AU593152B2 - An improved double-shade umbrella - Google Patents

Description

I

596152 S F Ref: 42440 FORM COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Ttda documnjt Ua r I manft do u* Sot 1 49

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE: Class Int Class C 4~ 1~~ t Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art: Name and Address of Applicant: tt 4. I~ t C C I~

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C V Kuan Hung 280, Pei Ning Rd.

Ho Mei Chang Hwa Hsien

TAINAN

Address for Service: Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Complete Specification for the invention entitled: An Improved Double-Shade Umbrella The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us 5845/3 r y^ -2- BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The double-shade umbrella is a special umbrella made of two sets of frames, ribs, and shades. The lower ends of the two stems are connected to one handle and the adjacent parts of the two shades are sewed together.

When it is unfolded, the stems are in V shape and the oblong shade provides the user with better protection against the sun and the rain especially when it is used by two persons. But the construction of the conventional :o 10 umbrella results in many disadvantages in terms of o°o manufacture and use.

0 0 0 oo 1. Dasically, the two shades and frames must be unfolded simultaneously or damage will be caused to the shades and ribs. But the two frames of conventional 15 double-shade umbrella have separate release devices.

The user must operate them simultaneously with two hands.

This is not only inconvenient but also to cause the o' r" 'above said damage if the two release devices are not operated simultaneously.

2. The unusual tension produced at the parts of shades adjacent the middle seam when the umbrella is unfolded suddenly will cause damage to the shade.

3. Failure of the male-female connection at the top caps will occur due to deformation and wear after use and the connection is too weak to prevent the umbrella from being unfolded when the release device is i pressed down by accident. The unexpectedly unfolded Cont'd/3 -3umbrella would hit the person or things nearby.

4. In addlton, the conventional double-shade umbrella is too large to pack and carry.

It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages.

There is disclosed herein an umbrella comprising two sets of foldable ribs attached to one end of respective support members each support member being pivotally mutually attached to a single handle at the other end thereof, at least some of the ribs of one set of ribs being pivotally attached at respective attachment points to adjacent ribs of the other set of ribs, at least one flexible safety~device spanning at least two of said attachment points, a single-button release device, located in said handle, a coupling device to selectively couple said one ends of said support members when the umbrella is folded, and means for connecting the handle to 15 a ground engaging supporting pole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS o" A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a vertical view of the improved double-shade umbrella of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the rib of the said umbrella when it is unfolded.

SFig. 3 is a sectional view of the said rib 0 o 00 9 KLN/15411

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-4when the umbrella is folded.

Fig. 4 is a vertical view of the whole frame Spcnn%?NS and Lsafty device of the said umbrella.

Fig. 4A illustrates theisafety device of the said umbrella.

Fig. 4B is a vertical view of the plastic n o 1'So-n retainer of 'the said saf device.

o4 o a o Fig. 5 is a vertical view of the said a4 4 umbrella when it is folded.

o Fig. 6 is a vertical view of the handle of the said umbrella.

wo Fig. 7 is an exploded view of the part of the said handle.

Fig. 8 is an exploded view of the top 15 coupling of the said umbrella.

Fig. 9 illustrates the said coupling.

Fig. 10 is an exploded view of the connection of the pointed pole of the said umbrella.

Fig. 11 illustrates the application of the said umbrella.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, the nature of this invention is described as follows: Generally, the improved double-shade umbrella of this invention comprises two shades 1, 2, two canes 3, 4, two sets of ribs 10, 11, two top caps 5, 6, and a handle 7, and features a two-section design of ribs pa~nr and shades, a ci~a;E--device at the rib joint of two Jshades, a button-type release device in the handle, t 1 a coupling of top caps and a connection of the $tit pole.

too Two-section design of ribs and shades: As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the two sets of ribs 10, 11 and 3, 4 are made in two collapsible sections. When umbrella is unfolded, the hubs 12 are released f-rom the snap catches 13 and slides upward, and pushed by the 21< springs 14, the ribs 10, 12. are unfolded radially on the canes 3, 4. When the umbrella is folded, the hubs 12 are pulled downward and caught by the snap catches 13.

The two sets of ribs 10, 11 and canes 3, 4 are collapsed in two sections as shown in Fig. 5. Each of the ribs It 10, 11 consists of a front piece 20, a prop piece 21, a stay piece 22 and a main piece 23. They are unfolded as shown in Fig. 2 and folded as shown in Fig. 3.

S-afet device at the rib joints of two shades: As shown in Fig. 4, the two canes 3, 4 extended from the handle 7 respectively support the two shades 1, 2 Cont'd/6 -6wihare joiedtoeter Two corresponding pairs of short front rib pieces 24, 25 and 26, 27 are provided on both sides of the seam Al,,as shown in Fig. 1) to support the joined parts of the shades 1, 2. The sa2~eai devi ce of this invention is the restraint of the joints of the front rib pieces 24, 25 and 26, 27 by a plastic retainer 30 as shown in Fig. 4B. The plastic retainer 30 has two buckles 28, 29 at both ends to keep a proper distance between the two pairs of front rib pieces 24, 25 and 26, 27 to allow the shades to fold smoothly. With holes 31, 32 in the front ends of the e) o o front rib pieces, the rib pieces are joined together oo by means of a small screw 33 and nut 34. Each of the buckles 28, 29 of the flexible retainer 30 has a small hole 37 and a stud 36 for fastening the front rib pieces 24, 25 and 26, 27 at the joint. The plastic retainer will bend when the umbrella is folded and keep a desired distance between the ribs after the umbrella is unfolded. A slot 38 is provided in each of the buckles 28, so that the joint of front rib pieces 24, and 26, 27 can move freely when folding and unfolding.

Button-type release device in the handle: As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the handle 7 made in an integrated part has a handle bar 8 fitted over the lower end and three oblong recesses 39, 40, 41 inside.

The recesses 40, 41 are to accommodate the two canes 1 3, 4. The oblong shapes are designed for the canes 3, 4 to move sideward slightly after the umbrella is unfolded.L The oblong recess 39 is designed for esthetic purpose and for reducing the weight. Two blocks 43 are provided Cont 'd/7 -7on both sides of the recess 42 for holding a T shaped button plate 44 in such way that the button protrudes from the recess 42 in the front of the handle 7. The canes 3, 4 are installed in the recesses 40, 41 in such way that their lower ends touch the recess bottom and the keys 46, 47 of the release devices installed in the canes keep in contact with the back of the T shaped button plate 44. The outer parts 48, 49 fl .of the telescopic sections can slide downward as far as the top edge of the recesses 40, 41. When the button is depressed, the T shaped button plate 44 will press the keys 46, 47 down and the snap catches 13 installed in the canes 3, 4 will be pressed down with the keys 46, 47.

Thus the outer parts 48, 49 of the telescopic sections are released and the shades are unfolded simultaneously.

The canes 3, 4 have holes 52, 53 at the lower end for r fixing the canes 3, 4 in the handle 7 with pins.

Coupling of top caps: Figs. 8 and 9, show a button-type coupling of top caps 5, 6. The top cap 5 has a large square hole 58 in one side and a small square 59 and round hole 60 in another side. The small knob 61 has an oval hole 62 in one side and a spring hole in another side to accommodate the spring 63.

The small knob 61 also has a recess and a curved block 64 on the top side. The other top cap 6 has a coupler After the small knob 61 is fitted in the square hole 58 in the top cap 6, a pin is inserted in the small hole 60 of the top cap 6 and the oval hole 62 of the small knob to join them. After the umbrella is folded, Cont'd/8 SIt S- 'W i i nsmall knob 61 is pressed down, the coupler 65 will be the top caps fitted on the top ends of the canes 3, 4 can be pressed together and the coupler 65 of the top cap 6 can be inserted in the sqthare hole 59 of the top cap and caught by the curved piece 64so that the two top caps 5, 6 are effectively joined together. When the groovesmall knob 61 is pressed down, the coupler 65 will be preleased from the curved block 64 and the umbrella han be unfolded.

10 and Connection of the pole: As shown in Figs.

t 10 10 and 11, the connection consists of an L shaped piece 9 and a connecting rod 76. The L shaped piece 9 has a p t groove 66 to receive the handle bar, a hinged cover plate 67 with two retainers 68, 69 to catch hold of the 1t.

snap hooks 70, 71, and a knuckle 72 with two projections between which the flat end of the connecting rod 76 is inserted and movably fixed by means of a screwbolt 74 a wing nut 75 and holes 73, 77. The inward sides of the projections and the two sides of the flat end 81 are made in ratchet toothing so that the angle between the L shaped piece 9 and the connecting rod 76 can be adjusted.

The connecting rod 76 has a cylinder 81 to be fitted on the pointed pole 82 so that the umbrella can be used as a beach umbrella.

With the above mentioned designs, the improved double-shade umbrella of this invention has the following advantages: With the two-section design of shades, ribs and frames, the shades ribs and frames can be folded of in two sections to facilitate packing and carrying.

With a safety device at the joints of ribs of two Cont'd/9 i 72I~ r 7 Ii,.

-9shades, a desired distance is kept between the ribs and no damage would be caused to the ribs and shades when the umbrella is unfolded suddenly. With a single button release device, the two shades can be unfolded simultaneously by one push without need to push with two hands. With a button-type coupling, the two top caps can be joined togwther after the umbrella is folded without fear that it would be unfolded unexpectedly when the release button is pressed down by accident. With a connection of the pointed pole, it can be used as a beach umbrella.

Accordingly, the improved double-shade umbrella having many advantages over the conventional double-shade umbrella, is really a new, advanced and 15 practical invention.

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L *4 01(1 44l Cont'd/lO0 i

Claims (7)

1. An umbrella comprising two sets of foldable ribs attached to one end of respective support members each support member being pivotally refe mutually attached to a single handle at the other end thereof, at least smofthe ribs of one set of ribs being pivotally attached at respective attachment points to adjacent ribs of the~ other set of ribs, at least one I flexible a de vi ce.. spanning at least two of said attachment points, a single-button release device located in said handle, a coupling device to selectively couple said one ends of said support members when the umbrella is folded, and means for connecting the handle to a ground engaging

2. The umbrella of claim 1 wherein each of said two sets of foldable ribs comprises a front pieca, a prop piece, a stay piece and a I' main piece to facilitate the folding of shade(s) in two sections.:

3. The umbrella of claim 1 theclaim 2wherein th device is located at the joint of two pairs of shorter ribs on both sides of a seam: of the shade(s) and comprises a plastic retainer having a buckle at each end made in such a way that they can hold the ribs and keep a desired distncebetween them to allow the shade to fold smoothly.

4. The umbrella of any one of the preceding claims wherein the single-button release device comprises two recesses in the handle In which a portion of the support members fit, two blocks made as an integral part oC:.of the handle, and a T shaped button plate with a knob adapted to protrude o from a front hole of the handle, and a back of sai(f plate adapted to engage release keys in the support members so as to facilitate operation by one hand. 006664

5 The umbrella of any one of the preceding claims wherein the coupling device comprises a small knob in one top cap and a coupler on another, said knob being formed in such a way that it will catch the coupler when it is inserted therein and will release the coupler when thej J knob is pressed.

6. The umbrella of any one of the preceding claims wherein said means of connecting the handle to a ground engaging supporting pole comprises an L shaped piece with a groove and a hinged cover plater a connecting rod, a screwbolt and a wingnut to join the L shaped piece and the connecting rod, and ratchet toothings on an inward sides of two projections of the L shaped piece and both sides of a flat end of the connecting rod for holding and adjusting purposes. KLN/15411/ KLN/ 27 11

7. An umbrella substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this THIRD day of OCTOBER 1989 Kuan Hung Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON 00 o 0 0 000 0 00 0 o 000 0 00 0000 0414 0 0 0000 0 0 0 0 00 0000 0 0 0 00 0 04 0 0 0 00 0000 I 0004 *014t# 4 0 ~I 10 C O C L t KLN/l 5411