BACKGROUND
1. Field
The disclosure of the present patent application relates to umbrella holders, and particularly, to an umbrella holder that is configured to be worn by the user.
2. Description of the Related Art
Umbrellas and parasols are primarily hand-held portable devices sized for personal use. Umbrellas can be divided into two categories: fully collapsible umbrellas, in which the metal pole supporting the canopy retracts, making the umbrella small enough to fit in a handbag; and non-collapsible umbrellas, in which the support pole cannot retract and only the canopy can be collapsed. Hand-held umbrellas typically have a handle, e.g., a wooden or plastic cylindrical or V-shaped steeple handle.
One problem that has been discovered with the use of hand-held umbrellas is that they' require a free hand to operate or to maintain in a position over the user. As such, the umbrella user's ability to accomplish tasks requiring both hands is limited. For example, when a user must load or unload groceries from a vehicle while standing in the rain, holding an umbrella in one hand can be cumbersome, Also, using a conventional handheld umbrella with devices like shopping carts, golf carts, or push carts, can be difficult as such devices require both hands for operation. As such, there is clearly a need to provide an umbrella holder that is configured to position the umbrella over the user without requiring the user to hold the umbrella.
Thus, an umbrella holder solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
SUMMARY
An embodiment of the umbrella holder can include a pouch and a strap system connected to the pouch. In an embodiment, the strap system includes a pair of shoulder straps, a waist strap, and a chest strap. The pouch can be generally cylindrical having an open upper end, a closed lower end, and a cylindrical peripheral wall extending between the upper and closed ends. The umbrella holder is configured to hold a collapsible handheld umbrella when the umbrella is in the collapsed configuration and the shaft of the umbrella when the umbrella is in an expanded configuration. As such, a user can carry the umbrella hands-free or without having to hold the umbrella.
These and other features of the present subject matter will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an environmental, front view of an umbrella holder according to the present teachings.
FIG. 2 is an environmental, rear view of an umbrella holder according to the present teachings.
FIG. 3 is an environmental, rear view of an umbrella holder according to the present teachings.
FIG. 4 is a rear view of a pouch detached from the strap system of the umbrella holder according to the present teachings.
FIG. 5 is an environmental, rear view of the pouch secured to a backpack according to the present teachings.
FIG. 6 is an environmental, side view of the pouch secured to a backpack according to the present teachings.
FIG. 7A is an environmental side view of an alternative embodiment of the umbrella holder according to the present teachings.
FIG. 7B is a side view of the support casing according to the present teachings.
FIG. 7C is a side view of the keeper strap according to the present teachings.
Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As best seen in FIGS. 1 through 3, an umbrella holder 10 is configured to hold a collapsible handheld umbrella when the umbrella U is in the collapsed configuration and the shaft of the umbrella U when the umbrella U is in an expanded configuration. As such, a user can carry the umbrella U hands-free or without having to hold the umbrella U.
The umbrella holder 10 can include a pouch 12 and a strap system 14 connected to the pouch 12, In an embodiment, the pouch 12 and strap system 14 are detachably connected. In an embodiment, the strap system 14 includes a shoulder strap 15 with first and second end portions 16a, 16b, a waist strap 17 with first and second end portions 18a, 18b, and a chest strap 19 with first and second end portions 20a, 20b. The pouch 12 can be generally cylindrical having an open upper end 22a, a closed lower end 22b, and a cylindrical peripheral wall 24 extending between the upper and closed ends 22a, 22b. The shoulder strap ends 16a, 16b can be connected to respective chest strap ends 20a, 20b using detachable fasteners 41a, 41b and 42a, 42b, respectively. In an embodiment, an adjustable fastening strap 26 can be connected to one of the shoulder strap ends 16b and a tubular support 28 can be connected to one of the waist strap ends 18b, as shown in FIG. 2. The adjustable fastening strap 26 can include a detachable fastener, such as a hook-and-loop fastener. The combination of the adjustable fastening strap 26 and the tubular support 28 can be used for storing an umbrella U in the collapsed configuration, as shown in FIG. 3, For example, the umbrella tip of the umbrella U can be inserted through the tubular support 28 and the handle can be secured to the strap system 14 using the adjustable fastening strap 26.
As shown in FIG. 4, the pouch 12. can include two spaced inner pockets having a foam piece 30a, 30b disposed therein. A space between the inner pockets defines a cavity 32 for retaining the umbrella shaft therein, A plurality of buttons, clasps, and/or other suitable releasable fastener can be provided within the pouch, which may be fastened when needed to decrease the size of the inner cavity 32 and unfastened when needed to provide more space in the inner cavity 32. In an embodiment, the releasable fasteners can include a plurality of snap buttons within the cavity. For example, once the umbrella shaft and handle are inserted in the pouch 12, a first pair of fasteners 36a and 36b can be fastened to secure the umbrella shaft in the cavity. In an embodiment, the pouch 12 can further include a plurality of detachable fasteners on an outer surface of the pouch for releasable attachment to complementary detachable fasteners on the strap system 14. For example the outer surface of the pouch 12 can include a pair of central snap buttons 36c, 36d along a central portion of the pouch, a pair of lower snap buttons 36e, 36f proximate the lower end of the pouch 12., and a second pair of upper snap buttons 36g, 36h between the first pair of upper snap buttons 36a, 36b and the pair of central snap buttons 36c, 36d.
In an embodiment, the chest strap end portions 20a, 20b can be connected together by a clamp or buckle 40. Similarly, waist strap end portions 18a, 18b can be connected together by a clamp or buckle 40. if desired, the strap system 14 can include one or more strap adjusters, such as one or more tension locks, for adjusting a length of the straps.
If desired, the strap system 14 can be detached from the pouch 12 and the pouch 12 can be secured to a backpack B as shown in FIGS. 5-6. In an embodiment, supplementary detachable fasteners 38 can be provided proximate each releasable fastener 36c-36g for further securing the pouch 12 to the backpack B. The supplementary detachable fasteners 38 can include any suitable anchor support, tack, or clasp with a sharp end that can extend through the material of the backpack B to secure the pouch 12 to the backpack B. Alternatively, the supplementary detachable fasteners 38 can include hook-and-loop fasteners or snap buttons that are attachable to mating fastener portions (not shown) provided on the backpack B. A lower end of the pouch 12 can include an elastic strap 34 with a detachable. fastener 39 secured thereto. Once the pouch 12 is secured to the backpack B, the strap 34 can be stretched downward, around a bottom end of the backpack B and secured to a front surface of the backpack B with fastener 39 in order to stabilize the pouch 12 on the backpack B. Fastener 39 can include any suitable anchor support, tack, or clasp with a sharp end that can extend through the material of the backpack B to secure the pouch 12 to the backpack B.
As shown in FIG. 7A, the umbrella holder 10 can optionally include a support casing 50 that is detachably secured to waist strap end portion 18a or 18b with clip 70. A detachable keeper strap 53 can be wrapped around the strap end portion 18a or 18b, adjacent to the casing 50, to further stabilize the casing 50 on the strap end portion 18a or 18b. The keeper strap 53, shown in detail in FIG. 7C, can include a suitable detachable fastener, e.g. snap buttons or a hook-and-loop fastener, to secure opposing ends of the strap 53 together. In an embodiment, the pouch 12 can be detached from the fastening system 14, and the support casing 50 can be secured to the waist strap end portion 18a or 18b to hold the shaft of the umbrella U when the umbrella U is in an expanded configuration.
The casing 50 can include a base 52 and a retractable rod 54 extending from the base 52, The rod 54 is connected to a first detachable fastening strap or rod strap 56a and a second detachable fastening strap or rod strap 56b. The first detachable rod strap 56a is connected to rod loop 56c. The second detachable rod strap 56b is connected to rod loop 56d. The retractable rod 54 can be telescopic and extends through rod loop 56c and rod loop 56d when in an extended position. As shown in FIG. 7A, the handle. of the umbrella U can be secured to the rod 54 using the first and second detachable fastening straps 56a, 56b. The rod 54 can he retracted or drawn back into the base 50 when not in use. The rod 54 can include any suitable type of telescoping tube locking mechanism. In an embodiment, rod locks 51a and 51b are provided which can be locked, e.g., turned in a first direction, to lock the rod 54 in an extended position, and opened, e.g., turned in a second, opposing direction, to retract the rod 54. The rod locks 51a and 51b can be any suitable type of fastener, including for example, flip lock clamps twist lock rings, or compression clamps. The shaft of the umbrella can be secured to a shaft stabilizer 43 on shoulder strap 15. The shaft stabilizer 43 can include a clamp or fastening strap, e.g., hook-and-loop fastening strap, that can be attached to the umbrella shaft to hold the umbrella shaft in place. In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7B, the casing 50 includes a clip 70 that can be detachably secured to strap end 18b or 18a.
It is to be understood that the umbrella holder is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the generic language of the following claims enabled by the embodiments described herein, or otherwise. shown in the drawings or described above in terms sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the claimed subject matter.
Patent Application
20220400821
