Vented canopy system for umbrellas
View Patent ↗A vented canopy system for an umbrella includes a trim attached to an outer edge of an umbrella support structure defining a central opening. A breathable support layer is disposed across the central opening. A plurality of layered canopy sections are positioned over the breathable support layer, where upper canopy sections partially overlap lower canopy sections. An inside edge of each canopy section is secured to the umbrella support structure. An outside edge of each canopy section includes a tether configured to permit the outside edge to move away from the breathable support layer in response to fluid pressure and prevent the canopy section from inverting, such that the canopy section returns to a baseline position upon a reduction in fluid pressure.
1 . A vented canopy system configured to be mechanically connected to an umbrella frame, said vented canopy system comprising:
a canopy trim configured for being connected to a umbrella frame having a central pole element with a plurality of support arms extending outward from the central pole element to support arm ends thereby defining a frame outer edge, wherein said canopy trim defines a inner trim perimeter and an outer trim perimeter and wherein said canopy trim is configured to connect to the frame outer edge so that said inner trim perimeter extends over a portion of the frame outer edge and wherein a canopy opening is defined by said inner trim perimeter;
an air permeable support layer defining a support layer inner perimeter and a support layer outer perimeter wherein said support layer inner perimeter is configured to be connected to the umbrella frame at the central pole element and extend over said canopy opening and connect to at least one of said inner trim perimeter or the umbrella frame at a point between said inner trim perimeter and said outer trim perimeter;
a first canopy layer disposed on top of said support layer wherein said first canopy layer defines a first layer canopy inner perimeter and a first canopy layer outer perimeter with the distance there between defining a first canopy layer width and wherein said first canopy layer inner perimeter is connected to the umbrella frame at the central pole element and extends outward until it extends over said inner trim perimeter a predefined first layer overlap distance thereby covering said canopy opening;
a plurality of support rods, each having a first rod end connected to said first canopy layer at said first canopy layer inner perimeter and an opposing second rod end connected at said first canopy layer outer perimeter and wherein said plurality of support rods extend away from said first canopy layer inner perimeter;
a plurality of tethers, each defining a first tether end and an opposing second tether end and wherein said first tether end for each said tether is connected to one of said plurality of support rods at said second support rod end and wherein said second tether end is connected to one of said canopy trim, said support layer, or the umbrella frame, wherein said length of each tether is selected to allow said first canopy layer to flip up when subjected to a gust of wind while preventing said first canopy layer from flipping over so that said first canopy layer returns to its original configuration when the gust of wind is no longer present; and
wherein the size of said canopy opening, the permeability of said permeable support layer, and said length of said plurality of tethers are selected to allow a predefined amount of airflow through said canopy opening.
2 . The vented canopy system, as in claim 1 , wherein said outer trim perimeter hangs over the umbrella support structure's structural perimeter.
3 . The vented canopy system, as in claim 2 , wherein the distance between said outer trim perimeter and said inner trim perimeter is between 4 to 7 inches.
4 . The vented canopy system, as in claim 1 , wherein said first canopy layer width is between about 6 feet to 13 feet.
5 . The vented canopy system, as in claim 4 , wherein said first canopy layer outer perimeter extends over said inner trim perimeter between 2 to 5 inches.
6 . The vented canopy system, as in claim 1 , wherein said length of each of said tethers is less than or equal to said first canopy layer width.
7 . The vented canopy system, as in claim 6 , wherein said plurality of tethers are made from one of a string or a fishing line material.
8 . The vented canopy system, as in claim 6 , wherein said plurality of tethers are made from a flexible wire material.
9 . The vented canopy system, as in claim 1 , where said support layer is made from at least one of a cargo netting, knotted netting, knotless netting, polyester debris fabric, shade cloth, or a mesh fabric material.
10 . A vented canopy system for an umbrella frame, said vented canopy system comprising:
a canopy trim configured for being connected to a umbrella frame having a central pole element with a plurality of support arms extending outward from the central pole element to support arm ends thereby defining a frame outer edge, wherein said canopy trim defines a inner trim perimeter and an outer trim perimeter and wherein said canopy trim is configured to connect to the frame outer edge so that said inner trim perimeter extends over at least portion of the frame outer edge and wherein a canopy opening is defined by said inner trim perimeter;
an air permeable support layer defining a support layer inner perimeter and a support layer outer perimeter wherein said support layer inner perimeter is configured to be connected the umbrella frame at the central pole element and extend over said canopy opening and connect to at least one of said inner trim perimeter or the umbrella frame at a point between said inner trim perimeter and said outer trim perimeter;
a canopy section comprising a plurality of canopy layers disposed on top of said air permeable support layer wherein each canopy layer defines a canopy layer inner perimeter and a canopy layer outer perimeter thereby defining a canopy layer width therebetween that is shorter than said canopy opening and wherein said plurality of canopy layers are arranged in a layered configuration form a bottom layer to a top layer so that said canopy layer outer perimeter for each canopy layer extends over an adjacent and lower canopy layer a predefined canopy layer overlap distance, and wherein said canopy layer inner perimeter for each canopy layer is configured for being connected to the umbrella frame with said canopy layer inner perimeter for said top canopy layer being configured to be connected to the umbrella frame at the central pole element and wherein said canopy layer outer perimeter for said bottom canopy layer is configured to extend over said canopy trim a predefined trim overlap distance so that said canopy section covers said canopy opening;
a plurality of tethers for connecting said canopy layer outer perimeter for each said canopy layer to the umbrella frame, wherein said plurality of tethers are configured to allow said plurality of canopy layers to flip up when subjected to wind while preventing said canopy layer from flipping all the way over; and
wherein the size of said canopy opening, the permeability of said permeable support layer, the said canopy layer widths, and the length of said plurality of tethers are selected to allow a predefined amount of airflow through said canopy opening.
11 . The vented canopy system for an umbrella frame, as in claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of canopy layer support rods, wherein each support rod is configured to connect to one of said plurality of canopy layers.
12 . The vented canopy system for an umbrella frame, as in claim 10 , wherein the distance between said outer trim perimeter and said inner trim perimeter is between 4 to 7 inches.
13 . The vented canopy system for an umbrella frame, as in claim 10 , wherein said canopy layer widths can vary between about one foot to six feet.
14 . The vented canopy system for an umbrella frame, as in claim 10 , wherein said trim overlap is between two inches to five inches and said predefined canopy overlap distance is between four inches to six inches.
15 . The vented canopy system for an umbrella frame, as in claim 10 , wherein the length of said tethers can vary between about six to twelve inches and are made from one of a flexible wire material, a string material, a single strand or a braided material such as nylon, fluorocarbon, and polyethylene.
16 . The vented canopy system for an umbrella frame, as in claim 10 , where said support layer is made from at least one of a cargo netting, knotted netting, knotless netting, polyester debris fabric, shade cloth, or a mesh fabric material.
17 . A vented canopy system for an umbrella frame, said vented canopy system comprising:
a trim section configured to attach to the outer frame edge defined by an umbrella frame having a central support pole with support arms extending therefrom, thereby defining the outer frame edge;
an inner trim perimeter that extends partially over the outer frame edge thereby defining a canopy opening between said inner trim perimeter and the central support pole when said canopy system is connected to the umbrella frame;
a breathable support layer configured to attach to the umbrella frame at the central support pole and expand outward over said canopy opening and connect to at least one of said inner trim perimeter or a portion of the umbrella frame under said trim section, wherein said breathable support layer is configured to allow air to pass through and provide support to upper canopy layers;
a plurality of canopy layers disposed on top of said breathable support layer wherein one canopy layer defines a top canopy layer and with the remainder of said plurality of canopy layers defining lower canopy layers, wherein each of said lower canopy layers define an inner lower canopy layer perimeter and an outer lower canopy layer perimeter with the distance therebetween define lower canopy layer widths and wherein said top canopy layer defines a top canopy layer inner perimeter and top layer outer perimeter with the distance therebetween defining the top canopy layer width;
wherein each of said plurality of canopy layers covers a portion of said canopy opening with upper canopy layers overlapping adjacent lower canopy layers by a canopy layer overlap distance and wherein one of said plurality of canopy layers overlaps said trim section by a trim section overlap distance and wherein said top canopy layer inner perimeter is configured to attach to the umbrella frame at the central support pole and wherein said inner lower canopy layer perimeters are configured to be connected to the umbrella frame between the central support pole and the outer frame edge;
a plurality of tethers for connecting said outer perimeters of each of said plurality of canopy layers to one of the umbrella frame or an adjacent canopy layer, wherein said plurality of tethers are configured to allow said plurality of canopy layers to flip up when subjected to wind while preventing said plurality of canopy layers from flipping all the way over; and
wherein the size of said canopy opening, the permeability of said breathable support layer, said canopy layer widths, and the length of said plurality of tethers are selected to allow a predefined amount of airflow through said canopy opening.
18 . The vented canopy system for an umbrella frame, as in claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of canopy layer support rods wherein each support rod is configured to connect to one of said plurality of canopy layers.
19 . The vented canopy system for an umbrella frame, as in claim 11 , wherein the distance between said outer trim perimeter and said inner trim perimeter is between 4 to 6 inches.
20 . The vented canopy system for an umbrella frame, as in claim 10 , wherein said canopy layer widths can vary between about 12 inches and 16 inches and said predefined canopy overlap distance is between 4 to 6 inches and wherein said length of said tethers can vary between about 6 to 12 inches and are made from one of a flexible wire material, a string material, a single strand or material including nylon, fluorocarbon, and polyethylene.