Miniature shade

Abstract

A miniature shade includes a shade portion or umbrella having a support extending therefrom, and a flexible base which can be removably attached to an object for shading. There are cooperating fasteners on the support and on the base so that the shade or umbrella can be removably mounted onto the base to shade the object from direct light.

1 . A miniature shade apparatus comprising: 
 a shade about 3 inches to about 6 inches in diameter;    a support extending from the shade;    a flexible base; and    means for fastening the support to the base.    
   
   
       2 . A miniature shade apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the shade is about 2 inches to about 4 inches in height.  
   
   
       3 . A miniature shade apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the support has at least one free end and the fastening means comprises hook and loop fasteners respectively connected to a free end of the support and to the base.  
   
   
       4 . A miniature shade apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the support has at least one free end and the fastening means comprises a ball and a socket respectively connected to a free end of the support and to the base.  
   
   
       5 . A miniature shade apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the base is elongated and has and means for fastening opposing free ends of the elongated base for detachably connecting together the ends of the base for securing the base to an object to be shaded.  
   
   
       6 . A miniature shade apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the means for fastening the opposing free ends of the elongated base comprise hook and loop fasteners respectively connected to the opposing free ends of the base.  
   
   
       7 . A miniature shade apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the means for fastening the opposing free ends of the elongated base comprise cooperating snaps respectively connected to the opposing free ends of the base.  
   
   
       8 . A miniature shade apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the shade is collapsible.  
   
   
       9 . A miniature umbrella comprising: 
 a decorative shade about 3 inches to about 6 inches in diameter;    a support extending from the shade and including first fastening means;    a flexible, elongated base including second fastening means for cooperation with the first fastening means for mounting the shade onto the base;    the base having opposed free ends and third fastening means for detachably connecting together the ends of the base for securing the base to an object to be shaded.    
   
   
       10 . A miniature shade apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the support has at least one free end, the first fastening means comprises a plurality of flexible loop fasteners wrapped substantially around the circumference of a free end of the support, and the second fastening means comprises a plurality of flexible hook fasteners attached substantially along the length of the elongated base.  
   
   
       11 . A miniature shade apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the support has at least one free end, the first fastening means comprises a ball attached to a free end of the support, and the second fastening means comprises a socket connected to the base and sized slightly smaller than the ball, whereby the shade can be snapped onto and off of the base and the angle of the shade can be selectively adjusted by rotating the ball within the socket.  
   
   
       12 . An umbrella according to  claim 9 , wherein the third fastening means comprises a plurality of flexible hook fasteners mounted on the base adjacent one free end and a plurality of flexible loop fasteners mounted on the base adjacent another free end and disposed to engage the hook fasteners when the free ends of the elongated base are brought together.  
   
   
       13 . A miniature shade apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the third fastening means comprises snap means respectively mounted on the base at the opposing free ends of the base and disposed to cooperate when the free ends of the elongated base are brought together.  
   
   
       14 . A miniature shade apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the shade is collapsible.  
   
   
       15 . A miniature umbrella comprising: 
 a decorative shade about 3 inches to about 6 inches in diameter;    a support extending from the shade and including first fastening means;    a flexible, elongated base having opposed free ends;    second fastening means attached to the base for cooperation with the first fastening means to mount the shade onto the base and for detachably connecting together the ends of the base and forming inner and outer base surfaces to secure the base to an object to be shaded.    
   
   
       16 . A portable umbrella according to  claim 15 , wherein the first fastening means comprises a plurality of flexible hook fasteners wrapped substantially around the circumference of the support and extending along a portion of the length of the support adjacent the end of the support farthest from the shade, and the second fastening means comprises a plurality of flexible loop fasteners mounted along substantially the entire length of the outer base surface.  
   
   
       17 . A miniature umbrella comprising: 
 a decorative shade about 3 inches to about 6 inches in diameter;    a flexible support extending from the shade;    a flexible, elongated base; and    means for fastening the support to the base.    
   
   
       18 . A miniature shade apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the flexible support is a coil spring.  
   
   
       19 . A miniature shade apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the flexible support is elongated and is about 2 inches to about 6 inches long.  
   
   
       20 . A miniature shade apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the flexible support has at least one free end and the fastening means comprises a plurality of flexible loop fasteners connected to a free end of the support and a plurality of flexible hook fasteners connected to the base for cooperation with the flexible loop fasteners, whereby the support can be removably fastened to the base.  
   
   
       21 . A miniature shade apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the flexible support has at least one free end and the fastening means comprises a ball attached to a free end of the support and a socket connected to the base and sized slightly smaller than the ball, whereby the support can be removably fastened to the base.  
   
   
       22 . A miniature shade apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the fastening means fixedly connects the flexible support to the base.  
   
   
       23 . A miniature umbrella comprising: 
 a decorative shade about 3 inches to about 6 inches in diameter;    a support extending from the shade and having at least one free end and including a plurality of flexible loop fasteners attached to a free end of the support; and    a flexible base including a plurality of flexible hook fasteners for cooperation with the loop fasteners on the support for removably mounting the shade onto the base.    
   
   
       24 . A miniature umbrella comprising: 
 a decorative shade about 3 inches to about 6 inches in diameter;    a support extending from the shade and having at least one free end and including a ball fastener attached to a free end of the support; and    a flexible base including a socket fastener sized slightly smaller than the ball fastener for removably mounting the shade onto the base.