Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45B—WALKING STICKS; UMBRELLAS; LADIES' OR LIKE FANS
  • A45B23/00—Other umbrellas
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
  • G09F19/00—Advertising or display means not otherwise provided for
  • G09F19/22—Advertising or display means on roads, walls or similar surfaces, e.g. illuminated
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
  • G09F23/00—Advertising on or in specific articles, e.g. ashtrays, letter-boxes
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45B—WALKING STICKS; UMBRELLAS; LADIES' OR LIKE FANS
  • A45B11/00—Umbrellas characterised by their shape or attachment
  • A45B2011/005—Umbrellas characterised by their shape or attachment characterised by their shape
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45B—WALKING STICKS; UMBRELLAS; LADIES' OR LIKE FANS
  • A45B23/00—Other umbrellas
  • A45B2023/0012—Ground supported umbrellas or sunshades on a single post, e.g. resting in or on a surface there below
  • A45B2023/0018—Ground supported umbrellas or sunshades on a single post, e.g. resting in or on a surface there below with a canopy in form of an inverted cone
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45B—WALKING STICKS; UMBRELLAS; LADIES' OR LIKE FANS
  • A45B2200/00—Details not otherwise provided for in A45B
  • A45B2200/10—Umbrellas; Sunshades
  • A45B2200/1009—Umbrellas; Sunshades combined with other objects
  • A45B2200/1027—Umbrellas; Sunshades combined with other objects with means for generating solar energy
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45B—WALKING STICKS; UMBRELLAS; LADIES' OR LIKE FANS
  • A45B3/00—Sticks combined with other objects
  • A45B3/02—Sticks combined with other objects with illuminating devices
  • A45B3/04—Sticks combined with other objects with illuminating devices electrical

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an umbrella with a frame that is inverted with respect to known umbrellas, and particularly to umbrellas for decorative or advertising purposes .
• a known umbrella 10 is shown in Figs, la and lb.
• Umbrellas typically have a frame 12, having a shaft 14 upon which a runner 16 moves.
• the runner is attached to stretchers 18, which are in turn attached to ribs 20 with a hinge piece known as a git 21 so that the end of the stretcher is attached part of the way along the respective rib.
• a cover 22 is attached over the ribs.
• a shield is created by the stretched cover 22, which may be made of waterproof material if the umbrella is intended for providing protection against the rain.
• Such umbrellas are also used as windbreaks, or to provide shelter from the sun, and may be hand-held or mounted in the ground or other suitable bases.
• the cover can also be used for advertising or decorative purposes, particularly in cafes and so forth. Structures that are mainly decorative have also been developed.
• Such an umbrella is shown generally at 24 in schematic form in Figs. 2a and 2b.
• the umbrella is shown in its collapsed, or furled, state in Fig. 2a, and in its open, or unfurled, state in Fig. 2b.
• the construction is unusual in that the umbrella is upside-down, with the cover below the frame.
• the umbrella 24 has a frame 26, having a telescopic shaft 28.
• a runner 30 is fixed upon the shaft, and is attached to stretchers 32.
• the stretchers are attached to ribs 34.
• the ribs 34 meet at a notch 36 on the highest point of the umbrella, on the telescoping part 28a of the shaft.
• a cover 38 is attached to the shaft 28 of the umbrella, below the runner 30, to the gits 21 and to the ends of the ribs.
• a handle (not shown) is operated.
• the notch 36 is brought down via a cord so that the distance between the notch 36 and the runner 30 is reduced, the pole telescoping together.
• an aspect of the present invention provides an umbrella-like display structure or frame comprising: an elongate shaft on which a runner is slidably mounted; a set of ribs, each attached at its inner end to the runner; a set of stretchers, each attached at its inner end to the elongate shaft, the other ends of the stretchers each being attached to a respective rib part of the way along the length of the rib; wherein the outer end of each of the ribs, and possibly also the inner ends of the ribs and/or the runner, are arranged in use to be attachable to or otherwise to hold a cover, so that the cover moves as the runner moves; the ribs being adapted to hold the cover so that, in use with the shaft held vertically, the cover is stretched out over the underside of the ribs.
• the runner is accessible in the usual way and the umbrella is easy to unfurl by hand.
• the simplified construction allows space for a lamp, for instance a solar-powered lamp.
• the cover's shape can follow the ribs in a more or less conventional way, except for being underneath.
• FIG. la and lb show a known umbrella
• Fig. 2a and 2b show a known umbrella structure for use in advertising
• Fig. 3a and 3b show an embodiment of the present invention
• Fig. 4 shows the umbrella structure of Fig. 3b in perspective
• Fig. 5 shows the umbrella structure of Fig. 4 with a cover disposed on the frame
• Fig. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of the umbrella structure
• Fig. 7 to 9 show further alternative embodiments.
• Figs. 3a and 3b this shows generally at 40 an umbrella or display structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.
• the apparatus includes a frame 42, having a shaft 44 upon which a runner 46 moves.
• the runner is attached to ribs 48, e.g. by tying or sewing, and stretchers 52 are pivotally attached to these ribs with a hinge piece or git 50 so that the end of the stretcher is attached part of the way along the respective rib 48.
• the inner ends of the stretchers 52 are pivotably attached to an apex point 51 at the top of the shaft 44.
• a cover 54 is fitted under the ribs, and is attached to the runner; hence its configuration is "inverted" with respect to standard umbrellas (such as those shown in Fig.
• the runner may be held in position by engaging with a latch on the shaft, or a spring disposed in the shaft, or by any similar method.
• the cover is attached to the ribs so that the cover moves as the runner moves (since it is pulled by the ribs) .
• the cover could be attached directly to the runner, or to a ring like a conventional notch ring, for example, which may be fitted to or engaged with the runner, or may be attached to the runner by any other method. It must of course have a central hole to accommodate the shaft.
• the cover is disposed on the outside of the umbrella structure (i.e.
• the cover could present advertising material, such as company logos, or slogans for using the structure as an advertising umbrella or apparatus, either static or moveable.
• a light source could be placed in the "V" of the structure, at the top of the shaft, say, to create a lantern or to enhance the decorative effect of the structure.
• the structure could accommodate a solar power unit at its head or top, after the manner of a garden lamp.
• the cover could also be made of a transparent, translucent or opaque plain or patterned fabric, and may be waterproof, or non-waterproof.
• Such umbrella structures may also offer some protection from the weather, such as rain, wind and/or sun.
• the ribs and/or stretchers can be made of any material having suitable physical properties; it could be of metal, such as aluminium or steel (perhaps of U-section) or of wood or cane, or a polymer, possibly reinforced by glass fibre.
• Fig. 4 shows the umbrella structure of Fig. 3b in perspective. In this example four sets of stretchers 52 and ribs 48 are shown.
• Fig. 5 shows the umbrella structure of Fig. 4 with a cover 54.
• the bottom 45 of the shaft 44 has a base or mounting for holding the umbrella so that it can stand upright. This can be of a conventional type, e.g. a conical end or spike for plating in soft ground, or a massive base with a recess in which the mounting end 45 can be placed.
• FIG. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention, in which the ends of the ribs 48 are bent round towards the axis of the shaft so that the structure forms a "wine glass” shape. This is achieved by using a cover that is too tight to allow the ends to splay .out fully, and/or by incorporating a cord that draws the ends inwards somewhat .
• Fig. 7 shows an embodiment of the present invention in which the ribs are curved into a "dish" shape. It will be apparent that other shapes can be made using the inventive idea. For instance, as the cord is drawn in, the "umbrella" can be made nearly or completely spherical.
• a further notch-type tie 56 could be provided at the topmost portion of the cover, as shown in Fig. 8.
• the outer ends of the ribs are attached to or are near this notch 56 to bring about a more rounded spherical shape.
• the notch is free-standing, though it could be mounted on an extension of the shaft.
• the ends of the ribs are secured in this way, it is possible to dispense with stretchers altogether, as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 9.
• the "outer" ends of the ribs i.e.
• a notch 56 which can be similar to a conventional wire- tied umbrella notch, normally used, of course, for the inner ends of the ribs; the ribs 48 are bowed outwards, forming a globe shape, simply by pushing the runner 46 up into its latched position as shown.
• a stand-off ring 57 is attached to the shaft just below the notch 56.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Accounting & Taxation (AREA)
• Marketing (AREA)
• Walking Sticks, Umbrellas, And Fans (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=34961986

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (6)

Family Cites Families (7)

• 2005
  • 2005-03-15 WO PCT/GB2005/000988 patent/WO2005087036A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2005-03-15 EP EP05718040A patent/EP1725135A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2005-03-15 AR ARP050101006A patent/AR048173A1/es unknown

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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