Novel Umbrella Anchoring Stand for Beaches and Wind Blown Environments

Abstract

An umbrella anchoring device is developed which uses the weight of sand to anchor the umbrella during wind. The umbrella pole is fixed in position by a clamp or screw mechanism.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The field of the invention is beach umbrella accessories.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Beach umbrellas are useful to create shaded areas, and shield from rains which are common in ocean beach zones. Due to their widespread use, when blown by high winds, beach umbrellas create a ballistic hazard. A variety of prior art deals with reducing the risk of wind carrying off the umbrella.

Bigford in U.S. Pat. No. 6,446,649 describes a system of independent pales around the shaft which are filled with sand and act as individual anchoring devices.

A variety of inventors have developed augur type devices which screw into the sand and serve as a base for the umbrella attachment. These include Silvestri in 2013 U.S. Pat. No. 8,444,105, Willard in U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,209 and a variety of design patents including Cohen D-630,834, Zemil D-593,315, Cocharan D 433,224, and Koroncai D-421,532.

In addition a few authors in the prior art use corkscrew-like devices to anchor an umbrella into the sand. These include the inventors Goldberg et al. in D-402,803.

Another approach to the problem of wind blown umbrellas is addressed by a series of base plates and attachment devices and weights to fix umbrellas. These include patents U.S. Pat. No. 8,656,937 by Mailman where the umbrella is clipped to weights. Similar general approaches include Kucinski in U.S. Pat. No. 8,082,934, Schermerhorn Jr. in U.S. Pat. No. 8,047,217, Gendriesch et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 7,513,267, Weatherall in U.S. Pat. No. 7,040,593 uses a post, and Harbaugh in 6,889,553, Arrowood in patent 6,675,819 and Barnes in uses a tube insertion system to anchor the umbrella. Some include base plates to fix to the ground such as Barnes in U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,246 and Hollenbeck in U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,554 .

Girard in U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,748 uses a foot-driven spike to anchor the umbrella base.

Other approaches to the problem are in the design of the umbrella itself. One of the approaches taken by Martin in U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,554 is to replace the fabric portion of the umbrella with ribs which vent the wind. Sung in U.S. Pat. No. 6,601,597 also uses a venting mechanism.

Another approach to the problem is to incline the umbrella pole and face the wind as to shed it from the parasol. This is the approach in Huang in U.S. Pat. No. 8,353,080.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

One of the objects of the invention is to develop a beach umbrella holder. Another object of the invention is to develop a polymer-based anchoring device for beach umbrellas. Another object of the invention is to develop a ceramic anchoring device for beach umbrellas. Yet another object of the invention is to develop a composite based anchoring device for beach umbrellas. Another object of the invention is to develop a beach umbrella anchoring device which has an inverted parabolic shape with compartments for sand which help stabilize the umbrella during winds. Yet another object of the invention is to develop a metal alloy based anchoring device for beach umbrellas.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The device is a parabolic inverted receptacle with baffles forming individual compartments by connecting the outer portion to the inner umbrella holding insert. The insert section is a vertical tubular channel in the device material which is capped by a clamp or screw to secure the umbrella pole to the device. The device can have its' compartments filled with beach sand or pebble or rocks to serve as anchoring ballast material. The entire device can also be temporarily buried to further secure the umbrella. The device can be made from a variety of materials ranging from concrete to elastomer or rigid polymer and metals.

EXAMPLES OF THE INVENTION

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, an inverted compartmentalized parabolic receptacle with eight compartments and an internal diameter of two feet and depth of one foot at the apex. The insert tube built into the center of the device project upward an additional six inches from the top of parabolic basin portion. At the top of the insertion is a clamp which tightens and fixes the umbrella pole. Each compartment exterior is bulbous and project slightly from the circumference of the parabola. This allows for vectored resistance to wind in eight different directions when filled with sand or other ballast material.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1. A This shows the insertion point for the umbrella with the fixing clamp lever at the top.

FIG. 1.B This shows the stem of the umbrella insertion shaft and sand baffles.

FIG. 1.c This shows the anchoring basin which is filled with sand to act as ballast during winds.

Claims

1. An umbrella anchoring a device where the base is an inverted parabolic based vase-like structurewith compartments for sand to ballast the device.

2. The claim in 1 where the interior of the device cavity has compartments created by baffles between the outer material and the central hub.

3. The claim in 1 and 2 where the inner hub is a cylinder where the umbrella pole is inserted.

4. The claim in 1 through 3 where the anchoring device is made of polymer material.

5. The claim in 1 through 3 where the anchoring device is made of metal alloy.

6. The claim in 1 through 3 where the anchoring device is made of concrete.

7. The claim in 1 through 3 where the anchoring device is made of composite.

8. The claim in 4 where the anchoring device is made up of polyolefin.

9. The claim in 4 where the anchoring device is made up of polyamide.

10. The claim in 4 where the anchoring device is made up of polyvinyl chloride.

11. The claim in 4 where the anchoring device is made up of thermoset polyurethane elastomer.

12. The claim in 4 where the anchoring device is made up of thermoset rigid polyurethane.

13. The claim in 4 where the anchoring device is made up of thermoplastic polyurethane.

14. The claim in 4 where the anchoring device is made up of polyacrylate.

15. The claim in 4 where the anchoring device is made up of acetyl butyl styrene copolymer.

16. The claim in 4 where the anchoring device is made up of polymethylmethacrylate.

17. The claim in 4 where the anchoring device is made up of polystyrene.

18. The claim in 4 where the anchoring device is made up of epoxy thermoset.