Ulllted States Patent [19]
`Walker et al.
`
`[54] ILLUMINATED UMBRELLA
`
`[76] Inventors: Robert Lawrence Walker, 106 San
`Michael, Victoria Road, Clifton 8001,
`
`
`South Africa; Leslie Ronald Wittenberg, 20A Herschelwalk,
`Wynberg 7700, South Africa
`
`US005911493A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`5,911,493
`Jun. 15, 1999
`
`5,053,931 10/1991 Rushing ................................ .. 362/102
`5,323,798
`6/1994 Yang ....................................... ..135/16
`
`5,502,624
`
`3/1996 Tu ......................................... .. 362/102
`
`5,611,614
`
`
`
`.................................... .. 3/1997 Morgan ................................. .. 362/102
`
`[21] APPL NO; 08/997,425
`[22] Filed
`Dec 23 1997
`
`.
`
`.
`
`,
`
`Primary Examiner—Thomas M. Sember
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Ladas & Parry
`
`[30]
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`Jan. 9, 1997 [ZA]
`
`South Africa
`
`97/0186
`
`~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ " A45B 3/02
`Int‘ CI'G "
`[51]
`362/102; 135/16; 135/910
`[52] US. Cl. ................ ..
`[58] Field of Search ............................ .. 362/32, 102, 192,
`362/234, 431, 249; 135/16, 910
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`The invention provides for an umbrella, part of Which is
`indicated by reference numeral 10. The umbrella 10 includes
`
`a post 12, a plurality of ribs 16 and a canopy, not shoWn,
`_
`_
`supported on the ribs 16. The umbrella 10 further includes
`a light source in the form of a length of rope lighting 32
`carried by and extending along each of the ribs 16.
`
`4,848,385
`
`7/1989 Pennella .................................. .. 135/16
`
`11 Claims’ 1 Drawing Sheet
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`16
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`32
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`38
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`32
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`LakeSouth Exhibit 2010 – Page 1
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 15,1999
`
`5,911,493
`
`FIG-1
`
`_FIG2
`
`LakeSouth Exhibit 2010 – Page 2
`
`

`

`1
`ILLUMINATED UMBRELLA
`
`5,911,493
`
`This invention relates to umbrellas.
`According to the present invention, there is provided an
`umbrella including
`a post;
`a plurality of ribs, ends of Which are mounted on the post;
`a canopy supported on the ribs; and
`a light source carried by and extending along at least one
`of the ribs.
`The umbrella may include pivotal connections at an upper
`end of the post Whereby the ends of the ribs are pivotally
`mounted on the post to enable the ribs to be sWung betWeen
`an operative position in Which they extend radially out
`Wardly from the post and an inoperative position in Which
`they hang adjacent the post.
`The umbrella may include a hub carrying the pivotal
`connections, the hub being mounted on the upper end of the
`post.
`At least one electrical socket may be provided on the hub,
`the light source including a complementary plug releasably
`connectable to the socket.
`The umbrella may include an electrical cable connected to
`the electrical socket and Whereby the socket is connectable
`to an electrical poWer source remote therefrom.
`The post may be holloW, at least a portion of the cable
`extending from the hub to a loWer end portion of the post.
`The umbrella may include a light source carried by and
`extending along each of at least some of the ribs.
`Preferably, the umbrella includes a light source carried by
`and extending along each of the ribs.
`Aplurality of electrical sockets mounted on the hub may
`be provided, each light source having a complementary plug
`Which is releasably connectable to one of the sockets.
`The hub may de?ne an internal cavity and circumferen
`tially spaced holes extending from the cavity to positions
`outside the hub, the electrical sockets being located in the
`holes.
`The hub may have an access opening leading into the
`cavity and a cover for releasably closing the access opening.
`The, or each, light source may be de?ned by a length of
`rope lighting.
`The, or each, rib may include a doWnWardly open channel
`formation extending along its length, the length of rope
`lighting being held betWeen opposed Walls of the channel
`formation.
`Accordingly, in a preferred form, each rib is pivotally
`mounted on a hub Which is itself carried by the pole so that
`each rib can be sWung betWeen an operative position in
`Which it extends radially outWardly from the pole and an
`inoperative position in Which it hangs doWn adjacent the
`pole, electrical sockets carried by the hub, and means for
`securing said lengths of rope lighting along the undersides of
`the ribs, each length of rope lighting including a loop Which
`extends betWeen the means Which mounts that length of rope
`lighting and said socket.
`For a better understanding of the present invention, and to
`shoW hoW the same may be carried into effect, reference Will
`noW be made, by Way of example, to the accompanying
`draWings in Which:
`FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of part of an
`umbrella in accordance With the present invention; and
`FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic bottom plan vieW of the
`umbrella of FIG. 1.
`The umbrella illustrated is generally designated 10 and
`comprises a holloW post or pole 12, a holloW hub 14 Which
`is ?xed to the upper end of the pole 12 and a plurality of ribs
`
`10
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`15
`
`25
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`35
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`45
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`55
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`65
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`2
`16 Which radiate from the hub 14. TWo ribs are shoWn in
`FIG. 1 but only one in FIG. 2.
`The hub 14 carries a plurality of brackets 18. A Web of
`each bracket 18 is secured to the hub 14 and pins 20 passed
`through holes 22 in opposed ?anges of the brackets 18 form
`pivotal connections Whereby radially inner ends of the ribs
`16 are pivotally mounted to the upper end of the pole 12.
`A plurality of electrical sockets 24 are also mounted on
`the hub 14, the sockets 24 alternating With the brackets 18.
`The sockets 24 are mounted in holes in the hub 14 so that the
`inner end of each socket 24 is Within the cavity Which the
`holloW hub 14 provides.
`PoWer is supplied to the sockets 24 by cabling 26 Which
`extends upWardly through the holloW pole 12, enters the
`cavity Within the holloW hub 14 and is connected to the inner
`ends of the sockets 24.
`After the connections have been made betWeen the
`cabling 26 and the inner ends of the sockets 24, a cap 28 is
`pressed into an open upper end of the cavity Within the hub
`14 to close it off.
`DoWnWardly open elongate channels 30 are secured to the
`undersides of the ribs 16. Each channel 30 has pressed into
`it a light source in the form of a length of rope lighting 32
`so that each length of rope lighting 32 is carried by and
`extends along an associated rib 16. At its radially outer end
`each length of rope lighting 32 is closed-off by an end cap
`(not shoWn) and at the radially inner end each length of rope
`lighting 32 includes a plug 34 Which is pushed into the
`adjacent socket 24 to be electrically connected thereto.
`Rope lighting consists of an extruded length of synthetic
`plastics material. The synthetic plastics material is ?exible
`and has at intervals therealong sources of light. These
`sources are connected together by Wires Which run through
`the extrusion. When connected to a source of electricity,
`rope lighting is illuminated throughout its length.
`Because the rope lighting is ?exible, a loop 38 can be
`provided in each length betWeen the radially inner end of the
`channel 30 and the plug 34. The loops 38 accommodate
`pivoting movement of the ribs 16 about the axes of the pins
`20 betWeen the extended, operative positions as shoWn in the
`draWings and inoperative positions in Which the ribs hang
`doWn adjacent the pole 12.
`On the pole 12 beloW the hub 14 there is a sleeve 40.
`Struts 42 are pivotally mounted at their inner ends on the
`sleeve and at their outer ends on the ribs 16 at points
`intermediate the ends of the ribs. There are means 44 for
`releasably securing the sleeve to the pole. The umbrella is
`opened by sliding the sleeve up the pole so that the struts
`push the ribs outWardly. The sleeve is releasably attached to
`the pole in its upper position. When the releasable attaching
`means is freed, the sleeve can slide doWn the pole. The inner
`ends of the struts move doWn With the sleeve thereby
`permitting the ribs to sWing doWn to their inoperative
`positions.
`We claim:
`1. An umbrella including;
`a post;
`a plurality of ribs, ends of Which are mounted on the post;
`a canopy supported on the ribs;
`a light source carried by and extending along at least one
`of the ribs;
`pivotal connections at an upper end of the post Whereby
`the ends of the ribs are pivotally mounted on the post
`to enable the ribs to be sWung betWeen an operative
`position in Which they extend radially outWardly from
`the post and an inoperative position in Which they hang
`
`LakeSouth Exhibit 2010 – Page 3
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`

`

`5,911,493
`
`3
`adjacent to the post, the post having a hub at the upper
`end thereof and the hub carrying said pivotal connec
`tions; and
`at least one electrical socket on the hub, the light source
`including a complementary plug releasably connect
`able to the socket.
`2. An umbrella as claimed in claim 1, Which includes an
`electrical cable connected to the electrical socket and
`Whereby the socket is connectable to an electrical poWer
`source remote therefrom.
`3. An umbrella as claimed in claim 2, in Which the post is
`holloW, at least a portion of the cable extending from the hub
`to a loWer end portion of the post.
`4. An umbrella as claimed in claim 1, Which includes a
`light source carried by and extending along each of at least
`some of the ribs.
`5. An umbrella as claimed in claim 4, Which includes a
`light source carried by and extending along each of the ribs.
`6. An umbrella as claimed in claim 1, Which includes a
`plurality of electrical sockets mounted on the hub, each light
`source having a complementary plug Which is releasably
`connectable to one of the sockets.
`7. An umbrella as claimed in claim 6, in Which the hub
`de?nes an internal cavity and circumferentially spaced holes
`extending from the cavity to positions outside the hub, the
`electrical sockets being located in the holes.
`8. An umbrella as claimed in claim 7, in Which the hub has
`an access opening leading into the cavity and a cover for
`releasably closing the access opening.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`25
`
`4
`9. An umbrella as claimed in claim 1, in Which the or each
`light source is de?ned by a length of rope lighting.
`10. An umbrella as claimed in claim 9, in Which the or
`each rib includes a doWnWardly open channel formation
`extending along its length, the length of rope lighting being
`held betWeen opposed Walls of the channel formation.
`11. An umbrella including:
`a holloW post;
`a plurality of ribs, ends of Which are mounted on the post;
`a canopy supported on the ribs;
`a light source carried by and extending along at lest one
`of the ribs;
`pivotal connections at an upper end of the post Whereby
`the ends of the ribs are pivotally mounted on the post
`to enable the ribs to be sWung betWeen an operative
`position in Which they extend radially outWardly from
`the post and an inoperative position in Which they hang
`adjacent the post, the post having a hub at the upper end
`thereof and the hub carrying said pivotal connections;
`and
`an electrical cable Whereby the light source is connectable
`to an electrical poWer source, the cable extending along
`the holloW interior of the post to the hub, and there
`being a disconnectable electrical plug and socket con
`nection betWeen the light source and said cable.
`
`*
`
`*
`
`*
`
`*
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`*
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`LakeSouth Exhibit 2010 – Page 4
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