CA2044555A1 - Umbrella button latch - Google Patents

Umbrella button latch

Info

Publication number
CA2044555A1
CA2044555A1 CA 2044555 CA2044555A CA2044555A1 CA 2044555 A1 CA2044555 A1 CA 2044555A1 CA 2044555 CA2044555 CA 2044555 CA 2044555 A CA2044555 A CA 2044555A CA 2044555 A1 CA2044555 A1 CA 2044555A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
runner
umbrella
button
latch
centerpost
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA 2044555
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Fu-Tien Liu
Toshio Okuda
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Totes Inc
Original Assignee
Fu-Tien Liu
Toshio Okuda
totes, Incorporated
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Fu-Tien Liu, Toshio Okuda, totes, Incorporated filed Critical Fu-Tien Liu
Publication of CA2044555A1 publication Critical patent/CA2044555A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A45HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
    • A45BWALKING STICKS; UMBRELLAS; LADIES' OR LIKE FANS
    • A45B25/00Details of umbrellas
    • A45B25/16Automatic openers, e.g. frames with spring mechanisms
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A45HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
    • A45BWALKING STICKS; UMBRELLAS; LADIES' OR LIKE FANS
    • A45B25/00Details of umbrellas
    • A45B25/12Devices for holding umbrellas closed, e.g. magnetic devices

Abstract

UMBRELLA BUTTON LATCH
Abstract of the Disclosure A button latch system for an umbrella having a runner slideable on a centerpost, the runner having a first latch component. A push button having a second latch component integral therewith is recipro-cably carried in a handle, the button being con-tinually spring loaded toward a latch position. The runner's latch component latchingly engages the button's latch component when the runner slides down the centerpost into a closure position adjacent the button, thereby holding the umbrella's rib linkage in the collapsed position.

Description

UMBRELLA BUTTON LATCH
This invention relates to umbrellas. More particularly, this invention relates to a latch system by which an umbrella is retained in the closed or collapsed configuration.
When a conventional umbrella is closed, it usually is retained in a collapsed or storage position through use of a spring loaded hook that is normally biased to extend out of or beyond the sxterior surface of the umbrella's centerpost. In other words, when the umbrella is opened and in use, the spring loaded hook protrudes beyond the outer surface of the center-post. As the umbrella is closed, the umbrella's runner slides down the centerpost over the hook and depresses that hook into the hollow centerpost. When a latch edge defined by the runner is presented, and as the runner slides over the hook, the hook protrudes out of the centerpost to engage with the runner so that the runner, and therefor the umbrella's rib linkages can be held in the closed or collapsed position. In the case of automatic self-opening .

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umbrellas, latching engagement of the hook with the runner also holds the umbrella's spring loaded cenker-post in the collaps~d position. One problem with this prior art umbrella latch is that the hook must be retracted interiorly of the centerpost, and this limits the latch surface, as well as the exten sion/retraction path length, for the hook. For this reason, the latching engagement between the hook and the runner may be unstable. Furthe~more, the hook is sharp that protrudes outside the centerpost when the umbrella is opened, and this poses a potential hazard to the umbrella user's fingers and/or clothing.
Accordingly, it is one objective of this invention to provide an improved latch system for an umbrella where the umbrella's runner diractly engages the umbrella's push button structure in a latching relationship interiorly of the umbrella's handle to hold the umbrella closed in the collapsed state.
It has been another objective of this invention to provide an improved latch system for an umbrella that eliminates the use of a spring loaded hook mounted interiorly of the umbrella's centerpost, w~ich hook is normally spring biased out of or beyond `the exterior surface of that centerpost, thereby eliminating the potential hazard to a user's fingers or clothing that would otherwise be present if the spring loaded hook is used.

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A further objective of this i~vention has been to provide an improved latch system for a self-opening umbrella in which the umbrella's push button cooperates with the umbrella's runner where the push button includes a stop adapted to latchingly engage a lip formed on the runner, that lip being defined by one of a bore in the runner's side wall and a rib on the runner's side wall, the latched relation of the push button and the runner being located interiorly of the umbrella's handleO
In accordance with these objectives, this invention is directed to a button latch system for an umbrella. The umbrella includes a runner slideable on a centerpost, the runner having a first latch com ponent. A push button having a second latch component integral therewith is reciprocably carried in a handle, the button being continually spring loaded toward a latch position. The runner's latch component latchingly engages the button's latch component when the runner slides down the centerpost into a closure position adjacent the button, thereby holding the umbrella's rib linkage in the collapsed position. In preferred form, the runner's latch component is in the form of a lip defined by a rib on the runner's side wall or a bore in the runner-'s side wall, and the button's latch component is in the form of a stop adapted to latchingly engage that lip, the button (and ,:

therefor, the button's latch component) being recipro-cable in the handle in a guide path generally normal to the runner's guide path on the centerpost. As the umbrella is closed, the runner slides down the center-post and the runner~s lip latchingly engages the button's stop to achieve easy and stable closure of the umbrella.
Other objectives and advantages of this invention will be more apparent from the detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a partially broken away side view of an automatic umbrella in open configuration with a first embodiment of an umbrella button latch in accord with the principles of this invention;
Fig. lA is a partially broken away side view of an automatic umbrella in open configuration with a second embodiment of an umbrella button latch in accord with the principles of this invention;
Fig. 2 is a partially broken away side view of the Fig. 1 umbrella but with the umbrella closed to a first stage, Fig. 2A is a partially broken away side view of the Fig. lA umbrella but with the umbrella closed to a first stage;

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Fig. 3 is a partially broken away side view o~ the Fig. 1 umbrella but with the umbrella closed to a second stage;
Fig. 3A is a partially broken away side view of the Fig. lA umbrella but with the umbrella closed to a second stage;
Fig. 4A is a perspective view o~ a one piece runner which includes a single latch bore;
Fig. 4B is a perspective view o~ a one piece runner which includes two latch bores;
Fig. 4AA is a perspective view o~ a one piece runner which includes a single annular rib stop;
Fig. 4BB is a perspective view of a one piece runner which includes two annular rib stops;

Fig. 5 is a partially broken away side view of an automatic umbrella with the umbrella closed to a first staye, and with a third embodiment of an umbrella button latch in accord with the principles of this invention;

Fig. 6 is a partially broken away side view of the Fig. 5 umbrella but with the umbrella closed to a second stage;
Fig. 6A is an exploded perspective view of the-runner used in the Figs. 5 and 6 embodiment:

Fig. 6B is an assembled perspective view of - the runner used in the Fig. 5 and 6 embodiment;

' Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a push button in accord with the principles of this invention; and Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view of a latch system for a prior art umbrella.
In the description of the umbrella button latch of this invention, the following reference numerals are used: handle 1, runner 2, push button 3, compression spring 4, tube 5, centerpost 6, centerpost 7, grip 20, latch portion 21, notch 22, stop 31, detent 51, recess 61, first bore 210, first annular rib stop 210A, second bore 211 and second annular rib stop 21lA.
A latch system for a conventional automatic or self-opening umbrella is shown in Fig. 8, and it is over this system that applicant's invention consti-tutes an improvement. The primary drawback of the prior art latch is that after the umbrella is opened, the hook on the pivoted latch arm is always exposed or extended outside the centerpost at a location near the handle because of its spring loading, as shown in Fig.
8. Thus, the sharp hook may hurt the user, or may harm the user's clothing, upon careless operation.
The present invention is characterized in that there is no hook exposed outside the centerpost 7, and thus it is safe. This invention is particu-larly directed to an automatic self-opening umbrella '~ ''; '' '',: . ' .
'. , ::, with a rib linkage, a telescoped centerpost comprised of two sections, a compression spring for extending those two sections into use position, and a handle.
The handle 1 is provided with a slide path in which a push button 3 is located and is recipro-cable, see Figs. 1, lA, 2, 2A, 3 and 3A. The push button 3 includes, and is integral with, a frame that defines an elliptical hole. That end oE the hole opposite the button end is provided with a latch component in the form of stop 31, see Fig. 7. A
compression spring 4 is provided between that end of the button frame opposite the button end, and the inner wall of the handle 1, such that the push button 3 is continually spring biased toward a latching position as shown in the figures. Note the centerpost 7 extends through the button frame's elliptical bore, and that the button's stop is spring loaded against that centerpost when the umbrella is opened as shown in Fig. 1. Note also the top surface of the button's stop is beveled so that the button can move in a direction counter to its compression spring bias when a downward force is directed against that beveled surface.
` ` Five different runner 2 embodiments are illustrated in the drawings. One piece runners are shown in Fig. 4A, 4AA, 4B and 4BB, same being illus- .
trated with a single bore, a single rib stop, two bores 210, 211, and two annular rib stops 210A, 211A, respectively. In each case, each bore and each rib stop is the structural embodiment of the respective runner's latch component with the lower edge of each bore constituting a latch lip and the top edge of each annular rib also constituting a latch lip. The two bore and two rib embodiment runners allow the umbrella to be closed in two stages, i.e., an intermediate stage where the cover on the collapsed rib linkage can be furled around the centerpost, and a final stage where the umbrella's rib tips are received within the confines of the handle. Alternatively, the runner embodiments with one bore or one rib only allow for a single closure stage for the umbrella. In use of the two bore and two rib embodiment runners, and when the umbrella is closed to the first stage by collapsing the centerpost, the runner 2 will be drawn into the handle and into the elliptical hole of the push button 3, and the stop 31 will firmly engage the first bore 210 or the first rib 210A. When the user collapses the centerpost further, the runner 2 will move deeper into the handle to make the second bore 211 or the second rib 211A to engage the stop 31. Note that easy angagement of the button's stop with the runner's bores 210, 211 or ribs 210A, 211A, as the runner moves down the centerpost, is accommodated because of the button stop's beveled top surface that cooperates with , . ~ , _9_ the runner's beveled heel when the runner's latch component is defined by bores and the beveled lower edges of the ribs when the runner's latch component is defined by ribs.
Another runner embodiment is shown in Figs.
5, 6, 6A and 6B. The runner Z according to this embodiment may be formed by the combination of a grip 20 together with a separate tube 5 having a single bore or two bores. The purpose of the tube 5 is to distinguish the grip 20 portion from the tube 5 portion of the runner such that the user will hold the grip 20 instinctively. This makes operation more convenient since the user normally will not inadver~
tently grip the tube 5. The grip 20 is provided with a notch 22 and the tube 5 is provided with a single bore or two bores and a detent 51. A runner 2 is formed when the tube 5 is inserted into the grip 20 and the detent 51 is engaged with the notch 22. A
separate centerpost section 6 is further provided in the handle 1. A recess 61 is provided on that section 6 to increase the contact area of that stop 31 at a position corresponding to the button's stop 31. The opening and closing motions of this umbrella are ` identical with the one described above.
Having describQd in detail the preferred embodiments of our invention, what we desire to claim and protect by Letters Patent is:

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Claims (8)

1. An umbrella, comprising a handle attached to a centerpost, said handle having structure that defines a guide path, a push button reciprocable in said guide path, said push button having structure that defines a first latch component, and a runner slidably carried on said center-post, said runner having structure that defines a second latch component, said button latch component and said runner latch component being latchingly engaged when said runner is in a closure position adjacent said handle, thereby holding said umbrella in a collapsed position.
2. An umbrella as set forth in Claim 1, said umbrella comprising a spring connected with said push button, said spring continually biasing said push button toward its latch position.
3. An umbrella as set forth in Claim 1, said runner latch component comprising a lip defined by one of a bore in said runner and a rib on said runner, said lip cooperating with said button latch component to latchingly engage said push button and said runner.
4. An umbrella as set forth in Claim 3, said button latch component comprising a stop fixed to said button.
5. An umbrella as set forth in Claim 4, said push button comprising a frame with said button fixed to one end and said stop fixed to the other end, said button being located on one side of said centerpost and said stop being located on the other side of said center-post.
6. An umbrella as set forth in Claim 5, said runner comprising upper and lower lips to accommodate two stage closure of said umbrella, said lips being defined by one of two bores and two ribs.
7. An umbrella as set forth in Claim 1, said runner comprising a grip and a tube, said tube defining said lips, said tube being of the same cross-sectional configuration as said centerpost.
8. An umbrella as set forth in Claim 4, said stop having a beveled surface and said runner having a beveled surface, said runner's beveled surface and button's beveled surface cooperating upon latching engagement of said runner and said push button.
CA 2044555 1990-10-24 1991-06-13 Umbrella button latch Abandoned CA2044555A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CN90222658U CN2105203U (en) 1990-10-24 1990-10-24 Closed umbrella fixing device of automatic umbrella
CN90222658.4 1990-10-24

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2044555A1 true CA2044555A1 (en) 1992-04-25

Family

ID=4900561

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA 2044555 Abandoned CA2044555A1 (en) 1990-10-24 1991-06-13 Umbrella button latch

Country Status (3)

Country Link
CN (1) CN2105203U (en)
CA (1) CA2044555A1 (en)
GB (1) GB2250681B (en)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6655398B2 (en) * 2001-11-26 2003-12-02 Lu Tsai Huang Umbrella having a resilient whale bone device
GB2420273B (en) * 2004-11-18 2007-10-24 Fu-Tien Liu A multi-sectioned automatic umbrella
CN107825892A (en) * 2017-11-27 2018-03-23 宁德职业技术学院 A kind of written replaceable paintbrush of industrial art

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH210033A (en) * 1938-09-27 1940-05-31 Thorens Hermann Sa Umbrella with telescopic pole and roof pole parts.
GB642417A (en) * 1947-08-01 1950-09-06 Kurt Lachmann Improvements relating to telescopic umbrellas

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9112820D0 (en) 1991-07-31
GB2250681A (en) 1992-06-17
CN2105203U (en) 1992-05-27
GB2250681B (en) 1993-12-08

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