Umbrella with hub reinforced tilt coupling

Abstract

A tilting umbrella with a canopy assembly including a lower hub, an upright pole and a tilt mechanism. The tilt mechanism includes an actuator coupled with a lower pole portion and adjusts an upper pole portion from an untitled configuration to a second configuration. The lower hub is disposed at a tilt location between the upper pole portion and the lower pole portion. The lower hub can include an outer portion disposed over the upper pole portion that is pivotable relative to an inner portion disposed over the lower pole portion in the second configuration.

1 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . An umbrella, comprising:
 a canopy assembly comprising an upper hub and a lower hub;   an upright pole comprising an upper pole portion and a lower pole portion;   a tilt mechanism coupled with the upper pole portion and the lower pole portion and configured to support the upper pole portion in a first configuration in which the upper pole portion is aligned with the lower pole portion and a second configuration in which the upper pole portion is angled relative to the lower pole portion;   an actuator on the lower pole portion configured to move the tilt mechanism between the first and second configurations, the actuator comprising:
 a sleeve assembly disposed on the lower pole portion; and 
 a connection member coupled with the sleeve assembly and the tilt mechanism; 
 wherein the sleeve assembly is movable from a raised position corresponding to the second configuration of the tilt mechanism to a lowered position corresponding to the first configuration of the tilt mechanism. 
   
     
     
         31 . The umbrella of  claim 30 , wherein the sleeve assembly comprises a locking sleeve and an outer sleeve, the outer sleeve disposed over the locking sleeve. 
     
     
         32 . The umbrella of  claim 31 , wherein the locking sleeve includes a projection and the lower pole portion includes a recess configured to receive the projection, the projection configured to be disposed within the recess in the lowered position. 
     
     
         33 . The umbrella of  claim 32 , wherein the outer sleeve is movable relative to the locking sleeve such that sliding the outer sleeve downwards over the locking sleeve in the lowered position locks the projection within the recess and sliding the outer sleeve upwards over the locking sleeve releases the projection from the recess to allow movement of the sleeve assembly to the raised position. 
     
     
         34 . The umbrella of  claim 33 , wherein the outer sleeve includes an inner recess configured to receive the projection in the raised position. 
     
     
         35 . The umbrella of  claim 33 , wherein an upper end of the locking sleeve comprises a radially outwardly extending flange and the outer sleeve includes an inner shelf, the radially outwardly extending flange configured to catch on the inner shelf and raise the locking sleeve as the outer sleeve is moved into the raised position. 
     
     
         36 . The umbrella of  claim 33 , wherein the sleeve assembly further comprises a pole shield configured to cover the recess in the raised position and movable to provide access to the recess in the lowered position. 
     
     
         37 . The umbrella of  claim 36 , wherein the pole shield is fixedly coupled with the locking sleeve. 
     
     
         38 . The umbrella of  claim 31 , wherein the connection member is disposed within the lower pole portion and coupled with the locking sleeve through a slot in the lower pole portion. 
     
     
         39 . The umbrella of  claim 38 , wherein the connection member comprises a pin, first and second ends of the pin coupled with the locking sleeve through the slot. 
     
     
         40 . The umbrella of  claim 30 , wherein the tilt mechanism comprises an upper portion, a lower portion, and a driver having an end engaged within a channel such that moving the driver along an axis of the upright pole moves the end of the driver within the channel and tilts the upper pole portion between the first configuration and the second configuration. 
     
     
         41 . The umbrella of  claim 40 , wherein the tilt mechanism further comprises a spring component configured to store strain energy when the driver is moved such that the tilt mechanism is biased to the first configuration. 
     
     
         42 . The umbrella of  claim 41 , wherein the tilt mechanism comprises a sleeve disposed about the lower pole portion, the sleeve being coupled with a tension member disposed through the lower pole portion and being engaged with the driver such that moving the sleeve along the lower pole portion away from the canopy assembly moves the end of the driver within the channel and tilts the upper pole portion between the first configuration and the second configuration. 
     
     
         43 . The umbrella of  claim 42 , wherein the tilt mechanism further comprises a locking ring for retaining the sleeve in a tilt position disposed away from the canopy assembly. 
     
     
         44 . The umbrella of  claim 42 , further comprising a mechanism configured to open and close the canopy assembly that is separate from the tilt mechanism. 
     
     
         45 . An umbrella, comprising:
 a pole comprising an upper pole portion and a lower pole portion;   a tilt mechanism coupled with the upper pole portion and the lower pole portion and configured to support the upper pole portion in a first configuration in which the upper pole portion is aligned with the lower pole portion and a second configuration in which the upper pole portion is angled relative to the lower pole portion;   an actuator on the lower pole portion configured to move the tilt mechanism between the first and second configurations, the actuator comprising:
 a locking sleeve disposed on the lower pole portion; and 
 a tension member coupled with the locking sleeve and the tilt mechanism, 
 wherein the locking sleeve is slidable on the lower pole portion to actuate the tilt mechanism by moving the tension member. 
   
     
     
         46 . The umbrella of  claim 45 , wherein the tension member is coupled with the locking sleeve by a pin. 
     
     
         47 . The umbrella of  claim 46 , wherein the pin is dispose through one or more slots in the lower pole portion. 
     
     
         48 . The umbrella of  claim 45 , further comprising an outer sleeve disposed over and movable relative to the locking sleeve such that sliding the outer sleeve in a first direction over the locking sleeve locks a projection in a recess and sliding the outer sleeve in a second direction over the locking sleeve releases the projection from the recess to allow movement of the locking sleeve. 
     
     
         49 . The umbrella of  claim 48 , further comprises a pole shield configured to cover the recess when the outer sleeve is slid in the second direction and movable to provide access to the recess when the outer sleeve is slid in the first direction.