Beach umbrella article storage accessory

Abstract

For the temporary storage of sundry articles, such as clothing, keys, coins, and the like on beach-type umbrellas, an article storage accessory of cylindrical shape is threaded onto the support pole of the umbrella and clamped in place by means of screws extending through threaded openings through the cylinder wall. Various means, such as hooks or rails, are provided on the cylinder accessory, including, optionally, a bowl threaded onto the pole, providing means in or on which various articles can be stored. In one embodiment, the umbrella poll comprises two segments normally joined together at ends of the two segments. In this embodiment, the storage accessory comprises a tubular member interposed between the two segments and end connected to each. The tubular member includes means, such as extending hooks, for the storage of articles thereon.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to large umbrellas, such as beach and garden umbrellas, comprising a canopy stretched over a rib frame mounted on a support pole, and particularly to accessories attachable to the support poles by means of which various articles such as keys and clothing and the like can be temporarily stored.

Because beach and garden type umbrellas are of relatively large size, and thus of necessity firmly anchored in place when in use, it is common to hang various articles, such as towels or clothing, from the umbrella ribs for temporary storage. The purpose of the present invention is to increase the storage capacity of such umbrellas by the use of article storage accessories mounted on the umbrella support poles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An article storage accessory is mounted on, or incorporated as part of, a support pole of an umbrella. In a preferred embodiment, the accessory comprises a hollow cylinder which is slid onto an umbrella support pole and locked in place by clamping means comprising one or more screws extending radially through the cylinder wall and into contact with the pole. The cylinder includes means, such as outwardly extending hooks, or apertured members, by which various articles, such as clothing, eyeglasses, and the like, can be draped or hung. For still further increasing storage capacity, a bowl-like member, with a central opening through the bottom wall of the bowl, is mounted on the support pole. The bottom wall of the bowl rests on an upper portion of the article storage accessory. In another embodiment, the accessory comprises an elongated cylinder disposed in end-to-end, interconnected relation with two segments of an umbrella pole normally connected to one-another. Article storing means, such as coat hanger type hooks, are disposed on the interposed cylinder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings, which are not drawn to scale, like reference denote like components; and

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a portion of a beach-type umbrella showing an article storing accessory clamped to the umbrella support pole;

FIG. 1A shows a variation in the shape of screw knobs shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the article storing accessory shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 but showing the article storing accessory serving as a means for locking the ends of umbrella

FIG. 3 is a partially exploded view, in perspective, of a variation of the article storing accessory shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and showing an article storage bowl;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing another variation of the article storing accessory;

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective showing an article storing accessory for use with a two-part umbrella support pole;

FIG. 6 shows a variation of the article storing accessory shown in FIG. 5 including the addition of a storage bowl similar to that shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 but showing the article storing accessory mounted on an umbrella support pole and serving as a means for locking the umbrella in closed condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As previously explained, a purpose of the invention is to provide article storage means on the support poles of large, beach-type umbrellas. One such umbrella 10 is partially shown in FIG. 1 and comprises a canopy 12 mounted on ribs 13 secured to the end of a support pole 14. The ribs 13 extend beyond the canopy 12 and, typically, terminate in little spheres 13a. The present invention involves mounting one or more article storing accessories on an umbrella support pole. A first example of such an accessory is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and comprises a hollow cylinder 20 having a main circular wall 21 having an inner diameter, e.g., ranging between ¾ and 1 ⅞ inches, large enough to fit onto typical umbrella support poles, and having a length, a matter of choice, of around several inches. For clamping the cylinder 20 onto an umbrella support pole, the cylinder includes three spaced apart blocks 24 each including a radially extending screw hole for receipt of a screw 26. The screws (FIG. 2) extend entirely through the blocks 24 and terminate in flat inner ends 28 which are capped with a layer 29 of rubber or the like for clamping engagement with a pole on which the cylinder is mounted. The rubber caps 29 allow tight clamping for preventing slippage but without damage to the pole. The screw outer ends terminate in small knobs 30 by means of which the screws can be turned for advancing or retracting them within the block screw holes.

In use, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the cylinder 20 is slid onto an umbrella pole, positioned at a desired height along the pole, and the knobs 30 rotated for advancing the screws 26 for clamping the cylinder against the support pole. (The selection of screw pitch, screw diameter, knob diameter, and the like, for enabling screwing of the screw front ends, by hand, into firmly clamped relation with the umbrella pole is well within the ability of persons of skill in the related mechanical arts.)

The cylinder 20 provides means for storing articles on the umbrella and, to this end, straps or rails 34, generally concentric to the cylinder 20, are provided extending between adjacent blocks 24. The rails are spaced from the cylinder outer wall and provide storage for objects which can be hung from the rails or wedged behind the rails. FIG. 1, for example, shows a pair of eyeglasses suspended from a rail 34.

Additional article hanging means are provided by the radially outwardly extending portions of the screws 26 which serve as hanger bars from which clothes hangers and other articles can be suspended. Similarly, the screw knobs 30 serve as hooks from which clothing and other articles can be draped. In FIG. 1A, knobs 30A are shown with a cross-shape for better grip of objects draped over the knobs.

For providing additional storage capacity, a bowl 40 (FIG. 3), having (FIG. 4) a central opening 41 through the bottom wall, is slid onto the support pole and rests on an upper end of the cylinder. For preventing the bowl from blocking free access to the portions of the cylinder providing storage capacity (that is, the rails 34, the screws 26 and the screw knobs 30) the cylinder 45 shown in FIG. 3 is somewhat elongated, compared to the cylinder 20 shown in FIG. 1, and a ring or ledge 46 is provided on the cylinder 45 adjacent to its upper end. When the bowl 40 is in place, the cylinder upper end (see, also, FIG. 4) extends into the bowl bottom opening with the edge of the opening resting on the cylinder ledge. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a cylinder 50 is used including only a single screw 26 extending through the cylinder wall. While the use of but one screw instead of the three screws shown in FIG. 1 reduces the storage capacity of the cylinder shown in FIG. 4, an advantage of the FIG. 4 cylinder, in comparison with the FIG. 1 cylinder, is that it is somewhat less expensive to manufacture. In terms of clamping the cylinder to the umbrella support pole, quite satisfactory results are obtained using but the one screw.

Another variation shown in FIG. 4 is the use of hooks 52, similar to those used on a coat hanger, mounted on and extending outwardly from a circular rail 54 mounted on the cylinder 50. Large fabric items, such as clothing and beach towels, can be hung from the hooks.

A further function of the cylinder, as shown in FIG. 7, is to serve has a means for locking the umbrella in its closed position. To this end, the cylinder is positioned at the bottom end of the pole, the canopy is closed, and the outer ends 13a of the canopy ribs 13 are inserted into spaces provided by the cylinder. Such spaces, as shown in FIG. 1, 2 and 7, comprise the spaces between the straps 34 and the main circular wall 21 of the cylinder.

With reference to FIG. 5, a storage accessory 70 is shown for use with umbrella support poles comprising upper 66 and lower 68 pole segments normally connected in end-to-end relationship. In accordance with the present invention, the storage accessory 70, comprising an elongated cylinder, is interposed between the two pole segments 66 and 68 with opposite ends of the cylinder 70 being connected to the pole segments. The interconnections between the cylinder 70 ends and the respective pole segment ends can be similar to the interconnections between the pole segments. As shown in FIG. 5, by way of example, the lower end 76 of the upper pole segment 66 extends into the upper end 72 of the cylinder 70 in tight relation there within. The lower end 74 of the cylinder 70 terminates in several inwardly tapering prongs 75 (shown more clearly in FIG. 6) for facilitating insertion of the cylinder lower end 74 into tight fit within the upper end 78 of the lower pole segment 68.

Disposed at the upper end of the cylinder 70, in this embodiment, are a number of hooks 64 providing storage capacity for various articles such as clothing and the like.

FIG. 6 shows certain variations in the storage accessory shown in FIG. 5. Thus, a circular rail 54—hook 64 arrangement similar to that shown in FIG. 4 is used in connection with a storage cylinder accessory 80. FIG. 6 additionally shows the use of a storage bowl 40 for mounting on a ledge 46 on the cylinder 80 similarly as shown in FIG. 4.

A further function of the cylinder shown in FIG. 7 is to serve as a means for locking the umbrella in its closed position. To this end, the cylinder is positioned at the bottom end of the pole, the canopy is closed, and the outer ends 13a of the canopy ribs 13 are inserted into spaces provided by the cylinder. Such spaces, as shown in FIG. 7, comprise the space between the inner surface of the cylinder and the pole, and the spaces between the straps 34 and the main body of the cylinder. Thus the cylinder has a dual function. It can function to secure the rib ends of the umbrella, when the umbrella is closed, and it can function as an article storage element when the umbrella is open. In general, umbrellas may be formed with various kinds of hook designs, of different sizes, molded onto the lower part of the umbrella that slides up and down the pole of the umbrella to open and close it.

Claims

1. An accessory for adding article storage capacity to a support pole of a beach-type umbrella, said accessory comprising a hollow cylinder including means for fixedly mounting said cylinder on a support pole, said mounting means comprising a screw extending through a threaded opening through a wall portion of said cylinder, a front end of said screw extending inwardly from said opening into the interior of said cylinder, and a rear end of said screw extending outwardly from said cylinder wall portion and having an exposed length from which articles can be hung.

2. An accessory according to claim i wherein said rear end of said screw terminates in a knob.

3. An accessory according to claim 2 wherein said knob has a cross-shape.

4. An accessory according to claim 1 including a rail mounted on said cylinder wall in a direction generally transverse to a central axis of the cylinder and including portions spaced apart from said cylinder wall.

5. An accessory according to claim 4 including two blocks mounted on said cylinder wall, and said rail comprising a strap secured to and extending between said blocks.

6. An accessory according to claim 1 including a cap of resilient material mounted on said screw front end.

7. An accessory according to claim 5 wherein each of said blocks includes a screw threaded passageway, and including two additional of said screws each of which extends through a respective passageway.

8. An accessory according to claim 4 wherein said rail defines a space shaped to receive, when the accessory is mounted on an umbrella support pole, outer ends of ribs of the umbrella for locking the ribs of the umbrella in its closed position.

9. An accessory according to claim 1 wherein said screw is one of a plurality of screws substantially identical in structure and function spaced equally around the hollow cylinder.

10. An accessory for adding article storage capacity to a support pole of a beach-type umbrella, said pole comprising two segments each having an end coupling allowing end-to-end joining of said segments into a single pole, said accessory comprising a tubular member having, at opposite ends thereof, couplings corresponding to the couplings at the ends of said pole segments allowing interconnecting said accessory between said two pole segments for forming a unitary pole, and said accessory including means by which sundry articles can be stored.

11. An accessory according to claim 10 wherein said article storing means comprises an extending hook.

12. An accessory for adding article storage capacity to a support pole of a beach type umbrella including a canopy mounted on ribs pivotally secured to said pole, said accessory comprising a hollow cylinder including means for fixedly mounting said cylinder on a support pole, and said cylinder including a rail both for defining a space for receipt of ends of said ribs for locking said umbrella in a closed position and from which sundry articles can be hung for storage.