"Foldable sunshade"

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a foldable sunshade.

In particular, the invention refers to a foldable sunshade that may form a container which can house a table and chairs, so as to form, for example, a beach kit.

BACKGROUND ART

For trips out of town, to the beach, or in the great outdoors, it is always useful to bring at least a beach umbrella and table and chairs, so as to make the stay comfortable and pleasant and ensure shelter from the sun at the same time.

At present, it is very difficult to carry all the conventional equipment needed for a pleasant stay, especially due to the bulkiness thereof and the need to carry numerous packed items.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a foldable sunshade that is easy to carry and is extremely compact when folded.

This and other objects are achieved by means of a foldable sunshade according to the technical teachings of the claims annexed hereto.

Advantageously, when folded, the sunshade converts into a container that defines a compartment. Advantageously, two folding chairs are housed in the compartment.

Furthermore, the sunshade may comprise a seat to house a table.

It is possible for the sunshade to have closable housings for the safekeeping of personal possessions, such as wallets and/or mobile phones.

Advantageously, the sunshade may be equipped with at least one solar panel, to provide a charging source for mobile phones, tablets, etc.

In order to reduce the weight of the sunshade, some parts thereof may be made of canvas.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer in the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the device, illustrated - by way of a non-limiting example - in the drawings annexed hereto, in which:

Figure 1 is a view of the sunshade in the closed (transportation) configuration, in which the said sunshade is folded up so as to form a container;

Figure 2 shows a detail of a fastening on the sunshade;

Figure 3 shows an internal part of the container, wherein two chairs and a table are visible, which can be housed inside a compartment defined by the folded sunshade;

Figure 4 shows the same configuration as Figure 3, with the folding chairs removed from the container;

Figure 5 is a view of a detail of the sunshade folded so as to form a container, as in

Figure 1; Figure 6 shows an intermediate phase of the conversion of the container into a sunshade;

Figure 7 also shows a detail of an intermediate phase of the conversion;

Figure 8 shows a further detail of an intermediate phase of the conversion;

Figure 9 shows the sunshade in an operational configuration;

Figures 10 and 11 show a detail of the sunshade in an operational configuration;

Figures 12 and 13 show, respectively, a table housed in a seat in the container, and in a use configuration;

Figure 14 is an enlargement of a detail in Figure 13;

Figures 15 and 16 are detailed views of certain parts shown in Figure 9;

Figure 17 is a possible variant of the sunshade shown in Figure 9; and

Figure 18 shows the chairs from Figures 3 and 4, depicted in the use configuration. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the figures stated, reference number 1 is used to denote, as a whole, a foldable sunshade, advantageously convertible into a container 50.

In the present document, the term "sunshade" means a structure equipped with a covering that generates a shaded area in much the same way as a parasol (for example, a beach umbrella) or an awning, in order to offer a shelter for the users.

In Figure 1, the sunshade is shown in a folded into a carrying case configuration, so as to form a container 50. The advantageous presence of an opening 51 with a handle conformation, to facilitate carriage, should be noted. Figure 2 also shows a fastening 53 which, when in its active position, keeps a first flat shaped element 2 and a second flat- shaped element 3 (which are part of the sunshade) mutually secured in the vicinity of the handle 51.

When the fastening 53 is released, it is possible to open the container 50, and - more specifically - separate the first flat-shaped element 2 and second flat-shaped element 3, by, for example, rotating the first flat-shaped element 2 with respect to the second flat-shaped element 3 around a hinge Al, as shown in Figure 1.

As better visible in Figure 6, it should be noted that each flat-shaped element is hinged, on at least one of the first sides C thereof, to a first upright 4 and a second upright 5, respectively.

For the conversion into a sunshade, the first flat-shaped element 2 and the second flat shaped element 3 comprise first mutual interlocking means 6 (see Figure 8) configured to keep the flat-shaped elements 2, 3 aligned along a second side L thereof. These constraining means, in a different configuration with respect to that illustrated, may also feature hinging, interlocking means.

Essentially, starting from the configuration in Figure 6, the flat-shaped elements 2 and 3 are aligned by bringing together the respective sides L. This occurs by making the said elements rotate around the axis A2 defined by the hinge 8 which constrains the first upright 4 and the second upright 5. Subsequently, the interlocking means 6 is fitted (by rotating the slider 6 A connected to the plate 6B, which fits firmly into a suitable groove 6C in the first flat-shaped element 2), thereby joining the flat-shaped elements 2 and 3 permanently and stably, and keeping the said elements aligned and mutually secured in position. It should be noted that in the described configuration the plate 6B‘rotates’ to fit the groove 6C. Of course, it is also possible that the plate 6B simply‘slides’ to fit the groove 6C. Therefore, the slider plate 6B may rotate (as described), simply slide or even roto-traslate.

The interlocking means 6, may also feature a snap fit between parts of the plates.

In an again different configuration, the plate 6B may be C-shaped, and may fit on the outside of the plates to keep them aligned. In this configuration, a groove 6C is not necessary.

It can be noted, for example in Figure 9, that between at least one flat-shaped element 2, 3 and at least one upright 4, 5 there is a first cross bar 7 envisaged, which is configured to maintain a predetermined angle between the mutually aligned flat- shaped elements and the uprights 4,5, when the sunshade is in the operational position.

The cross bar 7 may be hinged at 60 to one of the uprights, for example to the first upright 4, and may feature, at the end thereof, a removable joint 12 with a guide 66, and seats, which may be featured on the first flat- shaped element 2 (or on the second flat- shaped element). Obviously, a specular configuration is also possible, wherein the cross bar is hinged to the flat-shaped element, and the guide 66 is present on the upright.

In the detail in Figures 10 and 11, it can be seen how - by rotating the lever 73 - it is possible to firmly secure the end of the cross bar to the first flat-shaped element 2. Obviously, the position of the cross bar 7 in the guide 66 determines the angle between the uprights and the flat- shaped elements. And therefore the presence of several seats (defined on a guide 66) on the first flat-shaped element, in which the system forming a removable joint 12 for the cross bar may be fitted, allows simple and rapid adjustment of the desired angle between the uprights and the flat- shaped elements.

To complete the description of the cross bar, it should be noted that, when the said bar is in the non-use position, it may be housed in a compartment 65 (made specifically therefor) in the upright to which it may be hinged, so as that the said bar is fully inserted into the said compartment 65, and therefore, for example, is flush with the said upright (without protruding therefrom widthways).

To stabilise the sunshade effectively, at least one of the uprights 4,5, but preferably both, define a base 9 configured to allow a stable support on the ground when the sunshade is in the operational configuration.

Advantageously, at least one of the uprights 4, 5 features at least one extractable tip 13, suitable to be driven into the ground to stabilise the sunshade in the operational (or open) configuration. The tip is housed in a specific groove 68, so as to be flush with the upright. It may feature a gripping element 13 A, which may be positioned at 90° with respect to the said upright to provide an effective point of support for driving or extracting the tip 13 into/from the sand or the ground by running the said tip along the groove. Obviously, the tip is coupled with the groove 68 in a suitable manner, so as to support the uprights when planted in the ground.

To further stabilise the base 9, at least one of the uprights (4, 5) is hinged to a second cross bar 14, which is configured so as to form a three-point (tripod) support base 9 when in the extracted position and positioned together with the C-shaped end portions of the uprights.

Like the first cross bar, the second cross bar 14 may also be folded away inside the housing 62 thereof when not in use, with the result that the said bar is flush with the upright (in this case the second).

As may be seen in Figures 15 and 16, there may be housings 30, 31 formed in the uprights 4, 5 and/or in the flat- shaped elements 2, 3, the said housings being sealable with suitable doors 32, 33, for storing personal possessions such as keys, tablets, books, cell phones, wallets etc. Advantageously, at least one flat-shaped element may be coupled with a solar panel which generates a current useable for charging mobile phones or tablets.

Even more advantageously, a charging socket or plug may even be positioned inside a housing 30 or 31.

Furthermore, to make the sunshade lighter, it is possible to make part of the flat- shaped elements out of canvas 35, as shown in Figure 17.

In this configuration, a perimeter of each flat-shaped element is made of plastic, while a central part of each one thereof is made of canvas.

Fooking back, now, at Figure 4, it can be seen that, as already mentioned, the sunshade may be structured so as to take on a folded configuration wherein the first upright 4 and the second upright 5 are mutually superimposed and sandwiched between the first flat shaped element 2 and the second flat-shaped element 3 (see Figure 5).

Specifically, each upright may be structured so that when the sunshade is in a folded configuration, a compartment 10 for holding objects 11 A, 11B is defined, which is at least partially delimited by the uprights and by the flat- shaped elements so as to form a container.

It is noted that a particularly advantageous configuration for the uprights is, precisely, a C-shaped configuration, wherein each upright has the same measurements (length and width) as the flat- shaped elements.

In order to make use of the sunshade in the folded configuration more effective, it should be noted that either the first flat-shaped element 2 or the second flat-shaped element 3 may feature a first recessed seat 15 for housing a table 16 which, in the transportation position, takes on a perfectly flat configuration and is housed entirely within the first recessed seat 15. This is clearly visible in Figure 12. For example, the table may comprise (see Figure 13) a top or plane 16A onto which a first leg 16B and a second leg 16C are hinged, each leg comprising at least two support feet, at each hinge between the legs and the top, there being a stop 16D featured which is configured to lock - when inserted (see Figure 14) - the relative leg 16B, 16C in a transverse position, which is preferably orthogonal to the top or plane 16A.

Various kinds of objects may be housed in the compartment 10; preferentially, as may be seen in Figure 4, such objects comprise at least one folding chair 11 A, 11B which - when folded - is housed entirely within the compartment 10. It is seen from Figure 4 that there is sufficient space in the compartment 10 to accommodate two identical folding chairs.

One advantageous configuration of the chairs is shown in Figure 18. Each folding chair 11A, 11B may comprise a seat 20 hinged to a backrest 21; the seat and the backrest are also hinged to a shaped plate 22, preferably at the same hinge axis A2. The chair also comprises a support 24, which is preferably hinged to the backrest 21, for example near a centre line thereof, the said support being equipped with joints 23A with suitable openings 22A made on the shaped plate 22, so that when the support is positioned in the openings in the plate 22, the angle between the seat and the backrest is fixed. Obviously, by fitting the support into the various openings 22A in the shaped plate, it is possible to adjust the inclination between the seat and the backrest as desired.

It has been shown how the invention provides a foldable sunshade which may be converted into a particularly useful container for carrying a table and two chairs, or other personal possessions.

Various embodiments of the innovation have been disclosed herein, but further embodiments may also be conceived using the same innovative concept.