AU2003100566A4 - An umbrella - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 INNOVATION PATENT SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Invention Title: KAPSTAR PTY LTD, ACN 096 347 741, of l1th Floor, Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia KAPEL, Michael, Abraham DAVIES COLLISON CAVE, Patent Attorneys, of 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia An umbrella The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us:- P:OPER\DBW0231 5700 divdoc- 11/07/03 -1- AN UMBRELLA The present invention relates to an umbrella, and in particular to an umbrella having a structure that allows it to be collapsed to a small size.

For users who wish to carry an umbrella as much as possible, in the event of any inclement weather, there are two competing criteria for the umbrella. The first is that the canopy of the umbrella must be of a sufficient area and strength to protect the user during a rain shower, and the second is that it must be possible to collapse the umbrella to a size that is convenient for carrying when not in use. The second criteria dictates that the umbrella must be as light and small as possible when collapsed, but this is contradictory to the first criteria when the umbrella is opened. The two competing criteria represent a significant challenge to designers of the umbrellas.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided an umbrella having: a canopy with a collapsible frame; and a telescopic shaft with at least five sections; wherein said canopy and shaft when collapsed allows the umbrella to be carried in a user's pocket.

Preferably, a final section of the shaft has the largest diameter of the sections and is less than 110 mm long.

Advantageously, the length of the umbrella when collapsed may be less than 200 mm, the width about 60 mm and the depth about 40 mm.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is hereinafter described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of an umbrella, when opened; Figure 2 is a plane view of the canopy of the umbrella when opened; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the shaft of the umbrella; and P:AOPER\DBW02315700 div.doc-l 1/07/03 -2- Figure 4 is a perspective view of the umbrella when collapsed.

An umbrella 2, as shown in the Figures, has a canopy 4, a crown part 6, to which the canopy 4 is attached and mounted on, a handle 8 and a telescopic shaft 10 that extends between the crown part 6 and the handle 8. The crown part 6 includes a fixed crown 12 connected to a first end 14 of a first section 102 of the shaft 10, and a slider 14 that is able to be moved so as to slide along the shaft 10 and engage the crown 12 when the canopy 4 is opened. The canopy has a standard collapsible frame 24, 26, 28, 30, 32 that provides a scissor-link folding system for the canopy 4. The canopy 4 is hexagonal, when open, as shown in Figure 2, and the frame has arms 24, 26, 28, 30, 32 that extend from the crown part 6 to the six vertices 20 of the canopy 4, respectively. The scissor-link folding system can be spread open by moving the slider 14 up to the fixed crown 12, and collapsed by moving the slider down the telescopic shaft 10. The folding system of the frame has pairs of scissor levers 24, 26, each with an upper one 24 being pivotally connected to the fixed crown 12, and a lower one 26 being pivotally connected to the slider 14. When the frame is fully spread, an interference fit with the crown 12 and/or spring biased latch tongue on the first section 102 engages and holds the slider 14, and the canopy, in an open position.

The perimeter of the canopy 4 has six sides that extend between the vertices 20, which are each of a length 22 that is 440 mm. The length diagonally and directly between the vertices 20 is 880 mm. Each of the six arms of the frame that extend from the core part 6 to the vertices 20 include the upper scissor lever 24, and the lower scissor lever 26. The arms also each include, pivotally connected to the lower lever 26, a first arm section 28 to which is pivotally connected the second arm section 30, which also has a third final arm section 32 connected thereto. The second and third arm sections are about 130 mm long, whereas the first arm section 28 is about 110 mm long. The upper scissor lever 24 is mm long and the lower scissor lever 12 is 120 mm long.

The fixed crown 12 has an outer knob with a diameter of about 30 mm and a height of 12 mm, and an inner tubular section that has a diameter of about 15 mm and a length of mm. The inner tubular section of the core 12 is slightly tapered towards the slider of 14 so P:OPER\DB\V02315700 div.doc-l 1/07/03 -3as to facilitate an interference fit with the slider 14. The slider 14 itself has a diameter of about 20 mm and a length of about 12 mm.

The shaft 10 is telescopic and has five sections 102, 104, 106, 108 and 110 that slide so as to fit within one another. The sections 102 to 110 are hollow, with the fifthsection 110 having the largest diameter and the first section 102 having the smallest diameter, such that when the umbrella is collapsed, the first four sections 102 to 108 all fit within the fifth section 110. The first to fourth sections 102 to 108 each include adjacent the bottom ends thereof a spring latch 150 that is biased so as to extend into a respective receiving slot near the top end of the second to the fifth sections 104 to 110. When the shaft is fully extended, the spring latches 150 extend into their respective receiving slots so as to prevent a section 102 to 108 from coming completely out of the respective larger section 104 to 110 that it fits within. When a spring latch 150 extends into its slot, it also prevents the immediately adjacent upper section 102 to 108 from falling into the section 104 to 110 it fits within, without some force acting against the bias of the spring latch 150.

The lengths of each shaft section are as follows: First shaft section 102: 35 mm.

(ii) Second shaft section 104: 91 mm.

(iii) Third shaft section 106: 97 mm.

(iv) Fourth shaft section 108: 106 mm.

Fifth shaft section 110: 107 mm.

The handle 8 is attached to the end of the fifth shaft section 110 at the second end of the shaft 10. The handle is the shape of a rectangular prism, having a height of about 30 mm, a width of about 23 mm, and a length of about 50 mm.

The use of at least five shaft sections, and frame arm sections 28 to 32 of a relatively short length, allows the umbrella to be collapsed to a very small size, as shown in Figure 4.

Once a 5 cm velcro strap is placed around the collapsed canopy 4, the length 400 of the canopy is only 130 mm, and this combined with the height 402 of the handle 8 gives an P\OPER\DBWN02315700 div.do- 11/07/03 -4overall length of only 160 mm. The depth 404 of the packed canopy is only about 40 mm, and the width is about 60 mm.

The umbrella 2 is of such size that it can be comfortably placed in a coat pocket, pants pocket or shirt pocket.

The frame and shaft are made from aluminium, and the handle may also be made of aluminium, whereas the canopy is made of nylon.

The size of the umbrella can be reduced further by introducing more shorter length shaft sections, say 6 or 7 shaft sections, shorter frame arms and/or additional frame arms, but care needs to be taken to make sure that the protection and strength criteria are still met.

Introducing too many shaft sections can not only inadvertently increase the cost of production, but also can seriously affect the strength of the umbrella, and in particular the shaft when extended. With regard to the frame arms, these should also not be reduced considerably in size or additional arms introduced, as this can increase the size of the umbrella, in particular its bulk, when collapsed. Again, the protection and strength criteria needs to be carefully considered when adjusting the frame arms. The frame supports the canopy, and needs to be able to withstand an acceptable level of wind resistance.

Many modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Claims (4)

1. An umbrella having: a canopy with a collapsible frame; and a telescopic shaft with at least five sections; wherein said canopy and shaft when collapsed allows the umbrella to be carried in a user's pocket.

2. An umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shaft has five sections.

3. An umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shaft has six sections.

4. An umbrella as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a final section of the shaft has the largest diameter of the sections and is less than 110 mm long. An umbrella as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the length of the umbrella when collapsed is less than 200 mm, the width is less than 70 mm and the depth is less than 50 mm. DATED this 1 lth day of July 2003 KAPSTAR PTY LTD By its Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE