Canopy With Solar-Powered Lighting

Abstract

A canopy including a shade having a fabric top, a solar light assembly mounted in the fabric top, and legs supporting the shade. The solar light assembly includes at least one solar cell facing upwardly from a top side of the fabric top, at least one light source facing downwardly from a bottom side of the fabric top, and a power storage device for storing electrical power generated by the solar cell and for providing electrical power to the light source. A control unit controls activation and deactivation of the light source.

1 . A canopy comprising:
 a shade having a fabric top;   a solar light assembly mounted in the fabric top, the solar light assembly including at least one solar cell facing upwardly from a top side of the fabric, top, at least one light source facing downwardly from a bottom side of the fabric top, and a power storage device for storing electrical power generated by the solar cell and for providing electrical power to the light source;   legs for supporting the shade; and   a control unit for controlling activation and deactivation of the light source.   
     
     
         2 . The canopy of  claim 1 , wherein the solar shade includes a support frame for supporting the fabric top, the canopy further comprising:
 a tilt adjustment mechanism for adjusting a tilt angle of the shade with respect to the legs.   
     
     
         3 . The canopy of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is mounted to one of the legs. 
     
     
         4 . The canopy of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit comprises an on/off switch. 
     
     
         5 . The canopy of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit comprises an ambient light sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The canopy of  claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises at least on light emitting diode. 
     
     
         7 . The canopy of  claim 1 , wherein the solar light assembly is integrally sewn into the fabric top, the solar cell being exposed through the top side of the fabric top and the light source being exposed through the bottom side of the fabric top. 
     
     
         8 . The canopy of  claim 1 , wherein the legs include a first leg located on a right side of the shade and a second leg located on a left side of the shade, and wherein the width of the shade between the first and second legs is approximately twice the depth of the shade in a direction perpendicular to a line connecting the first and second legs. 
     
     
         9 . The canopy of  claim 1 , the fabric top being supported by a frame that is pivotable with respect to the legs to enable the fabric top to be moved between a stowed position and a deployed position. 
     
     
         10 . The canopy of  claim 1 ,
 the canopy including a frame comprising:
 a pair of side frame portions including an upper side member, a lower side member, and a rear member generally forming a triangular shape having a substantially straight bottom side and a substantially curved top side; 
 a front member connecting front corners of the side frame portions; and 
 an upper rear member and a lower rear member connecting rear upper and lower corners, respectively, of the side frame portions; and 
   the fabric top comprising a top panel, a pair of side panels, and a rear panel for covering the frame;   wherein the solar light assembly is mounted in the top panel.   
     
     
         11 . The canopy of  claim 10 , wherein the frame is pivotably connected to each of the legs by a pin extending through each rear member and a respective leg, the canopy further comprising:
 a pair of support members each having a first end pivotably connected to a respective lower side member and a second end slidably connected to a respective leg, such that when the second ends of the support members are raised vertically with respect to the legs the shade is pivoted about the pin to a deployed position and when the second ends of the support members are lowered vertically with respect to the legs the shade is pivoted about the pin to a stowed position.   
     
     
         12 . The canopy of  claim 1 , the legs each comprising an upper tube telescopically received into a lower tube to enable the length of the legs to be adjusted. 
     
     
         13 . A canopy comprising:
 a shade having a frame and a fabric top covering the frame, the frame including a pair of side frame portions each including an upper side member, a lower side member, and a rear member generally forming a triangular shape having a substantially straight bottom side and a substantially curved top side, a front member connecting front corners of the side frame portions, and an upper rear member and a lower rear member connecting rear upper and lower corners, respectively, of the side frame portions, the fabric top including a top panel, a pair of side panels, and a rear panel;   a solar light assembly mounted in the top panel of the fabric top, the solar light assembly including at least one solar cell facing upwardly from a top side of the fabric top, at least one light source facing downwardly from a bottom side of the fabric top, and a power storage device for storing electrical power generated by the solar cell and for providing electrical power to the light source, the light source including at least one light emitting diode;   legs for supporting the shade, the frame being pivotably connected to the legs by a pin extending through each rear member and a respective leg, the legs each comprising an upper tube telescopically received into a lower tube to enable the length of the legs to be adjusted;   a pair of support members each having a first end pivotably connected to a respective lower side member and a second end slidably connected to a respective leg, such that when the second ends of the support members are raised vertically with respect to the legs the shade is pivoted about the pin to a deployed position and when the second ends of the support members are lowered vertically with respect to the legs the shade is pivoted about the pin to a stowed position; and   a control unit mounted to one of the legs for controlling activation and deactivation of the light source.