As shown in
The number of folds of the present invention are not limited. However, for illustration purpose, a quadruple rib assembly is provided in this specification with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As shown in the drawing figures accompanied herewith, the rib assembly 2 of the present invention comprises at least an inner rib or top rib 21 pivotally secured to an upper notch 15 formed on a top of central shaft 1, a flat rib or stretcher rib 22 pivotally connected to the inner rib (or top rib) 21 and pivotally secured to a runner or lower runner 23 slidably held on the central shaft 1, a middle rib 24 pivotally secured to the flat rib or stretcher rib 22 and also pivotally connectable to the inner rib or top rib 21, and a tail or outer rib 26 pivotally securable to the middle rib 24.
However, the rib assembly 2 may also be inverted to modify the configuration or structure for arranging the ribs of the rib assembly 2. For instance, the flat rib 22 may also be changed as a “top rib” pivotally secured to the upper notch 15, while the inner rib 21 may then be changed to be a “stretcher rib” pivotally secured to the runner and pivotally connected to the “top rib”.
As illustrated, the middle rib 24 is also pivotally secured to the inner (or top) rib 21 through an inner connecting rib 25 which is formed as a fine rod or wire having a cross section of circular shape or other suitable shapes.
The tail rib 26 is pivotally secured to the middle rib 24 respectively through an outer connecting rib 28 and an outer spring rib 27 juxtapositioned to the outer connecting rib 28.
An inner spring rib 27a is formed as a rod or wire and is juxtapositionally coupled to the middle rib 24 as limited by a limiting means 241 secured on the middle rib 24. Such an inner spring rib 27a is pivotally connected between the flat rib (or stretcher rib) 22 and a joint member 24a adjacent to or formed at an outer end portion of the middle rib 24. The joint member 24a is secured with an inner end portion 281 of the outer connecting rib 28 and is pivotally connected to an outermost end of the middle rib 24.
The middle rib 24 is preferably formed with a longitudinal U-shaped groove 240 recessed in the rib 24, having the limiting means 241 formed in a middle portion of the middle rib 24 for slidably coupling the inner spring rib 27a with the middle rib 24.
The limiting means 241 may be a pin or a ring fixed, fastened or formed on the middle rib 24.
Other structures or configurations of the middle rib 24 may be further modified in accordance with the present invention. The materials or cross sectional shapes for making the ribs of the rib assembly 2 of the present invention are not limited.
The flat rib (or stretcher rib) 22 is formed as a longitudinal flat plate, a slim plate or rod, and may be made of steel, aluminum alloy or other suitable materials.
The flat rib 22 has its inner end portion 221 pivotally secured to the runner (or lower runner) 23 slidably held on the central shaft 1, a middle portion 222 of the flat rib 22 pivotally secured to the inner (or top) rib 21, an outermost end portion 223 of the rib 22 pivotally secured to the middle rib 24, an outer portion 224 next to the outermost end portion 223 pivotally secured with the inner spring rib 27a, and a recess portion (or bending portion) 225 concaved outwardly adapted to be engaged with a pin 213 formed on an outer portion of the inner (or top) rib 21, namely, the recess portion 225 being provided for receiving the pin 213 of the inner rib 21 into the recess portion 225 when closing the umbrella and folding the rib assembly 2 in order to slim the rib assembly when folded.
The inner rib or top rib 21 is formed with an U-shaped groove 210 recessed in the rib 21, having an inner end portion 211 of the rib 21 pivotally secured to the upper notch 15 on a top of the central shaft 1, a pair of bifurcated arm members 214 bifurcated at an outer portion of the inner rib 21 each arm member 214 outwardly biased from the inner rib 21 with an acute angle A; whereby upon folding of the rib assembly 2 when closing the umbrella, the major rib portion 21m of the inner rib 21 will allow its U-shaped groove 210 to receive the inner connecting rib 25 and an upper rib portion of the flat rib 22 into the U-shaped groove 210 in the inner rib 21.
Simultaneously, the flat rib 22 will allow its outer portion to be received into the U-shaped groove 240 of the middle groove 24 especially as shown in
The recess portion 225 may also receive the pin 213 so as to allow the inner rib 21 to well receive the flat rib 22 for helping slimming of the folded rib assembly when closing the umbrella.
Accordingly, the present invention may provide a multiple-fold umbrella which will be folded to be a very slim configuration to be more slim and compact than the prior art, thereby causing a more convenient handling and storage.
Essentially, the pair of bifurcated arm members 214 are biased outwardly to be deviated from the main rib portion 21m of the inner rib 21 with an acute angle A to allow the main rib portion 21m to be generally aligned with (or juxtapositionally close to) the flat rib 22 when folding the rib assembly 2 when closing the umbrella to thereby form a slim folded rib assembly and folded umbrella for convenient handling and storage.
The flat rib 22 is a longitudinal flat blade or plate member with thin thickness to be respectively received into opposite U-shaped grooves 210, 240 as recessed in the inner rib 21 and in the middle rib 24 (
If the middle rib 24 is not formed with such a longitudinal U-shaped groove 240 therein, the flat rib 22, when folding the rib assembly 2, may still approximate the middle rib 24 as much as possible to form a very slim folded rib assembly when closing the umbrella.
As shown in
On a lower portion (or lower recess portion) 226 of the flat rib 22, a clad member 227 is fastened thereon and is formed with a hook hole 228 for securing an upper hook portion 292 of a lower auxiliary rib 29 of which a lower hook portion 291 is pivotally secured to a lowest runner 23a slidably held on the central shaft 1 of an automatic umbrella. The lowest runner 23a is positioned under the lower runner (or runner) 23 for forming the automatic umbrella which is a conventional art and will not be described in detail in this application.
The clad member 227 may also be eliminated and the hook hole (or pivot hole) may be directly formed in the lower portion of the flat rib 22, not limited in the present invention. The lower auxiliary rib 29 may be formed as a fine rod or a wire to help form a slim rib assembly for the present invention.
The present invention may be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.