U.S. patent application number 15/588183 was filed with the patent office on 2017-08-24 for umbrella having an anti-inversion mechanism.
The applicant listed for this patent is Shedrain Corporation. Invention is credited to ANDREW HAYTHORNTHWAITE, DAVID HAYTHORNTHWAITE.
Application Number | 20170238662 15/588183 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 56564500 |
Filed Date | 2017-08-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170238662 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HAYTHORNTHWAITE; DAVID ; et
al. |
August 24, 2017 |
UMBRELLA HAVING AN ANTI-INVERSION MECHANISM
Abstract
An umbrella has a plurality of ribs attached to a runner by main
struts. The umbrella has an anti-inversion mechanism formed of a
plurality of anti-inversion struts. Each anti-inversion strut is
pivotally coupled to one respective main strut and is pivotally
connected to a floating joint member that is freely movable along a
length of one respective rib. The anti-inversion mechanism also
includes a stop that is fixedly attached to the rib and restricts
the degree of travel of the floating joint member along the rib and
is positioned to prevent the respective rib from inverting in
response to an applied force.
Inventors: |
HAYTHORNTHWAITE; DAVID;
(Fujian Province, CN) ; HAYTHORNTHWAITE; ANDREW;
(Fujian Province, CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Shedrain Corporation |
Portland |
OR |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
56564500 |
Appl. No.: |
15/588183 |
Filed: |
May 5, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
14614906 |
Feb 5, 2015 |
9668553 |
|
|
15588183 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45B 25/22 20130101;
A45B 25/08 20130101; A45B 25/18 20130101; A45B 25/02 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A45B 25/22 20060101
A45B025/22; A45B 25/02 20060101 A45B025/02; A45B 25/08 20060101
A45B025/08 |
Claims
1. An umbrella comprising: an elongated shaft having a first end
and an opposite second end; a runner slidably disposed about the
elongated shaft and movable along a length of the shaft; and a
plurality of ribs that are attached to the runner by a plurality of
main struts that move between open and closed positions in which in
the open position, the ribs are in an open, extended position and
in the closed position, the ribs are in a closed, collapsed
position; wherein each rib includes a distal tip that is defined by
a hollow body which has a bore formed therein, the bore containing
both a distal end of the rib and a spring that is disposed within
the bore between the distal end of the rib and a closed end of the
bore.
2. The umbrella of claim 1, wherein the elongated shaft is formed
of a plurality of shaft sections coupled to one another by a
plurality of shaft lock members.
3. The umbrella of claim 2, wherein each shaft lock member has a
first ridge and a second ridge spaced from the first ridge with a
first space formed therebetween, the first and second ridges
serving as stops for the shaft sections when assembled, wherein the
first and second ridges extending radially outward relative to
adjacent portions of the shaft lock member.
4. The umbrella of claim 3, wherein the runner includes a resilient
lock member that engages the first space of one respective shaft
lock member when the runner is in a locked position along the
shaft.
5. The umbrella of claim 1, wherein a proximal end of each rib is
pivotally attached to a top notch that is disposed along the
shaft.
6. The umbrella of claim 1, wherein the distal tip has a delta-wing
shape defined by a pair of beveled leading edges associated with
two wings thereof.
7. The umbrella of claim 1, wherein the hollow body completely
surrounds both the distal end of the rib and the spring.
8. The umbrella of claim 1, wherein the hollow body includes a base
portion in which the bore is formed and an outwardly flared portion
that extends radially outward from the base portion.
9. The umbrella of claim 1, wherein the spring comprises a coil
spring.
10. The umbrella of claim 1, wherein the spring is fully surrounded
and contained within the bore of the distal tip.
11. The umbrella of claim 1, wherein the rib and spring are
coaxially arranged.
12. The umbrella of claim 1, wherein the spring applies an axial
force to the distal tip in a direction away from the distal end of
the rib.
13. The umbrella of claim 1, wherein the spring is sized such that
the distal end of the rib is restricted to a location proximal to a
proximal end of the spring.
14. An umbrella comprising: an elongated shaft with a handle at one
end; a plurality of rib assemblies that support a canopy, each rib
assembly including a rib that is attached to the shaft, the rib
assemblies moving between open and closed positions in which in the
open position, the ribs are in an open, extended position and in
the closed position, the ribs are in a closed, collapsed position;
and a runner slidably disposed about the elongated shaft and
movable along a length of the shaft, wherein each rib is attached
to the runner by a main strut; a hollow distal rib tip that has an
axial blind hole formed therein, wherein a spring is disposed
within the blind hole and is in contact with a distal end of the
rib and an end wall of the blind hole such that the distal end of
the rib and the spring are fully enclosed within the distal
tip.
15. The umbrella of claim 14, wherein the spring is fully
surrounded and contained within the bore of the distal tip.
16. The umbrella of claim 14, wherein the rib and spring are
coaxially arranged.
17. The umbrella of claim 14, wherein the spring applies an axial
force to the distal tip in a direction away from the distal end of
the rib.
18. The umbrella of claim 14, wherein the distal rib tip is defined
by a center body portion in which the blind hole is formed and an
angled wing portion that extends distal to the center body portion
and extends laterally from both sides of the center body
portion.
19. The umbrella of claim 18, wherein the angled wing portion
comprises a first section one side of the center body portion and a
second section on the other side of the center body portion, the
first and second sections lying in different planes.
20. The umbrella of claim 14, wherein the spring is sized such that
the distal end of the rib is restricted to a location proximal to a
proximal end of the spring.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. Non-Provisional
patent application Ser. No. 14/614,906, filed Feb. 5, 2015, the
entire contents of which is incorporated by reference herein as if
expressly set forth in its respective entirety herein.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to umbrellas and more
particularly, relates to an umbrella that is designed to resist
inversion in adverse conditions including strong winds, etc.
BACKGROUND
[0003] As is well known, an umbrella is a device that protects the
user from the elements and in particular from liquid and frozen
precipitation or even the sun, etc. A traditional umbrella has the
following parts: a pole, a canopy, ribs, a runner, springs and a
ferrule. A pole is the metal or wooden shaft that runs between the
umbrella's handle at the bottom (or the base stand in the case of a
patio model) and the canopy at the top. The canopy is the fabric
part of the umbrella that catches the rain, the wind and the sun.
The ribs are what give an umbrella its structure and shape. Outer
ribs hold up the canopy and inner ribs (sometimes called
stretchers) act as supports and connect the outer ribs to the
umbrella pole. A runner slides up and down the pole while connected
to the ribs/stretchers, and is responsible for the opening and
closing of the canopy. Many umbrella designs include a top spring
to hold the runner up when the canopy is open, a bottom spring to
hold the runner down when the canopy is closed, and sometimes a
center ball spring to extend the pole length in telescopic models.
Strictly ornamental, the finial (also called the ferrule) is found
on the very top of the umbrella, above the canopy.
[0004] Umbrella ribs function in a folding construction supporting
the umbrella canopy fabric. Under normal operating conditions, the
forces acting on the umbrella canopy fabric increase toward peak
values when the canopy becomes fully deployed and when wind gusts
tend to overturn the canopy. These forces are transmitted from the
canopy to the canopy ribs, and can act on the ribs in opposite
directions depending on the direction of the wind. The ribs thus
have to be strong enough to withstand forces which can act on them
from anyone of the two main opposite directions.
[0005] The above construction is the most common one for an
umbrella and the canopy assumes a downward convex shape. One
significant problem with such design arises when there is a strong
wind or sudden gust which exerts a force against the inner surface
of the canopy causing the canopy to invert from its normal position
to an upward position to an upward convex position.
[0006] Umbrellas addressing the problems of wind gusts have been
proposed with one solution being the placement of apertures located
within the canopy which allow for the air to flow through the
canopy reducing the total force experienced by the canopy. However,
the apertures are not large enough to provide a sufficient airflow
to greatly reduce the force and in most circumstances, the canopy
still inverts. Another solution to this has been to add strings
that connect from the umbrella strut to the tip area. However, this
solution also suffers from a deficiency in that these strings can
become loose over time or get cut or tangle, etc., during use.
[0007] It is therefore the object of the present invention to
provide a windproof umbrella that acts so as to prevent the
inversion of the umbrella in strong wind.
SUMMARY
[0008] According to one exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, an umbrella includes an elongated shaft having a first
end and an opposite second end and a runner slidably disposed about
the elongated shaft and movable along a length of the shaft. The
umbrella has a plurality of ribs that are attached to the runner by
a plurality of main struts that move between open and closed
positions in which in the open position, the ribs are in an open,
extended position and in the closed position, the ribs are in a
closed, collapsed position.
[0009] In accordance with the present invention, the umbrella has
an anti-inversion mechanism formed of a plurality of anti-inversion
struts. Each anti-inversion strut is pivotally coupled to one
respective main strut and is pivotally connected to a floating
joint member that is freely movable along a length of the rib. The
anti-inversion mechanism also includes a stop that is fixedly
attached to the rib and restricts the degree of travel of the
floating joint member along the rib and is positioned to prevent
the respective rib from inverting in response to an applied
force.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
[0010] FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of an umbrella, of a manual
type, including a shaft and an umbrella rib assembly in accordance
with the present invention and being shown in a fully opened
position, with only a single rib assembly being shown for sake of
illustration purposes only;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the umbrella rib assembly
of FIG. 1 shown in a half open position;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the umbrella rib assembly
of FIG. 1 shown in a closed position;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an umbrella having a
plurality of rib assemblies of FIG. 1 being shown in a fully open
position;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the umbrella of FIG. 4 being
shown in a fully closed position;
[0015] FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of
the rib assembly of FIG. 1 showing the anti-inversion feature of
the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 7A is a perspective view of a strut to rib joint of the
rib assembly of FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 7B is a side elevation view of the strut to rib joint
of FIG. 7A;
[0018] FIG. 7C is a top plan view of the strut to rib joint of FIG.
7A;
[0019] FIG. 7D is an end view of the strut to rib joint of FIG.
7A;
[0020] FIG. 8A is a perspective view of a floating joint of the rib
assembly of FIG. 1;
[0021] FIG. 8B is a side elevation view of the floating joint of
FIG. 8A;
[0022] FIG. 8C is a top plan view of the floating joint of FIG.
8A;
[0023] FIG. 8D is an end view of the floating joint of FIG. 8A;
[0024] FIG. 9A is a perspective view of a floating joint stop of
the rib assembly of FIG. 1;
[0025] FIG. 9B is a side elevation view of the floating joint stop
of FIG. 9A;
[0026] FIG. 9C is a top plan view of the floating joint stop of
FIG. 9A;
[0027] FIG. 9D is an end view of the floating joint stop of FIG.
9A;
[0028] FIG. 10A is a perspective view of a rib tip;
[0029] FIG. 10B is a top plan view of the rib tip;
[0030] FIG. 10C is a side elevation view of the rib tip;
[0031] FIG. 10D is an end view of the rib tip;
[0032] FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a rib tip assembly in
accordance with the present invention;
[0033] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the tip assembly in a
closed/uncompressed state;
[0034] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the tip assembly in an
open/compressed state;
[0035] FIG. 14 is a side elevation view of a shaft assembly of the
umbrella of FIG. 1;
[0036] FIG. 15 is an enlarged side elevation view of a shaft lock
that is part of the shaft assembly;
[0037] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the shaft lock;
[0038] FIG. 17A is a side elevation view of a shaft assembly with
the runner in an unlocked position;
[0039] FIG. 17B is a cross-sectional view of the runner of FIG. 17A
in the unlocked position;
[0040] FIG. 18A is a side elevation view of the shaft assembly with
the runner in a locked position;
[0041] FIG. 18B is a cross-sectional view of the shaft assembly
with the runner in the locked position;
[0042] FIG. 19 is a side elevation view of an umbrella, of a manual
type, including a shaft and an umbrella rib assembly in accordance
with another embodiment of the present invention and being shown in
a fully opened position, with only a single rib assembly being
shown for sake of illustration purposes only;
[0043] FIG. 20 is a top plan view of an anti-inversion strut
according to one embodiment; and
[0044] FIG. 21 is a side elevation view of the anti-inversion
strut.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS
[0045] As discussed herein, the present invention is directed to
improvement with respect to a number of components of an umbrella
including but not limited to a shaft construction and a rib
assembly thereof. As discussed herein, the features of the present
invention can be implemented with both a manual type umbrella and
an automatic type umbrella. In addition, the other features can be
implemented with other types of umbrellas. Accordingly, the
following discussion and figures describe exemplary embodiments
that implement the teachings of the present invention.
[0046] FIG. 1 shows a side view of an umbrella 100 in accordance
with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention with only
one assembly being shown for sake of clarity and to simplify a
discussion of the present invention. The umbrella 100 is of a type
that is commonly referred to as a golf umbrella which is commonly
known to be an oversized umbrella that is used to protect golfers
and their carts from rain. The long shaft of a golf umbrella is
usually not collapsible. It will be appreciated and understood that
the various features of the present invention described herein can
be implemented in other types of umbrellas besides golf
umbrellas.
[0047] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 14, the umbrella 100 includes a
shaft 110 that has a first (top) end 112 and an opposite second
(bottom) end 114. The shaft 110 itself can be formed of any number
of different components to cooperate to provide shaft 110 and the
shaft 110 illustrated in FIG. 1 is part of a manual umbrella
assembly in which the user manually opens and closes the umbrella
as described herein. At the first end 112, a cap or decorate
ferrule (not shown) is typically provided to close off the shaft
110 and at the second end 114, a handle 130 is provided for
grasping by the user.
[0048] Referring to FIGS. 14-16, the illustrated shaft 110 is
formed of a plurality of different shaft sections that mate
together to form the assembled shaft. More specifically, the shaft
110 can be formed of three distinct shaft sections, namely, a first
shaft section 111, a second shaft section 113, and a third shaft
section 115. The first shaft section 111 is attached at one end to
the cap/ferrule and at its other end to one end of the second shaft
section 113. The second shaft section 113 is attached at its other
end to one end of the third shaft section 115. The third shaft
section 115 is attached at its other end to the handle 130. Thus,
the first shaft section 111 represents the top shaft section; the
second shaft section 113 represents the middle shaft section; and
the third shaft section 115 represents the bottom shaft section.
The dimensions of the individual shaft sections 111, 113, 115 can
differ and in particular, at least one of the length and/or width
(e.g., diameter) can be different. In the illustrated embodiment,
the sections 111, 113, 115 have the same width but the middle
section 113 has a greater length than the sections 111, 115 which
are shown to have the same lengths. For example, the three shaft
sections 111, 113, 115 can be 14 mm shaft sections made of
carbon.
[0049] The shaft sections 111, 113, 115 are connected to one
another by means of coupling members 105. One coupling member 105
is attached between two adjacent shaft sections 111, 113, 115. The
coupling member 105 can be thought of as being a shaft lock member
(lock insert) and can be formed of a metal material, such as
aluminum. The lock member 105 can be a hollow member (tube) that
has a first annular ridge (lip) 107 formed along its outer surface
and a second annular ridge (lip) 109 formed along its outer surface
and spaced from the first annular ridge 107. A space 108 is formed
between the ridges 107, 109. The annular ridges 107, 109 define
stops for the respect shaft sections. More specifically, an outer
diameter of the lock member 105 outside of the annular ridges 107,
109 is selected such that it can be inserted into the hollow
interior of the respect shaft sections 111, 113, 115 so as to form
a friction fit therebetween (a mechanical fit). Since the annular
ridges 107, 109 have a greater diameter than the inner diameter of
the shaft sections 111, 113, 115, the lock member 105 cannot be
inserted into the respective shaft section. Instead, these annular
ridges 107, 109 act as stops and prevent further insertion of the
lock member 105 into the respective shaft section. When assembled,
the surface of the lock member 105 between the two ridges 107, 109
is visible.
[0050] The lock members 105 thus provide rigid coupling members
securely attaching the shaft sections 111, 113, 115 to form the
complete assembled shaft.
[0051] As mentioned above, one of the main components of an
umbrella is a runner 150. The runner 150 is the part of the
umbrella that opens and closes the umbrella 100, with the runner
150 moving along the shaft 110. The runner 150 is thus a hollow
member that surrounds the shaft 110 and is movable along the shaft
110 and can be locked into one or more different positions. FIGS.
17A, 17B, 18A and 18B show the runner 150 in greater detail. The
runner 150 is formed of several parts or portions including a
generally cylindrical shaped base portion 152 and a shaft runner
lock 154. A top portion 153 of the runner 150 is configured to
receive and securely attach to a plurality of struts, as discussed
below, to effectuate movement of the ribs 200. The top portion 153
thus includes a plurality of slots 155 formed circumferentially
thereabout for receiving the struts. The shaft runner lock 154 is
located between the top portion 153 and the base portion 152.
[0052] The shaft runner lock 154 is designed to selectively lock
the runner 150 into one of a plurality of locked positions along
the shaft 110. FIGS. 18A and B are cross-sectional views of the
runner 150. FIGS. 17A and 17B show the runner 150 in an unlocked
(open) position relative to the lock member 105, while FIGS. 18A
and 18B show the runner 150 in a locked position in which the
runner 150 is locked in place relative to the shaft (i.e., is
locked with respect to the lock member 105).
[0053] The lock member 105 can thus be in the form of a machined
piece of aluminum (or other material) that provides a recess (space
108) for the runner 150 to make a connection to lock in place.
[0054] The shaft runner lock 154 is designed to lock and engage the
shaft lock member 105. The shaft runner lock 154 is a push/pull
runner that moves along the shaft. More specifically, the shaft
runner lock 154 has a resilient lock member (runner catch) 157 that
engages and seats within the space 108 formed between the annular
ridges 107, 109. The resilient lock member 157 can comprise an
annular shaped lock member 157 that has an inwardly directed lip
that seats within the space 108 when it is in registration
therewith. The resiliency (flexing) of the lock member 157 allows
the lock member 157 to flex outward allowing disengagement with the
space 108. When the lock member 157 (and in particular, the lip 159
thereof) is disengaged from the shaft lock member 105, the runner
150 can freely move along the shaft 110.
[0055] In use, when the runner 150 gets to a certain point where it
cannot move vertically up anymore and then the pressure gets
directed to the runner catch 157 which locks itself to the lock
insert 105. One advantage of this design is that typically one
would need to swage or reduce the diameter of the shaft in some way
to allow the runner to engage the locking mechanism or one would
have to add material to the outside of the shaft itself to make a
locking position. However, adding material to the shaft is
unsightly and also makes the folded diameter of the umbrella
larger.
[0056] FIGS. 17A and 17B show the runner 150 in the unlocked
position in which it is free to move along the shaft. In this
unlocked position, the runner catch 157 is not actively engaged
with the space (recess/channel) 108, while in FIGS. 18A and 18B,
the runner catch 157 is actively engaged with the space (recess)
108, thereby locking the runner 150 to the shaft. As mentioned
herein, when the runner 150 is pushed it gets to a certain point
(such as the point shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B) where it cannot move
any more in the vertical direction. Continued application of force
against the runner in the vertical direction causes a force to be
applied to the runner catch 157 and this results in deformation of
the runner catch 157 in a radially inward direction toward the lock
insert 105.
[0057] The runner catch 157 can be disengaged from the locking
recess 108 by overcoming the retention force meaning that when the
user exerts sufficient force to the runner 150, the runner catch
157 disengages from the locking recess 108 and the runner 150 is
free to move.
[0058] As described herein, the lock members 105 are thus
positioned along the shaft 110 to lock the runner 150 into desired
positions, such as a fully open position and a fully closed
position as illustrated herein.
[0059] It will be appreciated that the runner 150 is merely
illustrative and not limiting of the scope of the present invention
since other runner constructions can be used with the umbrella of
the present invention.
[0060] To move the runner 150 along the shaft 110 in either
direction (up and down), the user simply applies a sufficient force
to cause the lock member 157 to disengage from the lock slot (space
108).
[0061] The umbrella 100 also includes a top notch 119 that is an
annular shaped member that is attached to the shaft 110 and
surrounds the shaft 110. The top notch 119 is configured to receive
ribs 200 and thus serves an attachment point for such ribs. The
ribs are attached to the shaft 110 by fitting into the top notch
119 and can then be held by a wire or other means. The top notch
119 can be a thin, round nylon or plastic piece with teeth around
the edges.
[0062] As will be appreciated by the following description, each
rib 200 is coupled to both the top notch 119 and the runner 150 and
this results in the opening and closing of the rib 200 and the
attached canopy (not shown) based on the direction of movement of
the runner 150. The connection between the rib 200 and the runner
150 is made by a strut 300 (main strut). The strut 300 is an
elongated structure that has a first end 302 and an opposite second
end 304, with the first end 302 being pivotally attached to the
runner 150 and the second end 304 being pivotally attached to the
rib 200. The pivotal connection between the strut 300 and the
runner 150 and between the strut 300 and the rib 200 can be
accomplished with a fastener, such as a rivet or pin, etc. More
specifically, a first strut joint 310 is formed between the strut
300 and the runner 150 at the first end 302 and a second strut
joint 320 is formed between the strut 300 and the rib 200 at second
end 304.
[0063] As shown in FIG. 6, the first strut joint 310 can be in the
form of a male end joint that is configured to pivotally attach to
the runner 150 to allow the strut 300 to pivot between an open
position and a closed position.
[0064] The second strut joint 320 is in the form of a double joint
and is best shown in FIGS. 6 and 7A-D. The second strut joint 320
can also be thought of as being a strut to rib joint and includes a
first end 321 that attaches to the distal end of the strut 300 and
a second end 322 which includes a pair of spaced fingers 323 that
are parallel to one another and define an open space 324
therebetween and have aligned openings formed therein to allow
passage of a fastener or the like to couple the joint to another
structure (rib) as discussed below. As shown in FIGS. 7A-D, the
second strut joint 320 also includes a joint connector 315 which
can be in the form of a fin that protrudes outwardly from the body
of the joint 310 (i.e., the connector 315 is formed perpendicular
to the body of the connector 315). The joint connector 315 has an
opening formed therein to allow a fastener to pass therethrough to
allow to another structure to be pivotally attached to the joint
connector 315.
[0065] The strut 300 can be formed of any number of different
materials including a metal (e.g., a zinc alloy).
[0066] As shown in the figures, the rib 200 is an elongated
structure that is coupled to other components of the umbrella to
provide a rib assembly defined by a plurality of ribs 200 that open
and close.
[0067] Each rib 200 is an elongated, flexible structure that has a
first end (proximal end) 210 and an opposing second end (distal
end) 212. The first end 210 is pivotally attached to the top notch
119 and more specifically, a first rib joint 220 can be provided at
the first end 210 and be designed to allow the rib 200 to pivot
relative to the top notch 119. In the illustrated embodiment, the
first rib joint 220 can be in the form of a male end joint that can
have a similar or the same construction as the first rib joint 310
that is part of the strut assembly.
[0068] As best shown in FIG. 6, the rib 200 also includes a second
rib joint 230 that is disposed along the length of the rib 200. The
second rib joint 230 can be fixedly attached to the rib 200 at a
specific location thereof. The second rib joint 230 can thus be in
the form of a hollow structure that receives the rib 200 and is
fixedly attached to the rib 200 so that during use, the second rib
joint 230 does not move but rather remains at the fixed location.
The second rib joint 230 has a connector portion 232 in the form of
a fin (protrusion) that extends radially outward therefrom. The
connector portion 232 can thus be formed perpendicular to the body
of the second rib joint 230. The connector portion 232 includes an
opening formed therethrough.
[0069] With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7A-D, the connector portion
232 is sized and configured to disposed within the open space 234
defined between the pair of spaced fingers 323 of the second strut
joint 320. When inserted into the open space 234, the opening
formed in the connector portion 232 axially aligns with the
openings in the fingers 323 to allow passage of a fastener (such as
a pin or rivet or wire, etc.), whereby the second strut joint 320
is pivotally attached to the rib 200 (and thus, the strut 300 is
pivotally attached to the rib 200).
[0070] According to one aspect of the present invention, an
anti-inversion mechanism (feature) 400 is provided and is
configured to counter an inversion force that is applied to the
umbrella during select operating conditions and in particular,
during windy conditions or other adverse conditions. As is well
known by users of umbrellas, if a sudden gust of wind is directed
upwardly toward the inside of the umbrella, the pressure applied by
the wind will invert the canopy causing the ribs to work
counterproductively forcing it outwards. The canopy generally
assumes a concave shape when inversion occurs and similarly, the
ribs are force to pivot in unintended directions which can result
in one or more ribs breaking. This renders the umbrella not usable.
The umbrella of the present invention has the anti-inversion
mechanism 400 that is made up of several components that are
individually discussed below.
[0071] As shown in FIG. 6 and FIGS. 8A-C, the anti-inversion
mechanism 400 comprises an anti-inversion strut 410 that has a
first end 412 that is coupled to the strut 300 and an opposite
second end 414 that is coupled to the rib 200. More specifically,
the first end 412 is coupled to the second strut joint 320 and the
second end 414 is coupled to the rib 200. The anti-inversion strut
410 has a first end joint 411 at the first end 412 and a second end
joint 413 at the second end 414. The illustrated first and second
end joints 411, 413 are in the form of female end joints and in
particular, the first end joint 411 is defined by a pair of spaced
apart fingers 415 that has an open space formed therebetween and
the second end joint 413 is also defined by a pair of spaced apart
fingers 417 that has an open space formed therebetween. The joint
connector 315 (a male joint) is received into the open space
between the fingers 415 (a female joint) of the first end joint
411, thereby coupling the anti-inversion strut 410 to the strut 300
in manner in which the anti-inversion strut 410 can pivot relative
to the strut 300.
[0072] The first and second end joints 411, 413 can be mechanically
fixed to the elongated strut body or the end joints 411, 413 can be
molded over an existing strut material.
[0073] The anti-inversion strut 410 can be formed of any number of
different materials including metals and synthetics. In one
exemplary embodiment, the anti-inversion strut 410 comprises a 6 mm
carbon Fiber rod.
[0074] The anti-inversion mechanism 400 also includes a floating
joint 500 that is slidingly coupled to the rib 200 and configured
to mate with the second end joint 413. FIGS. 8A-D illustrate the
floating joint 500. The floating joint 500 has a main body 510 that
includes a bore 512 that is formed therein and represents a through
hole that passes from one end of the main body 510 to the other end
thereof. The floating joint 500 also includes a joint connector 520
in the form of a fin that extends radially outward from the main
body 510. The connector 520 can be formed perpendicular to the main
body 510. The connector 520 has an opening formed therein. The
connector 520 thus represents a male joint.
[0075] The anti-inversion strut 410 is coupled to the rib 200 by
inserting the connector 510 between the spaced fingers 417 of the
second end joint 413. As in the other joint, a fastener or the like
can be used to couple the connector 510 to the fingers 417.
[0076] The rib 200 is received within and passes through the bore
512 and the size (diameter) of the bore 512 and the size (diameter)
of the rib 200 are selected such that the floating joint 500 can
freely move in a longitudinal direction along the length of the rib
200. This allows the floating joint 500 to be one which can freely
travel up (toward the top notch 119) and down the rib 200 (toward
the rib tip) when the umbrella opens and closes.
[0077] It will be appreciated that in another embodiment, the
floating joint can be a male part that includes male connector 520;
however, is positioned internal to the rib 200 such that the
floating joint is free to move within the hollow inside of the rib
200 (e.g., an aluminum extrusion rib or formed steel rib). The rib
200 could thus have a linear slot formed therein through which the
connector 520 passes. The operation of the floating joint is
otherwise the same. In this alternative embodiment, the "floating
action" of the floating joint thus occurs internally within the rib
200 as opposed to on the outside of the rib 200 in the illustrated
embodiment.
[0078] With reference to FIGS. 6 and 9A-D, the anti-inversion
mechanism 400 also includes a floating joint stop 530 that is
fixedly attached to the rib 200. The floating joint stop 530 is
disposed between the floating joint 500 and the second rib joint
230 and remains at a fixed location along the rib 200. The stop 530
includes a bore 532 that extends therethrough and receives the rib
200. The stop 530 is fixed to the rib 200 using traditional
techniques so as to fix the stop 530 at a specific target location
along the length of the rib 200. The stop 530 can be fixed by
mechanical or overmolded which is the preferred method in this
instance. The stop 530 is constructed such that it restricts the
movement of the floating joint 500 in the direction toward the top
notch 119.
[0079] It will be appreciated that when the umbrella is in the open
position, the floating joint 500 rides along the rib 200 until it
contacts the floating joint stop 530. The floating joint 500 in
combination with the floating joint stop 530 prevents the rib 200
from inverting as when under the force of a strong wind. Inversion
is prevented since the rib cannot bend upwardly due to the blocking
action of the floating joint stop 530.
[0080] FIGS. 10A-D and 11-13 illustrate the details of a tip 600 of
the rib 200. The tip 600 comprises a structure which attaches to
the distal end of the rib 200. The tip 600 is defined by a hollow
main body 602 that has a bore 603 that receives the distal end of
the rib 200 and is secured thereto. The tip 600 generally has a
delta wing shape and is defined by first and second wing sections
620, 630 that extend outwardly and rearwardly from the main body
610. Each of the wing sections 620, 630 has an angled leading edge
625, 635, respectively, and an angled trailing edge 627, 637,
respectively. In addition, as shown in FIG. 10D, the wing sections
620, 630 are angled relative to one another in that they do not lie
entirely within the same plane. The tip 600 is constructed and
designed such that it is angled to match the angle of the canopy
when the canopy is in the open position.
[0081] FIGS. 11-13 illustrate yet another feature of the tip 600 in
that the bore 603 of the main body 602 includes a biasing member
640, such as a spring. The spring 640 is disposed between the
distal end of the rib 200 and a stop 605 formed in the main body
602. The stop 605 represents an end of the bore 603. The bore 603
is designed to permit movement of the distal end of the rib 200 so
as to allow the ribs 200 and the umbrella for that matter to move
between the open and closed positions. The spring 630 will thus
store and release energy based on the manner in which the rib 200
acts thereon. FIG. 12 shows the tip assembly in a
closed/uncompressed state, while FIG. 13 shows the tip assembly in
an open/compressed state. In FIG. 13, the relationship between the
canopy and the tip when the umbrella is opened due to the
compressed state of the inner spring 640 of the tip.
[0082] In an alternative embodiment, the tip can comprise a male
unit (structure) that has a protruding portion that is received
within an opening (e.g., a bore) formed in the distal end of the
rib (e.g., aluminum extrusion rib or formed steel rib). The
coupling is thus formed by inserting the protruding portion of the
tip into the opening (bore) of the rib. As in the above embodiment,
a biasing member, such as a spring, can be disposed within the
opening (bore) formed in the rib and in contact with the protruding
portion of the tip that is likewise disposed within the opening
(bore) of the rib.
[0083] FIG. 2 shows the umbrella 100 and in particular, the single
rib assembly in a half open position, while FIG. 4 shows the
umbrella and in particular, the single rib assembly in a fully
closed position.
[0084] FIG. 4 shows the umbrella 100 with the plurality of rib
assemblies in the fully opened position, while FIG. 5 shows the
umbrella 100 with the plurality of rib assemblies in the fully
closed position.
[0085] While each part of the umbrella is necessary for its
operation, the runner 150 is the part that opens and closes it.
When the runner 150 is all the way down, the struts 300 are folded
flat against the shaft and the umbrella is "closed," with the
waterproof material and the ribs wrapped around the shaft. To open
the umbrella, the user slides the runner 150 all the way to the
top. The struts 300 extend, raising the ribs 200 to which they are
attached and spreading the material tight (canopy) over the ribs
200.
[0086] FIGS. 19-21 illustrate an umbrella 700 according to another
embodiment. The umbrella 700 is similar to umbrella 100 and
therefore, like elements are numbered alike. The umbrella 700
includes the shaft 110 and runner 150 which slidingly travels along
the shaft 110. As in the previous embodiment, the connection
between the rib 200 and the runner 150 is made by the strut 300.
Unlike in the first embodiment, there is no anti-inversion strut
400 between the strut 300 and the rib 200. Instead, the umbrella
700 of FIGS. 19-21 includes a different anti-inversion strut
mechanism 800.
[0087] In this embodiment, the anti-inversion strut mechanism 800
includes an anti-inversion strut 810 that has a first end 812 and
an opposing second end 814. The first end 812 is operatively
coupled to a floating notch 815 which is movingly disposed about
the shaft 110. More specifically, the floating notch 815 is
slidingly coupled to the shaft 110 and travels up and down the
shaft 110 much like the runner 150. The floating notch 815 is
located between the runner 150 and the top notch 119.
[0088] The floating notch 815 can be similar to the top notch 119
in terms of its construction and can be in the form of an annular
shaped member that is attached to the shaft 110 and surrounds the
shaft 110. The floating notch 815 is configured to receive
anti-inversion struts 810 and thus serves an attachment point for
such struts. The struts 810 are attached to the shaft 110 by
fitting into the floating notch 815 and can then be held by a wire
or other means. The floating notch 815 can be a thin, round nylon
or plastic piece with teeth around the edges.
[0089] The first end 812 of the anti-inversion strut 810 is
operatively coupled to the floating notch 815 and the second end
814 of the anti-inversion strut 810 is operatively coupled to the
rib 200.
[0090] FIGS. 19-21 show the details of the strut 810. The
anti-inversion strut 810 is formed of first and second parallel
rods 820, 830. The first ends of the first and second parallel rods
820, 830 are coupled to a first joint 840 at the first end 812 and
the second ends of the first and second parallel rods 820, 830 are
coupled to a second joint 850 at the second end 814. The first
joint 840 can be one of a male joint and a female joint and the
second joint 850 can be one of a male joint and a female joint. For
example, the first joint 840 can be in the form of a male joint
(twin rod male joint) and the second joint 850 can be in the form
of a female joint (twin rod female joint). The male joint (e.g.,
joint 840) is defined by a single protrusion (finger) 841, while
the female joint (e.g., joint 850) is defined by a pair of spaced
protrusions (fingers) 843 with a space 845 defined between the
protrusions 843.
[0091] The first joint 840 is configured to be pivotally attached
to the floating notch 815 and the second joint 850 is configured to
be pivotally attached to the rib 200. With respect to the coupling
between joint 840, the protrusion 841 of the first joint 840 is
received in a complementary space (slot) formed in the floating
notch 815.
[0092] The second joint 850 is operatively coupled to a floating
joint, such as floating joint 500. As previously discussed, the
floating joint 500 is slidingly coupled to the rib 200 and is
configured to mate with the second joint 850. FIGS. 8A-D illustrate
the floating joint 500. The floating joint 500 is defined by the
main body 510 that includes the bore 512 that is formed therein and
represents a through hole that passes from one end of the main body
510 to the other end thereof. The floating joint 500 also includes
the joint connector 520 (FIG. 8A) in the form of a fin that extends
radially outward from the main body 510. The connector 520 can be
formed perpendicular to the main body 510. The connector 520 has an
opening formed therein. The connector 520 thus represents a male
joint.
[0093] The anti-inversion strut 810 is coupled to the rib 200 by
inserting the connector 520 into the space 845 formed between the
spaced fingers (protrusions) 843 of the second end joint 413.
[0094] As in the other joint, a fastener or the like can be used to
couple the connector 520 to the fingers 843.
[0095] The rib 200 is received within and passes through the bore
512 (FIG. 8A) and the size (diameter) of the bore 512 and the size
(diameter) of the rib 200 are selected such that the floating joint
500 can freely move in a longitudinal direction along the length of
the rib 200. This allows the floating joint 500 to be one which can
freely travel up (toward the top notch 119) and down the rib 200
(toward the rib tip) when the umbrella opens and closes.
[0096] The strut 300 passes within the open space that is formed
between the first and second parallel rods 820, 830 of the
anti-inversion strut 810. This open space between the rods 820, 830
extends from the first joint 840 to the second joint 850 and
accommodates the strut 300 in all positions of the umbrella from
the fully closed position to the fully collapsed position.
[0097] As in the first embodiment, the rib 200 of umbrella 700
includes floating joint stop 530 that is fixedly attached to the
rib 200. The floating joint stop 530 is disposed between the
floating joint 500 and the second rib joint 230 and remains at a
fixed location along the rib 200. The stop 530 includes a bore 532
that extends therethrough and receives the rib 200. The stop 530 is
fixed to the rib 200 using traditional techniques so as to fix the
stop 530 at a specific target location along the length of the rib
200. The stop 530 can be fixed by mechanical or overmolded which is
the preferred method in this instance. The stop 530 is constructed
such that it restricts the movement of the floating joint 500 in
the direction toward the top notch 119. As in the first embodiment,
the stop 530 prevents the rib 200 from inverting under
pressure.
[0098] The anti-inversion mechanism in umbrella 700 is thus formed
between and serves to connect the floating notch 815 to the
floating joint 500 as opposed to the first embodiment in which the
anti-inversion mechanism was located between a pivotable strut and
the rib.
[0099] It will also be understood that the male/female type
connections described herein can be reversed in that the part
described herein as containing the male connector can instead
contain the female connector and conversely, the part described
herein as containing the female connector can instead contain the
male connector. For example, the floating joint 500 is shown with a
male connector 520; however, the floating joint 500 can instead be
formed to have a pair of spaced fingers (flanges) that define a
space therebetween (female connector). The distal end of the
anti-inversion strut would thus be formed to have a male joint as
opposed to the female joint that is shown. The coupling is the same
in that the male joint is inserted into the space formed in the
female joint. Similarly, the nature of the other joints, such as
the connection between the strut and the fixed joint (e.g., joint
230) can be reversed.
[0100] The runner locking feature of the present invention also
provides a number of advantages over conventional designs as well.
In particular, the lock insert provides a connecting featureell
between shaft segments that allows a method to lock the runner in
place by not adding an additional locking feature which would
increase the diameter of the runner which is not desired.
[0101] While the invention has been described in connection with
certain embodiments thereof, the invention is capable of being
practiced in other forms and using other materials and structures.
Accordingly, the invention is defined by the recitations in the
claims appended hereto and equivalents thereof.
* * * * *