Receiver hitch mounted canopy

Abstract

A receiver hitch mounted canopy structure ( 20 ). The receiver hitch mounted canopy structure ( 20 ) remains attached to a receiver hitch ( 70 ) of a vehicle ( 24 ) while it is stowed, during an opening process, while it is fully open in a deployed state, and while it is collapsed back to the storage state. The receiver hitch mounted canopy structure ( 20 ) includes a mounting structure ( 22 ) that extends upward from a rear portion of one side of the vehicle. The receiver hitch mounted canopy structure extends over and centers an area directly behind the vehicle.

1 . A canopy structure, comprising: 
 a canopy; and    a mounting structure for supporting the canopy, the mounting structure being configured to remain attached to a vehicle from a stored configuration where the canopy is collapsed and extends along the vehicle to a deployed configuration where the canopy is extended.    
   
   
       2 . The canopy structure of  claim 1 , wherein, in the deployed configuration, the canopy extends over an area directly behind the vehicle.  
   
   
       3 . The canopy structure of  claim 2 , wherein the area is substantially centered behind the vehicle.  
   
   
       4 . The canopy structure of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure comprises a receiver hitch post.  
   
   
       5 . The canopy structure of  claim 1 , further comprising a lifting structure for raising the canopy.  
   
   
       6 . The canopy structure of  claim 5 , further comprising a frame for the canopy, and wherein the lifting structure is configured to extend the frame.  
   
   
       7 . The canopy structure of  claim 6 , wherein the lifting structure comprising a cable that is pulled by a user.  
   
   
       8 . The canopy structure of  claim 1 , wherein, in the stored configuration, the canopy is collapsed and extends along a rear of the vehicle.  
   
   
       9 . The canopy structure of  claim 8 , wherein the mounting structure comprises: 
 a receiver hitch post;    a frame section attached to the receiver hitch post; and    a column hinged to the frame section and movable to a position where the column extends substantially horizontally when the receiver hitch post is inserted into a receiver hitch on a vehicle to a position where the column extends substantially vertically.    
   
   
       10 . The canopy structure of  claim 9 , wherein the mounting structure further comprises a column extension connected to the column and providing an adjustable extension of the length of the column, and wherein the canopy is attached to the column extension.  
   
   
       11 . The canopy structure of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 a frame for the canopy; and    a brace extending from the column extension to the frame, the brace being hinged to the frame and the column extension.    
   
   
       12 . The canopy structure of  claim 11 , wherein the frame is removably attachable to the column extension so that when the frame is attached to the column extension, the brace, the frame, and the column extension form a triangle.  
   
   
       13 . The canopy structure of  claim 12 , further comprising a lifting structure for raising the canopy.  
   
   
       14 . The canopy structure of  claim 13 , wherein the lifting structure comprising a cable that is pulled by a user.  
   
   
       15 . The canopy structure of  claim 14 , wherein the cable extends along the brace.  
   
   
       16 . A receiver hitch mounted canopy structure, comprising: 
 a canopy; and    a mounting structure for supporting the canopy, the mounting structure being attachable to a receiver hitch of a vehicle, and when attached to a vehicle, extending from the receiver hitch of the vehicle to one side of a rear portion of the vehicle and upward to support the canopy at a position substantially centered behind the vehicle.