Umbrella base

Abstract

An umbrella base is comprised of a body portion having a billboard surface for advertising a company, organization, products, service or the like. The billboard surface can be provided on a separate removable billboard plate placed on the top of the body portion, which allows the advertising message to be easily changed. In its preferred construction, the body portion has at least one ballast cavity, and preferably multiple ballast cavities, and is constructed in separable parts to permit a selected ballast to be added to the ballast cavities in order to add a desired ballast weight to the umbrella base. The umbrella base can also be provided with casters, including locking casters, so that the umbrella base and its advertising message can be easily moved across a surface from one location to the another.

1 . An umbrella base comprising 
 a body portion having a bottom and at least one readily visible billboard surface,    an umbrella holding structure accessible from the top of said body portion for receiving the support shaft of an umbrella for holding the umbrella in an upright position, and    advertising indicia provided on the billboard surface of said body portion for conveying an advertising message, such as a company or organization logo, trademark or service mark.    
     
     
         2 . The umbrella base of  claim 1  wherein said readily visible billboard surface of said body portion is a top billboard surface that surrounds said umbrella holding structure.  
     
     
         3 . The umbrella base of  claim 2  wherein said advertising indicia are provided on said top billboard surface about said umbrella holding structure.  
     
     
         4 . The umbrella base of  claim 2  wherein the top billboard surface of said body portion is a substantially flat surface.  
     
     
         5 . The umbrella base of  claim 1  wherein said umbrella holding structure is comprised of a support pipe having a top open end and a bottom end, and wherein the bottom end of said support pipe is secured of said body portion substantially in the center of said top billboard surface.  
     
     
         6 . The umbrella base of  claim 1  wherein the billboard surface is removable from said body portion such that advertising messages on the umbrella base can be changed by replacing one top billboard surface with another top billboard surface.  
     
     
         7 . The umbrella base of  claim 6  wherein said billboard surface is provided by at least one removable billboard plate on the top of said body portion.  
     
     
         8 . The umbrella base of  claim 7  wherein said removable billboard plate provides a flat top billboard surface.  
     
     
         9 . The umbrella base of  claim 7  wherein said removable billboard plate is sized and shaped to substantially cover the entirety of the top of said body portion.  
     
     
         10 . The umbrella base of  claim 7  wherein the top of said body portion has a recessed area defining the top surface of said body portion and wherein said removable billboard plate is sized and shaped to fit within said recessed area.  
     
     
         11 . The umbrella base of  claim 10  wherein said recessed area is defined at least in part by a raised perimeter rim on the top of said body portion.  
     
     
         12 . The umbrella base of  claim 11  wherein said removable billboard plate is sized and shaped to fit within said recessed area substantially flush with the said raised perimeter rim.  
     
     
         13 . The umbrella base of  claim 12  wherein said recessed area has a substantially uniform depth and said removable billboard plate has a substantially uniform thickness.  
     
     
         14 . The umbrella base of  claim 6  wherein said billboard surface is provided by a removable top billboard plate having an opening for accommodating said umbrella holding structure when the plate is placed on and removed from said body portion.  
     
     
         15 . The umbrella base of  claim 14  wherein said opening is substantially centered in said billboard plate, and wherein the billboard surface provided by said billboard plate surrounds. said center opening.  
     
     
         16 . The umbrella base of  claim 1  further comprising casters on the bottom of said body portion, which permit the umbrella base with its advertising indicia to be rolled across a surface from one location to another.  
     
     
         17 . The umbrella base of  claim 16  wherein said casters include caster locking mechanisms for releasably locking the caster wheels after the umbrella base has been moved to a desired location.  
     
     
         18 . The umbrella base of  claim 16  wherein said body portion includes deployable support feet which can be deployed to lift the umbrella base off of said casters and which can be retracted to allow the umbrella base to roll on said casters.  
     
     
         19 . The umbrella base of  claim 1  wherein said body portion has a perimeter defining a footprint, and further comprises 
 wheel casters on the bottom of said body portion substantially within the footprint thereof, said wheel casters permitting the umbrella base with its advertising indicia to be rolled across a surface from one location to another, and    deployable support feet which can be deployed to lift the umbrella base off of said caster wheels and which can be retracted to allow the umbrella base to roll on said caster wheels.    
     
     
         20 . The umbrella base of  claim 19  wherein said deployable support feet deploy outside of the footprint of the umbrella base.  
     
     
         21 . The umbrella base of  claim 1  wherein said body portion includes at least one fillable ballast cavity for receiving a ballast material for adding ballast weight to the umbrella base.  
     
     
         22 . The umbrella base of  claim 21  wherein said bottom portion has multiple separately fillable ballast cavities, and wherein a ballast material can be added to any one or more of said ballast cavities for adding ballast weight to the umbrella base.  
     
     
         23 . The umbrella base of  claim 22  wherein body portion has at least three separately fillable ballast cavities.  
     
     
         24 . The umbrella base of  claim 1  wherein said body portion is comprised of a housing assembly having a lower housing portion and a top cover portion, said lower housing portion including a bottom wall, sidewalls and at least one ballast cavity for receiving a ballast material for adding ballast weight to the umbrella base, and said top cover portion being removably attached to said bottom portion to allow the at least one ballast cavity in said lower housing portion to be filled with a ballast material.  
     
     
         25 . The umbrella base of  claim 24  wherein said top cover portion includes a substantially flat top wall and downwardly extending sidewalls adapted to slide over and engage the sidewalls of the housing assembly's lower housing portion, and wherein said billboard surface is provided on at least one of the substantially flat top wall and sidewalls of said top cover portion.  
     
     
         26 . The umbrella base of  claim 25  wherein said top billboard surface is provided by at least one removable billboard plate placed on the top wall of said top cover portion.  
     
     
         27 . The umbrella base of  claim 26  wherein said removable billboard plate is sized and shaped to substantially cover the entire top wall of the housing assembly's top cover portion.  
     
     
         28 . The umbrella base of  claim 27  wherein the billboard surface provided by said billboard plate surrounds said umbrella holding structure.  
     
     
         29 . The umbrella base of  claim 21  further comprising at least one fillable ballast container sized and shaped to fit within said ballast cavity, whereby ballast is added to said ballast cavity by placing a filled one of said fillable ballast containers therein.  
     
     
         30 . The umbrella base of  claim 29  wherein said fillable ballast container is a rigid container having a closable fill opening, said rigid container being sized and shaped to fit within said at least one ballast cavity.  
     
     
         31 . The umbrella base of  claim 29  wherein said fillable container is a closable bag.  
     
     
         32 . The umbrella base of  claim 22  further comprising multiple fillable ballast containers sized and shaped to fit within said ballast cavities, whereby ballast is added to said ballast cavities by placing filled ballast containers therein.  
     
     
         33 . The umbrella base of  claim 21  further comprising at least one fixed form ballast sized and shaped to fit within said ballast cavity.  
     
     
         34 . An umbrella base comprising 
 a weighted base plate having a readily visible top billboard surface,    an umbrella holding structure on the top of said body portion for receiving the support shaft of an umbrella for holding the umbrella in an upright position, and    advertising indicia provided on the top billboard surface of said base plate for advertising a company, organization, product, service or the like.    
     
     
         35 . The umbrella base of  claim 34  wherein the readily visible top billboard surface of said body portion surrounds said umbrella holding structure and wherein advertising indicia are provided on said top billboard surface about said umbrella holding structure.  
     
     
         36 . The umbrella base of  claim 34  wherein the top billboard surface of said body portion is a substantially flat surface.  
     
     
         37 . The umbrella base of  claim 34  wherein said umbrella holding structure is comprised of an elongated support pipe having a top open end and a bottom end, and wherein the bottom end of said pipe is secured to the top of said body portion substantially in the center of said top billboard surface.  
     
     
         38 . The umbrella base of  claim 34  wherein the top billboard surface is removable from said base plate such that advertising messages on the umbrella base can be changed by replacing one top billboard surface with another top billboard surface.  
     
     
         39 . The umbrella base of  claim 38  wherein said top billboard surface is provided by at least one removable billboard plate.  
     
     
         40 . The umbrella base of  claim 39  wherein said base plate is fabricated of a weighted material and said billboard plate in fabricated of a light weight plastic material.  
     
     
         41 . The umbrella base of  claim 40  wherein said billboard plate is fabricated of a UV resistant plastic.  
     
     
         42 . An umbrella base comprising 
 a housing assembly having at least one ballast cavity for holding a selected amount of ballast material for providing weight to said housing assembly, said housing assembly having a top with a readily visible top billboard surface, and being constructed in separable portions to allow access to said housing assembly for filling the ballast cavity with a ballast material selected according to the desired amount of ballast weight to be added,    an umbrella holding structure on the top of said housing assembly for receiving the support shaft of an umbrella for holding the umbrella in an upright position, and    advertising indicia provided on the top billboard surface of said housing assembly for advertising a company, organization, product, service or the like.    
     
     
         43 . The umbrella base of  claim 42  wherein said housing assembly includes a bottom portion containing said at least one ballast cavity and a removable top cover portion.  
     
     
         44 . The umbrella base of  claim 42  wherein said housing assembly is fabricated of plastic parts.  
     
     
         45 . The umbrella base of  claim 44  wherein said housing assembly is fabricated of a UV resistant plastic.  
     
     
         46 . The umbrella base of  claim 42  wherein said housing assembly has multiple separately fillable ballast cavities, and wherein a ballast material can be added to any one or more of said ballast cavities for adding ballast weight to the umbrella base.  
     
     
         47 . The umbrella base of  claim 42  further comprising casters on the bottom of said housing, said casters permitting the umbrella base with its advertising message to be rolled across a surface from one location to another.  
     
     
         48 . The umbrella base of  claim 47  further comprising retractable support feet which can be retractably extended to contact the ground and lift the weight of the umbrella base from said casters.  
     
     
         49 . An umbrella base comprising 
 a housing assembly having a top and at least one ballast cavity for holding a selected amount of ballast material for providing weight to said housing assembly, and being constructed in separable portions to allow access to said housing assembly for filling the ballast cavity with a ballast material selected according to the desired amount of ballast weight to be added,    a removable billboard plate for placement on the top of said housing assembly, said billboard plate having a readily visible top billboard surface,    an umbrella holding structure on the top of said housing assembly for receiving the support shaft of an umbrella for holding the umbrella in an upright position, and    advertising indicia provided on the top billboard surface of said billboard plate for advertising a company, organization, product, service or the like.    
     
     
         50 . The umbrella base of  claim 49  wherein said billboard plate is fabricated of a UV resistant plastic.  
     
     
         51 . The umbrella base of  claim 49  wherein said billboard plate is. releasably attached to the top of said housing assembly.  
     
     
         52 . An umbrella base comprising 
 a body portion having a top surface,    a removable billboard plate for placement on the top surface of said housing assembly, said billboard plate having a readily visible top billboard surface for advertising indicia which advertises a company, organization, product, service or the like, and    an umbrella holding structure on the top of said housing assembly for receiving the support shaft of an umbrella for holding the umbrella in an upright position.    
     
     
         53 . The umbrella base of  claim 52  wherein the readily visible top billboard surface of said billboard plate surrounds said umbrella holding structure.  
     
     
         54 . The umbrella base of  claim 53  wherein the top billboard surface of said body portion is a substantially flat surface.  
     
     
         55 . The umbrella base of  claim 52  wherein said umbrella holding structure is comprised of an elongated support pipe having a top open end and a bottom end, and wherein the bottom end of said pipe is secured to the top of said body portion substantially in the center of said top billboard surface.  
     
     
         56 . The umbrella base of  claim 52  further comprising casters on the bottom of said body portion, said casters permitting the umbrella base with an advertising message to be rolled across a surface from one location to another.  
     
     
         57 . The umbrella base of  claim 56  wherein at least one of said casters has a foot actuatable locking mechanism.  
     
     
         58 . The umbrella base of  claim 57  further comprising retractable support feet which can be retractably extended to contact the ground and lift the weight of the umbrella base from said casters.  
     
     
         59 . The umbrella base of  claim 58  wherein said body portion has a defined perimeter and said support feet are located outside of said perimeter to provide added stability to said umbrella base when said support feet are extended.  
     
     
         60 . The umbrella base of  claim 52  wherein said billboard plate is fabricated of plastic.  
     
     
         61 . The umbrella base of  claim 52  wherein said billboard plate is fabricated of a UV resistant plastic.