Umbrella

Abstract

A retractable umbrella having a central tubular storage handle into which a top cover and multiple stays slide or telescope when retracted for storage, and from which the cover and stays are propelled axially to open in an outwardly expanding direction to provide a top cover adapted to be carried by means of the central tubular handle.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Heretofore, umbrellas have been of a complex folding type to obtain compactness, or involved a full length central stem with the top and supporting stays retractable directly thereabout, and in either case the top was secured centrally to the stem, as were the supporting stays by pivotal connections, and the stays were braced intermediate their length by means of strut members connected at their opposite ends to a sliding ring on the central stem which moved lengthwise of the stem in opening and closing the umbrella. Thus, with an assembly of this type, it was necessary frequently to operate the mechanism under the most difficult conditions, such as when entering or leaving a door to a building or a car, whereupon it becomes necessary to pull the umbrella closed or push it open in directly opposed movements in respect to a person's handling of the door, and, if there is a wind, the conditions are further complicated. The present invention, however, overcomes such difficulties by a very simple umbrella design wherein the opening and closing movements are directly axially of a hollow central cylinder which, in the retracted position of the umbrella, contains the entire assembly comprised of the top cover, supporting stays, tension chords for the stays, and sliding members in the tube. The operation of the umbrella presents no difficulty upon entering or leaving a doorway because of the manner in which the mechanism moves axially of the supporting tube. In closing, the top cover, supporting stays, and tension chords are drawn into the central tube in a sliding or telescoping action which has the effect of retracting these parts inwardly without interfering with any surrounding obstacle. The opening operation involves movement of the retracted assembly axially of the tube, whereupon the top cover and supporting stays expand outwardly, controlled by the tension chords, so that, again, interference with any surrounding obstacles may be avoided.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the invention is to provide a compact umbrella design wherein the top cover is stored in the handle.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a tubular strut or handle adapted to contain a folded top cover of an umbrella.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a tubular umbrella handle containing the folded cover and supporting stays which expand outwardly when the assembly is moved axially of the tubular handle.

A further object of the invention involves the provision of an umbrella comprised of a central tube and a folding top cover having supporting stays with tension chord members controlling the open position of the top and stays.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a tubular umbrella handle adapted to contain a folded top cover, the supporting stays therefor, and tension chord members for the stays, and wherein the several parts are slidable axially into the handle to close the umbrella and propelled axially outwardly of the handle to open.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other and more specific objects of the invention are attained by the umbrella structure and arrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of the umbrella of this invention shown fully open;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the umbrella fully retracted within the tubular handle showing the compactness of the design;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the umbrella assembly in the fully retracted position showing how all of the parts are contained in the central tubular handle;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the umbrella assembly showing the position of the parts in an intermediate step during movement to open the umbrella;

FIG. 5 also is a vertical sectional view through the umbrella assembly showing the umbrella fully open with the top cover extended and supported by the flexible stays under control of the tension chords;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of the invention showing the assembly fully retracted within the tubular handle; and

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the modified version of the invention indicating the several parts of the assembly in various positions during operation to full open position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The umbrella of this invention comprises a hollow cylinder or central tubular member which serves as the handle for the umbrella and as a storage chamber for the assembly of the parts comprised of the top cover, a plurality of flexible stays for supporting the cover in open position, a similar number of tension chords which control and brace the supporting stays, and sliding operating members in the tube, to which these parts are connected, and by means of which they are operated in opening and closing the umbrella. In the closed position, the entire umbrella assembly is enclosed within the tubular handle to provide a very compact simple design, and which is easily opened by merely sliding the parts axially of the tube, whereupon the top cover and its assembled stays and tension chords expand outwardly to provide a strong, fully effective cover against the elements, and which is not affected by wind in that it cannot be turned inside out or damaged by gusts that would destroy the usual umbrella structure.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As disclosed herein, the umbrella of this invention includes a hollow cylinder 10 which comprises a tubular handle serving the multiple functions of a carrying handle and storage chamber for the retracted parts of the umbrella assembly when closed. The tube comprising this handle is closed at one end, as at 11, and the opposite end of the tube is open, as at 12. The open end of the tube has an inwardly extending annular shoulder 12'.

A sliding member 13 is disposed in the hollow cylinder and is adapted to be moved between a retracted position adjacent the closed end 11 of the tube and an extended position projecting through the open end of the tube, as best shown in FIG. 5. The sliding member is provided with an annular shoulder 13' projecting outwardly near the lower portion of the member and which prevents complete escape of the sliding member through the open end of the tube, as will hereinafter appear. The sliding member 13 is operated by an actuating member 14 or control ring which is mounted on the exterior face of the cylinder 10. This actuating member is made rigid with the sliding member by means of a connection 15 which extends through the wall of the cylinder 10. This connection 15 may be disposed at diagonally opposite sides of the cylinder and control ring and extends through an opening in the cylinder wall or, as shown, by means of slots 16. These slots 16 are each provided with a lateral offset 17 at the bottom end and an offset 18 at the top end. It will readily be seen that when the sliding member is in the retracted position adjacent the bottom or closed end 11 of the tube 10, it can be locked in this position merely by rotating the sliding member by means of the control ring 14, whereupon the connection members 15 are moved into the bottom lateral offsets 17 securely to hold the member 13 in retracted position. Similarly, when the sliding member 13 is moved to the extended position projecting through the open end 12 of the cylinder 10, it can be locked in this position by turning the control ring 14 to rotate the member 13 and thereby move the connections 15 into the top lateral offsets 18, whereby securely to hold the sliding member in this position against any possibility of dislodgment until it is desired to release it by turning the control ring 14 in a reverse direction when it is intended to retract the sliding member.

The umbrella includes a top cover 19 which may be comprised of fabric or, where desired or preferred, could be made from a suitable plastic material. Radially extending flexible stays 21 support the top cover material in its expanded open position and, as disclosed in this embodiment, these stays comprise an integral assembly including a central portion 20 from which the ribs 21 radiate to the outer edge of the umbrella. The top cover at its center and the central portion 20 of the stay assembly are secured to the outer end of the sliding member 13 by a fastening 22. A plurality of radially extending tension chord members 24 extend between the upper or open end 12 of the tube 10 and an intermediate position on each radial stay member 21 where each chord member is slidingly engaged. This connection may be by means of a sliding interlock 27, as shown, or the connection may obtain relative movement by other means. The tension chord members may also comprise an integral assembly, in which event the radially extending chord members 24 radiate from a central collar 23 outwardly to the sliding connection 27 where they engage the ribs 21. The collar 23 fits in the open outer end 12 of the tube 10 and is provided with an annular outwardly extending shoulder 23' which engages under the inwardly directed annular shoulder at the open end 12 of the tube 10. Thus, the collar 23 and the tension chord assembly is retained in operative association with tube 10. It should be noted here that the annular shoulder 13' extending outwardly around the sliding member 13 underlies the shoulder 23' so that the shoulders 12', 23' and 13' prevent the sliding member from traveling beyond the point where the fastening members 22 may be rotated into the lateral offsets 18 extending from the slots 16 in the cylinder wall when the umbrella is opened.

The stays 21 are hingedly associated with the central portion 20 and, as shown, this may comprise an integral hinge 25 or, if desired, may be formed of pivotally connected separate members. The tension chord members 24 similarly are disclosed as having integral hinge connections 26 with the central collar member 23, but here again the hinges may be comprised of separate members pivotally connected, if preferred. The stays 21 at their outer ends are each secured to the top cover 19 as by means of the connections 28. Thus, a completely operative umbrella structure is provided where it will be seen that the entire top assembly is readily and simply drawn into the central tube by an inwardly folding movement. The cover 19 folds as the stays 21 and tension chords 24 hinge upwardly in an inward direction, and the entire assemblage moves axially into the tube 10 as drawn by the sliding member 13 when the latter, after being rotated slightly to release connection 19 from the top lateral offset 18, is retracted from its extended position projecting above the open end 12 of tube 10 to its fully retracted position adjacent the bottom or closed end 11 of the tube where it is rotated slightly to lock in this position by moving the connection member 15 into the bottom lateral offset 17.

DESCRIPTION OF MODIFIED EMBODIMENT

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a modified version of the umbrella of this invention is disclosed, and it will be seen that the basic concept of the central tubular handle and inwardly folding top assembly is retained and including the flexible stays hingedly connected to the axially sliding member in the tube, so that the entire top can be slid into the tubular handle, as before, but the primary difference in this version of the invention resides in the type and arrangement of the tension chords. In this arrangement, the central tubular member 210 comprises the umbrella handle and storage chamber for the folded top assembly. A sliding member 213 moves between retracted position adjacent the bottom closed end 211 and the open position of the umbrella at the top open end 212 of the tube. In this design, the sliding member 213 is disposed more or less flush with the open end 212 of the central tube, and is capable of being locked in open and closed positions, as before, by means of lateral offsets 218 and 217 from the axial slots 216 when the sliding member is rotated slightly at the respective positions by means of the outer control ring 214 which actuates the member 213 by means of connections 215 which enter the offset slot portions to complete the locking action. The top cover 219 is supported by flexible stays 221 hingedly connected to the member 213 at the center and their free ends connected to the cover 219, as at 228. The folding operation of this top arrangement and its movement into the central tube 210 is similar to that of the previously described arrangement.

In the modified construction, the tension chords 224 are secured exteriorly of the central tube 210 at their inner ends, and, when the top cover and stays are slid into the central tube, the chords extend up over the top edge of the open end 212 of the central tube and down into the tube as the stays and folded top cover slide downwardly into the tube for storage. The tension chords 224, as shown in this arrangement, may comprise fine wire or cord, or they may be made from a filament fabricated from a suitable plastic. These tension members 224 are connected at their outer ends to the respective stays 221 intermediate the length of the stay, and at their inner ends they are connected to an anchor collar 223 mounted on the outer surface of the central tube 210. This anchor member is fixed and, when the umbrella is closed, the cords 224 extend upwardly from their connection to the anchor 223, over the top edge of the open end 212 of the central tube and down into the tube 210 to the point where they connect with the respective stays 221. From the illustration of this arrangement in the closed position, as shown in FIG. 6, it becomes apparent that this modified version retains the compactness inherent in the inventive design.

From the foregoing, the invention will be recognized as an umbrella which may be folded inwardly and concealed in a central tube which comprises the handle for the umbrella as well as the storage chamber for the folded top assembly.

Claims

The embodiments of this invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An umbrella comprised of a hollow cylinder having an open outer end formed with an inwardly directed annular shoulder, a sliding member in the cylinder comprising a hollow tubular member having a closure piece forming the outer end thereof and a laterally projecting annular shoulder adjacent the inner end thereof, a top cover centrally secured to the end closure piece of said sliding member, a plurality of flexible stays centrally connected to said end closure piece of the sliding member and extending radially outward therefrom, said stays comprising an integral one-piece assembly fastened at the center to the sliding member and hinged adjacent each radial outwardly portion, a tension chord connected at one end intermediate the length of each stay and at its opposite end interengaged with said cylinder, said tension chords comprising an integral one-piece assembly interengaged with said cylinder at the center and each radial outwardly extending portion is slidingly interlocked with a stay intermediate the length thereof, said integral one-piece tension chord assembly having a central collar surrounding said sliding member, an annular outer shoulder on said collar seated on said annular shoulder on the sliding member in one position thereof and engaged under said inwardly directed annular shoulder on the outer end of said hollow cylinder whereby the sliding member and the tension chord assembly are prevented from travelling beyond the end of the hollow cylinder, and an actuating member, actuating said sliding member.

2. An umbrella as set forth in claim 1 wherein said top cover, flexible stays and said tension chords are drawn into said hollow cylinder by movement of the sliding member to retracted position in the cylinder and are propelled out of the cylinder by movement of the sliding member to its projecting position whereby the top cover is expanded outwardly by said stays under control of said tension chords.

3. An umbrella as set forth in claim 2 wherein said flexible stays, tension chords, sliding member, and said hollow cylinder are fabricated from suitable plastic materials.

4. An umbrella as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tension chords at their inner ends engaged with the cylinder are secured externally of the cylinder, and when the top cover and stays are drawn into the cylinder extend over the outer end of the cylinder from their points of securement and into the cylinder.