Flexible canopy

摘要

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a flexible canopy. In one embodiment, the flexible canopy includes a central shaft, a sliding collar, a plurality of supports, a plurality of tensioners, a tensioner connection hub, and a membrane. The sliding collar is slidably connected to and surrounds the central shaft. A first end of each of the supports is connected to the sliding collar, and a second end of each of the supports is connected to the membrane near the edge of the membrane. Each of the tensioners is connected at one end to a different one of the supports and at the other end to the tensioner connection hub. In one embodiment, the flexible canopy includes a handle connected to a first, lower end of the central shaft. In other embodiments, the first, lower end of the central shaft includes or is insertable into a base.

主权项

1. A canopy comprising:
a handle; a central shaft connected to the handle; a plurality of supports separate and distinct from the central shaft, wherein, for each of the supports: (a) said support includes a first end, an opposing second end, and a body extending between the first end and the second end; and (b) a first portion of the body of said support is fixedly connected to the central shaft such that said support is spaced apart from the handle; a membrane connected to each of the supports; a collar surrounding the central shaft and slidably connected to the central shaft such that the collar is movable toward the handle to cause the membrane to shift from a folded configuration to an unfolded configuration; and a plurality of tensioners, each of the tensioners having a first end connected to the collar and a second end connected to one of the supports at a fixed location along said support, wherein: (a) when the membrane is in the folded configuration, each of the supports has an undeformed shape; (b) when the collar is moved toward the handle to cause the membrane to shift from the folded configuration to the unfolded configuration, the tensioner connected to said support exerts a tensile force on said support that causes said support to bend such that the second end of each support moves toward the handle and radially outward relative to the central shaft; and (c) when the membrane is in the unfolded configuration, for each of the supports: (i) said support is biased to return to the undeformed shape and exerts a tensile force on the tensioner connected to said support, and (ii) the tensioner connected to said support exerts a tensile force on said support and prevents said support from returning to the undeformed shape.