U.S. patent application number 11/386730 was filed with the patent office on 2007-07-05 for windproof umbrella with integral upper canopy and method of making same.
Invention is credited to Ching-Chuan You.
Application Number | 20070151586 11/386730 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38212577 |
Filed Date | 2007-07-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070151586 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
You; Ching-Chuan |
July 5, 2007 |
Windproof umbrella with integral upper canopy and method of making
same
Abstract
Windproof umbrella and method of making same are disclosed. The
method includes providing an integral, polygonal cloth having
corners; forming substantially conic members each disposed on a
joining end of one corner and another adjacent corner by shaping
and stitching; providing a folding radial frame; securing a lower
canopy having a central opening onto the frame; and securing the
cloth onto the frame to form an upper canopy having sectors in
covering relation to the central opening. The conic members are
substantially flat in an inoperative state and are expanded to form
a substantially conic shape in response to high winds. Each escape
path for wind is thus formed between the sector of the upper canopy
and an upper edge of the lower canopy. No cutting is involved in
the method. Also, no creases and looseness in a central portion of
the umbrella are formed.
Inventors: |
You; Ching-Chuan; (Taipei,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Ching-Chuan YOU;Rm. 532, 5Fl., No. 144
Ming Chuan E. Rd., Sec. 3
P. O. Box 1-79
Taipei
105
TW
|
Family ID: |
38212577 |
Appl. No.: |
11/386730 |
Filed: |
March 23, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
135/33.2 ;
135/33.7 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45B 25/22 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
135/033.2 ;
135/033.7 |
International
Class: |
A45B 25/20 20060101
A45B025/20 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 29, 2005 |
CN |
200510135152.3 |
Claims
1. A process of manufacturing a windproof umbrella, comprising the
steps of: (i) providing an integral piece of polygonal cloth having
a plurality of corners; (ii) forming a plurality of substantially
conic members each disposed on a joining end of one corner and
another adjacent corner by shaping and stitching wherein the conic
members are substantially flat in an inoperative state and are
expanded to form a substantially conic shape in response to high
winds; (iii) providing a folding radial frame including a center
post, a plurality of stretchers, and a plurality of ribs; (iv)
securing a lower canopy having a central opening onto the frame;
and (v) securing the cloth onto the frame to form an upper canopy
having a plurality of sectors in covering relation to the central
opening.
2. The process of claim 1, wherein the forming of a substantially
conic shape in each of the conic members in the step (ii) further
forms a plurality of escape paths for wind each between the sector
of the upper canopy and an upper edge of the lower canopy.
3. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of printing
one or more patters on the cloth prior to the step (i).
4. The process of claim 1, wherein the cloth has eight corners.
5. The process of claim 1, wherein the cloth has six corners.
6. A windproof umbrella, comprising: a folding radial frame
including a center post, a plurality of stretchers, and a plurality
of ribs; a lower canopy having a central opening secured onto the
frame; and an upper canopy having a plurality of sectors secured
onto the frame in covering relation to the central opening; wherein
the upper canopy is formed by an integral piece of polygonal cloth
having a plurality of corners and a plurality of substantially
conic members each formed on a joining end of one corner and
another adjacent corner by shaping and stitching; the conic members
are substantially flat in an inoperative state and are expanded to
form a substantially conic shape in response to high winds; and a
plurality of escape paths for wind each between the sector of the
upper canopy and an upper edge of the lower canopy are formed in
response to the forming of a substantially conic shape in each of
the conic members.
7. The umbrella of claim 6, wherein one or more patters are printed
on the cloth prior to forming the upper canopy.
8. The umbrella of claim 6, wherein the cloth has eight
corners.
9. The umbrella of claim 6, wherein the cloth has six corners.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to windproof umbrellas and
more particularly to a windproof umbrella having an integral upper
canopy and a method of manufacturing same. 2. Description of
Related Art
[0002] A conventional windproof umbrella 1 disclosed in U.S. Pat.
No. 4,979,534 comprises an upper canopy 12 and a lower canopy 11
both stretched over a folding radial frame 10. A plurality of vent
holes are formed on the lower canopy 11 and at least one vent hole
is formed on the upper canopy 12. A plurality of escape paths for
wind 13 are formed between the upper canopy 12 and the lower canopy
11 when strong wind exerts an upward force from an underside of the
umbrella 1 to resiliently slightly pull the upper canopy 12 away
from the lower canopy 11 about a top of a center post. However, the
upper canopy 12 is not formed integrally. In fact, eight triangular
sectors 14 of cloth are stitched together to form an upper canopy
12 in the manufacturing process. This is a time consuming process,
resulting in an increase in the manufacturing cost. Moreover,
forming aesthetic pattern(s) on the upper canopy 12 is more
difficult due to stitching.
[0003] Another conventional ventilated umbrella disclosed in U.S.
Pat. No. 6,155,278 comprises a first canopy secured on an inner
area of a fully expanded surface of a support frame, and a
band-shaped second canopy secured on an outer area of the fully
expanded surface of support frame and slightly overlapped by the
first canopy. A gap between an outer edge of the first canopy and
an inner edge of the second canopy is enlarged by stretching each
of a plurality of extension strips extending inward from the inner
edge of the second canopy, thereby enhancing a ventilating effect.
However, the manufacturing process is complicated. Also, the
desired ventilating effect is an exaggeration since the gap is
small even in its enlarged state during high winds.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,546 entitled "A Method of Eliminating
Corrugation in Central Umbrella Cover" discloses a method of
manufacturing an integral canopy by a single piece of plain weave
cloth. The weft has no stretch capability and the warp has a slight
stretch capability. The umbrella cover and the main ribs are set at
an angle of ten degrees relative to each other. The tail end of the
main ribs and the sewing points of the umbrella cloth are not
fallen on the parallel line of the warp of weft. Length is
different from the sewing points to the central part of the ribs so
as to balance tension of different stretch points. Edge of the
umbrella cover is cut out and is sewed properly for not generating
corrugation. When the umbrella is open, the central part of the
umbrella cover does not have corrugation and looseness because the
main ribs have a slight curvature and the oblique mesh is able to
balance the stretched tension. However, its manufacturing process
is very complicated, resulting in an increase in the manufacturing
cost. Further, structural strength of the umbrella is adversely
affected by the stretch and the cutting. Thus, the need for
improvement still exists.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a windproof umbrella having an integral upper canopy and a
method of manufacturing same without involving a cutting step.
Also, no creases and looseness in a central portion of the umbrella
are formed. Further, the manufacturing process is much simplified,
resulting in a decrease in the manufacturing cost. Furthermore, the
windproof effect is much enhanced.
[0006] In an aspect of the present invention there is provided a
process of manufacturing a windproof umbrella, comprising providing
an integral piece of polygonal cloth having a plurality of corners;
forming a plurality of substantially conic members each disposed on
a joining end of one corner and another adjacent corner by shaping
and stitching wherein the conic members are substantially flat in
an inoperative state, and the conic members are expanded to form a
substantially conic shape in response to high winds; providing a
folding radial frame including a center post, a plurality of
stretchers, and a plurality of ribs; securing a lower canopy having
a central opening onto the frame; and securing the cloth onto the
frame to form an upper canopy having a plurality of sectors in
covering relation to the central opening; wherein each of a
plurality of escape paths for wind is formed between the sector of
the upper canopy and an upper edge of the lower canopy.
[0007] In another aspect of the present invention there is provided
a windproof umbrella comprising a folding radial frame including a
center post, a plurality of stretchers, and a plurality of ribs; a
lower canopy having a central opening secured onto the frame; and
an upper canopy having a plurality of sectors secured onto the
frame in covering relation to the central opening; wherein the
upper canopy is formed by an integral piece of polygonal cloth
having a plurality of corners and a plurality of substantially
conic members each formed on a joining end of one corner and
another adjacent corner by shaping and stitching; the conic members
are substantially flat in an inoperative state and are expanded to
form a substantially conic shape in response to high winds; and a
plurality of escape paths for wind each between the sector of the
upper canopy and an upper edge of the lower canopy are formed in
response to the forming of a substantially conic shape in each of
the conic members.
[0008] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will become apparent from the following detailed
description taken with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional windproof
umbrella in an open condition;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of
windproof umbrella according to the invention, in an open
condition;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an integral upper canopy
prior to manufacturing;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the upper canopy in FIG. 3
showing one of a plurality of corners thereof being shaped in the
manufacturing process;
[0013] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the area in circle of FIG.
4;
[0014] FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing a stitching step
of forming a conic member in the manufacturing process;
[0015] FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the expanded
conic member in response to high winds;
[0016] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the produced upper canopy of
the invention;
[0017] FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the conventional windproof
umbrella showing the forming of an escape path for wind in response
to high winds;
[0018] FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the windproof umbrella of the
invention showing the forming of escape paths for wind in response
to high winds; and
[0019] FIG. 11 is a schematic side view of a portion of the
windproof umbrella frame of the invention showing the expanding of
the conic member and the forming of the air escape route in
response to high winds.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 8 and 11, a windproof umbrella in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a
folding radial frame 2, an upper canopy 4, and a lower canopy 3
having a central opening (not shown). The frame 2 comprises a
center post 21, a plurality of stretchers, and a plurality of ribs
22 having one end pivotably connected to a top of the post 21. The
upper canopy 4 is secured onto upper portions the ribs 22, has a
center secured to the top of the post 21, and is positioned in a
partial covering relation to an upper edge of the lower canopy 3 as
detailed later.
[0021] A manufacturing process of the upper canopy 4 is illustrated
below. The upper canopy 4 is formed of an integral piece of
polygonal cloth 41 having eight corners 43. Note that the cloth 41
may have six corners or a number of corners other than eight. Next,
form a substantially conic member 42 on a joining end of one corner
43 and another adjacent corner 43. The conic member 42 has a
tapered closed end toward a center of the cloth 41 and a space open
to outer edge of the cloth 41. Further, the space is open to a
triangular portion of the cloth 41 proximate the corner 43 prior to
being closed by stitching in the final step of the manufacturing
process. The formed conic member 42 is substantially flat. A
substantially conic shape is formed by the conic member 42 in
response to high winds (see FIG. 7). Also, the cloth 41 has a
curvature after forming the conic members 42 at the corners 43.
Thus, no creases and looseness in a central portion of the umbrella
when the formed cloth 41 (i.e., the upper canopy 4) is secured onto
the ribs 22 (see FIG. 8). The formed upper canopy 4 is positioned
in a partial covering relation to the upper edge of the lower
canopy 3, thereby forming eight escape paths for wind 40 between
eight sectors of the upper canopy 4 and the upper edge of the lower
canopy 3. The escape path for wind 40 has a width defined from one
conic member 42 to an. adjacent conic member 42 (see FIG. 2).
[0022] Referring to FIG. 9, in the prior art windproof umbrella a
plurality of escape paths for wind 13 are formed at an unstitched
portion between the upper canopy 12 and the lower canopy 11 when
strong wind exerts an upward force from an underside of the
umbrella to resiliently slightly pull the upper canopy 12 away from
the lower canopy 11 about the top of the post 21. However, in fact,
not all escape paths for wind 13 are open (i.e., some escape paths
for wind 13 are still closed) during high winds. As a result, the
desired wind escaping effect is much compromised. In contrast as
shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, wind quickly blows into the conic members
42 to fully expand same. At the same time, if wind is sufficiently
strong the escape paths for wind 40 are formed and expanded quickly
by the high winds from the conic members 42 to provide a sufficient
air escape route 44 between the upper canopy 4 and the lower canopy
3 (i.e., a maximum distance therebetween) during high winds so as
to prevent inversion of the umbrella constructed in accordance with
the invention.
[0023] Sizes of the air escape routes 44 and the escape paths for
wind 40 are automatically changed in response to the expanding
extent of the conic members 42 which is again changed in response
to wind strength. That is, the stronger of high winds the larger of
the sizes of the air escape routes 44 and the escape paths for wind
40 will be. As a result, the wind escaping effect is very good.
Further, no cutting is involved in the manufacturing process of the
upper canopy 4. Thus, the manufacturing process is much simple.
Furthermore, aesthetic pattern(s) may be printed on the integral
cloth 41 prior to the manufacturing process without worrying about
being cut undesirably as experienced by the prior art.
[0024] While the invention herein disclosed has been described by
means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and
variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art
without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set
forth in the claims.
* * * * *