Solar energy collection system for outdoor umbrella

Abstract

An outdoor umbrella includes an awning, an umbrella frame, an illumination system, and a solar energy collection system. The solar energy collection system includes a supporting adjustor and a solar energy collector. The supporting adjustor has an upper pivot portion, and a lower retention portion detachably mounted on the top portion of the supporting post. The solar energy collector, which is electrically connected with the illumination system, is pivotally mounted on the pivot portion of the supporting adjustor at a position above the awning, wherein the solar energy collector is adapted to selectively adjust a tilt angle with respect to the supporting post for directly facing towards sunlight to maximize solar energy collection so as to supply electrical power to the illumination system.

1 . An outdoor umbrella, comprising: 
 an awning;    an umbrella frame comprising an upward supporting post, and an awning supporting frame which is detachably coupled with a top portion of said supporting post and radially extended to support said awning to define a shading area thereunder;    an illumination system provided on said umbrella frame for illuminating said shading area of said awning; and    a solar energy collection system, which comprises:    a supporting adjustor having an upper pivot portion and a lower retention portion detachably mounted on said top portion of said supporting post, and    a solar energy collector which is electrically connected with said illumination system and is pivotally mounted on said pivot portion of said supporting adjustor at a position above said awning, wherein said solar energy collector is adapted to selectively adjust a tilt angle with respect to said supporting post for directly facing towards sunlight to maximize solar energy collection so as to supply electrical power to said illumination system.    
     
     
         2 . The outdoor umbrella, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said solar energy collection system further comprises a connector cap, having a retention slot for said retention portion of said supporting adjustor slidably inserting thereinto, detachably mounted on said top portion of said supporting post to retain said solar energy collector in position.  
     
     
         3 . The outdoor umbrella, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said connector cap has an inner threaded portion provided on a surrounding wall of said retention slot and said supporting adjustor has an outer threaded portion provided on an outer wall of said retention portion and arranged to rotatably engage with said inner threaded portion of said connector cap to securely mount said supporting adjustor to said connector cap.  
     
     
         4 . The outdoor umbrella, as recited in  claim 1 , said supporting adjustor further comprises an adjusting locker provided between said upper pivot portion and said lower retention portion for selectively locking said solar energy collector at said tilt angle in a tool-less manner.  
     
     
         5 . The outdoor umbrella, as recited in  claim 3 , said supporting adjustor further comprises an adjusting locker provided between said upper pivot portion and said lower retention portion for selectively locking said solar energy collector at said tilt angle in a tool-less manner.  
     
     
         6 . The outdoor umbrella, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said solar energy collector comprises a collector housing, a rechargeable battery received in said collector housing to electrically connect to said illumination system, and a plurality of solar energy collection panels securely mounted on top of said collector housing for collecting said solar energy, so as to store in said rechargeable battery.  
     
     
         7 . The outdoor umbrella, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said solar energy collector comprises a collector housing, a rechargeable battery received in said collector housing to electrically connect to said illumination system, and a plurality of solar energy collection panels securely mounted on top of said collector housing for collecting said solar energy, so as to store in said rechargeable battery.  
     
     
         8 . The outdoor umbrella, as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said solar energy collector comprises a collector housing, a rechargeable battery received in said collector housing to electrically connect to said illumination system, and a plurality of solar energy collection panels securely mounted on top of said collector housing for collecting said solar energy, so as to store in said rechargeable battery.  
     
     
         9 . The outdoor umbrella, as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said illumination system further comprises a power distribution system disposed at said top portion of said supporting post to electrically connect to said rechargeable battery, and a plurality of illuminators which are electrically coupled to said power distribution system and are spacedly mounted to said awning supporting frame for illuminating said shading area of said awning.  
     
     
         10 . The outdoor umbrella, as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said illumination system further comprises a power distribution system disposed at said top portion of said supporting post to electrically connect to said rechargeable battery, and a plurality of illuminators which are electrically coupled to said power distribution system and are spacedly mounted to said awning supporting frame for illuminating said shading area of said awning.  
     
     
         11 . The outdoor umbrella, as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said illumination system further comprises a power distribution system disposed at said top portion of said supporting post to electrically connect to said rechargeable battery, and a plurality of illuminators which are electrically coupled to said power distribution system and are spacedly mounted to said awning supporting frame for illuminating said shading area of said awning.  
     
     
         12 . The outdoor umbrella, as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said solar energy collector further comprises a wiring socket electrically extended from said power distribution system and a wiring plug which is electrically extended from said rechargeable battery and is slidably extended through said connector cap to detachably connect to said wiring socket within said top portion of said supporting post so as to electrically connect said rechargeable battery to said power distribution system.  
     
     
         13 . The outdoor umbrella, as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said solar energy collector further comprises a wiring socket electrically extended from said power distribution system and a wiring plug which is electrically extended from said rechargeable battery and is slidably extended through said connector cap to detachably connect to said wiring socket within said top portion of said supporting post so as to electrically connect said rechargeable battery to said power distribution system.  
     
     
         14 . The outdoor umbrella, as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said solar energy collector further comprises a wiring socket electrically extended from said power distribution system and a wiring plug which is electrically extended from said rechargeable battery and is slidably extended through said connector cap to detachably connect to said wiring socket within said top portion of said supporting post so as to electrically connect said rechargeable battery to said power distribution system.  
     
     
         15 . The outdoor umbrella, as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said umbrella frame further comprises an upper housing receiving said power distribution system, wherein a lower portion of said upper housing is detachably and rotatably mounted to said top portion of said supporting post and an upper portion of said upper housing detachably mounted to said connector cap to sandwich a central portion of said awning between said upper housing and said connector cap.  
     
     
         16 . The outdoor umbrella, as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said umbrella frame further comprises an upper housing receiving said power distribution system, wherein a lower portion of said upper housing is detachably and rotatably mounted to said top portion of said supporting post and an upper portion of said upper housing detachably mounted to said connector cap to sandwich a central portion of said awning between said upper housing and said connector cap.  
     
     
         17 . The outdoor umbrella, as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said umbrella frame further comprises an upper housing receiving said power distribution system, wherein a lower portion of said upper housing is detachably and rotatably mounted to said top portion of said supporting post and an upper portion of said upper housing detachably mounted to said connector cap to sandwich a central portion of said awning between said upper housing and said connector cap.  
     
     
         18 . The outdoor umbrella, as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said awning supporting frame comprises a plurality of awning arms radially and pivotally extended from said upper housing to support said awning thereon, wherein said illuminators are spacedly mounted along each of said awning arms to electrically connect to said rechargeable battery of said solar energy collector through said power distribution system, so as to provide illumination to said shading area under said awning.  
     
     
         19 . The outdoor umbrella, as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said awning supporting frame comprises a plurality of awning arms radially and pivotally extended from said upper housing to support said awning thereon, wherein said illuminators are spacedly mounted along each of said awning arms to electrically connect to said rechargeable battery of said solar energy collector through said power distribution system, so as to provide illumination to said shading area under said awning.  
     
     
         20 . The outdoor umbrella, as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said awning supporting frame comprises a plurality of awning arms radially and pivotally extended from said upper housing to support said awning thereon, wherein said illuminators are spacedly mounted along each of said awning arms to electrically connect to said rechargeable battery of said solar energy collector through said power distribution system, so as to provide illumination to said shading area under said awning.