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[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/424,044, filed Nov. 5, 2002 and entitled “Combination Umbrella and Fan”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
[0002] The present invention relates generally to umbrellas and, more particularly, to an umbrella which has incorporated therein a fan or other air moving device to provide a flow of cooling air onto a person using the umbrella or to vent air from beneath the umbrella.
[0003] Umbrellas which may be used for protecting users from weather elements such as rain, snow and the like, or for providing shade to users are generally well known. Typically, the protective upper surface or cover of an umbrella is generally curved and circular and includes a central portion which is generally higher, when the umbrella is in use, than the peripheral or circumferential outer edges of the protective surface. This arrangement is typically employed to permit rain, snow or the like, from accumulating on the protective surface of the umbrella. While having such an arrangement is beneficial to avoid a build-up of rain, snow or the like on the protective surface, the shape of the protective surface tends to inhibit the flow of fresh air to the undersurface of the umbrella. As a result, warm or stale air is often trapped within the undersurface of the umbrella resulting in discomfort to a user whose head may be positioned within or near the area where the warm, stale air is trapped. The present invention overcomes the problems associated with prior art umbrellas by providing a fan or other air moving device to provide a flow of cooling air directed into the undersurface of the umbrella to thereby preclude a build-up of hot, stale air within the umbrella and to provide a flow of cooling air onto or near the head of a user of the umbrella. The present invention also functions to vent hot, stale air from the umbrella.
[0004] Briefly stated, the present invention comprises a combination umbrella and fan for providing improved comfort to a user. The combination includes a centrally located support rod having upper and lower ends with a fan housing secured proximate to the upper end of the support rod. The fan housing includes a lower end having a plurality of open slots extending therethrough. The fan housing further includes a plurality of openings extending therethrough proximate an upper end. An electrically powered fan motor is provided, the fan motor having an output shaft secured to a propeller which is located within the fan housing. The fan motor is reversible for rotating the propeller in first and second directions. A power supply provides electrical power to the fan motor, the power supply including a switch for reversing the electric motor. A flexible cover member is provided and a plurality of spaced part rib members and stretchers are provided for supporting the cover member.
[0005] The following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
[0006] In the drawings:
[0007]
[0008]
[0009]
[0010] The upper or distal end of the support rod
[0011] The upper end of the fan housing
[0012] The upper axial end of the fan housing
[0013] The umbrella
[0014] A switch
[0015] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention.