US Patent 10506854 Solar-powered charging umbrella with USB ports

A solar-powered umbrella has a cap structure that is connected by hinges to struts. The struts are relatively rigid and positioned above the umbrella shade and house solar panels. When the umbrella is opened and closed, the struts rotate via the hinges from an open to closed position. When the solar panels are exposed to the sun, light is converted to electrical energy to charge a rechargeable battery. The battery supplies power to one or more USB ports. A user can recharge an electronic device (e.g., smartphone or tablet computer) by connecting to a port of the umbrella using a cable.