Portable, tree-mounted blind apparatus

Abstract

A portable blind apparatus is provided for mounting on a tree and includes an umbrella mounting assembly for mounting on the tree. A collapsible umbrella is supported by the umbrella mounting assembly. The umbrella includes a collapsible umbrella canopy and a canopy support member connected to the umbrella canopy. A flexible net is draped over and supported by the umbrella. The flexible net can be fixed to the canopy support member with a quantity of adhesive material. Net straps are connected to the net for stabilizing the net with respect to the tree. A person who is inside the internal region defined by the hanging net and the umbrella is concealed from view and is protected from becoming wet by rain or snow. The flexible net can include windows or portholes.

What is claimed as being new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:  
     
         1 . A portable blind apparatus for mounting on cylindrical support, comprising: 
 an umbrella mounting assembly for mounting on the cylindrical support,    a collapsible umbrella supported by said umbrella mounting assembly, wherein said umbrella includes a collapsible umbrella canopy and a canopy support member connected to said umbrella canopy, and    a flexible net draped over and supported by said umbrella.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said flexible net is fixed to said canopy support member with a quantity of adhesive material.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including: 
 net straps connected to said net for stabilizing said net with respect to the cylindrical support.    
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of claim I wherein the cylindrical support is a tree.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said umbrella mounting assembly includes: 
 a block member,  
 a pair of block-mounting straps connected to said block member,  
 a transverse strut connected to said block member, and  
 an umbrella-reception member supported by said transverse strut, wherein said canopy support member is supported by said umbrella-reception member.  
 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the width of the block member and the length of the transverse strut are selected such that when said canopy support member is supported by said umbrella-reception member and when said umbrella canopy is in a open condition, said canopy support member is sufficiently far from the tree so that said umbrella canopy can be in a fully opened condition without being obstructed by the tree.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein: 
 said block member includes a strut reception channel,  
 said umbrella-reception member includes a strut receiving channel, and  
 said umbrella-reception member includes a canopy-support-member-reception channel.  
 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said strut receiving channel and said canopy-support-member-reception channel are perpendicular to each other.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said block-mounting straps include strap-to-strap connectors.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said strap-to-strap connectors include complimentary hook or loop material.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further including: 
 a strut end protector mounted on said transverse strut.    
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said block member includes a concave block side.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including: 
 a locking assembly for locking said canopy support member into said umbrella-reception member.    
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said locking assembly includes: 
 a pin-reception channel in said umbrella-reception member,  
 a pin tether connected to said umbrella-reception member, and  
 a lock pin connected to said pin tether.  
 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said flexible net includes windows.