Patio umbrella with air pump

Abstract

It is an integrated pole unit that is connected to a patio umbrella canopy that allows it to be raised by a pump (foot, hand or low psi) and lowered by releasing air via an air pressure valve. The external umbrella pole is hollow with a slit at the top and contains an “internal pole mechanism” with a metal insert attached to the base of the canopy and moves up the slit with increased air pressure in the pole raising the umbrella canopy. There is an air pressure valve that, when closed, keeps the umbrella canopy in the full open position, when open, releases the air, resulting in the umbrella canopy closing automatically in a slow and controlled manner.

1 . A. In the case of an apparatus:
 1. It is a pole that has been modified to allow for the raising of an umbrella canopy with the use of an air pump (either a manual foot or hand pump or a low psi compressor pump) and the lowering of the umbrella canopy is done via the air pressure valve.   
     
     
         2 . A device as defined in  claim 1  and includes an external pole sealed with a base pole cap ( FIG. 8 ) with a slit cut ( FIG. 2 ) into the top and a metal insert sticking out from an “internal pole mechanism” (shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7  and  10  as outlined in the drawings) and attached to the umbrella canopy that work as an integrated sealed unit to push the umbrella canopy to the fully open position when air is introduced inside the sealed pole. 
     
     
         3 . A device as defined in  claim 1  and  claim 2  that has a pole with an air connection system for use with an air pump (foot or hand manual pump or a low psi air compressor pump). This air connection system that includes an air pressure valve and is outlined in  FIGS. 9 ,  11 ,  12  and  14 . 
     
     
         4 . A device as defined in  claims 1  through  3  that allows for the connection of an air pump to the pole that is easily attached to the air connection system outlined above and more specifically in  FIG. 9  as outlined in the drawings. 
     
     
         5 . A device as defined in  claims 1  through  4  and when the air pump is operated it will push air into the sealed patio umbrella pole and raise the umbrella as outlined in item number  2  above. 
     
     
         6 . A device as outlined in  claims 1  to  5  that will enable the air to be released via an air pressure valve attached to the umbrella pole that will cause the “internal pole mechanism” to lower when the air is released out of the pole resulting in the internal components of the umbrella pole to fall thus lowering the umbrella. 
       B. In the case of the process:
 1. A process for raising a patio umbrella canopy via the use of a manual air pump (foot or hand) or a low psi compressor pump that when attached to the hollow tubing and pumped, or turned on, supplies air into the pole allowing the use of air to push up an “internal pole mechanism” inside the pole which raises the umbrella canopy causing it to open. Closing the umbrella canopy happens automatically when the air pressure valve is opened allowing the air to escape causing the “internal pole mechanism” to fall which closes the umbrella canopy. 
 2. A process as defined in  claim 1 , in which a person may use their hand, foot or a low psi electric pump to connect to the hollow tubing at the base of the pole in order to pump air into the pole and raise the patio umbrella canopy via the “internal pole mechanism”. 
 3. A process as defined in  claims 1  and  2 , in which the internal pole mechanism when raised has a metal insert ( FIG. 6 ) attached at the top that extends through the slit of the external pole and attaches to the base of the umbrella canopy, lifting the canopy as the “internal pole mechanism” is raised with the increase in air pressure. 
 4. A process as defined in  claims 1  through  3  where air is sealed in the pole unit by closing the air pressure valve to hold the umbrella canopy open for a period of time. 
 5. A process as defined in  claims 1  through  4  where air is released in the pole unit by opening the air pressure valve to allow the air to escape thereby, lowering the air pressure which causes the “internal pole mechanism” to fall which results in the umbrella canopy closing as air pressure is reduced. 
 
       C. In the case of the article:
 1. A specialized patio pole unit with an air tight seal that is comprised of an external pole with a long slit that extends from the top of the pole to the middle of the pole with a metal insert that extends out from the “internal pole mechanism” and is attached to the base of the umbrella canopy. 
 2. A specialized patio pole unit as defined in  claim 1  with an “internal pole mechanism” that is constructed of a smaller pole insert ( FIG. 4 ), a plug for the metal insert ( FIG. 5 ), a metal insert that attaches to the base of the umbrella canopy ( FIG. 6 ), a base plug that attaches to the bottom of the smaller insert pole ( FIG. 7 ) and pole cap for the bottom of the umbrella ( FIG. 8 ) and lubrication opening ( FIG. 10 ). 
 3. A specialized patio pole unit as defined in  claims 1  and  2  with tubing attached to the pole cap ( FIG. 8 ) that has an air tight seal to allow for the connection of an air pump which will introduce air into the pole. 
 4. A specialized patio pole unit as defined in  claims 1  to  3  that has an air pressure valve that controls the air in the patio pole unit. When air is pumped into the unit, the air pressure valve is closed to retain the air and keep the canopy open. When the air pressure valve is opened the air will release resulting in the canopy closing in a slow and controlled manner. 
 5. A specialized patio umbrella pole as defined in  claims 1  through  4  that includes for maintenance of the pole via the lubrication opening shown in  FIG. 10 . 
 6. A specialized patio umbrella pole as defined in  claims 1  through  5  that also can incorporate safety devices such as an air pressure valve shown in  FIG. 12  and a safety pin that can be inserted after the canopy is fully open to prevent it from falling closed shown in  FIG. 13 . 
 7. A specialized patio pole as defined in  claims 1  through  6  that will allow for a flexible slit cover to seal the external pole and protect the “internal pole mechanism” from the outside elements.