Patent Application
20090194570
A. Field of the Invention
The embodiments of the present invention relate to a carrier for a pop-up umbrella, and more particularly, the embodiments of the present invention relate to a carrier for releasably attaching to a shoulder strap and releasably carrying a pop-up umbrella.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for umbrella supports have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the embodiments of the present invention in that they do not teach carrier for releasably attaching to a shoulder strap and releasably carrying a pop-up umbrella
(1) U.S. Pat. No. 2,223,253 to Hamilton.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,223,253 issued to Hamilton on Nov. 26, 1940 in class 224 and subclass 5.1 teaches a support for an umbrella, having a staff provided with a slidable runner and handle, including a frame having a shoulder saddle, an arm swingingly connected to the frame forwardly thereof for vertical movement, a clamp for detachable engagement with the handle and pivotally linked with the arm, a lever for vertical swinging movement pivoted to the upper portion of the frame, a clamp engaging the runner and pivotally connected to the lever, and apparatus on the frame and engageable with the arm for selectively holding it in one of several adjusted positions.
(2) U.S. Pat. No. 3,554,203 to Hall, Sr.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,554,203 issued to Hall, Sr. on Jan. 12, 1971 in class 135 and subclass 20 teaches an adjustable umbrella support having a framework member receiving an umbrella thereon and having horizontally disposed slots adjacent each end thereof, backstraps adjacent each end of the framework and having vertically disposed slots in intersecting registry with the horizontal slots, shoulder straps adjacent to and representing an extension of the backstraps and carrying fastening apparatus passing through the aforesaid registered slots for adjustably securing the framework, backstraps, and shoulder straps together, and a flexible web belt carried by the backstraps for securement about the waist of the user.
(3) U.S. Pat. No. 3,700,149 to Grogan.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,700,149 issued to Grogan on Oct. 24, 1972 in class 224 and subclass 5.1 teaches an elongated hollow substantially rigid member adapted to receive the shaft of an umbrella, and having an elongated filament slidably connected with the elongated hollow member and extending the length of the hollow member. The filament has the central portion thereof formed as a loop adapted to surround the wearer by going over one shoulder and under the opposed arm of the wearer, and the terminal ends thereof surrounding the waist of the wearer; and apparatus for securing the terminal ends. Also, included is apparatus adapting the elongated hollow member to receive umbrella shafts of different diameters, and insertable apparatus releasably securing the umbrella shaft within the elongated hollow member.
(4) U.S. Pat. No. 3,730,197 to Lunney.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,730,197 issued to Lunney on May 1, 1973 in class 135 and subclass 16 teaches a shopping bag having a handle and adapted to be carried with or without use of the handle, which contains detachably an inverted collapsible telescopic umbrella. The handle of the umbrella is detachably held at the bottom of the bag and the umbrella can be extended and opened for use by pulling the umbrella upward by seizing it at its top.
(5) U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,977 to Schiro, Jr. et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,977 issued to Schiro, Jr. et al. on Oct. 11, 1994 in class 224 and subclass 251 teaches an umbrella holster providing for the hands-free support of an umbrella held thereby, with the umbrella being disposed to the front of the wearer of the holster to provide ready access for adjustment of the umbrella. The holster includes a waist belt and two back and shoulder straps, which straps secure to the umbrella support tube extending vertically upward from the front of the belt. The holster also provides for positive retention of the umbrella therein to prevent the inadvertent lifting of the umbrella from the holster due to winds or other conditions and for the height adjustment of the umbrella shaft by a telescoping umbrella handle and tube arrangement. The belt passes through a slot in the bottom of the main support tube and is held therein by a cap on the end of the tube. While the two shoulder strap tube attachment ends are immovably fixed to the upper end of the support tube, the lower end of the second shoulder strap is free to slide along the belt for adjustment. The arrangement provides for the lateral adjustment of the asymmetrical holster configuration, if desired. The assembly may be formed of a variety of materials, such as leather and/or plastic, and may include an umbrella in combination.
(6) U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,761 to Vadher.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,761 issued to Vadher on Mar. 9, 1999 in class 135 and subclass 16 teaches a holding device for attaching to a torso and supporting a pop-up umbrella upright without the use of hands of a wearer, and has an in-use position where it is RELEASABLY attached to the torso of the wearer and a non-use position where it is removed from the torso of the wearer and stowed away for easy transport. The holding device includes a carrying case having an open position when the holding device is in its in-use position and a closed position when the holding device is in its non-use position, a sleeve pivotally mounted in the carrying case, a pop-up umbrella having an open position, a closed position, and a shaft captured in the sleeve for lateral pivotal movement therewith so as to allow the pop-up umbrella to pivot away from the wearer before being opened and thereby prevent injury to the wearer when the carrying case is in its open position and the holding device is in its in-use position, and apparatus for RELEASABLY attaching the carrying case to the torso of the wearer when the carrying case is in its open position and the holding device is in its in-use position.
(7) U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,722 to Christie.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,722 issued to Christie on Oct. 30, 2001 in class 135 and subclass 16 teaches an umbrella and backpack combination including an umbrella having a collapsible canopy and a straight center shaft extending to a lower extremity having a spring-biased locking feature. A backpack having a storage compartment bounded in part by forward and rearward fabric surfaces confines an umbrella holding structure having a vertically disposed tubular receiver and horizontally disposed stabilizing bars attached to the receiver. The lower extremity of the shaft enters the receiver and RELEASABLY locks therewith.
(8) U.S. Pat. No. 6,619,520 to Hammond.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,619,520 issued to Hammond on Sep. 16, 2003 in class 224 and subclass 188 teaches a hands-free carry-bag/umbrella sling with a frontally-disposed receptacle and rearward support harness. The support harness includes a broad three-strap wishbone support for holding a significant load and the umbrella securely against the body. The frontal receptacle is sized to carry a considerable payload, and it includes a pocket for receiving the handle of any conventional umbrella, inclusive of curved handles. A support sewn into the carry-bag/umbrella sling supports the shaft of the umbrella. The particularly configured shape provides a snug fit, yet the carry-bag provides for quick and easy deployment and removal. The free-hanging design safely and securely holds any size umbrella in its open configuration. Moreover, when the carry-bag is not in use, its particularly configured paneled structure easily collapses and folds for storage.
(9) U.S. Pat. No. 6,866,173 to Haber.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,866,173 issued to Haber on Mar. 15, 2005 in class 224 and subclass 160 teaches a backpack assembly including a back portion and a front portion. The front portion includes a strap member including umbrella supports for holding an umbrella in an opened and closed position in front of the wearer to protect the wearer from the elements. Optionally, a child carrier may also be attached to the front portion of the backpack assembly.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for umbrella supports have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the embodiments of the present invention as heretofore described, namely, a carrier for releasably attaching to a shoulder strap and releasably carrying a pop-up umbrella.
Thus, an object of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a carrier for releasably attaching to a shoulder strap and releasably carrying a pop-up umbrella, which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
Briefly stated, another object of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a carrier for attaching to a shoulder strap and carrying a pop-up umbrella. The carrier includes a back sheet, a front sheet, first apparatus releasably holding the pop-up umbrella in an umbrella-using position, second apparatus releasably holding the pop-up umbrella in an umbrella-stowed position, and third apparatus releasably attaching the carrier to the shoulder strap.
The novel features considered characteristic of the embodiments of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawing.
The figures of the drawing are briefly described as follows:
A. General.
B. Overall Configuration of Carrier 10.
C. Specific Configuration of Back Sheet 16.
D. Specific Configuration of Front Sheet 18.
E. Specific Configuration of First Apparatus 20.
F. Specific Configuration of Second Apparatus 22.
G. Specific Configuration of Third Apparatus 24
A. General.
Referring now to the figures, in which like numerals indicate like parts, and particularly to
B. The Overall Configuration of the Carrier 10.
The configuration of the carrier 10 can best be seen in
The carrier 10 comprises a back sheet 16, a front sheet 18, first apparatus 20 for releasably holding the pop-up umbrella 14 in an umbrella-using position, second apparatus 22 for releasably holding the pop-up umbrella 14 in an umbrella-stowed position, and third apparatus 24 for releasably attaching the carrier 10 to the shoulder strap 12.
C. The Specific Configuration of the Back Sheet 16.
The back sheet 16 is made of a thin flexible sheet-like material, and has a shoulder-strap-facing surface 26, an umbrella-facing surface 28, a pair of sides 30, a top 32, and a bottom 34.
D. The Specific Configuration of the Front Sheet 18
The front sheet 18 is made of a thin flexible sheet-like material, and has a back sheet-facing surface 36, an ambient-facing surface 38, a pair of sides 40, a top 42, and a bottom 44.
The top 42 of the front sheet 18 is pivotally attached to the top 32 of the back sheet 16, with the back sheet-facing surface 36 of the front sheet 18 facing the umbrella-facing surface 28 of the back sheet 16, with the pair of sides 40 of the front sheet 18 in proximity to the pair of sides 30 of the back sheet 16, and the bottom 44 of the front sheet 18 in proximity to the bottom 34 of the back sheet 16.
E. The Specific Configuration of the First Apparatus 20.
The first apparatus 20 includes a pocket 46. The pocket 46 of the first apparatus 22 is for releasably capturing the handle 47 of the umbrella 14 when in the umbrella-using position, and is defined by a back tab 48 and a front tab 50 pivotally attached at their bottom 52 and 54, respectively, to each other and to the bottom 34 of the back sheet 16, on the umbrella-facing surface 28 of the back sheet 16, and is releasably maintained thereat by first portions of mating hook and loop fasteners 55 thereon
The first apparatus 20 further includes a strap 56. The strap 56 of the first apparatus 20 is for capturing the shaft 58 of the umbrella 14 when in the umbrella-using position, and is pivotally attached across the top 32 of the back sheet 16, on the umbrella-facing surface 28 of the back sheet 16, and is releasably maintained thereat by second portions of mating portions of hook and loop fasteners 60 thereon.
F. The Specific Configuration of the Second Apparatus 22.
The second apparatus 22 includes wings 62. The wings 62 of the second apparatus 22 extend outwardly from the pair of sides 30 of the back sheet 16, preferably one-piece therewith
The second apparatus 22 further includes a portion 64 of hook and loop fasteners. The portion 64 of hook and loop fasteners of the second apparatus 22 is on the wings 62 of the second apparatus 22, on the umbrella-facing surface 28 of the back sheet 14.
The second apparatus 22 further includes a mating portion 66 of hook and loop fasteners. The mating portion 66 of hook and loop fasteners of the second apparatus 22 is on the ambient-facing surface 38 of the front sheet 18, adjacent the pair of sides 40 of the front sheet 18.
The wings 62 of the second apparatus 22 fold over onto the ambient-facing surface 38 of the front sheet 18, with the portion 64 of hook and loop fasteners of the second apparatus 22 on the wings 62 of the second apparatus 22 releasably mating with the mating portion 66 of hook and loop fasteners of the second apparatus 22 on the ambient-facing surface 38 of the front sheet 18, thereby releasably capturing the pop-up umbrella 14 between the back sheet 16 and the front sheet 18, with the handle 47 releasably captured in the pocket 46 of the first apparatus 22
G. The Specific Configuration of the Third Apparatus 24
The third apparatus 24 includes a pair of straps 68. The pair of straps 68 of the third apparatus 24 extend across the shoulder-strap-facing surface 26 of the back sheet 16, and terminate in mating portions of hook and loop fasteners 70 for releasably attaching the carrier 10 to the shoulder strap 12.
H. The Conclusions.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.
While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a carrier for attaching to a shoulder strap and carrying a pop-up umbrella, however, it is not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.
