An arm expansion assembly includes a cable and a hinging assembly and cover; the cable entering a bottom portion of the hinging assembly and cover and enclosed by the hinging assembly and cover. The arm expansion assembly further includes a first arm support assembly and a second arm support assembly, the first arm support assembly connected to a first side of the hinging assembly and cover and the second arm support assembly connected to the second side of the hinging assembly and cover.

Cooling units are provided. The cooling units include abase having a housing with control components, a cooling tower attached to the base and having an inner flow path and an exterior surface. An air distribution system is attached to the cooling tower and includes an air distribution chamber defined between first and second enclosures, air dispensers are configured in the first enclosure, and a cover disposed on an exterior surface of the second enclosure. The control components are configured to convey air through the base, the cooling tower, and the air distribution system to dispense air through the cool air dispenser and the warm air dispenser and an electronics package installed on the cooling unit.

A frame joint connects a plurality of elongate frame members adapted to support a flexible shelter skin. The frame joint includes a first housing having an interior and frame connectors. Each frame connector is adapted to releasably connect an elongate frame member to the first housing. The frame joint includes an electrical source mounted in the interior of the first housing. A light emitting element mounted on the first housing and connected to the electrical source emits light to illuminate an interior of the shelter. The light emitting element is positioned on the first housing to direct light toward the interior of the shelter when the joint is connected to the elongate frame members and the frame members are supporting the flexible shelter skin. The frame joint includes a switch operatively connected to the electrical source and the light emitting element for selectively energizing the light emitting element.

A plug-in power supply device for outdoor leisure products, such as parasols, which feature a lifting handle casing. A handle is set on the casing and the lifting handle casing is installed at the middle section of the solar parasol's pole; on the top of the pole a canopy and an exposed solar panel outside the canopy are installed. Within the pole, an electric wire is set, one end of which is connected to the solar panel and the other end to the circuit board in the lifting handle casing. On one side of the lifting handle casing a recess is provided for a portable and detachable power unit to be snapped in. On the outer side of the portable power unit, a USB charger and outlet is provided. The portable power unit can be either attached to or detached from the parasol when in use. A cell phone can be charged when connected with the portable power unit through the USB charger and outlet.

An intelligent umbrella includes an array of solar panels/cells for capturing sunlight and converting into electrical energy, a solar panel charging assembly to receive power from one or more solar assemblies, a rechargeable battery to receive power generated from the solar panel charging assembly, and a processor and a memory, the processor and the memory to receive power from the rechargeable battery; and a wireless transceiver to receive power from the rechargeable battery, the wireless transceiver to communicate messages and/or signals when no external power source is connected to and/or available for the intelligent umbrella. The intelligent umbrella may further comprise a cellular transceiver to receive power from the rechargeable battery, the cellular transceiver to communicate messages and/or signals when no external power source is connected to and/or available to supply power for the intelligent umbrella.

A solar parsasol having a motion sensor switch for controlling an LED light array. Holes are provided in the supporting ribs to house the light array on a single side only, providing greatly increased strength and wind resistance.

An intelligent umbrella includes a base assembly, a center support assembly having one or more arm support assemblies, and one or more arms coupled to the one or more arm support assemblies. The center support assembly is a tubular structure to house electrical and mechanical components. The umbrella includes a computing device, the computing device integrated inside the center support assembly. The computing device includes one or more memory devices, one or more processors and computer-readable instructions stored in the one or more memory devices and executable by the one or more processors. The intelligent umbrella includes a shading fabric. The intelligent umbrella includes a camera, the camera to capture images of an area in proximity to the intelligent shading umbrella, the camera integrated inside the center support assembly.

An article includes a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-readable instructions executable by a processor in a computing device of an umbrella to receive a communication request from a mobile communications device to receive measurements from one or more environmental sensors of the umbrella; receive environmental sensor measurements from the one or more environmental sensors; store the received sensor measurements in one or more memory devices; and communicate the sensor measurements to the mobile communication device that requested the measurements from the one or more environmental sensors. The article further comprises computer-readable instructions executable by a processor in a computing device to receive a communication request from the mobile communications device to move a component or assembly of the umbrella; communicate a command to a motor assembly to move the motor assembly; and communicate a status of the motor assembly to the mobile communication device.

An umbrella arm expansion assembly, comprising one or more arm expansion gear housings, an actuator housing including a linear actuator; one or more rack gear assemblies; and one or more arm support assemblies. The one or more rack gear assemblies move in a vertical direction in response to vertical movement of the linear actuator.

A shading device includes a base assembly, a support assembly, and an expansion assembly, where the expansion assembly to expand one or more arms to an open position or to retract the one or more arms to a closed position. The shading device includes a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transceiver to receive commands or messages from a mobile computing device to activate one or more assemblies of the shading device; one or more Controller Area Network (CAN) transceivers; and a CAN bus to couple the one or more CAN transceivers to the one or more assemblies. The shading device also includes one or more memory devices; one or more processors; computer-readable instructions executable by the one or more processors to: communicate the commands or messages received from the BLE transceiver to the one or more CAN transceivers, the CAN bus and the one or more assemblies.