Body shape
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.
Priority is claimed to Provisional Application No. 60/926,017 filed on Apr. 24, 2007.
FIELD OF INVENTIONThis 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 INVENTIONIn 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 INVENTIONThe 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.
The preferred embodiment of the body shade is best illustrated in
The body shade is adapted to stand alone, best shown in
The body shade is also adapted to stand alone when arm members 40 and 50 are individually extended downward, best shown in
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
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
Any and all other obvious modifications to one or more of the parts of this invention are inherently incorporated herein.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTThe preferred embodiment of the body shade is best illustrated in
The body shade is also adapted to stand alone, best shown in
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;
- 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.
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.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 1, 2008
Publication Date: Nov 20, 2008
Inventor: Robert H. DuBose, III (San Antonio, TX)
Application Number: 12/080,035
International Classification: E04H 15/02 (20060101); E04H 15/34 (20060101); E04H 15/46 (20060101);