Shade orientating device for large-sized umbrella

Abstract

An umbrella includes a shade orientating device arranged between upper and lower sections of a post. The upper section supports a shade. The shade orientating device includes upper and lower sleeves respectively fixed to upper and lower sections. A sphere is attached to the upper sleeve and is rotatably received in the lower sleeve. A bolt extends from an upper hemisphere of the sphere to threadingly fix to the upper sleeve, while a plurality of dimples is distributed on a surface of a lower hemisphere. A controller, movably mounted to the lower sleeve, includes a pin engageable with the dimples and the controller is movable to selectively bring the pin into engagement with a selected one of the dimples thereby fixing the upper central post section and thus the shade carried thereby at a desired orientation with respect to the lower central post section.

1 . A shade orientating device adapted to adjust and control inclination and orientation of a shade supported on a central post of an umbrella, the central post being composed of upper and lower sections, the shade orientating device comprising:
 a lower sleeve mounted to the lower section of the central post, the lower sleeve forming a socket;   an upper sleeve mounted to the upper section of the central post;   a sphere rotatably received in the socket of the lower sleeve, the sphere having upper and lower hemispherical surfaces, a bolt extending from the upper hemispherical surface in a radial direction and projecting out of the lower sleeve to threadingly fix to the upper sleeve thereby connecting the upper and lower sleeves together and thus connecting the upper and lower sections of the central post to each other while allowing relative rotation between the upper and lower sections, a plurality of dimples distributed on the lower hemispherical surface; and   a controller movably mounted to the lower sleeve, the controller comprising a pin that is selectively engageable with a selected one of the dimples of the sphere in response to a first direction movement of the controller to fix the upper and lower sleeves in position with respect to each so s to set the upper section of the central post in a desired orientation.   
   
   
       2 . The shade orientating device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the lower sleeve forms an opening in communication with the socket for the extension of the bolt of the sphere, the opening having a diameter smaller than diameter of the sphere. 
   
   
       3 . The shade orientating device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the controller is movably mounted on an outer surface of the lower sleeve and comprise an extension projecting into the lower sleeve through a slot defined in a wall of the lower sleeve and carrying the pin at a position engageable with the dimples of the sphere, a biasing element being connected to and applying a biasing force to the extension of the controller to cause engagement of the pin with the dimples. 
   
   
       4 . The shade orientating device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the controller is accommodated in a cavity defined in and pivoted to the lower sleeve, an end of the controller forming the pin at a position engageable with the dimples of the sphere, a biasing element rotatably basing the controller to have the pin engaging the dimples. 
   
   
       5 . The shade orientating device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a central section movably received in the lower sleeve and two legs extending from opposite ends of the central section and projecting beyond the lower sleeve, the central section carrying the pin at a position engageable with the dimples of the sphere, a biasing element biasing the central section to have the pin engaging the dimples. 
   
   
       6 . The shade orientating device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the lower sleeve is concentrically rotatable about the lower section of the central post and wherein a first threading is formed on an inner surface of the lower sleeve, a disk received in the lower sleeve and facing the sphere and carrying the pin at a position engageable with the dimples of the sphere, the disk forming a second threading along an outer circumference thereof to threadingly engage the first threading for converting rotation of the lower sleeve into axial movement of the disk toward/away from the sphere and thus engaging/disengaging the pin with/from the dimples, a biasing element arranged to apply a biasing force to the disk.