AU2009201945A1

AU2009201945A1 - An umbrella support

Info

Publication number: AU2009201945A1
Application number: AU2009201945A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Bernadette Ann Lovell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-05-16
Filing date: 2009-05-18
Publication date: 2009-12-03

Description

I AN UMBRELLA SUPPORT This invention relates to an umbrella support. This invention has particular, but not exclusive, application to an umbrella support that may be releasably attached to a roof panel of a motor vehicle adjacent a door opening and which will provide support for an umbrella that when unfolded may be used to at least partially shield said opening and the interior of said vehicle from rain or direct sunlight and wherein reference will be made to same. However, it will be appreciated that this invention may be used to support other objects when attached to a motor vehicle, including flags. A person wishing to place a child in a child safety seat, that is secured to a seat of a motor vehicle near a door opening, must, while standing outside the vehicle, use their two hands to support the child when passing the child through the door opening. Unfortunately if it happens to be raining and the vehicle is not under cover, because the person does not have a free hand available to hold an umbrella, the child most likely will get wet during the process of placing him or her in the car safety seat. It is an object of the present invention to provide an umbrella support for supporting an umbrella that is releasably attachable to a motor vehicle which will be reliable and efficient in use. With the foregoing in view, this invention relates to an umbrella support for supporting an umbrella of the type comprising an umbrella shaft having an upper end to which there is attached a folding, circular, canopy and a lower end that is attached to a handle, when releasably attached to a roof panel of a motor vehicle adjacent a door opening, said roof panel including a lip comprising a lower, substantially vertical door seal flange, to which there is attached a door seal, that partially defines the door opening and an upper, curved, external lip face, said umbrella support including: a first attachment means that is capable of releasable attachment to the door seal flange; a second attachment means that is capable of releasable attachment to the external lip face, and securing means located between and connected to said first and said second attachment means, for securing said first and said second attachment means to the handle of the umbrella. The first and second attachment means may each include one or more adhesive pads that are capable of releasably engaging the vehicle roof panel. For example, the first and second 21 attachment means may include one or more pads comprising hook and loop fasteners that in use shall engage complementary pads that are mounted on the vehicle roof panel. However, in the preferred embodiment the first and second attachment means each include at least one magnet that in use can be releasably attached to the vehicle roof panel. The second attachment means may also be attached to the shaft of the umbrella thereby enabling the user to releasably secure the umbrella shaft to the roof panel using said second attachment means. This it is believed will improve the stability of the umbrella relative to the motor vehicle when the umbrella support is used to releasably attach the umbrella to the roof panel. By way of example, the second attachment means may be releasably attached to the shaft using a plurality of ties. However, in the preferred embodiment the second attachment means includes a magnet and the magnet in use can be simultaneously attached to both the roof panel and the umbrella shaft. It is envisaged that the umbrella support can remain either permanently or semi permanently secured to the umbrella handle and accordingly it is desirous that the umbrella support will not interfere with the opening and closing of the umbrella canopy. For this reason, the first and second attachment means are preferably connected to the securing means by a flexible connection and whereby in use the first and second attachment means may each be retained in an inoperative or stored position, such as a folded position, on the securing means. For example, the first and second attachment means may each be hingedly connected to the securing means. The securing means may include a band that is adapted to receive the umbrella handle. The band may be of a rigid or a flexible construction and may be either continuous or have opposing ends that in some instances can be releasably attached to one another. Some umbrella handles include a "quick release" button that is operatively connected to an opening mechanism for opening the canopy. Accordingly, in some embodiments the securing means may include an opening through which the "quick release" button extends. In another aspect this invention relates to an umbrella that is capable of being releasably attached to a roof panel of a motor vehicle adjacent a door opening, said roof panel including a lip comprising a lower, substantially vertical door seal flange, to which there is attached a door seal, that partially defines the door opening and an upper, curved, external lip face, said umbrella including: an umbrella shaft having a first end portion and an opposing second end portion; a handle that is attached to said first end portion; a canopy that is attached to said second end portion; a first attachment means connected to said handle, said first attachment means being capable of releasable attachment to the door seal flange, and a second attachment means connected to said handle, said second attachment means being capable of releasable attachment to the external lip face. In still yet another embodiment, this invention relates to an umbrella that is capable of being releasably attached to a roof panel of a motor vehicle adjacent a door opening, said roof panel including a lip comprising a lower, substantially vertical door seal flange, to which there is attached a door seal, that partially defines the door opening, and an upper, curved, external lip face, said umbrella including: an umbrella shaft having a first end portion and an opposing second end portion; a handle that is attached to said first end portion; a canopy that is attached to said second end portion, and attachment means associated with said handle for attaching the umbrella to the roof panel, characterized in that said umbrella shaft of said umbrella is substantially vertical when said umbrella is attached to the roof panel. In order that this invention may be more easily understood, a preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure. 1 is a pictorial view of an umbrella to which there is attached an umbrella support that has been constructed in accordance with the present invention; Figure. 2 is a pictorial view showing part of a motor vehicle, including a roof panel, door and a door opening, and whereby the umbrella of figure 1 is shown attached to the roof panel adjacent the door opening using the umbrella support, and Figures 3 to 8 illustrate how to make the support apparatus shown in figure 1. Figure 1 shows an umbrella 100 that includes a slender, elongate, shaft 101, a handle 102 attached to one end of said shaft, and a foldable canopy 103 that is attached to the other end of said shaft. The shaft 101 is manufactured from a ferrous material.

4 Figure 1 also shows an umbrella support 10 having securing means 11 that is securable to the handle 102, of the umbrella 100, and opposing first and second attachment means 12 and 13 respectively. The securing means 11 includes a generally cylindrically shaped sleeve 14 that in use shall extend reasonably tightly around the handle 102. The sleeve 14 includes an upper peripheral edge portion 15 and a lower peripheral edge portion 16. The first attachment means 12 includes a magnet 17 that is retained within a pocket 18. The pocket 18 is spaced a relatively short distance from and connected to the lower peripheral edge portion 16, of the sleeve 14, by a flexible web 19. The second attachment means 13 includes a magnet 20 that is retained within a pocket 21. The pocket 21 is spaced a relatively short distance from and connected to the upper peripheral edge portion 15, of the sleeve 14, by a flexible web 22. Figures 3 to 8 show step by step how to make the support apparatus 10 using two strips of elastic material 23 and 24 respectively , and the two magnets 17 and 20. The first strip of material 23 is approximately 3 cm wide and must be long enough to form the sleeve 14 that extends about the handle 102, of the umbrella 100. Further, the first strip of material 23 includes two opposing end portions 25 and 26 respectively. The second strip of material 24 is approximately 3 cm wide and 15 cm long, and includes two opposing end portions 27 and 28 respectively. The two strips of material 23 and 24 are laid one on top of the other and sewn together such that they form a cross that is substantially symmetrical in both axes, as shown in figure 3. The end portions 27 and 28 are each folded back upon one another and sewn along the sides (29a and 29b) so as to form respective pockets 31 and 32 that are each adapted to receive one of the magnets 17 and 20, as shown in figure 4. Having placed a magnet in each pocket, the fourth side 30 of each pocket is stitched closed, thereby preventing removal of the magnets, as shown in figure 5. The two end portions 25 and 26 are sewn together so as to form a sleeve that when stretched and slid over an end of the handle 102, of the umbrella 100, will, because of the material's elasticity, grip said handle reasonably tightly, as shown in figure 6. In use, the sleeve 14 may be placed in an operative on the handle 102 such that the second attachment means 13 abuts against a lower end portion of the shaft 101, adjacent the handle 102, and this connection is maintained by the magnetic attraction of the magnet 20 for the shaft 101. As a consequence the magnet 20, and hence the second attachment means 13, is inclined relative to both the umbrella shaft and the umbrella handle. The second attachment means 13, when not required, may be placed in an inoperative position whereby a significant portion of said second attachment means overlies a portion of the sleeve 14 and whereby said second attachment means 13 may be retained in this inoperative position by it's magnetic attraction to the first attachment means 12, which has also been placed in a position whereby it too overlies a portion of said sleeve 14. The first attachment means 12, in it's operative position, may hang freely from the sleeve 14. Figure 2 shows a portion of a motor vehicle 200, including a door pillar 201 and a lip 202 of a roof panel 203 which partially defines a door opening 204. The lip 202 includes a lower, substantially vertical door seal flange 205, to which there is attached a door seal 206, and an upper, curved, external lip face 207. The abutting relationship of the sleeve 14 against the door seal 2006 is maintained by the action of the two attachment means, 12 and 13. In this regard, the first attachment means 12 is placed against the underside of the door seal 2006 and wherein this connection is maintained by the magnetic attraction between the magnet 17 and the door seal flange 2005. The second attachment means 13 bears against the curved lip face 207 and wherein this connection is maintained by the magnetic attraction between the magnet 20 and said lip face 207. To detach the umbrella from the motor vehicle, the user need only use sufficient force to break the magnetic bonds between the magnet 17 and the door seal flange 2005, and the magnet 20 and the curved lip face 207. The foregoing description has been given by way of illustrative example of the invention and many modifications and variations which will be apparent to persons skilled in the art may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An umbrella support for supporting an umbrella of the type comprising an umbrella shaft having an upper end to which there is attached a folding, circular, canopy and a lower end that is attached to a handle, when releasably attached to a roof panel of a motor vehicle adjacent a door opening, said roof panel including a lip comprising a lower, substantially vertical door seal flange, to which there is attached a door seal, that partially defines the door opening and an upper, curved, external lip face, said umbrella support including: a first attachment means that is capable of releasable attachment to the door seal flange; a second attachment means that is capable of releasable attachment to the external lip face, and securing means located between and connected to said first and said second attachment means, for securing said first and said second attachment means to the handle of the umbrella.

2. An umbrella support as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and said second attachment means each include at least one magnet.

3. An umbrella support as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said first and said second attachment means are each connected to the securing means by a flexible connection that permits said first attachment means and said second attachment means to each be moved from a stored or inoperative position on said securing means to a second or operative position.

4. An umbrella support as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said securing means is an elastic sleeve.

5. An umbrella that is capable of being releasably attached to a roof panel of a motor vehicle adjacent a door opening, said roof panel including a lip comprising a lower, substantially vertical door seal flange, to which there is attached a door seal, that partially defines the door opening and an upper, curved, external lip face, said umbrella including: an umbrella shaft having a first end portion and an opposing second end portion; a handle that is attached to said first end portion; 7 a canopy that is attached to said second end portion; a first attachment means connected to said handle, said first attachment means being capable of releasable attachment to the door seal flange, and a second attachment means connected to said handle, said second attachment means being capable of releasable attachment to the external lip face.

6. An umbrella support as claimed in claim 5, wherein said fist attachment means and said second attachment means each include at least one magnet.

7. An umbrella that is capable of being releasably attached to a roof panel of a motor vehicle adjacent a door opening, said roof panel including a lip comprising a lower, substantially vertical door seal flange, to which there is attached a door seal, that partially defines the door opening, and an upper, curved, external lip face, said umbrella including: an umbrella shaft having a first end portion and an opposing second end portion; a handle that is attached to said first end portion; a canopy that is attached to said second end portion, and attachment means associated with said handle for attaching the umbrella to the roof panel, characterized in that said umbrella shaft of said umbrella is substantially vertical when said umbrella is attached to the roof panel.

8. An umbrella support substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. An umbrella substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED THIS 15th DAY OF MAY, 2009 Bernadette Ann Lovell By her Patent attorneys AHEARN FOX