TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present device relates to umbrellas. Particularly, the present device relates to folding or collapsible umbrella.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The purpose of the umbrella has remained unchanged throughout the years. That is, the umbrella protects a user, to some degree, from the severity of weather, such as rain, snow, wind and the sun. The basic umbrella includes a dome-shaped frame supporting a weather resistant fabric canopy and a handle which allows the user to best position the umbrella for the weather conditions. Such umbrellas come in all shapes and sizes.
However, significant drawbacks exist for the standard umbrella. First, prior art umbrellas are typically symmetrical, seemingly giving the user equal coverage in all directions. However, rarely is coverage needed equally to all areas. Second, the supporting frame, which usually consists of radially extending rods, is prone to inversion in moderate and strong winds. Umbrellas can be quickly damaged from such inversion and are not easily reverted to protect the user. Third, umbrellas tend to maintain a high-profile, which adds to the inversion problem. By providing a deep pocket for air, wind gusts become trapped and are not easily funneled out from beneath the umbrella. Finally, the umbrella handle is often connected to the frame and centered in the space of the umbrella most desirable for the user's head.
The present invention overcomes these and many other disadvantages of previous devices. Disclosed is an umbrella which is attractive, yet functional; compactable for easy storage and transport, yet spacious and sturdy; and is simple and easy to manufacture and operate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
There is disclosed herein an improved umbrella which avoids the disadvantages of prior devices while affording additional structural and operating advantages.
Generally speaking, the umbrella of the present invention comprises a frame including a plurality of members joined together by a plurality of hinges, the frame forming a periphery of a shape and the frame being capable of movement between a folded configuration and an unfolded configuration, a canopy attached to the frame and capable of movement with the frame between the folded configuration and the unfolded configuration, and a stem having a first end attached to the frame and extending there from. The stem may include a handle formed at a second end opposite the first end, for improved gripping and control of the umbrella.
In an alternate embodiments, the umbrella further comprises internal support members attached to the frame and extending inward of the periphery to engage the canopy. Further, the canopy may be vented. That is, the canopy may comprise a plurality of openings to allow air to flow in a single direction from one side of the canopy to the other.
In other alternate embodiments, the canopy may be detachable from the frame. The canopy may attach to the frame via a hook-and-loop material or by other releasable means.
These and other aspects of the invention may be understood more readily from the following description and the appended drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected, there are illustrated in the accompanying drawings embodiments thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, the subject matter sought to be protected, its construction and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.
FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a number of views showing a preferred embodiment of the present collapsible umbrella;
FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4;
FIGS. 6-12 illustrate a number of views of a preferred embodiment of a frame structure for the present collapsible umbrella;
FIGS. 13-19 illustrate a number of views of another preferred embodiment of a frame structure for the present collapsible umbrella;
FIGS. 20-26 illustrate a number of views of still another preferred embodiment of a frame structure for the present collapsible umbrella;
FIGS. 27-29 illustrate a number of views of still another preferred embodiment of a frame structure for the present collapsible umbrella;
FIGS. 30-37 illustrate a number of views of a preferred assembly for the stalk and frame of the present collapsible umbrella;
FIGS. 38-41 illustrate a number of views of one preferred hinge assembly for the frame of the present collapsible umbrella;
FIGS. 42-46 illustrate a number of views of another preferred hinge assembly for the frame of the present collapsible umbrella;
FIGS. 47-54 illustrate the closing of a preferred frame embodiment for the present collapsible umbrella; and
FIGS. 55-57 illustrate three preferred embodiments of a handle for the present collapsible umbrella.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail, preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to embodiments illustrated.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a collapsible umbrella, generally designated by the numeral 10. The umbrella 10 is generally comprised of three elements, canopy 12, frame 14, and stem 16, each of which will be described in greater detail below with reference to the various appended drawing figures.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the present umbrella 10 has a triangular-shaped canopy 12. The triangular shape has been found to be effective for structural integrity, coverage of the user, and the resistance of wind. Of course, other shapes, including the traditional round-shaped canopy, could be used with a modified frame of the present invention. The canopy 12 is to be made from a strong, water-resistant material, such as a treated canvas or nylon. The canopy 12 is preferably vented using any of the embodiments and techniques disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,055 to Johnson et al., the relevant portions of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Further, the canopy 12 may be removable from the frame 14. In one embodiment, the canopy 12 might include a plurality of fasteners (not shown) appended thereto and the frame 14 might include a plurality of receivers (not shown) for the fasteners, and the canopy 12 could be readily attached and detached by manipulating the coupling between the fasteners and the receivers. Other methods for attaching the canopy 12 to the frame 14 could also be employed by the different embodiments described herein.
The frame 14 extends along the periphery of the canopy 12, as best illustrated in the several embodiments of FIGS. 2-29. With reference to FIG. 2, the disclosed frame 14 is comprised of six rod (or support) members 20 and six connecting hinges 22. The rod members 20 may be straight or bowed along the middle to provide lift to the attached canopy 12. Adjacent ends of the rod members 20 are coupled together by hinges 22. The hinges 22 are comprised of three inward folding (IF) hinges 22A and three outward folding (OF) hinges 22B. The IF hinges 22A and OF hinges 22B alternate to allow the frame 14 to properly fold for easy carrying and storage, as shown in FIGS. 47-54.
A canopy frame 18 is preferably used to support the canopy 12 when opened. The canopy frame 18 consists of a number of spars 24 extending directly from the frame 14 and engaging the canopy 12. The number of spars 24 used may vary widely. The disclosed embodiments illustrate a few variations with respect to the number of spars 24 used in the canopy frame 18. In the embodiment of FIGS. 6-12, three spars are used to support the canopy, while the embodiment of FIGS. 20-26 uses only a single spar. The embodiment of FIGS. 13-19 uses the spars to support the canopy 12 both inside and outside the frame periphery. Side riggers 34 are also used in this embodiment for canopy support. The embodiment of FIGS. 27-29 also uses spars 24 and side riggers 34 to support a canopy, though only the side riggers 34 extend outward of the frame 14.
The canopy frame 18, consisting of the spars 24 and side riggers 34, serves primarily to create a billow in (or about) the center of the canopy 12 with a slope toward the periphery, which prevents moisture from pooling on the umbrella 10 surface. The spars 24 are comprised of flexible rods and may be straight or curved to provide the desired canopy shape. The side riggers 34 are preferably comprised of a four bar linkage and attach directly to a frame hinge 22. The four bar linkage (i.e., bars 34A-D) allows the side rigger 34 to collapse or compact during folding of the umbrella 10. As shown in the two embodiments employing side riggers 34, the attachment bar 34A of the side rigger 34 may be of varying lengths to alter the extension from the frame 14. Obviously, the embodiment of FIGS. 27-29 need not use outward spars, as the side riggers 34 extend a significant distance outward of the periphery.
The spars 24 and side riggers 34 also serve to create a “head area” for the user beneath the canopy 12. The “head area” helps maximize the protection provided to the user from the weather. Increasing the number of spars 24 may also increase the complexity of the folding process as described in combination with FIGS. 47-54.
As illustrated best in FIG. 5, along the outside periphery of the frame 14 are attached optional visor members 19. The visor members 19 are not for structural support, but rather they add a small extension to the periphery of the umbrella 10 which can be used to shade the user's eyes (similar to the visor of a ball cap) and to channel water to specific areas of the umbrella 10. The visor members 19 are preferably made of a semi-rigid material, such as a plastic, and attach to the rod members 20 between the hinges 22.
Finally, the stem 16 of the umbrella 10 is attached to the frame 14 and extends at an angle toward a central axis. The offset of the stem 16 in this manner is an important feature of the present umbrella 10. Unlike most umbrellas which position the stem at the center of the umbrella canopy, the present umbrella 10 allows the user to hold the umbrella closer to the user's head at the center of the canopy 12. The offset stem 16 permits centering the user under the umbrella to provide better coverage to the user, allows the umbrella to be kept lower, and gives the user better control of the umbrella 10 in all conditions.
While the stem 16 is preferably attached at the front of the umbrella 10 to the frame 14, as previously mentioned, the angle of attachment of the stem 16 serves to position the handle 26 such that the user is well beneath the umbrella when holding the handle 26 close to the body. In a preferred embodiment, the stem 16 is retractable or telescoping. Such a feature provides better compactability for achieving an even smaller, storable, folding umbrella.
At the lower end of the stem 16 is positioned a handle 26 for gripping by the user (see FIGS. 55-57). FIGS. 30-37 best illustrate the connection between the stem 16 and the frame 14. First, the stem 16 attaches directly to an IF hinge 22A via support subassembly 28. The support subassembly 28 attaches to stem 16 and IF hinge 22A and includes two arms 29 which attach to the immediately adjacent rod members 20A and 20F. A runner 30 is slideably mounted on the stem 16 and includes two arms 31 fixed to rod members 20A and 20F at approximately the center of each. A release button 32 at the handle 26 of the stem 16 allows the runner 30 to move along the stem 16 to collapse the umbrella 10.
As mentioned above, the embodiments of FIGS. 6-29 are differentiated only by the varied use of spars 24 and side riggers 34 for supporting the canopy 12 of umbrella 10. To allow better illustration of the frame 14 in each of the embodiments, the canopy has been left out of the drawings of FIGS. 6-29. In the embodiment of FIGS. 6-12, three spars 24 are used, with each spar 24 being attached to an OF hinge 22B. The spars 24 do not necessarily connect at the free end, and may actually be shorter than those illustrated. Attachment of the spars 24 to the OF hinges 22B permits the greatest amount of compaction of the folded umbrella to occur.
The embodiment of FIGS. 20-26 includes only a single spar 24 attached to the IF hinge 22A of the stem 16. As a single spar 24, it may be necessary to extend such a distance greater than those of the previous embodiment. Attachment to the stem hinge creates the necessary “head area” beneath the canopy 12.
Slightly different from the previous two embodiments, the umbrella 10 of FIGS. 13-19 uses side riggers 34 to extend spars 24 into the center of the frame periphery and outward from the frame 14. The side riggers 34 and spars 24 elevate the canopy 12, but not just interior to the frame 14. The spars 24B allow the canopy to extend beyond the frame 14 for a much larger coverage area. As with the previous three spar embodiment, the spars 24 of this embodiment attach at the OF hinges 22B. That is, the side riggers 34 which hold the spars 24 attach at the OF hinges 22B.
The embodiment of FIGS. 27-29 is another which uses the four bar linkage or side riggers 34 for canopy support. In this embodiment, the attachment bar 34A of the side rigger 34 extends significantly outward of the frame 14 and, therefore, utilizes only inward spars 24 for supporting a canopy. The three spars 24 attach at a center point which allows them to tension against one another when the umbrella 10 is fully opened. Accordingly, the spars 24 may be made from a more flexible, and even stretchable if desired, material such as metal wire, nylon cord, or the like.
Having adequately described the canopy 12, frame 14, and stem 16, the additional components, such as the rod members 20, hinges 22, runner 30 and handle 26, can now be described in more detail.
Referring to FIGS. 30-37, the stem 16 and frame 14 connection can be more readily understood. As previously mentioned, the stem 16 connects to the frame at an IF hinge 22A via support subassembly 28. The support assembly 28 is comprised of fixed collar 40, support arms 42, and sliding collars 44. The support arms 42 pivotably attach to both the fixed collar 40, which is coupled to the stem 16, and to sliding collars 44, which attach to the adjacent rod members 20. The support assembly 28 is for added stability of the stem 16, but may be eliminated if desired. In such case, the stem 16 would connect directly to the IF hinge 22A. As the umbrella 10 is collapsed, the IF hinge 22A moves the adjacent rod members 20 inward and the support arms 42 push outward on the sliding collars 44.
The stem 16 is further connected to the frame 14 by runner assembly 30, as shown in the previously referenced drawings. The runner assembly 30 includes runner 50, support arms 52, and fixed collars 54. The runner assembly operates similar to support subassembly 28, except reversed. That is, the runner 50 is movable along the stem 16 while fixed collars 54 pull inward on the adjacent rod members 20 to activate the folding process.
The ball-and-socket joints 48 used to attach the support arms 42 to the sliding collars 44 and the support arms 52 to both the runner 50 and the fixed collars 54, are well known in the art. The freedom of movement of these joints 48 allows the proper folding operation of the present invention, though other more restrictive joints may be used, working less effectively.
Each of the disclosed embodiments of umbrella 10 is comprised of a frame 14 including multiple hinges 22. As previously mentioned, the hinges are divided into IF hinges 22A and OF hinges 22B. The two hinges are distinguishable by the direction in which they fold the adjacently attached rod members 20. Each rod member 20 is attached to both an IF hinge 22A at one end and an OF hinge 22B at the opposing end. Accordingly, the IF hinges 22A alternate with the OF hinges 22B around the frame 14, beginning with an IF hinge 22A at the stem mount depicted in FIGS. 30-37 and described above. This arrangement of hinges 22 provides the frame 14 with a bi-foldability giving it greater compactibility over similarly sized umbrellas. The IF hinge 22A is best illustrated in the FIGS. 38-41 of this application.
In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 38 and 39, the ends of the rod members 20 are allowed to pass through the hinge 22A until the two ends abut. The pivot point 60 of the hinge 22A is found at the interior of the frame periphery. The ends are preferably cut at an angle (about 30 degrees each) so that together the ends form a proper corner (i.e., 60 degrees) for the six-sided umbrella frame 14. Of course, this configuration allows the hinge 22A to open until the two ends contact one another. As the hinge 22A is closed, the two ends move apart and the rod members 20 move toward a roughly parallel orientation.
Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 40 and 41, the ends of the rod members 20 may seat within the hinge 22A and stops (not shown) may be used to halt the hinge at 60 degrees when opened. Those skilled in the art would certainly understand the manner in which alteration could be accomplished to this embodiment by providing different ways in which to prevent the hinge 22A from opening beyond the desired angle.
The OF hinge 22B is best illustrated in the drawings of FIGS. 42-46. Similar to the IF hinge 22A, the OF hinge 22B could be attached to the rod members 20 and allow the ends of each to extend there through. Again, the ends of the rod members 20 would act as the stop. Alternatively, the hinge 22B would have a stop as part of the receiving sleeve of the hinge. As with the IF hinge 22A, the OF hinge 22B would need to form a 60 degree angle for the six-sided umbrella 10. However, the pivot point 62 of the OF hinge 22B is outside the periphery of the umbrella frame 14.
Referring now to the series of drawings of FIGS. 47-54, the closing operation of the frame 14 can be most readily understood. Beginning with FIG. 47, the umbrella 10, sans canopy 12, is shown in a fully open configuration. An automatic or manual release button 32 could be positioned either on the runner 50 or on the handle 26. Preferably, the present umbrella 10 would use an automatic open and close mechanism to operate the movement of the umbrella 10. Such manual and automatic open and close mechanisms are well-known in the relevant art. In each, depressing the release button 32 would cause the runner 50 to begin travel downward along stem 16, as shown in FIG. 48. Using the automatic mechanism the movement as described hereafter would occur without further assistance from the user. The manual release mechanism, of course, would operate similarly, but under the work provided by the user manually sliding the runner 50 along the stem 16.
As for folding the umbrella 10 after the release button is pushed, the arms 52 would begin moving with the runner 50, thereby pulling inward on adjacent rod members 20A and 20F. The support subassembly 28, if provided, would also begin movement as sliding collars 44 would move along adjacent rods 20A and 20F. As shown in FIG. 49, the first two OF hinges 22B attached to rod members 20A and 20F would begin to close, which would likewise affect the remaining two IF hinges 22A, until the illustrated triangular configuration is achieved. Referring to FIG. 50, continued movement of the runner 50 continues pulling in on rod members 20A and 20F, causing OF hinges 22B and IF hinges 22A to close. The stem 16 is also being pulled into a parallel relationship with the rod members 20A and 20F. FIGS. 51 and 52 show how the rod members 20C and 20D begin being pulled inward as the travel of runner 50 nears an end. Three upward peaks 70 are formed by rod members 20A/20F, 20B/20C, and 20D/20E and three downward peaks 71 are formed by rod members 20A/20B, 20C/20D, and 20E/20F. Finally, FIGS. 53 and 54 illustrate the completed folding, as each of the peaks 70 and 71 are pulled into a tight arrangement with stem 16.
With a canopy attached to the frame 14, the material adds bulk to the folds and, therefore, the closure may require some additional oversight to prevent any inadvertent tearing of the material. Naturally, the thickness of the canopy used will also be a factor in the folding process.
Finally, referring to the illustrations of FIGS. 55-57, a variety of handles may be used effectively with the umbrella 10 of the different embodiments. The first handle (FIG. 55) illustrates an ergonomic grip with a hard interior and a soft rubber exterior. The second handle (FIG. 56) is a standard cylindrical handle, but includes a soft flexible band which can be looped around the fingers or beneath the fingers, as desired. FIG. 57 illustrates a third alternative design, which includes a two finger loop at the bottom to provide stability. Obviously, there are nearly an infinite number of alternatives and grip variations that could be used to achieve different results. The handle of the present invention is not limited to those shown or described herein.
The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. While particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the broader aspects of applicants' contribution. The actual scope of the protection sought is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.
Patent Application
20100307548
