Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45B—WALKING STICKS; UMBRELLAS; LADIES' OR LIKE FANS
  • A45B23/00—Other umbrellas
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45B—WALKING STICKS; UMBRELLAS; LADIES' OR LIKE FANS
  • A45B11/00—Umbrellas characterised by their shape or attachment
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45B—WALKING STICKS; UMBRELLAS; LADIES' OR LIKE FANS
  • A45B19/00—Special folding or telescoping of umbrellas
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45B—WALKING STICKS; UMBRELLAS; LADIES' OR LIKE FANS
  • A45B23/00—Other umbrellas
  • A45B2023/0012—Ground supported umbrellas or sunshades on a single post, e.g. resting in or on a surface there below
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45B—WALKING STICKS; UMBRELLAS; LADIES' OR LIKE FANS
  • A45B23/00—Other umbrellas
  • A45B2023/0031—Cantilever umbrellas or sunshades with a support arm
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45B—WALKING STICKS; UMBRELLAS; LADIES' OR LIKE FANS
  • A45B2200/00—Details not otherwise provided for in A45B
  • A45B2200/10—Umbrellas; Sunshades
  • A45B2200/1009—Umbrellas; Sunshades combined with other objects
  • A45B2200/1027—Umbrellas; Sunshades combined with other objects with means for generating solar energy

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a system for handling one or more beach umbrellas, and to a beach umbrella equipped with said handling system.
• the invention proposes a system for handling a beach umbrella based on the rotation/translation thereof relative to two axes perpendicular to the ground and located in the area that needs to be shaded for the longest time possible, especially in the hours of highest sun intensity.
• the handling system comprises a rotary system with an extensible arm, which permits tracking the sun by moving the umbrella relative to a fixed point "X" (user station point) located anywhere around the vertical supporting pole of the system.
• X user station point
• the system offers better performance and comfort through the use of a drive system (preferably controlled via software) which can automatically provide both the translation and the rotation of the system, taking into account the known sun motion and known shade calculation techniques.
• the motion impulse and rules processed via software by said drive system, derive from distributed signals or from a GPS system capable of determining the position of the station anywhere on earth or from solar trackers.
• the above-described automatisms may take motive power directly from the sun, through a solar panel system installed on the structure itself.
• the whole system finds its own sense in the energy that activates it and in the function it performs (when it is sunny, it makes sense that it is operational to give shade; if it is cloudy, there is no reason for it to operate, hence there is no need to generate power) .
• the system of the invention also makes it possible, by exploiting the latest solar power accumulation technologies, to set up the shading station not only for moving the system itself, but also for using it as a power source, e.g. for recharging mobile phones, organizing applications for communicating with the refreshment service of the resort hosting the users, keeping beverages cool or anyway at temperatures suitable for drinking, transforming energy accumulated during the day into nocturnal light .
• the invention tackles and solves the necessity of improving the efficiency and the benefits deriving from the beach umbrella handling system, which are currently limited because of the restricted movement capabilities of the current and most common tools (beach umbrellas and the like) used for giving shade to sunny areas where people stay for a long time.
• This idea provides longer protection, especially in the hours when the sun is strongest, and hence more comfort dedicated to a specific area.
• improved space management which, once the shaded area has been defined and maintained, avoids the need for continually reorganizing people and things with respect to a shade projection that is continually moving.
• the present invention relates to a system for handling one or more beach umbrellas, which comprises:
• At least one second pole having a substantially horizontal development, connected in a cantilever way to the first pole, at the end of said first pole opposite to the base;
• At least one extension arm having a substantially horizontal development, connected at a first end thereof to said at least one rotation pin and connected to said beach umbrella by means to allow for full rotation of the centre of the beach umbrella around said rotation pin, with a maximum distance from said first pole equal to the sum of the lengths of said second pole and said extension arm;
• control system of said rotational-translational system configured for controlling the rotation of said first pole and said at least one extension arm in such a way as to determine a shading condition on a ground area determined by the relative position of said one or more beach umbrellas with respect to said fixed base and with respect to the position of the sun.
• Figure 1 shows a general diagram of the system for handling a beach umbrella according to the present invention, with the arm fully extended and the umbrella open;
• Figures 1.1 and 1.2 are magnified views of the upper and lower parts, respectively, of the system
• Figure 2 shows a plan view of the system of Fig. 1;
• Figure 3 shows a side view and a plan view of the system of Fig. 1, with the arm fully extended and the umbrella being closed;
• Figure 4 shows a side view and a plan view of the system of Fig. 1, with the arm intermediately extended and the umbrella open;
• Figure 5 shows a side view and a plan view of the system of Fig. 1, with the arm retracted and the umbrella open;
• Figure 6 shows a side view and a plan view of the handling system of the invention in the variant wherein it supports two umbrellas, with two arms fully extended and two umbrellas open, in a position that only represents the maximum space occupation of the double system, not the movements thereof.
• the handling system comprises a rotational-translational system with an extensible arm, which permits tracking the sun by moving the umbrella with respect to a fixed point "X" (user station) located anywhere around the vertical supporting pole.
• a system supporting pole 1 having a diameter similar to that of current supports of existing beach umbrellas, and being hollow inside, constitutes a fixed vertical external enclosure for the system and is connected to a support base 4, normally secured to the ground in a per se known manner.
• the pole 1 internally contains another pole 2, which is rotatable and also hollow inside, controlled by a system contained in the base 4, e.g. comprising a transmission belt driven by a first electric motor 3 arranged within the base 4.
• This mechanism represents the first vertical axis of rotation 5 and contributes to the motion that permits tracking the sun by moving the umbrella horizontally relative to a point "X".
• the vertical part may be made as a single component rotating about the vertical axis 5, pivoted to the base 4, and comprising the supporting pole 1 and the additional internal pole 2.
• Such a second motion whether activated by the same motor 3 or by an independent additional electric motor also housed in the base 4 of the system 4, constitutes the fulcrum for the second sun tracking motion, consisting of a vertical motion relative to the point "X", since it is known that the sun describes an arc over the horizon which is precisely known anywhere on earth at any hour and on any day of the year.
• the rotary pole 2 comprises a vertical first part 2', which rotates, pivoted to the base 4, about the first vertical axis 5, and which is firmly connected to a second part having a substantially horizontal development 2' ' , which extends in a cantilever fashion relative to the vertical part 2' , starting from the top end of the latter, opposite to the base 4.
• a rotation pin 10 To the end of the part 2'' opposite to the vertical part 2' the rotation pin 10 is connected, allowing the umbrella 9 to rotate about the substantially vertical axis 8.
• an extension arm 11 is rotatably connected, to the outermost end of which the centre 12 of the umbrella 9 is attached.
• the length of the extension arm 11 is approximately equal to the radius of the beach umbrella.
• the horizontal part 2'' of the rotary pole and the extension arm 11 are positioned underneath the umbrella.
• the extensible arm 11 is a part of the umbrella 9 itself and forms a spoke thereof (Fig. 2) .
• the umbrella 9 is thus fixed to the rotation pin 10 at a point belonging to its circumference.
• the transmission cable 6 slides, which controls the rotation of the rotation pin 10.
• the transmission cable 6 starts from the control mechanism 3 , included in the base 4, and ends at the pivot point of the axis of rotation 8, on the rotation pin 10.
• the rotation of the rotation pin 10 can be controlled by a control system applied to the pin itself and controlled remotely.
• the system is preferably made of aluminium, just like common beach umbrellas, since said material has proven, when sufficiently thick, to be resistant, rigid and light enough.
• the force transmission cables are preferably made of steel because steel is adequately resistant, even with small cross- sections, to the pulling forces that such cables have to withstand in order to support the system moving forces.
• the articulation systems and the housings thereof are preferably made of rigid plastic and steel to ensure resistance and durability over time of these small components throughout the minimum "life" of the apparatus.
• the base 4 which houses the motors and the main technological components of the system, has been represented herein in a simplified manner but, in order to improve the comfort and efficiency of the invention, bases can be envisaged which are larger and more structured to contain additional technological components while at the same time fulfilling the need for the presence of a small table, just like common beach umbrellas already available on the market and found in most seaside resorts.
• the actual umbrella 9 is preferably made of canvas or another synthetic cloth characterized by low weight and high strength .
• the extensible arm 2 which is shown herein to be curved for the sole purpose of giving the system as a whole a more pleasant look, may also be straight, in which case fewer transmission pulleys 7 will need to be installed.
• the above-described devices allow, therefore, for full rotation of the system and its arm-shaped extension mechanism with an umbrella mounted at the end thereof, so that the arm-shaped extensible system makes it possible to move the umbrella away from or closer to the pole, i.e. the point "X" in order to track the sun, resulting in the position of the shade generated by the system umbrella remaining unchanged; therefore, in relation to the season, the reference point on earth, the hour and the day, a constant shade position will be obtained for some hours during the day, particularly those that mostly and most adversely may affect an exposed person.
• the apparatus as a whole can get the power needed for moving (while it can still be adjusted manually by means of cranks) from a solar panel 15 installed at the end of the arm, in proximity to the point of connection of the umbrella, on top of the latter.
• the solar panel is electrically connected to the electronic systems inserted in the base 4, e.g. via an electric cable running within the pole.
• Such energy used as motive force in order to activate the electric motors and the movements of the system, makes it possible to install the system anywhere with no criticalities and limitations as concerns the distance from power supply points. Of course, power may nevertheless also be taken from an electric network.
• the beach umbrella can be inserted and extracted at the axis of rotation 8 through a bayonet-like system 16, for the purpose of allowing the movements thereof .
• the beach umbrella 9 is characterized by opening and closing as two semicircles in a fan-like fashion (Figure 3), on the extensible arm or its radius 11.
• the beach umbrella 9 can be opened or closed by acting upon its division radius 12, which is preferably opposite to the radius 11.
• the umbrella structure is light, so as to not require too much effort from the motors that must generate the force necessary for the movements, although such movements, due to the slow but constant path followed by the sun over the horizon, will only be triggered for short orientation correction instants.
• the closing function proves useful when the beach umbrella is not in use, or in the presence of a strong wind.
• the movements of the system can therefore be activated either manually by the user or electrically by simple motors through per se known systems. It is also possible to employ automated systems with software applications capable of adjusting the motion of the system according to the known motion of the sun for each terrestrial position. In fact, known 3D graphic processing software systems may be used, along with a GPS geolocation function automatically determining the exact terrestrial point of installation.
• the GPS receiver 18 can be installed either at the top of the axis of rotation 5 or in the base 4. Such systems can be powered autonomously by the solar power production system.
• the motion of the system can be regulated by a solar tracker installed on the apparatus, with known software computing the correct position of the umbrella as a function of the light source.
• Figure 6 there are two extension systems and two umbrellas rotatable about the primary pole, thus simultaneously providing two fixed shaded areas, or a four-extension system, conceived for a gazebo.
• This variant includes, therefore, in combination with the system supporting pole 1, a rotary pole that comprises a vertical part 61 internal to the pole 1 and two opposite horizontally developing arms 62 and 63 performing the same functions as described for the substantially horizontal part 2 .

Landscapes

• Walking Sticks, Umbrellas, And Fans (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=65244503

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (1)

Citations (4)

• 2018
  • 2018-10-25 IT IT102018000009778A patent/IT201800009778A1/it unknown
• 2019
  • 2019-10-23 WO PCT/IB2019/059040 patent/WO2020084500A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (4)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events