CA2072699A1 - Wind invertible umbrella rib linkage system - Google Patents

Abstract

WIND INVERTIBLE UMBRELLA RIB LINKAGE SYSTEM
Abstract of the Disclosure A wind invertible umbrella with a topless rib linkage system. The rib linkage includes a flexor that is flexible in response to a wind gust directed against the underside of the umbrella's cover which is of sufficient force to invert the rib linkage into a non-useful or inside out position without causing sufficient rib linkage damage to prevent reversing of the linkage back into a pre-wind gust position. The flexor also is flexible in response to a manual force applied to the rib linkage in a direction opposite to the wind gust force that is of sufficient magnitude to reverse the rib linkage from its non-useful position back into a useful umbrella position without causing sufficient damage to the linkage to prevent further opening and closing, i.e., further use, of the umbrella. Preferably the flexor is connected to the umbrella's runner, and the manual reversing force is applied to the runner for moving the runner down the centerpost toward the umbrella closed position when reversing the inverted rib linkage back into its pre-wind gust position.

Description

2~72~99 This invention relates to umbrellas. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved umbrella rib linkage system, and to an umbrella which incorporates that improved rib linkage system.
A collapsible umbrella has a centerpost composed of two or more sections that can telescope one within the other in order to shorten the centerpost length and, thereby, shorten the umbrella itself, when the umbrella's cover and rib linkage are collapsed.
Collapslble umbrellas have been well received in the marketplace in recent years because they are so easy to store and to carry by their owners. A collapsible umbrella can be carried in a briefcase or handbag or the like so it i5 always available for use if the need arises.
- A rib linkage system for a collapsible umbrella must permit an overall umbrella length that is reasonably short in the storage or full closed position, relative to its length in the ~ull opened or use position, so the umbrella can be easily stored or carried wherever desired by the user. There are a couple of different basic types 2~72~9 of rib linkage systems by which a collapsible umbrella's cover can be erected and collapsed that meet this short storage length objective, one being of a simpler struc-ture and easier to operate than the others. This one type o~ collapsible umbrella rib linkage system has seen significant success in the marketplace, and is known as a topless umbrella rib linkage system. The topless umbrella rib linkage system incorporates a series of cover ribs that only partially support the umbrella's cover when it is open. The cover ribs extend radially inward from the outer periphery of the cover toward the centerpost, but they stop significantly short of the centerpost, e.g., they may only extend half the radial distance from the cover's outer periphery to the center-lS post. Thus, the cover ribs are not directly connected to the umbrella's centerpost. This is contrary to other rib linkage systems in which the umbrella's cover ribs are directly connected to the umbrella's centerpost, and do extend radially outward from the centerpost to the cover's periphery. One such topless rib linkage system that has been well received in the umbrella market place is that illustrated in U.S. patent No. 4,627,455, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
One ~ractical problem ~hat periodically or-curs ~` 2S during use of an umbrella, and particularly one problem that is associated with prior art topless rib linkage systems of the type described above, is that sam~ can become ruined or at least severely damaged when the -- .' ' ' ~ .

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underside of the umbrella's cover is exposed to a wind gust of sufficient force to invert the umbrella's rib linkage. In other words, if a wind gust force is directed against the underside of the umbrella's cover when the umbrella with its rib linkage system is fully opened and in use, and if the wind gust is of sufficient force such as may occur during use of the opened umbrella in a rain and wind storm, then the umbrella's rib linkage may be inverted or turned inside out into a non-useful position. And when this occurs, it is often the case that the umbrella's rib linkage is caused significant damage so as to prevent reversing of that rib linkage back into a pre-wind gust position. In other words, when this situation occurs, the umbrella is often ruined, and cannot thereafter be used.
Accordingly, it has been a primary objective of this invention to provide an umbrella that incorporates an improved topless type rib linkage system which can be inverted without causing sufficient damage to the rib linkage to prevent reversing that rib linkage back into a pre-wind gust position if a wind gust is directed against the underside of the umbrella's cover of suffi-cient force to invert the rib linkage into a non useful or inside out position.
It has been another objective of this invention to provide an umbrella with an improved topless type rib linkage system of the type defined in the paragraph above where, in the event the rib linkage is indeed inverted, ,. .. : - ,:, .
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!, ., ' ' ,~, ` , 2~2699 the rib linkage can he reversed from the non-use~ul position ~ack into a useful or pre-wind gust position without sufficient damage to the rib linkage to prevent further opening and closing of the umbrella simply by applying a manual force to the umbrella's runner in a direction ~pposite to that of the wind gust force which is of sufficient magnitude to reverse the rib linkage.
In accord with these objectives, this invention is directed to a wind invertible umbrella with a topless rib linkage system. The rib linkage includes a flexor that is flexible in response to a wind gust directed against the underside of the umbrella's cover which is of sufficient force to invert the rib linkage into a non-useful or inside out position without causing sufficient rib linkage damage to prevent reversing of the linkage back into a pre-wind gust position. The flexor also is flexible in response to a manual force applied to the rib linkage in a direction opposite to the wind gust force that is of sufficient magnitude to rev~rse the rib linkage from its non-useful position back into a useful umbrella position without causing sufficient damage to the linkage to prevent further opening and closing, i.e., further use, of the umbrella. Pre~erably the flexor is connected to the umbrella's runner, and the manual reversing force i5 applied to the runner for moving the xunner down the centerpost toward the umbrella closed position when reversing the inverted rib linkage back into its pre-wind gust position.

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Other objectives and advantages of this invention will be more apparent from ths following detailed description taken in ~onjunction with the drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a side view of an umbrella in accord with the principles o~ this invention, the umbrella being shown in the ~ull opened position;
Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the encircled section of the umbrella's rib linkage illus-trated in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but illustrating an alternative embodiment for the encircled section of the rib linkaye shown in Figure 1;
Figure 4A is a side view similar to Figure 1 but illustrating the rib linkage system after it has been inverted or turned inside out by a wind gust;
Figure 4B is a view similar to Figure 4A but illustrating the rib linkage system in an intermediate posture as it i~ reversed from the inverted position illustrated in Figure 4A;
Figure 4C is a view similar to Figure 4B but illustrating-the rib linkage system after it has been fully reversed from its inverted position shown in Figure 4A back into a useful or pre-wind gust position; and Figure 5 is a view of an umbrella in accord with the principles of this invention, and with a rib linkage basically the same as that shown in Figure 1, the umbrella being a self-opening umbrella~

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An umbrella with rib linkage system 10 in accord with the principles of this invention is illus-trated in Figures 1 and 2. The umbrella, which is collapsible into a storage position (not shown) and erectable into a use position shown in Figure 1, basical-ly includes a centerpost 11, a cover 12, and the rib linkage system 10 that includes a series of eight topless rib linkages 13. The centerpost 11 includes an upper section 14 and a lower section 15 telescopable relative one to the other between collapsed (not shown) and erected (Figure 1) positions, same being held in the er~cted position by a first spring loaded latch (not shown) in accord with known umbrella practice. The umbrella cover 12 is supported by the eight separate rib linkages 13 when the umbrella is full opened, all these linkages being identical one to the other. The topless rib linkages 13 interconnect with the umbrella's ferrule 16 as at 17 and with the umbrella's runner 18 as at 19.
The umbrella's ferrule 16 is fixed to the top end of the centerpost 11, and the runner 18 is movable or slidable . along the centerpost for raisin~ and lowering the rib linkages 13 and, thereby, the cover 12. T~e runner 18 is held in an upper or umbrella full opened position by a second spring loaded latch ~not shown) also in accord with known umbrella practice. A handle (not shown) is fixed to the bottom end (not shown) of the centerpost 11 so the umbrella can be easily held by the user in the rain when it is fully opened.

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It is the umbrella rib linkage system 10 to which this invention is directed, and the invention is described here in connection with one such topless type rib linkage 13 although as earlier mentioned all eight rib linkages are identical one with the other. Each topless rib linkage 13 includes a flexible cover rib 20 to which the cover 12 is fixed at its outer periphery as at 21, e.g., by tying with thread. The cover rib 20 extends radially inward toward the umbrella's centerpost 11 but is of length only equal to about one-half the radius of the umbrella's cover 12 when the umbrella is full opened, so that the cover rib terminates as at its inner end 22 about midway between the cover'~ periphery 23 and the centerpost. It is this cover rib 20 struc-ture, which cover rib is not directly connect~d at its inner end 22 to the umbralla's ferrule 16, that gives rise to the "topless" re~erence in the chaxacterization of a topless rib linkage system.
The topless rib linkage 13 also includes a non-flexible or rigid stretcher rib 24 pivotally connected as at 19 at its inner end to the runner 18. The rib linkage 13 further includes a non-flexible or rigid support rib 25 pivotally connected as at 17 at its inner end to the ferrule 16, and pivotally by pin 26 intermedi~te its inner and outer 2nds to the stretcher rib 24. This intermediate pin 26 connection of the stretcher 18 and support 25 ribs is also intermediate the in~er and outer ends of the stretcher rib. Note the outer end of the 2~7~9~

support rib 25 is formed of spaced legs 25 that establish a generally radially outward and upward directed dog leg configuration. This allows the support rib 25 to be located outboard of the stretcher rib 24 at the pivot connection 26. Note also the stretcher rib 24 is of a length that allows its radially outer end 27 to extend substantially beyond that pivot connection 26 between the support rib 24 and stretcher rib 25 so as to provide support for and interact with a flexor 30 assembled therewith as described in further detail below.
The rib linkage 13 also includes a non-flexible or rigid control link 31 pivotally connected by pin 32 at its inner end to the support rib 24, and pivotally connected by pin 33 at its outer end to the cover rib 20.
Note particularly that the former pivot connection 32 is therefor established between the support rib's longitudi-nal axis 35 and the cover rib's longitudinal axis 36, i.e., is not on the support rib's longitudinal axis 35.
This, of course, is because of the radially outward directed dog leg configuration of the outer end 25a of the support rib 25. A bracket 34 ~ixed to the cover rib 20 at its inner end establishes the pivot pin 33 connec-tion of the control link 31 with the cover rib. Note particularly the iinear axis 37 of the foot end 38 of the support rib 25 is generally coaxial with the linear axis 39 of the control link 31 when the umbrella is full opened as shown in Figure 1, but not otherwise.
The rib linkage 13, in accord with the princi-~2~99 ples of this invention, also includes the flexor 30 or flexible stretcher rib. The flexor 30 is integrated with the rib linkage system lo in that it is connected at one end to the stre~cher rib 24 and support rib 25, and at the other end to the cover rib 20 as illustrated in Figure 1. Note particularly the flexor 30 is in the form of a flexible rib provided with a hook 40, 41 at each of its inner and outer ends, respectively. The flexor's inner hooked end 40 is hooked over pin 26 fixed between side walls 24a, 24b of the stretcher rib 24 which is in the form of an upwardly opening U-shaped cross-section strut. In this regard, therefor, note the flexor 30 is connected with both the support rib 25 and the stretcher rib 24 at its inner end 40 at that same pivot connection 26 where the support rib and stretcher rib are pivotally connected one with the other. Note also the flexor's hook-shaped outer end 41 is hooked over rivet 43 on bracket 34 fixed to the cover rib's inner end. And further, note the control link is connected to the cover rib 20 at a location between the flexor's pin connection 43 with the cover rib 20 and the cover rib's outer end 21.
The flexor 30, as particularly illustrated in Figure 2 ~which figure illustrates the speci~ic embodi-ment shown in Figure 1), has a primary or outer section 30a that extends between the outer end 27 of the rigid stretcher rib 24 and the cover rib 20 without constraint, i.e., this section of the flexor can flex upwardly or .

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downwardly relative to the umbrella's cover 12, during normal use or full-opened position of the umbrella. The flexor 30 also includ~s an inner section 30b that lies adjacent the floor 44 of the upwardly directed U-shaped rigid stretcher rib 24~ and is so constrained within same by rivet 45 at the outer end 27 of that rigid stretcher rib as particularly illustrated in Figure 2. According-ly, the inner or constrained section 30b of the flexor or flexible stretcher rib 30 is of a length less than the outer or unconstrained section 30a of the flexor. And this inner or constrained section 30b is supported by the outer section of the rigid stretcher rib 24 that extends beyond the pivot connection 26 of the rigid stretcher rib with the rigid support rib 25. In light of this rib linkage, therefor, the ~lexor or flexible stretcher rib 30 is also connected to the runner 18 since the flexor is directly connected to the stretcher rib 24.
An alternate embodiment of the ~lexor 30 and rigid stretcher rib 24 interconnection is illustrated in Figure 3. In this alternative embodiment, the rigid stretcher rib 24 also is fabricated from an upwardly directed U-shaped cross-section rigid strut. And a~ with the Figure 2 embodiment, in the Figure 3 embodiment the flexor 30 is connected by hook 40 with rivet 26 that extends between the rigid strut's side walls. However, and in place of the rivet 45 at the stretcher rib's outer end in the Figure 2 embodiment, the top edge ends 46, 47 of the U-shaped rigid strut 24 are hent or crimped '"' ` '' "''''`'' :

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2~2~9 inwardly toward one another as shown in Figure 2 so as to restrain the flexor's short section 30b in general alignment and assembly with the stretcher rib 24. In any event, and in both the Figure 2 and Figur~ 3 assembly embodiments, same define a mouth 48 at the stretcher rib's radially outer end which defines upper and lower limits between which the flexor 30 can move as the rib linkage 13 is operated upon opening and closing of the umbrella.
The umbrella cover 12, in light of the fact that the cover ribs 20 are not directly interconnected with the umbrella's ferrule 16, is tied to the umbrella rib linkage 13 at two spaced locations ~9, 50 between the cover's outer periphery 23 and the centerpost 11. At the first location 49, there is provided a bore in the cover rib's bracket 34. A first threat 52 is stitched at one end to the cover 12, and is ti~d at the other end to the bracket 34 through the bore 51. At the second location, a bore 53 is provided in the outer end of the rigid stretcher rib 24. A second threat 54 is fixed at one end to the cover 12 and at the other end to the stretcher rib 24 through that bore 53. These threads 52 or ties 54 tend to hold the cover 12 in alignment with the respec-tive rib linkages 13 as the umbrella is opened or closed.
In use, the flexor 30 i5 ~lexible in response to a force, e.g., a wind gust, directed against the underside 56 of the cover 12 that is of sufficient force to invert the rib linkage system 10 into a non use~ul or .. : ~ , , :
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inside out position as illustrated in Figure 4A without allowing sufficient damage to the rib linkages 13 to prevent reversing of the rib linkages back into a pre-wind gust position. Also, and importantly, the flexor 30 is flexible in respons2 to a manual force 57 applied to the rib linkage system 10 in a direction illustrated in Figures 4B and 4C that is generally opposite to the wind gust force 55 direction, which manual force 57 is of a sufficient magnitude to reverse the rib linkages 13 from the non-useful position illustrated in Figure 4A back into a useful position illustrated in Figure 4C without sufficient damage to the rib linkage system 10 to prevent further opening and closing of the umbrella.
. More particularly, and as illustrated in Figures 4A-4C as before noted, when a wind gust force 55 is directed against the underside 56 of the umbrella's cover 12 and rib linkage system 10, the rib linkages 13 may be inverted or turned inside out into that non-useful position illustrated in Figure 4A. In this attitude, the cover rib's inner end bracket 34 will tend to bottom out against the floor 58 of the upwardly directed U-shape cross-section control link 31, and the flexor 30 will be flexed or depressed downward toward that control link 31.
Since the inherent flexibility of the flexor 30 absorbs those forces which might otherwise damage the rib linkage 13, it is not likely the rib linkage will be distorted or broken when it has been inverted into the Figure 4A non-useful position. In this inverted attitude, note ;
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particularly the distance Dl bet~een the flexor's outer end connection 43 with the cover rib 20 and the ~lexor~s inner end connection 26 with the stretcher rib 24 and support rib 25.
When the umbrella/s rib linkage 13 is turned inside out or inverted as shown in Figure 4A, and in order to bring the rib linkage back into a useful attitude, the umbrella'~ user can simply pull the runner 18 down in the direction shown by phantom arrow 57 in Fi~ures 4B and 4C so as to close or collapse the rib linkage. This closure action utilizes the inherent flexibility of the flexor 30 so as to simultaneously reverse the inverted rib linkage into its useful or pre-wind gust position illustrated in Figure 4C. In this regard, when the runner i5 pulled downward to an interme-diate position a~ shown in Figure 4B, the stretcher rib 24 is also pulled downward simultaneously. And this, in turn, decreases the distance between the control link's pivot connection 32 with the cover rib 20 and the control l~nk's pivot connection 32 between the support rib 25 and stretcher rib 24 to a distance D2. This rib linkage 13 closing action that results by pulling the runner 18 downward in the direction shown by phantom arrow 57 causes the stretcher rib's outer end 27 to move upward, thereby forcing the flexor 30 into an upwardly curved attitude as shown in Figure 4B due to the structural interconnection of the flexor with the stretcher rib 24.
Thus the flexor 30 is ~orced to arch into an upwardly !
' 2~2~9 directed bow-shape as shown in Figure 4B which, in turn, tends to store spring forces in the flexor which subse-quently will cause it to straighten out toward a linear attitude. With further downward manual force 57 exerted on the runner 18, the rib linkage 13 is closed further.
And when the outer peripheral radius of the cover rib ~i.e., the distance between the cover rib's outer end and the centerpost 11) gets to be smaller than the outer peripheral radius of the cover, the cover no longer exerts any tension on the cover rib. And thus the elastic or spring forces stored in the bowed flexor 30 as shown in Figure 4B will cause the flexor to straighten toward co-axial linearity with the rigid stretcher rib 24 shown in Figure 4C. And this in turn allows the cover rib 20 to pivot about its pivotal interconnection 33 with the control link 31 to continue closing or collapsing of the umbrella rib linkage system 10. Accordingly, the flexor 30 allows the rib linkage 13 structure to be completely closed into the normal collapsed or storage position (not shown) from the inverted or non-useful inside out position shown in Figure 4A without damaging the rib linkage system 10.
The improved rib linkage system 10 in accord with the principles of this invention is illustrated, in Figures 1-4, with a manual umbrella. In other words, the umbrella's runner 18 is manually raised and manually lowered along the centerpost 11 to open and close, respectively, the umbrella's rib linkage 13 and cover 12.

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On the other hand, and as illustrated in Figure 5, the wind invertible rib linkage system 10 of this invention also can be us~d with an automatic opening umbrella of the topless rib system type. As shown in Figure 5, the umbrella's primary runner 60 is connected with the stretcher rib 24 by a strut 61, the stretcher rib being connected to a secondary runner 62 which is spring ~3 loaded relative to the primary runner 60 in known automatic umbrella fashion. The telescopable sections 14, 15 of the centerpost 11 also may be spring loaded (not shown) in Xnown automatic umbrella fashion relative one to the other. In use, and when closure of the umbrella from the erected or opened Figure 5 position is desired, the use simply exerts a manual force 64 on the primary runner as to collapse the rib linkage 13. This same force 64 on runner 60 should be exerted if the rib linkage 13 has been inverted into the non-useful Figure 4A type position in order to reverse the rib linkage of this Figure 5 automatic umbrella in the same fashion as is done with the Figures 1-4 manual umbrella.
Now in accord with the principles of this invention, the wind invertible umbrella rib linkage system 10 allows the umbrella rib linkages to operate in a novel method or fashion which prevents the rib linkages from being damaged sufficient to prevent further use upon being inverted in response to wind gust forces 55. This method includes the steps of providing a flexor 30 in the rib linkage system 10 that is flexible in response to . .
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~25~9 wind gust forces 55 directed against the underside of the cover 12 which are of sufficient force to invert the rib linkages 13 into a non-useful inside out position but without allowing sufficient damage to the rib linkages to prevent reversing of the linXages back into a pre-wind gust position. Subsequently, and if same occurs during use, the umbrella is exposed to wind gust ~orces 55 which inverts the rib linkages 13. When that inverted rib linkage 13 situation obtains, then the umbrella's user simply can apply a manual force 57 to the rib linkages 13 in a direction opposite to the wind gust forces 55 of sufficient magnitude to reverse the rib linkages 13 ~rom the non-useful position into a useful umbrella position without sufficient damage to the rib linkage system to prevent further opening and closing of the umbrella.
This manual force 57 application can be accomplished by moving the umbrella's runner 18 along the centerpost 11 to its umbrella closed position when reversing the inverted rib linkages 13 back into a pre-wind gust position.
Having described in detail the preferred embodiment of my invention, what I desire to claim and protect by Letters Patent is:

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Claims

(1) A wind invertible umbrella comprising a centerpost having a runner slideable thereon, a cover connected to said centerpost, a topless rib linkage beneath said cover, said linkage having a cover rib to which said cover is connected, a stretcher rib connected between said runner and said cover rib, a support rib connected between said stretcher rib and said centerpost, and a control link connected between said support rib and said cover rib, said rib linkage being operable through use of said runner to raise and lower said cover between an opened use position and a closed storage position, and a flexor connected with said topless rib linkage, said flexor being flexible in response to a wind gust directed against the underside of said cover which is of sufficient force to invert said rib linkage into a non-useful inside out umbrella position without allowing sufficient damage to said rib linkage to prevent revers-ing of said rib linkage back into a pre-wind gust position, and said flexor being flexible in response to a manual force applied to said rib linkage in a direction opposite to said wind gust force of sufficient magnitude to reverse said rib linkage from said non-useful position into a pre-wind gust position without sufficient damage to said rib linkage to prevent further opening and closing of said umbrella.

(2) An umbrella as set forth in Claim 1, said flexor being connected to said runner, said manual force being applied to said runner for moving runner along said centerpost toward its umbrella closed position for operating said flexor in order to reverse said inverted rib linkage back into a pre-wind gust position.

(3) An umbrella as set forth in Claim 2, said flexor being connected at one end to said cover rib and at the other end to said support rib.

(4) An umbrella as set forth in Claim 2, said flexor being connected at one end to said cover rib and at the other end to said stretcher rib.

(5) An umbrella as set forth in Claim 2, said support rib and said stretcher rib being pivotally connected at a pivot connection one with the other, said flexor being connected with both said support and said stretcher ribs at said pivot connection.

(6) An umbrella as set forth in Claim 5, said stretcher rib being of a length that allows its radially outer end to extend beyond said pivot connection of said support and said stretcher ribs, said stretcher rib comprising a mouth at said stretcher rib's radially outer end, said mouth defining upper and lower limits between which said flexor can move as said rib linkage is operated.

(7) An umbrella as set forth in Claim 6, said stretcher rib comprising a U-shaped rigid structural element.

(8) An umbrella as set forth in Claim 7, said mouth comprising a pin located at said stretcher rib's radial outer end.

(9) An umbrella as set forth in Claim 7, said mouth comprising a crimped section in said U-shaped element at said stretcher rib's radially outer end.

(10) An umbrella as set forth in Claim 2, said stretcher rib being connected at one end to said runner and at the other end to one end of said flexor, the other end of said flexor being connected to said cover rib.

(11) An umbrella as set forth in Claim 10, said control link being connected at one end to said support rib and at the other end to said cover rib.

(12) An umbrella as set forth in Claim 11, said stretcher rib being pivotally connected to said support rib at a location between said support rib's connection with said centerpost and said support rib's connection with said control link.

(13) An umbrella as set forth in Claim 12, said control link being connected to said cover rib at a location between said flexor's connection with said cover rib and said cover rib's outer end.

(14) A method for preventing an umbrella's rib linkage from being damaged sufficient to prevent further use upon being inverted in response to a wind gust, said rib linkage being connected to a runner on a centerpost, said method comprising the steps of providing a flexor as a component part of said rib linkage, said flexor being flexible in response to a wind gust directed against the underside of said cover of sufficient force to invert said rib linkage into a non-useful inside out position without allowing sufficient damage to said rib linkage to prevent reversing of said rib linkage back into a pre-wind gust position, exposing said rib linkage system to a wind gust that inverts said rib linkage, and applying a manual force to said rib linkage in a direction opposite to said wind gust force of suffi-cient magnitude to reverse said rib linkage from said non-useful position into a useful umbrella position without sufficient damage to said rib linkage to prevent further opening and closing of said umbrella.

(15) An umbrella as claimed in Claim 14, said method including the step of applying said manual force to said runner for moving said runner along said centerpost toward its umbrella closed position when reversing said inverted rib linkage back into said pre-wind gust position.