An umbrella is provided that includes a hollow pole, a shade assembly, and a lift assembly. The shade assembly is coupled with an upper portion of the hollow pole. The shade assembly includes an upper hub, a lower hub, and a shade structure coupling the upper hub to the lower hub. The shade structure supports a shade member and the lower hub is moveable along the hollow pole. The lift assembly is disposed within the hollow pole. The lift assembly includes a gas spring and a cord. The cord has a first end coupled with the hollow pole and a second end coupled with the lower hub. When closing the umbrella, the cord applies a load to compress the gas spring. When opening the umbrella, the gas spring applies a load to the cord, to cause the lower hub to be moved upward.

An umbrella system includes a support pole connected to a rotating tube positioned around a center tube that extends between the support pole and a center support that is connected to an umbrella frame. The rotating tube has one or more helical grooves therein that are engaged by teeth of a hub which is connected to the umbrella frame. As the rotating tube is rotated, the hub is driven along the length of the rotating tube thereby opening and closing the umbrella frame. In one arrangement system includes a motor housing assembly including a plurality of batteries and a motor that includes a driven gear that meshes with a stationary gear which causes rotation of the rotating tube.

An easy-to-drawing-in umbrella includes an umbrella cloth, a rib and an umbrella stem. The umbrella cloth is arranged on the rib. The rib is arranged on a fixed end of the umbrella stem. The easy-to-drawing-in umbrella further includes a molded fixing assembly. The rib includes a folding support set and a rib nest. The folding support set is secured onto the rib nest. The rib nest is used to fix all supporters of the folding support set on the rib nest, and is fastened on the umbrella stem via the rib nest. The umbrella cloth is set with folds. The molded fixing piece assembly is arranged on one side of the folds.

An umbrella system includes a support pole connected to a rotating tube positioned around a center tube that extends between the support pole and a center support that is connected to an umbrella frame. The rotating tube has one or more helical grooves therein that are engaged by teeth of a hub which is connected to the umbrella frame. As the rotating tube is rotated, the hub is driven along the length of the rotating tube thereby opening and closing the umbrella frame. In one arrangement system includes a motor housing assembly including a plurality of batteries and a motor that includes a driven gear that meshes with a stationary gear which causes rotation of the rotating tube. The system also includes a counterbalance assembly positioned within the rotating tube. The counterbalance assembly includes at least one spring positioned within the rotating tube that provides a counterbalance force.

An easy-to-drawing-in umbrella includes an umbrella cloth, a rib and an umbrella stem. The umbrella cloth is arranged on the rib. The rib is arranged on a fixed end of the umbrella stem. The easy-to-drawing-in umbrella further includes a molded fixing assembly. The rib includes a folding support set and a rib nest. The folding support set is secured onto the rib nest. The rib nest is used to fix all supporters of the folding support set on the rib nest, and is fastened on the umbrella stem via the rib nest. The umbrella cloth is set with folds. The molded fixing piece assembly is arranged on one side of the folds.

An intelligent umbrella includes a wireless communication transceiver to receive commands or messages from a mobile computing device and an integrated computing device, the integrated computing device including one or more memory devices, one or more processors and computer-readable instructions stored in the one or more memory devices. The computer-readable instructions are executable by the one or more processors to receive the commands or messages, via the wireless communication transceiver from the mobile computing device and to generate instructions, signals, commands and/or messages, based, at least in part on the received commands or messages from the mobile computing device. The computer-readable instructions are executable by the one or more processors to communicate the generated instructions, signals, commands or messages to one or more assemblies of the intelligent umbrella to cause the one or more assemblies of the intelligent umbrella to move in a specified manner.

An umbrella includes a base unit, a core umbrella assembly connected to the base unit, an arm expansion module connected to the core umbrella assembly, the arm expansion module comprising one or more arm expansion assemblies and one or more arms, the one or more arms connected to the one or more arm expansion assemblies, and an expansion motor, the expansion motor to expand or retract the one or more arms, wherein the expansion motor is located within a core umbrella assembly. The arm expansion module includes a sensor assembly, the sensor assembly comprising one or more environmental sensors to capture measurements of environmental conditions in a surrounding area. The umbrella includes an azimuth motor to rotate the core umbrella assembly about the base unit, the azimuth motor being located inside the core umbrella assembly.

A strutless umbrella frame for supporting a canopy, the strutless umbrella frame comprising a central post, a plurality of ribs each pivotally mounted to the central post about a pivot axis, an actuator arranged for operating the umbrella frame between the closed and open position; and a connection arranged for hingendly connecting each of the plurality of ribs to the actuator. The actuator comprises at least one air spring and first regulator and a second fluid regulator. The actuator is configured for opening the umbrella, in response to a predetermined opening force applied initially by the pivoting movement of at least one of ribs, and for closing the umbrella in response to a predetermined closing force applied initially by the pivoting movement of the at least one of the ribs.

An intelligent shading umbrella comprises a base assembly, an umbrella support assembly coupled to a base assembly, a first memory, a first processor coupled to the first memory, and a computing device, wherein the computing device has a non-volatile memory having computer-readable instructions stored thereon, a second memory, and a second processor. A first processor communicates commands and/or signals to the umbrella support assembly to cause movement of the umbrella support assembly. A second processor, of the computing device, is enclosed within the intelligent shading object fetches computer-readable instructions from the non-volatile memory, loads the computer-readable instructions from the non-volatile memory into the second memory, and executes the computer-readable instructions to communicate with external computing devices and/or to generate commands and/or signals to the first processor to request movements of the umbrella shading assembly.

An intelligent shading charging system, includes a housing having a rechargeable battery installed therein, a lower support assembly connected to the housing and an upper support assembly, the upper support assembly including one or more arm support assemblies. The intelligent shading charging system further includes a hinging assembly connecting a lower support assembly to an upper support assembly to allow an upper support assembly to rotate with respect to the lower support assembly, one or more arms connected to the one or more are support assemblies, a shading fabric; and one or more solar cell arrays mounted on or integrated within the shading fabric.