Children's play area sunshade canopy

Abstract

A demountable wind-resistant sun shade canopy for shading children's play areas or other actively used areas having a first perimeter. the canopy cover, being removably secured over a metal support structure, is comprised of vertical columns upon which are mounted at the upper end thereof, respectively, uniquely configured bracket fittings, each bracket fitting providing secure mounting for a cantilever beam extending outwardly toward a second perimeter of the area to be shaded, and providing a secure mounting for a hip beam extending upward and toward the inner portion of the area to be shaded. The canopy forms a second perimeter which extends beyond the perimeter of the first perimeter, of the play area, to extend the shade cover the play area.

What is being claimed is:  
     
         1 . A shading canopy over a children's play area, said play area having a certain sized first perimeter, A canopy mounted over said play area, said canopy having a certain sized second perimeter, said second perimeter being of a substantially larger size than said first perimeter.  
     
     
         2 . The shading canopy of  claim 1 , wherein said canopy is supported by vertical support columns, an angularly directed from the horizontal bracket is each attached to a top of each of said columns, a hip beam is connected to each of said brackets and is directed upwardly, a cantilever beam is attached to each of said brackets and directed downwardly, said cantilever beams are extended beyond said play area perimeter.  
     
     
         3 . The shading canopy of  claim 2 , wherein said canopy is placed over said hip beams and said cantilever beams.  
     
     
         4 . The shading canopy of  claim 1  including a playing platform suspended by and between said vertical columns and being of a size of said first perimeter  
     
     
         5 . A children's play structure comprising: 
 a plurality of support columns;    a platform coupled to and supported by said plurality of support columns, said platform defining an outer edge;    a plurality children's play devices associated with said platform, said platform and said plurality of children's play devices cooperating to define a play area, and    a sunshade canopy supported support by said plurality of said columns, aid sunshine canopy extending beyond said outer edge to shade said play area.    
     
     
         6 . The children's play structure of  claim 5 , wherein said sunshade canopy further comprises: 
 a plurality of beams for supporting said canopy;    a plurality of connector brackets for mounting said plurality of beams to said plurality of support columns, respectively.    
     
     
         7 . The children's play structure as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said plurality of beams are secured to said to said plurality of connector brackets such that the plurality of beams are angled relative to said plurality of support columns.  
     
     
         8 . The children's play structure as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said plurality of beams comprise a plurality of cantilever beams coupled to said plurality of said brackets, respectively, and extending generally downwardly therefrom.  
     
     
         9 . The children's play structure as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said plurality of beams comprise a plurality of cantilever beams coupled to said plurality of said brackets, respectively, and extending generally downwardly therefrom.  
     
     
         10 . The children's play structure as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said plurality of beams comprise a plurality of hip beams coupled to said plurality of brackets and extend generally upwardly therefrom.  
     
     
         11 . The children's play structure as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said plurality of beams comprise a plurality of hip beams coupled to said plurality of brackets, respectively, and extending generally upwardly therefrom.  
     
     
         12 . The children's play structure of  claim 6 , wherein said plurality of beams comprise a first plurality of beams comprising ends that converge at a first position and a second plurality of beams comprising ends that converge at a second position, said plurality of beams further comprising a ridge beam extending between said first and said second positions.  
     
     
         13 . A sunshade canopy system for mounting over and onto a children's play structure comprising a plurality of support columns, a platform coupled to and supported by said plurality of support columns, said platform defining an outer edge, a plurality of children's play devices associated with said platform and extending generally away from the outer edge and cooperating with said platform to define a play area, said sunshade canopy system comprising: 
 a plurality of connector brackets for mounting to said plurality of support columns, respectively;    a plurality of beams coupled to said plurality of connector brackets; and    a canopy mounted on said plurality of beams to provide shade to said play area, wherein said canopy has a first perimeter and said play area has a second perimeter, wherein further said first perimeter extends beyond said second perimeter to increase the shading area above said second perimeter.    
     
     
         14 . The children's play structure as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said plurality of connector brackets are permanently secured to said plurality of beams.  
     
     
         15 . The children's play structure as recited in  claim 5 , wherein each of said plurality of connector brackets comprises a vertical member for mounting on one of said plurality of said vertical support columns and an angled member for securing to said plurality of beams.  
     
     
         16 . The children's play structure of  claim 5 , wherein said plurality of connector brackets comprises a vertical member for mounting on one of said plurality of vertical support columns and an angled member for coupling a plurality of said plurality of beams together such that said plurality of beams are situated at an angle relative to said plurality of said vertical support columns when said plurality of connector brackets are mounted on said vertical support columns and said plurality of beams are connected thereto.  
     
     
         17 . The children's play structure of  claim 1 , wherein said vertical member comprises a rod for receiving said ends.  
     
     
         18 . The children's play structure of claim, wherein said rod comprising ends that are tubular and dimensioned to mate with and join two of said plurality of beams together.  
     
     
         19 . The children's play structure of  claim 17 , wherein said rod comprises ends that are tubular and dimensioned to mate with and join two of said plurality of beams together,  
     
     
         20 . The children's play structure of  claim 5 , wherein said plurality of beams comprises at least one cantilever beam and at least one hip beam; 
 at least one of said plurality of said connector brackets comprising a coupling for securing an end of said at least one hip beam, said at least one of said plurality of connector brackets causing said at least one hip beam and said at least one cantilever beam to combine at an angle.    
     
     
         21 . The children's play structure of  claim 5 , wherein said angle is about 22 degrees.  
     
     
         22 . A sunshade canopy system for mounting onto a children's play structure comprising a plurality of support columns, a platform coupled to and supported by said plurality of said support columns, said platform defining an outer edge; a plurality of children's play devices associated with said platform and extending generally away from the outer edge and cooperating with said platform to define a play area; said sunshine canopy system comprising: 
 a plurality of connector brackets for mounting to said plurality of support columns, respectively;    a plurality of beams coupled to said plurality of connector brackets and a canopy mounted on said plurality of beams to provide shade to said play area.    
     
     
         23 . The sunshade canopy system of  claim 22 , wherein when said plurality of beams are detachably secured to said plurality of connector brackets, said plurality of beams are angled relative to said plurality of said vertical support columns.  
     
     
         24 . The sunshade canopy system of  claim 22 , wherein said plurality of beams comprises a plurality of cantilever beams coupled to said plurality of connector brackets, respectively, and extending generally downwardly therefrom and a plurality of hip beams coupled to said plurality of brackets, respectively, and extending generally upwardly therefrom.  
     
     
         25 . The sunshade canopy system of  claim 23 , wherein said plurality of beams comprises a first plurality of beams comprising ends that converge to a first joint at a first position and a second plurality of beams that converge to a second joint at a second position, said plurality of beams further comprising a ridge beam extending between said first position and said second position.  
     
     
         26 . The sunshade canopy system of  claim 22 , wherein said plurality of connector brackets are permanently secured to said plurality of beams.  
     
     
         27 . The sunshade canopy system of  claim 22 , wherein each of said plurality of connector brackets comprises a vertical member for mounting on one of said plurality of vertical support columns and an angled member for coupling a plurality of said plurality of beams together such that said plurality of beams are situated at an angle relative to said plurality of vertical support columns when said plurality of connectors are mounted on said plurality of vertical support columns and said plurality of beams are secured thereto.  
     
     
         28 . The sunshade canopy system of  claim 27 , wherein said vertical member comprises a rod for receiving said ends.  
     
     
         29 . The sunshade canopy system of  claim 28 , wherein said rod comprises ends that are tubular and dimensioned to mate with and join two of said plurality of beams together.  
     
     
         30 . The sunshade canopy system of  claim 22 , wherein said plurality of beam comprise at least one cantilever beam and one hip beam; 
 at least one of said plurality of connector brackets comprising a coupling for securing an end of said at least cantilever beam to an end of said at least at hip beam, said at least one of said plurality of connector brackets causing said at least one cantilever beam and said at least one cantilever beam to be subatantially coaxial and situated at an angle relative to said vertical support column to which said at least of said plurality connector bracket is mounted.    
     
     
         31 . The sunshade canopy system of  claim 24 , wherein said angle is about 22 degrees.  
     
     
         32 . A method for shading a play area defined by a plurality of vertical support columns having a platform coupled thereto and a plurality of play devices adjacent to said platform that cooperate to define a play area, comprising the steps of: 
 situating a plurality of connector brackets onto said plurality of said vertical support columns, respectively;    securing a plurality of beams to said plurality of beams to said plurality of connector brackets; and situating a canopy on said plurality of beams, said plurality of beams supporting said canopy at an angle and said canopy being angled and said canopy being dimensional to provide shade to and to some extent beyond said play area during sunshine.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  further including the steps of: 
 providing a plurality of connector brackets, each comprising an angled member;  
 securing said plurality of beams to said angled member, thereby causing said plurality of beams to become angled relative to said plurality of vertical support columns.  
 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  further including the steps of: 
 providing a plurality of beams comprising a plurality of cantilever beams and a plurality of hip beams;  
 coupling first ends of said plurality of cantilever beams to said plurality of connector brackets;  
 coupling first ends of said plurality of hip beams to said plurality of connector brackets.  
 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32  further including the steps of: 
 permanently securing said plurality of connector brackets to said plurality of vertical support columns and said plurality of hip beams and said plurality of cantilever beams to said plurality of said connector brackets.  
 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein each of said plurality of connector brackets includes a vertical member for coupling to one of said vertical support columns and an angled member for coupling a plurality of said plurality of beams together, said method further including the step of: 
 detachably mounting said vertical member onto one of said plurality of vertical support columns.    
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein said vertical member comprises a rod for receiving said end of a first beam of said plurality of beams and an end of a second beam of said plurality of beams.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said rod comprises ends that are tubular and dimensioned to mate with an end of said first beam and an end of said second beam, thereby joining said first beam and said second beam together.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37  including the step of: 
 providing a cantilever beam and a hip beam as said second beam.  
 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38  including the step of: 
 providing a cantilever beam as said first beam and a hip beam as said second beam.  
 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 34  including the step of: 
 at least one of said plurality of connector brackets comprising a coupling for securing an end of said at least one cantilever beam to an end of said at least one hip beam, said at least one of said plurality of connector brackets causing said at least one of said hip beam and said at least one cantilever beam to be substantially coaxial and situated at an angle relative to said vertical support column to which said at least one of said plurality of connector bracket is mounted.  
 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 37  including the step of: 
 at least one of said plurality of connector brackets comprising a coupling for securing an end of said at least one cantilever beam to an end of said at least one hip beam, said at least one of said plurality of connector brackets causing said at least one hip beam and said at least one cantilever beam to be substantially coaxial and situated at an angle relative to said vertical support column to which said at least one of said plurality of said plurality of connector brackets is mounted.  
 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said first beam is a cantilever beam and said second beam is a hip beam.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said angle is about 22 degrees.  
     
     
         45 . A canopy support system for use as a children's playground shade cover having a plurality of vertical support columns, said canopy support system comprising: 
 a plurality of connector brackets for mounting on said plurality of vertical support columns, respectively;    each of said plurality of connector brackets comprising:    a vertical member for mounting on one of said plurality of vertical support columns and an angled member for securing to at least one beam such that said beam is angled relative to the ground, said beam being dimensioned so that when said shade cover is situated thereon, said shade cover extends beyond said playground to a considerable extent.    
     
     
         46 . The canopy support system of  claim 45 , wherein each of said plurality of connector brackets comprises a vertical member for mounting on one of said plurality of vertical support columns and an angled member for coupling a plurality of beams together such that said plurality of beams are situated at an angle relative to said plurality of said vertical support columns when said plurality of connector brackets are mounted on said plurality vertical support columns and said plurality of beams are mounted thereon.  
     
     
         47 . The canopy support system of  claim 46 , wherein said vertical member comprises a rod for receiving said ends.  
     
     
         48 . The canopy support system of  claim 47 , wherein said rod comprises ends that are tubular and are dimensioned to mate with and join two of said plurality of beams together.  
     
     
         49 . The canopy system of  claim 46 , wherein said plurality of beams comprises at least one cantilever beam and at least one hip beam; 
 at least one of said plurality of connectors brackets comprising a coupling for securing an end of said at least one cantilever beam to an end of said at least one hip beam, said at least one of said plurality of connector brackets causing said at least one hip beam and said at least one cantilever beam to be coaxial and situated at an angle relative to said vertical support column on which said at least one of said plurality of connector brackets is mounted.    
     
     
         50 . The canopy support system of  claim 49 , wherein said angle is about 22 degrees.