Portable Apparatus for Efficiently Shading People from the Sun

Abstract

The invention is an apparatus that provides the user with a low cost, highly portable, and durable means of shading people or objects in a beach or similar outdoor setting. It is constructed of lightweight, noncorrosive parts that are easy to assemble by even a single person. The apparatus shades a rather large area and features a unique design that minimizes the need to reposition as the sun's rays change angles during the day. The apparatus also minimizes wind resistance and is further secured to the sand by four anchor points. Consequently, the user can easily carry the apparatus to the beach by hand, quickly assemble it, and then enjoy a day in the shade without worrying about the damaging effects of the beach environment.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001]This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 743,510 filed on Mar. 16, 2006.FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002]Not applicable.REFERENCED OR INCORPORATED MATERIAL [0003]Not applicable.BACKGROUND OF INVENTION [0004]The present invention is an apparatus which shades the user from the sun and is characterized by its portability, durability, ease of use, and efficiency. The user of the apparatus is anyone who wishes to provide protection from the sun to themselves, other people, or other objects. Certainly the general concept of a device which shades people from the sun is old art. The state of the art is characterized by various domes, tents, and umbrellas which accomplish a basic shade feature. However, the present invention provides the user with many advantages over the current art.[0005]The use of domes to provide shade from the sun has been around for some time. Domes in the art often consist of domed frames wit...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]The present invention relates to an apparatus that is used to shade people or objects from the sun and is characterized by its portability, durability, ease of use, and efficiency. The best use of the invention would be in a beach setting where there is full sun, sand, wind, and salt water. However, the invention could certainly be employed in any outdoor setting where the user wishes to provide shade from the sun.

[0012]The present invention is extremely portable and is so light that it can be easily carried by one person. It achieves this by being constructed of lightweight materials such as PVC and by being able to collapse into a relatively small volume of space. This portability feature is a key element for success in the beach sun shade industry. In most cases, sun shades must be manually carried across board walks, through hot sand, and onto the beach. Further, sun shades must frequently be moved. Thus, easy portability is a valuable commodity.

[0013]The present invention is also exceptionally durable and is designed to stand up to the harsh elements of a seaside environment. All structural members are constructed of durable plastics such as PVC pipe. These members will not absorb heat to the extent experienced by metal members. These members are flexible and resist fracture. Further, the salt water environment will not damage the present invention as there are no metallic parts. And, because there are no metal parts, metal fatigue will not be an issue from the intense beach winds.

[0014]The present invention can also be distinguished because of its ease of use. Set up time is minimal, not complicated, and can be accomplished by a single person. Users can set up the plastic poles and unroll the cover in a short amount of time. Less set up time equates to less time under the suns rays and more time in the shade. Importantly, once the present invention is set up, the beachcomber can enjoy the shade without constant adjustments for sun's angle. Likewise, because the present invention is designed to minimize wind resistance and is secured in the sand at four separate points, the possibility of wind damage or vertical uptake is drastically reduced over the existing art. As a result of the design and the decreased wind resistance, the present invention is unlikely to trap in much heat. Like portability, ease of use is a valuable commodity in the industry.

[0016]A second area of efficiency is the shade coverage time afforded by the present invention. Because of the unique design of the overlapping top and rear panel, the shade can be positioned in such a way as to minimize the negative effects of the changing angle of the sun's rays. This is a clear advantage over existing art such as the umbrella that must be continually readjusted.

[0017]A third area of efficiency is the increased cover area. In the present invention, shade cover area is maximized when balanced against the other features such as portability, durability, and ease of use. This invention achieves significant shade cover area without sacrificing portability, durability, or ease of use.

Problems solved by technology

However, in contrast to the present invention, domes can be quite cumbersome to transport and even more difficult to put together often requiring several people to construct or set up.

In addition, many domes are inefficient when it comes to adapting to the angle of the sun's rays and to lowering resistance to beach winds.

Further, attaching the covering to the frame can be a cumbersome process.

Such tents, though portable, often require several people to transport and set up.

Some of the more modern tents, such as those made by EasyUp, though touted as easy to use, still are quite heavy, require more than one person to set up, and leave numerous metal parts exposed to the corrosive elements of beach wind and water.

First, it has relatively small coverage area.

Even larger umbrellas are limited in size and often do not provide complete coverage.

And, even with such changes, not all angles can be accommodated.

Like many of the tents mentioned above, umbrellas typically have metal parts that are susceptible to corrosion in the beach environment as well as to absorption of unnecessary heat.

Finally, wind resistance on a beach can often cause umbrellas to blow out of their moorings in the beach sand.

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