U.S. patent application number 11/024677 was filed with the patent office on 2006-07-06 for easily openable and collapsible folding umbrella having further reduced collapsed volume.
Invention is credited to Tsun-Zong Wu.
Application Number | 20060144432 11/024677 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36638977 |
Filed Date | 2006-07-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060144432 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wu; Tsun-Zong |
July 6, 2006 |
Easily openable and collapsible folding umbrella having further
reduced collapsed volume
Abstract
A folding umbrella includes multiple sets of rib members, each
of which includes pivotally connected connecting element, inner,
middle, and outer main ribs, stretcher, and inner and outer links.
Since the inner link is a round-sectioned rib, and the inner main
rib and the stretcher are U-sectioned ribs, the inner link is
received in the inner main rib, and the inner main rib with the
inner link received therein along with the connecting element are
received in the stretcher when the folding umbrella is fully
collapsed, allowing the collapsed folding umbrella to have a
further reduced volume. The folding umbrella also includes a lower
hub having an inward curved waist portion and a conic lower wall
portion that provide an increased contact area for a user to
comfortably and easily move the lower hub upward or downward to
open or collapse the folding umbrella.
Inventors: |
Wu; Tsun-Zong; (Taipei,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LEONG C LEI
PMB # 1008
1867 YGNACIO VALLEY ROAD
WALNUT CREEK
CA
94598
US
|
Family ID: |
36638977 |
Appl. No.: |
11/024677 |
Filed: |
December 30, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
135/25.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45B 19/04 20130101;
A45B 19/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
135/025.3 |
International
Class: |
A45B 19/10 20060101
A45B019/10 |
Claims
1. An easily openable and collapsible folding umbrella having
further reduced collapsed volume, comprising: a shaft formed from
three telescopically connected shaft sections, namely, an upper
shaft section, a middle shaft section, and a lower shaft section;
an upper hub fixedly connected to a top of said shaft; a lower hub
including a runner upward and downward slidably mounted on said
shaft; a grip fixedly connected to a lower end of said shaft;
multiple sets of rib members; and an umbrella cover connected to
and covering a top of said multiple sets of rib members; each of
said multiple sets of rib members including: a connecting element;
an outer main rib, which is a round-sectioned rib; an inner main
rib, which is a U-sectioned rib defining a longitudinal channel;
said inner main rib being pivotally connected at an inner end and
an outer end to said upper hub and an outer end of said connecting
element, respectively; a middle main rib, which is a
round-sectioned rib; said middle main rib being pivotally connected
at an inner end and an outer end to the outer end of said
connecting element and a near-inner-end point on said outer main
rib, respectively; a stretcher, which is a U-sectioned rib defining
a longitudinal channel, an inner section of which is sideward
expanded to form an expanded channel; said stretcher being
pivotally connected at an inner end and an outer end to said lower
hub and a near-middle point on said inner main rib, respectively;
an inner link, which is a round-sectioned rib; said inner link
being pivotally connected at an inner end and an outer end to a
near-outer-end point on said stretcher and an inner end of said
connecting element, respectively; such that when said folding
umbrella is fully collapsed, said inner link is received in said
longitudinal channel defined by said inner main rib, and said inner
main rib with said inner link received therein along with said
connecting element are received in said longitudinal channel
defined by said stretcher with said connecting element, the outer
end of said inner link and the outer end of said inner main rib
located in the expanded channel of said stretcher, and an outer
link which is a round-sectioned rib; said outer link being
pivotally connected at an inner end and an outer end to a
near-outer-end point on said inner main rib and an inner end of
said outer main rib, respectively; and said outer link being formed
at a near-middle point with a curved bend to wind around the middle
main rib.
2. The easily openable and collapsible folding umbrella having
further reduced collapsed volume as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said runner of said lower hub includes an upper flange located
around a top of said runner, an inward curved waist portion
downward extended from a bottom of said upper flange, and a conic
lower wall portion integrally downward extended from said waist
portion to a bottom of said runner.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] (a) Technical Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a folding umbrella, and
more particularly to a three-folds umbrella that is easily openable
and collapsible and has a further reduced collapsed volume.
[0003] (b) Description of the Prior Art
[0004] General folding umbrellas may be divided into, for example,
two-folds, three-folds, and four-folds umbrellas. In FIG. 1, there
is shown a conventional three-folds umbrella 1 in a fully stretched
state. The three-folds umbrella 1 mainly includes a shaft 11 formed
from three telescopically connected sections, an upper hub 12
fixedly mounted to a top of the shaft 11, a lower hub 13 upward and
downward slidably mounted on the shaft 11, a grip 14 fixedly
connected to a lower end of the shaft 11, multiple sets of rib
members 2, and an umbrella cover 15 connected to and covering a top
of the multiple sets of rib members 2.
[0005] The shaft 11 includes three sections, namely, an upper shaft
section 111, a middle shaft section 112, and a lower shaft section
113 that are telescopically connected to one another.
[0006] The lower hub 13 is provided at a lower part with an annular
sleeve 131, an upper end and a lower end of which are formed of an
upper flange 132 and a lower flange 133, respectively.
[0007] Each of the multiple sets of rib members 2 includes an inner
main rib 21, a middle main rib 22, an outer main rib 23, a
stretcher 24, an inner link 25, and an outer link 26, which are
pivotally connected to one another.
[0008] As can be clearly seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, the inner main
rib 21 is pivotally connected at an inner end 211 and an outer end
212 to the upper hub 12 and a near-inner-end point 221a on the
middle main rib 22, respectively. The stretcher 24 is pivotally
connected at an inner end 241 and an outer end 242 to the lower hub
13 and a near-middle point 213 on the inner main rib 21,
respectively. The inner link 25 is pivotally connected at an inner
end 251 and an outer end 252 to a near-outer-end point 242s on the
stretcher 24 and an inner end 221 of the middle main rib 22,
respectively. The middle main rib 22 is pivotally connected at the
inner end 221 and an outer end 222 to an outer end 252 of the inner
link 25 and a near-inner-end point 23 la on the outer main rib 23,
respectively. The middle main rib 22 is a U-sectioned rib and
provided near a middle point with a bent hook 223. The outer link
26 is pivotally connected at an inner end 261 and an outer end 262
to a near-outer-end point 212a on the inner main rib 21 and an
inner end 231 of the outer main rib 23, respectively, to pass below
the bent hook 223 of the middle main rib 22.
[0009] To open the folding umbrella 1, a user upward pushes the
lower hub 13 at the annular sleeve 131, and the rib members in each
set are sequentially stretched from inner to outer side until the
folding umbrella 1 is fully opened. Reversely, to collapse the
folding umbrella 1, the user downward pulls the lower hub 13 at the
annular sleeve 131, and the rib members in each set are
sequentially folded from outer to inner side until the folding
umbrella 1 is fully collapsed.
[0010] In the above-described conventional folding umbrella 1, the
stretcher 24, the inner link 25, and the inner main rib 21 are
U-sectioned ribs. When the folding umbrella 1 is fully collapsed as
shown in FIG. 4, these U-sectioned ribs are not in a nested state,
and the inner end 221 of the middle main rib 22 having the inner
main rib 21 and the inner link 25 pivotally connected thereto is
not received in the U-sectioned stretcher 24. Moreover, since the
inner end 221 of the middle main rib 22 of the collapsed folding
umbrella 1 is located at the same height as the lower hub 13, it is
outward biased due to the lower hub 13. Furthermore, the middle
main ribs 22 of the conventional folding umbrella 1 are generally
U-sectioned ribs defining a channel each, through which the outer
link 26 is extended. The U-sectioned middle main ribs 22 obviously
occupy a considerable space to increase the collapsed volume of the
folding umbrella 1. The above-mentioned factors make the collapsed
folding umbrella 1 to have a considerably large volume.
[0011] Meanwhile, to open or collapse the folding umbrella 1, a
user has to upward push or downward pull the lower hub 13 at the
annular sleeve 131 using one hand, usually by the thumb and the
index finger. The annular sleeve 131 is generally small in size and
has a straight outer wall surface to provide only a very limited
contact area with the user's fingers, preventing the user from
comfortably pushing or pulling the annular sleeve 131 to
conveniently and easily open or collapse the folding umbrella 1.
Particularly, when the user applies a force to upward push the
annular sleeve 131, the user's fingers pushing the annular sleeve
131 tend to slide beyond the upper flange 132 of the annular sleeve
131 and frictionally contact with a toothed top of the lower hub 13
to cause injury or pain of the fingers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a
folding umbrella, particularly a three-folds umbrella, that could
be easily operated to open or collapse and has a further reduced
collapsed volume.
[0013] The folding umbrella according to the present invention
includes a shaft, an upper hub, a lower hub, multiple sets of rib
members, and an umbrella cover. In each set of rib members, there
are included a connecting element, an inner, a middle, and an outer
main rib, a stretcher, and an inner and an outer link pivotally
connected to one another. Since the inner link is a round-sectioned
rib, and the inner main rib and the stretcher are U-sectioned ribs,
the inner link is received in a channel defined by the inner main
rib, and the inner main rib with the inner link received therein
along with the connecting element are received in a channel defined
by the stretcher when the folding umbrella is fully collapsed to
thereby further reduce a collapsed volume of the folding umbrella.
Moreover, the stretcher is formed at an inner section with an
expanded channel for receiving the pivotally connected connecting
element, outer end of the inner link, and outer end of the inner
main rib therein to further reduce the collapsed volume of the
folding umbrella of the present invention. On the other hand, the
middle main ribs are round-sectioned ribs that occupy a reduced
space in the collapsed folding umbrella and thereby enable the
folding umbrella to have a further reduced collapsed volume.
[0014] The lower hub for the folding umbrella of the present
invention includes a runner slidably mounted on the shaft for
opening or collapsing the folding umbrella. The runner has an upper
flange formed around a top of the runner, an inward curved waist
portion downward extended from the upper flange, and a conic lower
wall portion integrally downward extended from the waist portion to
a bottom of the runner. The inward curved waist portion and the
conic lower wall portion together provide an increased contact area
with a user's fingers pushing or pulling the runner, and the upper
flange prevents the user's fingers from moving beyond the runner to
touch the toothed top of the lower hub, so that the user could
comfortably and easily move the runner upward or downward to open
or collapse the folding umbrella without being scraped or injured
by the toothed lower hub.
[0015] The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief
introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these
and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention
itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the
art, the following detailed description of the invention and the
claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical
reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
[0016] Many other advantages and features of the present invention
will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making
reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets
of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment
incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by
way of illustrative example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] The structure and the technical means adopted by the present
invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best
understood by referring to the following detailed description of
the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings,
wherein
[0018] FIG. 1 schematically shows a conventional folding umbrella
in a fully stretched state;
[0019] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of one set of rib
members of the folding umbrella of FIG. 1 in a half-collapsed
state;
[0020] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a stretcher of the folding
umbrella of FIG. 1;
[0021] FIG. 4 shows the folding umbrella of FIG. 1 in a fully
collapsed state;
[0022] FIG. 5 shows an easily openable and collapsible folding
umbrella having further reduced collapsed volume according to the
present invention in a fully stretched state;
[0023] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a lower hub of the folding
umbrella of FIG. 5;
[0024] FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of one set of rib
members of the folding umbrella of FIG. 5 in a half-collapsed
state;
[0025] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a stretcher of the folding
umbrella of FIG. 5;
[0026] FIG. 9 shows the folding umbrella of FIG. 5 in a fully
collapsed state.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments
only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or
configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following
description provides a convenient illustration for implementing
exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the
described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement
of the elements described without departing from the scope of the
invention as set forth in the appended claims.
[0028] Please refer to FIG. 5 that shows an easily openable and
collapsible folding umbrella having further reduced collapsed
volume 3 according to the present invention. As shown, the folding
umbrella 3 also structurally includes a shaft 31 formed from
telescopically connected upper shaft section 311, middle shaft
section 312, and lower shaft section 313, an upper hub 32 fixedly
connected to a top of the shaft 31, a lower hub 33 upward and
downward slidably mounted on the shaft 31, a grip 34 fixedly
connected to a lower end of the shaft 31, multiple sets of rib
members 4, and an umbrella cover 35 connected to and covering a top
of the multiple sets of rib members 4. The folding umbrella 3 of
the present invention is different from the conventional folding
umbrella 1 in the lower hub 33 and the multiple sets of rib members
4.
[0029] Each set of the rib members 4 includes an inner main rib 41,
a middle main rib 42, an outer main rib 43, a stretcher 44, an
inner link 45, an outer link 46, and a connecting element 47, which
are pivotally connected to one another.
[0030] As can be clearly seen from FIG. 7 that is an enlarged
perspective view of one set of rib members 4 of the folding
umbrella 3 of the present invention, the inner main rib 41 is a
U-sectioned rib defining a longitudinal channel 414, and is
pivotally connected at an inner end 411 and an outer end 412 to the
upper hub 32 and an outer end of the connecting element 47,
respectively. The stretcher 44 is a U-sectioned rib defining a
longitudinal channel 443, an inner section of which is sideward
expanded to form an expanded channel 444 (also see FIG. 8 that is
an enlarged perspective view of the stretcher 44 of the folding
umbrella 3), and is pivotally connected at an inner end 441 and an
outer end 442 to the lower hub 33 and a near-middle point 413 of
the inner main rib 41, respectively. The inner link 45 is a
round-sectioned rib pivotally connected at an inner end 451 and an
outer end 452 to a near-outer-end point 442a on the stretcher 44
and an inner end 471 of the connecting element 47, respectively.
The middle main rib 42 is a round-sectioned rib pivotally connected
at an inner end 421 and an outer end 422 to an outer end 472 of the
connecting element 47 and a near-inner-end point 43 la on the outer
main rib 43, respectively. The outer link 46 is a round-sectioned
rib pivotally connected at an inner end 461 and an outer end 462 to
a near-outer-end point 412a on the inner main rib 41 and an inner
end 431 of the outer main rib 43, respectively. The outer link 46
is formed at a near-middle point with a curved bend 463 to wind
around the middle main rib 42 for reinforcing the middle main rib
42 and the outer link 46 and preventing the same from deflection.
The outer main rib 43 is a round-sectioned rib, which together with
the middle main rib 42 provide elasticity for stretching the
umbrella cover 35 and strength for bearing an appropriate
deformation of the cover 35 caused by wind.
[0031] Please refer to FIG. 6 that is an enlarged view of the lower
hub 33 for the folding umbrella 3 of the present invention. As
shown, the lower hub 33 includes a runner 331 mounted around the
shaft 31 to slide upward and downward along the shaft 31. The
runner 331 includes an upper flange 332 located around a top of the
runner 331, an inward curved waist portion 333 downward extended
from a bottom of the upper flange 332, and a conic lower wall
portion 334 integrally downward extended from the waist portion 333
to a bottom of the runner 331.
[0032] The folding umbrella 3 of the present invention is collapsed
and opened in the same manner as the conventional folding umbrella
1. That is, to open the folding umbrella 3, simply upward push the
lower hub 33 at the runner 331, and the multiple sets of rib
members 4 are pushed outward into a stretched state. Reversely, to
collapse the folding umbrella 1, simply downward pull the lower hub
33 at the runner 331, and the multiple sets of rib members 4 are
pulled inward into a folded or collapsed state. The present
invention is superior to the conventional folding umbrella 1 in
that the curved waist portion 333 and the conic lower wall portion
334 on the runner 331 of the lower hub 33 provide an increased
contact area between the runner 331 and a user's fingers pushing or
pulling the lower hub 33, and therefore allow the user to
comfortably hold the runner 331 and easily move the runner 331
upward or downward. Moreover, with the curved waist portion 333 and
the upper flange 332, the user's fingers moving the runner 331 are
restricted from moving beyond the upper flange 332 to touch a
toothed top of the lower hub 33, and are therefore protected
against scrape or pain caused by touching the toothed top of the
lower hub 33.
[0033] When the folding umbrella 3 of the present invention is
fully collapsed as shown in FIG. 9, in each set of rib members 4,
the inner link 45 is received in the longitudinal channel 414
defined by the inner main rib 41, and the inner main rib 41 with
the inner link 45 received therein along with the connecting
element 47 are received in the channel 443 of the stretcher 44 with
the connecting element 47, the outer end 452 of the inner link 45,
and the outer end 412 of the inner main rib 41 received in the
expanded channel 444 of the stretcher 44. Therefore, the folding
umbrella 3 has a largely reduced volume after it is fully
collapsed. Moreover, since the middle main rib 42 is a
round-sectioned rib, it occupies only a minimized space in the
collapsed folding umbrella 3 to enable further reduction of the
collapsed volume of the folding umbrella 3.
[0034] 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 methods differing from the type described
above.
[0035] While certain novel features of this invention have been
shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is
not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be
understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and
changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in
its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without
departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
* * * * *