal, wood, fiberglass, or any material that is light in weight and that offers high strength. One embodiment of the frame offers the ability to bend and collapse upon itself for storage purposes.
The material of the shade member can be formed from an opaque or partially translucent material that either offers partial sun screening or total sun blockage. Portions of the shade member includes removable attachment members, including snaps, hooks, or hook and loop fasteners, to thereby provide easy and quick detachably connecting means between the shade member and the frame.
The clamps can be formed of two pivoting halves adjustably pulled together by a clamping bolt. The sand screws can be formed from metal, plastic, or the like and include a hand grip to aid in tuning the screws when engaging the sand or dirt surface.
A carrying bag is provided and can be made from plastic, nylon, or any other lightweight and strong material. When the body shade is in its collapsed configuration it can be easily placed inside and carried by the bag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of one embodiment of the body shade that can stand alone and is removably inserted into sand at the beach via sand screws.

FIG. 2 is a view of the frame of the body shade that is removably attached to a frame of a collapsible chair via adjustable clamps.

FIG. 3 is a view of a one embodiment of the body shade that is removably attached to a frame of a collapsible chair via adjustable clamps.

FIG. 4 is a view of a larger body shade that is removably attached to a frame of a larger collapsible chair via adjustable clamps.

FIG. 5 is a view of the distal end of an arm with a flexible tip including an attachment means between the shade and the frame being a hook.

FIG. 6 is a view of an adjustable clamp member removably connecting the body shade to the frame of a chair.

FIG. 7 is a view of one embodiment of a sand screw.

FIG. 8 is a view of an alternate embodiment of the body shade, wherein the arms are individually extended downward toward sand and individually removably attached thereto via respective sand screws.

FIG. 9 is a view of the carrying bag.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The preferred embodiment of the body shade is best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and is indicated as member 10. The body shade includes a frame member 20, best shown in FIG. 2, that is formed from a flexible material that can be collapsed upon itself for storage purposes, a shade member 25 formed of an opaque or partially translucent material that is detachably connected to the frame member via suitable releasable connecting means. The frame member 20 is held in place by front arm members 40 that can be formed from several telescoping members 42 and curved members 44, and rear arm members 50 that are formed from several telescoping members 52. The arm members can be alternately formed as multiple members 45 and 55 that are adjustably and removably connected to adjacent arm members via rod sleeve members 58. Each arm member is attached to the frame member at its distal end via flexible tip members 60 that allows for quick releasable connection to the frame member 20, for fine adjustments, and offers shock absorbing characteristics when exposed to strong winds. Each flexible tip member 60 is made from wire type flexible material, which can be formed in a straight, curved, helical, or any other shape that suits a user's needs, and is connected between each respective rod sleeve and connecting means on the distal ends of each respective arm. The connecting means located on the distal ends of each respective arm can be any suitable releasable connecting means including hooks, snaps, and hook and loop material. Each arm is further connected at its opposite end to a clamp member 70 that is adapted to be removably attached to many types of frames or edges of surfaces. Therefore, the frame member, the shade member, the arms, and the clamps form one unit 10 that is easily and quickly capable of removably attaching to a desired frame or chair 28 in such a way that offers an infinite number of adjustment positions that are easily changeable over time to thereby follow the sun across the sky during many hours, and to be adjustable to reduce wind forces, including friction, that could bend, break, or pull off the shade from the frame or chair.
The body shade is adapted to stand alone, best shown in FIG. 1, when arm members 50 are extended through the clamps and are fitted at their bottom ends with sand screws 80 that are adapted to be hand turned with respect to each arm and driven into sand or dirt via hand grips 82 and screw portions 84. The connection between the sand screw and each respective arm is such that the lowest telescoping arm portion is releasably and rotatably connected to the top portion 83 of the sand screw.
The body shade is also adapted to stand alone when arm members 40 and 50 are individually extended downward, best shown in FIG. 8, and each fitted at their bottom ends with sand screws 80 that are adapted to be hand turned and driven into sand or dirt via hand grips 82. Once again, the connection between the sand screw and each respective arm is such that the lowest telescoping arm portion is releasably and rotatably connected to the top portion 83 of the sand screw.
The arms 40 and 50 of the body shade can be formed from several telescoping members releasably secured to one another via screw clamp members 59, best shown in FIG. 2. However, the arm members can also be formed as multiple members 45 and 55 adjustably and removably connected to adjacent arm members via rod sleeve members 58, as shown in FIG. 1. The rod sleeve members can be formed from a variety of strong lightweight material including metal or fiberglass.
Clamps 70 may be formed as two halves that are pivotally connected at one respective end and adjustably connected at a second end via adjustment screws. However, other types and styles of clamps can be used.
The carrying bag 100, shown in FIG. 9, is design and shaped to carry the body shade in a small and convenient manner. The carrying bag can be made from plastic, nylon, or any other lightweight and strong material. When the body shade is in its collapsed configuration it can be easily placed inside and carried by the bag.
Any and all other obvious modifications to one or more of the parts of this invention are inherently incorporated herein.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The preferred embodiment of the body shade is best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and is indicated as member 10. The body shade includes a frame member 20, best shown in FIG. 2, that is formed from a flexible material that can be collapsed upon itself for storage purposes, a shade member 25 formed of an opaque or partially translucent material that is detachably connected to the frame member via suitable releasable connecting means. The frame member 20 is held in place by front arm members 40 that can be formed from several telescoping members 42 and curved members 44, and rear arm members 50 that are formed from several telescoping members 52. Each arm member is attached to the frame member at its distal end via flexible tip member 60 that allows for quick releasable connection to the frame member 20, for fine adjustments, and offers shock absorbing characteristics when exposed to strong winds. Each arm is further connected at its opposite end to a clamp member 70 that is adapted to be removably attached to many types of frames or edges of surfaces. Therefore, the frame member, the shade member, the arms, and the clamps form one unit 10 that is easily and quickly capable of removably attaching to a desired frame or chair 28 in such a way that offers an infinite number of adjustment positions that are easily changeable over time to thereby follow the sun across the sky during many hours, and to be adjustable to reduce wind forces, including friction, that could bend, break, or pull off the shade from the frame or chair.
The body shade is also adapted to stand alone, best shown in FIG. 1, when arm members 50 are extended through the clamps and are fitted at their bottom ends with sand screws 80 that are adapted to be hand turned with respect to each arm and driven into sand or dirt via hand grips 82 and screw portions 84. The connection between the sand screw and each respective arm is such

Claims

1. A body shade comprising a frame member; a shade member removably connected to the frame member; front arm members that are adjustable in length and are adjustably attached at their respective distal ends to the frame member; rear arm members that are adjustable in length and are adjustably attached at their respective distal ends to the frame member; and attaching means for removably attaching bottom ends of the front and rear arms to a frame or surface member.

2. The post protector of claim 1, wherein the frame member is made from one of a list of materials including plastic, metal, wood, and fiberglass.

3. The post protector of claim 1, wherein the shade member is made from an opaque material.

4. The post protector of claim 1, wherein the shade member is made from a semi-translucent material.

5. The post protector of claim 1, wherein the shade member is removably connected to the frame member by removable fastening means, wherein the removable fastening means is chosen from a group of fastening means including snaps, hooks, and hook and loop fasteners.

6. The post protector of claim 1, wherein the front and rear arms are formed from telescoping arm portions.

7. The post protector of claim 1, wherein the front and rear arms are formed from multiple arm portions interconnected by connector sleeves.

8. The post protector of claim 1, wherein the attaching means includes two clamp members;

wherein a first clamp member is adapted to releasably and adjustably connects a first front arm and a first rear arm to a first portion of a frame or surface member, and a second clamp member is adapted to releasably and adjustably connects a second front arm and a second rear arm to a second portion of a frame or surface member; such that the body shade is adapted to be easily removably and adjustably connected to the frame or surface member.

9. The post protector of claim 1, wherein the attaching means includes two screws, one screw releasably connected to a respective bottom portion of each rear arm; and wherein bottom portions of the front arms are attached to middle portions of each respective rear arm, such that the body shade is adapted to be easily removably connected via the two screws to a surface member including sand or dirt.

10. The post protector of claim 1, wherein the attaching means includes four screws, one screw releasably connected to a respective bottom portion of each of the front and rear arms; such that the body shade is adapted to be easily removably connected via the four screws to a surface member including sand or dirt.

11. The post protector of claim 1, wherein the front and rear arms include flexible tip members at their respective distal ands that are adapted to connect respective arm members to the frame member, and thereby provide improved adjustability and shock absorption due to strong winds.

12. A combination of a collapsible chair and body shade comprising a collapsible chair member having a frame; and a body shade comprising a frame member; a shade member removably connected to the frame member; front arm members that are adjustable in length and are adjustably attached at their respective distal ends to the frame member; rear arm members that are adjustable in length and are adjustably attached at their respective distal ends to the frame member; and attaching means for removably attaching bottom ends of the front and rear arms to the frame of the collapsible chair member.

13. The post protector of claim 12, wherein the frame members of the chair and the body shade are made from one of a list of materials including plastic, metal, wood, and fiberglass.

14. The post protector of claim 12, wherein the shade member is made from an opaque material.

15. The post protector of claim 12, wherein the shade member is made from a semi-translucent material.

16. The post protector of claim 12, wherein the shade member is removably connected to the frame member by removable fastening means, wherein the removable fastening means is chosen from a group of fastening means including snaps, hooks, and hook and loop fasteners.

17. The post protector of claim 12, wherein the front and rear arms are formed from telescoping arm portions.

18. The post protector of claim 12, wherein the front and rear arms are formed from multiple arm portions interconnected by connector sleeves.

19. The post protector of claim 12, wherein the attaching means includes two clamp members;

20. The post protector of claim 12, wherein the front and rear arms include flexible tip members at their respective distal ends that are adapted to connect respective arm members to the frame member, and thereby provide improved adjustability and shock absorption due to strong winds.