STRUCTURE DE TENTE INTERRELIEE

INTERCONNECTED TENT STRUCTURE

Abrégé anglais

This inventive change is to the family of umbrellas. Instead of being a
folding circular cover of
nylon etc. attached to ribs from a stick, that someone would carry, or a
larger folding marketing
type, this umbra or penumbra, (part shade) as I will refer to it, differs as
follows:

The penumbra construction is based on a suspension system, built of plastic or
aluminium, etc.
Because of its size, (twice the span of regular umbrellas) it is of rigid
frame, and has to be
assembled. The covering consists of six separate equilateral triangles of
material, hemmed to
receive elastic chords, to be stretched from the centre post to two of the
outside posts of the
perimeter. The chords hold the assemblage together, while also supporting the
shade panels at
alternating heights to alleviate wind updraft. The covering panels can be
closed, and side panels
added to produce a tent structure.

Revendications

4
Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege
is
claimed are defined as follows;

1. The penumbra allows for umbrella structures to be twice their size, because
of the
suspension system used to support their span.
2. The penumbra has six separate equilateral cover panels. When applied to the
rigid frame
using elastic chords and connected through the hemmed sides of the cover
panels, hold the
assemblage together without hardware.

3. The cover panels can be removed for cleaning, repair, or replacement.
4. There is the option to turn onto the lower part of the centre post, support
for a table top.
5. The penumbras can be joined to other penumbras, to cover an even larger
area. This
joining, best used would be in triangulation, then, added to as required.
6. The penumbra can become a tent by the addition of sides, hung from the six
perimeter
hollow sections, fed through a wide hemmed top. The flaps on each side of the
six side
panels overlap the other side panels, using Velcro connections. Guy ropes
stabilize the
assemblage.

7. The penumbra when joined to other penumbras can create an even larger tent.
The tent
sides are added to the outside perimeter only. Tent poles at 17'(5180mm) or
19'(5800mm)
apart should be higher when enclosing a larger area.
8. Tents can be erected without centre poles, when the short perimeter posts
at the perimeter
are replaced with six poles to ground to support the assemblage. The centre
pole is replaced
by a centre post 4' 0"+- (1200mm). This post from 4" (100mm) below the support
nut rises
to and through a hex nut and plastic donut 3' 0"+- (920mm) above the support
nut where all
the elastic chords are connected, creating six truss structures meeting at the
centre. Above
this is a lock nut (head nut) and finial.

Description

CA 02527679 2005-12-08
Description

This invention relates to an umbrella that does not give total shade unless
fully closed. The first
reason for changing the umbrella, as we know it, is to eliminate problems of
updraft, lifting the
unlbrella up and over. or away. to the neighbours yard. Separation of cover
panels, to a desired
opening, eliminates this problem and also names it penumbra. (part shade). The
second reason
for change is that folding umbrellas can only be so big because of the
principal used in
supporting the umbrella's covering. Using the suspension system from rigid
arms allows the
structure to be much, much larger. Joining the penumbras is an option, (See
fig. 6) along with the
option of creating a tent. (See fig. 14)

The structural parts of the penumbra assemblage consist of a centre pole (1)
3.5" or 87mm to
4"or (100mm) in diameter and 11' or more, (3350mm) in length, threaded at both
ends for a
length of 4' (1200mm) The pole fits over a shaft, augured to ground. (2) Five
or six large hex
nuts are turned onto the upper threading. The largest (bottom most) hex nut
(3) will be referred
to as the support nut. Attached to all 6 sides is a vertical blade of the same
material as the pole
and hex nuts. The blades (4) are 2'0" or 600mm in length and 3"or so, (75mm)
in depth, and
wide enough to fit tightly into 6 hollow sections (5). The sections
4"+_(l00mm) in depth fit over
the support nut blades (4) and range in length, 7'(2140mm) 8'(2440mm) or
9'(2750mm).


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At the perimeter or outside end of the hollow sections, they receive another
shorter blade (6)
attached to another hex nut (7) with two more blades each side of the hollow
section connection.
Threaded (8) short poles +-8"(200mm) are turned into the six hex nuts, (7) and
(plastic
donuts)(9) put to the poles along with lock nuts, (head nuts)(10).

Six perimeter hollow sections (11) are connected to the shorter blades (6)
each side of the blade
connecting the main spoke hollow sections. These six perimeter hollow sections
are the same
size as the six radial hollow sections (5), but for a bottom slot at one end,
11" in length.

On the centre pole (1) another hex nut (12) is turned to approximately
1'6"(450mm) above the
support nut. Above this is placed a (plastic donut) (9), and a lock nut (13).
A repeat of this is
done once again on the centre pole (1). Another hex nut (14) is turned to
approximately 10"
(250mm) above the first or 2'4" (700mm) above the support nut (3). Above this
is placed a
(plastic donut) (9), and a lock nut. This lock nut could possibly be the head
nut, with finial.(16)
If a table (17) is desired around the centre pole, another support nut (3)
complete with blades (4)
is turned up to the desired height from the bottom, after a 4'6"(1370mm)
diameter table top, (17)
has been slipped on through the provided centre hole in the top. The tabletop
can be of plastic or
wood.

The covering for this penumbra is six equilateral covers (18), each with a
side length, equal+ to
the length of hollow sections being used. The desired material is hemmed so as
to be able to
thread an elastic chord (19) through the hemmed three sides and be joined by a
metal (brass)
connector. The connector can be disconnected, to allow for the cleaning of the
covers.
Numbering the six sections comprising the cover, 1 to 6, the odd numbers 1,3&
5 are connected
first, from the centre post (1) above the (plastic donut) at the 1'6" level
above the support nut (3)
to two of the short posts (8) below the (plastic donuts) (9) at the perimeter.
These cover sections
cover alternating spaces, so that all perimeter short posts are being used.
Cover sections 2,4& 6
are connected next, first from the centre pole above the (plastic donut) (9)
at the 2'2" +-
(660mm) level above the support nut to two of the short posts (8) below the
(plastic donut)(9) on
the perimeter. These last cover sections 2,4& 6 are to be over the alternating
spaces, not covered
by sections 1,3& 5. The lift space of 10" (250mm) can be decreased, depending
on wind uplift of
that day. A turn of hex nut (14) at the centre post can provide different
spacing between lower
covers, 1,3& 5 and higher cover sections, 2,4& 6.


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Penumbras when used together, to form a greater area of cover, can be joined
at the radial boxed
tube (5) perimeter posts (8) with six blades (6). The best use of joining
would be in triangulation
for any number of penumbras. When any three penumbras come together, one
triangular material
section would be added in the middle to achieve complete cover. Any number of
additional

penumbras can be used only space would be the limiting factor. (See fig. 6)
Other ways the penumbra can be used are as follows:

The penumbra, when sides are added can be used as a tent. The side panels, (18
S) made of the
same material as the top cover panels hang from the perimeter boxed tubes that
slide through a
wide loose hemmed top section. These panels, having flaps each side, are
joined to the next
panel with Velcro connections. The top sections are closed, by having all
elastic chords at the
centre pole, attached at the same height. When this is done, the upper panels
overlap the lower
panels and come together with Velcro connections. The addition of a cap (15)
covering openings
at the centre pole and connected by the finial head nut, complete the
enclosure. These tent
structures can be stabilized, with the use of guy ropes connected to short
posts (8) and anchored
to ground. Tent structures can also be joined, as can penumbras, covering a
far larger area.
When this is done, sides (18S) would be only added to the outside perimeter.
It is recommended
that if this is the case, longer supporting poles should be used. By
substituting the perimeter short
poles (8) for longer poles (8L) that would reach the ground, the centre pole
(1) of 11' (3350mm)
is replaced with a shorter pole (1S) that starts 4"(100mm) below the support
nut, then up
3'(900mm) above the support nut (3) where the chords are connected to the
centre pole above the
(plastic donut) (9) under which is hex nut (14). Above the chord connection,
is the cap, (15) then
the lock nut (head nut) with finial. (16) The centre pole (1) can be removed,
since the chord
connections from perimeter post to perimeter post thro' the long diameter, and
being lifted to a
greater height over the support nut at the centre, creating six truss
structures, meeting at the
centre post (IS). This allows for a tent structure that is up to 17'(5180mm)
(long diameter). Guy
ropes will have to be used, for this tent structure. Flat circular plates (20)
with connection
openings are to be inserted into the bottom of the six posts. (See fig.14)

Dessin représentatif