EP3500128B1 - Umbrella having an anti-inversion mechanism - Google Patents

Umbrella having an anti-inversion mechanism Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3500128B1
EP3500128B1 EP17841773.9A EP17841773A EP3500128B1 EP 3500128 B1 EP3500128 B1 EP 3500128B1 EP 17841773 A EP17841773 A EP 17841773A EP 3500128 B1 EP3500128 B1 EP 3500128B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
rib
strut
joint
umbrella
inversion
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.)
Active
Application number
EP17841773.9A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
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EP3500128A1 (en
EP3500128A4 (en
Inventor
David Haythornthwaite
Andrew HAYTHORNTHWAITE
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.)
Shedrain Corp
Original Assignee
Shedrain Corp
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Publication date
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Publication of EP3500128A1 publication Critical patent/EP3500128A1/en
Publication of EP3500128A4 publication Critical patent/EP3500128A4/en
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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
    • A45B—WALKING STICKS; UMBRELLAS; LADIES' OR LIKE FANS
    • A45B25/00—Details of umbrellas
    • A45B25/22—Devices for increasing the resistance of umbrellas to wind
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
    • A45B—WALKING STICKS; UMBRELLAS; LADIES' OR LIKE FANS
    • A45B23/00—Other umbrellas
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
    • A45B—WALKING STICKS; UMBRELLAS; LADIES' OR LIKE FANS
    • A45B25/00—Details of umbrellas
    • A45B25/02—Umbrella frames
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
    • A45B—WALKING STICKS; UMBRELLAS; LADIES' OR LIKE FANS
    • A45B25/00—Details of umbrellas
    • A45B25/06—Umbrella runners
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
    • A45B—WALKING STICKS; UMBRELLAS; LADIES' OR LIKE FANS
    • A45B25/00—Details of umbrellas
    • A45B25/06—Umbrella runners
    • A45B25/08—Devices for fastening or locking
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
    • A45B—WALKING STICKS; UMBRELLAS; LADIES' OR LIKE FANS
    • A45B23/00—Other umbrellas
    • A45B2023/0031—Cantilever umbrellas or sunshades with a support arm
    • A45B2023/0056—Cantilever umbrellas or sunshades with a support arm the support arm being formed by lazy-tongs, one support arm being a rib and the other arm being attached to the runner and to the rib

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to umbrellas and more particularly, relates to an umbrella that is designed to resist inversion in adverse conditions including strong winds, etc.
  • an umbrella is a device that protects the user from the elements and in particular from liquid and frozen precipitation or even the sun, etc.
  • a traditional umbrella has the following parts: a pole, a canopy, ribs, a runner, springs and a ferrule.
  • a pole is the metal or wooden shaft that runs between the umbrella's handle at the bottom (or the base stand in the case of a patio model) and the canopy at the top.
  • the canopy is the fabric part of the umbrella that catches the rain, the wind and the sun.
  • the ribs are what give an umbrella its structure and shape. Outer ribs hold up the canopy and inner ribs (sometimes called stretchers) act as supports and connect the outer ribs to the umbrella pole.
  • a runner slides up and down the pole while connected to the ribs/stretchers, and is responsible for the opening and closing of the canopy.
  • Many umbrella designs include a top spring to hold the runner up when the canopy is open, a bottom spring to hold the runner down when the canopy is closed, and sometimes a center ball spring to extend the pole length in telescopic models.
  • Strictly ornamental, the finial also called the ferrule is found on the very top of the umbrella, above the canopy.
  • Umbrella ribs function in a folding construction supporting the umbrella canopy fabric. Under normal operating conditions, the forces acting on the umbrella canopy fabric increase toward peak values when the canopy becomes fully deployed and when wind gusts tend to overturn the canopy. These forces are transmitted from the canopy to the canopy ribs, and can act on the ribs in opposite directions depending on the direction of the wind. The ribs thus have to be strong enough to withstand forces which can act on them from anyone of the two main opposite directions.
  • Umbrellas addressing the problems of wind gusts have been proposed with one solution being the placement of apertures located within the canopy which allow for the air to flow through the canopy reducing the total force experienced by the canopy.
  • the apertures are not large enough to provide a sufficient airflow to greatly reduce the force and in most circumstances, the canopy still inverts.
  • Another solution to this has been to add strings that connect from the umbrella strut to the tip area.
  • this solution also suffers from a deficiency in that these strings can become loose over time or get cut or tangle, etc., during use.
  • US 2011/108074 A1 discloses an umbrella having the features of the preamble of claim 1.
  • the present invention is directed to improvement with respect to a number of components of an umbrella including but not limited to a shaft construction and a rib assembly thereof.
  • the features of the present invention can be implemented with both a manual type umbrella and an automatic type umbrella.
  • the other features can be implemented with other types of umbrellas. Accordingly, the following discussion and figures describe exemplary embodiments that implement the teachings of the present invention.
  • Fig. 1 shows a side view of an umbrella 100 in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention with only one assembly being shown for sake of clarity and to simplify a discussion of the present invention.
  • the umbrella 100 is of a type that is commonly referred to as a golf umbrella which is commonly known to be an oversized umbrella that is used to protect golfers and their carts from rain.
  • the long shaft of a golf umbrella is usually not collapsible. It will be appreciated and understood that the various features of the present invention described herein can be implemented in other types of umbrellas besides golf umbrellas.
  • the umbrella 100 includes a shaft 110 that has a first (top) end 112 and an opposite second (bottom) end 114.
  • the shaft 110 itself can be formed of any number of different components to cooperate to provide shaft 110 and the shaft 110 illustrated in Fig. 1 is part of a manual umbrella assembly in which the user manually opens and closes the umbrella as described herein.
  • a cap or decorate ferrule (not shown) is typically provided to close off the shaft 110 and at the second end 114, a handle 130 is provided for grasping by the user.
  • the illustrated shaft 110 is formed of a plurality of different shaft sections that mate together to form the assembled shaft. More specifically, the shaft 110 can be formed of three distinct shaft sections, namely, a first shaft section 111, a second shaft section 113, and a third shaft section 115.
  • the first shaft section 111 is attached at one end to the cap/ferrule and at its other end to one end of the second shaft section 113.
  • the second shaft section 113 is attached at its other end to one end of the third shaft section 115.
  • the third shaft section 115 is attached at its other end to the handle 130.
  • the first shaft section 111 represents the top shaft section
  • the second shaft section 113 represents the middle shaft section
  • the third shaft section 115 represents the bottom shaft section.
  • the dimensions of the individual shaft sections 111, 113, 115 can differ and in particular, at least one of the length and/or width (e.g., diameter) can be different.
  • the sections 111, 113, 115 have the same width but the middle section 113 has a greater length than the sections 111, 115 which are shown to have the same lengths.
  • the three shaft sections 111, 113, 115 can be 14 mm shaft sections made of carbon.
  • the shaft sections 111, 113, 115 are connected to one another by means of coupling members 105.
  • One coupling member 105 is attached between two adjacent shaft sections 111, 113, 115.
  • the coupling member 105 can be thought of as being a shaft lock member (lock insert) and can be formed of a metal material, such as aluminum.
  • the lock member 105 can be a hollow member (tube) that has a first annular ridge (lip) 107 formed along its outer surface and a second annular ridge (lip) 109 formed along its outer surface and spaced from the first annular ridge 107.
  • a space 108 is formed between the ridges 107, 109.
  • the annular ridges 107, 109 define stops for the respect shaft sections.
  • an outer diameter of the lock member 105 outside of the annular ridges 107, 109 is selected such that it can be inserted into the hollow interior of the respect shaft sections 111, 113, 115 so as to form a friction fit therebetween (a mechanical fit). Since the annular ridges 107, 109 have a greater diameter than the inner diameter of the shaft sections 111, 113, 115, the lock member 105 cannot be inserted into the respective shaft section. Instead, these annular ridges 107, 109 act as stops and prevent further insertion of the lock member 105 into the respective shaft section. When assembled, the surface of the lock member 105 between the two ridges 107, 109 is visible.
  • the lock members 105 thus provide rigid coupling members securely attaching the shaft sections 111, 113, 115 to form the complete assembled shaft.
  • a runner 150 is the part of the umbrella that opens and closes the umbrella 100, with the runner 150 moving along the shaft 110.
  • the runner 150 is thus a hollow member that surrounds the shaft 110 and is movable along the shaft 110 and can be locked into one or more different positions.
  • Figs. 17A, 17B , 18A and 18B show the runner 150 in greater detail.
  • the runner 150 is formed of several parts or portions including a generally cylindrical shaped base portion 152 and a shaft runner lock 154.
  • a top portion 153 of the runner 150 is configured to receive and securely attach to a plurality of struts, as discussed below, to effectuate movement of the ribs 200.
  • the top portion 153 thus includes a plurality of slots 155 formed circumferentially thereabout for receiving the struts.
  • the shaft runner lock 154 is located between the top portion 153 and the base portion 152.
  • the shaft runner lock 154 is designed to selectively lock the runner 150 into one of a plurality of locked positions along the shaft 110.
  • Figs. 18A and B are cross-sectional views of the runner 150.
  • Figs. 17A and 17B show the runner 150 in an unlocked (open) position relative to the lock member 105
  • Figs. 18A and 18B show the runner 150 in a locked position in which the runner 150 is locked in place relative to the shaft (i.e., is locked with respect to the lock member 105).
  • the lock member 105 can thus be in the form of a machined piece of aluminum (or other material) that provides a recess (space 108) for the runner 150 to make a connection to lock in place.
  • the shaft runner lock 154 is designed to lock and engage the shaft lock member 105.
  • the shaft runner lock 154 is a push/pull runner that moves along the shaft. More specifically, the shaft runner lock 154 has a resilient lock member (runner catch) 157 that engages and seats within the space 108 formed between the annular ridges 107, 109.
  • the resilient lock member 157 can comprise an annular shaped lock member 157 that has an inwardly directed lip that seats within the space 108 when it is in registration therewith. The resiliency (flexing) of the lock member 157 allows the lock member 157 to flex outward allowing disengagement with the space 108.
  • the runner 150 can freely move along the shaft 110.
  • Figs. 17A and 17B show the runner 150 in the unlocked position in which it is free to move along the shaft.
  • the runner catch 157 In this unlocked position, the runner catch 157 is not actively engaged with the space (recess/channel) 108, while in Figs. 18A and 18B , the runner catch 157 is actively engaged with the space (recess) 108, thereby locking the runner 150 to the shaft.
  • a certain point such as the point shown in Figs. 17A and 17B
  • Continued application of force against the runner in the vertical direction causes a force to be applied to the runner catch 157 and this results in deformation of the runner catch 157 in a radially inward direction toward the lock insert 105.
  • the runner catch 157 can be disengaged from the locking recess 108 by overcoming the retention force meaning that when the user exerts sufficient force to the runner 150, the runner catch 157 disengages from the locking recess 108 and the runner 150 is free to move.
  • the lock members 105 are thus positioned along the shaft 110 to lock the runner 150 into desired positions, such as a fully open position and a fully closed position as illustrated herein.
  • runner 150 is merely illustrative and not limiting of the scope of the present invention since other runner constructions can be used with the umbrella of the present invention.
  • the umbrella 100 also includes a top notch 119 that is an annular shaped member that is attached to the shaft 110 and surrounds the shaft 110.
  • the top notch 119 is configured to receive ribs 200 and thus serves an attachment point for such ribs.
  • the ribs are attached to the shaft 110 by fitting into the top notch 119 and can then be held by a wire or other means.
  • the top notch 119 can be a thin, round nylon or plastic piece with teeth around the edges.
  • each rib 200 is coupled to both the top notch 119 and the runner 150 and this results in the opening and closing of the rib 200 and the attached canopy (not shown) based on the direction of movement of the runner 150.
  • the connection between the rib 200 and the runner 150 is made by a strut 300 (main strut).
  • the strut 300 is an elongated structure that has a first end 302 and an opposite second end 304, with the first end 302 being pivotally attached to the runner 150 and the second end 304 being pivotally attached to the rib 200.
  • the pivotal connection between the strut 300 and the runner 150 and between the strut 300 and the rib 200 can be accomplished with a fastener, such as a rivet or pin, etc. More specifically, a first strut joint 310 is formed between the strut 300 and the runner 150 at the first end 302 and a second strut joint 320 is formed between the strut 300 and the rib 200 at second end 304.
  • the first strut joint 310 can be in the form of a male end joint that is configured to pivotally attach to the runner 150 to allow the strut 300 to pivot between an open position and a closed position.
  • the second strut joint 320 is in the form of a double joint and is best shown in Figs. 6 and 7A-D .
  • the second strut joint 320 can also be thought of as being a strut to rib joint and includes a first end 321 that attaches to the distal end of the strut 300 and a second end 322 which includes a pair of spaced fingers 323 that are parallel to one another and define an open space 324 therebetween and have aligned openings formed therein to allow passage of a fastener or the like to couple the joint to another structure (rib) as discussed below. As shown in Figs.
  • the second strut joint 320 also includes a joint connector 315 which can be in the form of a fin that protrudes outwardly from the body of the joint 310 (i.e., the connector 315 is formed perpendicular to the body of the connector 315).
  • the joint connector 315 has an opening formed therein to allow a fastener to pass therethrough to allow to another structure to be pivotally attached to the joint connector 315.
  • the strut 300 can be formed of any number of different materials including a metal (e.g., a zinc alloy).
  • the rib 200 is an elongated structure that is coupled to other components of the umbrella to provide a rib assembly defined by a plurality of ribs 200 that open and close.
  • Each rib 200 is an elongated, flexible structure that has a first end (proximal end) 210 and an opposing second end (distal end) 212.
  • the first end 210 is pivotally attached to the top notch 119 and more specifically, a first rib joint 220 can be provided at the first end 210 and be designed to allow the rib 200 to pivot relative to the top notch 119.
  • the first rib joint 220 can be in the form of a male end joint that can have a similar or the same construction as the first rib joint 310 that is part of the strut assembly.
  • the rib 200 also includes a second rib joint 230 that is disposed along the length of the rib 200.
  • the second rib joint 230 can be fixedly attached to the rib 200 at a specific location thereof.
  • the second rib joint 230 can thus be in the form of a hollow structure that receives the rib 200 and is fixedly attached to the rib 200 so that during use, the second rib joint 230 does not move but rather remains at the fixed location.
  • the second rib joint 230 has a connector portion 232 in the form of a fin (protrusion) that extends radially outward therefrom.
  • the connector portion 232 can thus be formed perpendicular to the body of the second rib joint 230.
  • the connector portion 232 includes an opening formed therethrough.
  • the connector portion 232 is sized and configured to disposed within the open space 234 defined between the pair of spaced fingers 323 of the second strut joint 320.
  • the opening formed in the connector portion 232 axially aligns with the openings in the fingers 323 to allow passage of a fastener (such as a pin or rivet or wire, etc.), whereby the second strut joint 320 is pivotally attached to the rib 200 (and thus, the strut 300 is pivotally attached to the rib 200).
  • an anti-inversion mechanism (feature) 400 is provided and is configured to counter an inversion force that is applied to the umbrella during select operating conditions and in particular, during windy conditions or other adverse conditions.
  • an inversion force that is applied to the umbrella during select operating conditions and in particular, during windy conditions or other adverse conditions.
  • the canopy generally assumes a concave shape when inversion occurs and similarly, the ribs are force to pivot in unintended directions which can result in one or more ribs breaking. This renders the umbrella not usable.
  • the umbrella of the present invention has the anti-inversion mechanism 400 that is made up of several components that are individually discussed below.
  • the anti-inversion mechanism 400 comprises an anti-inversion strut 410 that has a first end 412 that is coupled to the strut 300 and an opposite second end 414 that is coupled to the rib 200. More specifically, the first end 412 is coupled to the second strut joint 320 and the second end 414 is coupled to the rib 200.
  • the anti-inversion strut 410 has a first end joint 411 at the first end 412 and a second end joint 413 at the second end 414.
  • the illustrated first and second end joints 411, 413 are in the form of female end joints and in particular, the first end joint 411 is defined by a pair of spaced apart fingers 415 that has an open space formed therebetween and the second end joint 413 is also defined by a pair of spaced apart fingers 417 that has an open space formed therebetween.
  • the joint connector 315 (a male joint) is received into the open space between the fingers 415 (a female joint) of the first end joint 411, thereby coupling the anti-inversion strut 410 to the strut 300 in manner in which the anti-inversion strut 410 can pivot relative to the strut 300.
  • the first and second end joints 411, 413 can be mechanically fixed to the elongated strut body or the end joints 411, 413 can be molded over an existing strut material.
  • the anti-inversion strut 410 can be formed of any number of different materials including metals and synthetics.
  • the anti-inversion strut 410 comprises a 6 mm carbon Fiber rod.
  • the anti-inversion mechanism 400 also includes a floating joint 500 that is slidingly coupled to the rib 200 and configured to mate with the second end joint 413.
  • Figs. 8A-D illustrate the floating joint 500.
  • the floating joint 500 has a main body 510 that includes a bore 512 that is formed therein and represents a through hole that passes from one end of the main body 510 to the other end thereof.
  • the floating joint 500 also includes a joint connector 520 in the form of a fin that extends radially outward from the main body 510.
  • the connector 520 can be formed perpendicular to the main body 510.
  • the connector 520 has an opening formed therein. The connector 520 thus represents a male joint.
  • the anti-inversion strut 410 is coupled to the rib 200 by inserting the connector 510 between the spaced fingers 417 of the second end joint 413.
  • a fastener or the like can be used to couple the connector 510 to the fingers 417.
  • the rib 200 is received within and passes through the bore 512 and the size (diameter) of the bore 512 and the size (diameter) of the rib 200 are selected such that the floating joint 500 can freely move in a longitudinal direction along the length of the rib 200. This allows the floating joint 500 to be one which can freely travel up (toward the top notch 119) and down the rib 200 (toward the rib tip) when the umbrella opens and closes.
  • the floating joint can be a male part that includes male connector 520; however, is positioned internal to the rib 200 such that the floating joint is free to move within the hollow inside of the rib 200 (e.g., an aluminum extrusion rib or formed steel rib).
  • the rib 200 could thus have a linear slot formed therein through which the connector 520 passes.
  • the operation of the floating joint is otherwise the same.
  • the "floating action" of the floating joint thus occurs internally within the rib 200 as opposed to on the outside of the rib 200 in the illustrated embodiment.
  • the anti-inversion mechanism 400 also includes a floating joint stop 530 that is fixedly attached to the rib 200.
  • the floating joint stop 530 is disposed between the floating joint 500 and the second rib joint 230 and remains at a fixed location along the rib 200.
  • the stop 530 includes a bore 532 that extends therethrough and receives the rib 200.
  • the stop 530 is fixed to the rib 200 using traditional techniques so as to fix the stop 530 at a specific target location along the length of the rib 200.
  • the stop 530 can be fixed by mechanical or overmolded which is the preferred method in this instance.
  • the stop 530 is constructed such that it restricts the movement of the floating joint 500 in the direction toward the top notch 119.
  • the floating joint 500 rides along the rib 200 until it contacts the floating joint stop 530.
  • the floating joint 500 in combination with the floating joint stop 530 prevents the rib 200 from inverting as when under the force of a strong wind. Inversion is prevented since the rib cannot bend upwardly due to the blocking action of the floating joint stop 530.
  • Figs. 10A-D and 11-13 illustrate the details of a tip 600 of the rib 200.
  • the tip 600 comprises a structure which attaches to the distal end of the rib 200.
  • the tip 600 is defined by a hollow main body 602 that has a bore 603 that receives the distal end of the rib 200 and is secured thereto.
  • the tip 600 generally has a delta wing shape and is defined by first and second wing sections 620, 630 that extend outwardly and rearwardly from the main body 610.
  • Each of the wing sections 620, 630 has an angled leading edge 625, 635, respectively, and an angled trailing edge 627, 637, respectively.
  • the wing sections 620, 630 are angled relative to one another in that they do not lie entirely within the same plane.
  • the tip 600 is constructed and designed such that it is angled to match the angle of the canopy when the canopy is in the open position.
  • Figs. 11-13 illustrate yet another feature of the tip 600 in that the bore 603 of the main body 602 includes a biasing member 640, such as a spring.
  • the spring 640 is disposed between the distal end of the rib 200 and a stop 605 formed in the main body 602.
  • the stop 605 represents an end of the bore 603.
  • the bore 603 is designed to permit movement of the distal end of the rib 200 so as to allow the ribs 200 and the umbrella for that matter to move between the open and closed positions.
  • the spring 630 will thus store and release energy based on the manner in which the rib 200 acts thereon.
  • Fig. 12 shows the tip assembly in a closed/uncompressed state
  • Fig. 13 shows the tip assembly in an open/compressed state. In Fig. 13 , the relationship between the canopy and the tip when the umbrella is opened due to the compressed state of the inner spring 640 of the tip.
  • the tip can comprise a male unit (structure) that has a protruding portion that is received within an opening (e.g., a bore) formed in the distal end of the rib (e.g., aluminum extrusion rib or formed steel rib).
  • the coupling is thus formed by inserting the protruding portion of the tip into the opening (bore) of the rib.
  • a biasing member such as a spring, can be disposed within the opening (bore) formed in the rib and in contact with the protruding portion of the tip that is likewise disposed within the opening (bore) of the rib.
  • Fig. 2 shows the umbrella 100 and in particular, the single rib assembly in a half open position
  • Fig. 4 shows the umbrella and in particular, the single rib assembly in a fully closed position.
  • Fig. 4 shows the umbrella 100 with the plurality of rib assemblies in the fully opened position
  • Fig. 5 shows the umbrella 100 with the plurality of rib assemblies in the fully closed position.
  • the runner 150 While each part of the umbrella is necessary for its operation, the runner 150 is the part that opens and closes it.
  • the struts 300 are folded flat against the shaft and the umbrella is "closed," with the waterproof material and the ribs wrapped around the shaft.
  • the user slides the runner 150 all the way to the top.
  • the struts 300 extend, raising the ribs 200 to which they are attached and spreading the material tight (canopy) over the ribs 200.
  • Figs. 19-21 illustrate an umbrella 700 according to another embodiment.
  • the umbrella 700 is similar to umbrella 100 and therefore, like elements are numbered alike.
  • the umbrella 700 includes the shaft 110 and runner 150 which slidingly travels along the shaft 110.
  • the connection between the rib 200 and the runner 150 is made by the strut 300.
  • the umbrella 700 of Figs. 19-21 includes a different anti-inversion strut mechanism 800.
  • the anti-inversion strut mechanism 800 includes an anti-inversion strut 810 that has a first end 812 and an opposing second end 814.
  • the first end 812 is operatively coupled to a floating notch 815 which is movingly disposed about the shaft 110. More specifically, the floating notch 815 is slidingly coupled to the shaft 110 and travels up and down the shaft 110 much like the runner 150.
  • the floating notch 815 is located between the runner 150 and the top notch 119.
  • the floating notch 815 can be similar to the top notch 119 in terms of its construction and can be in the form of an annular shaped member that is attached to the shaft 110 and surrounds the shaft 110.
  • the floating notch 815 is configured to receive anti-inversion struts 810 and thus serves an attachment point for such struts.
  • the struts 810 are attached to the shaft 110 by fitting into the floating notch 815 and can then be held by a wire or other means.
  • the floating notch 815 can be a thin, round nylon or plastic piece with teeth around the edges.
  • the first end 812 of the anti-inversion strut 810 is operatively coupled to the floating notch 815 and the second end 814 of the anti-inversion strut 810 is operatively coupled to the rib 200.
  • the anti-inversion strut 810 is formed of first and second parallel rods 820, 830.
  • the first ends of the first and second parallel rods 820, 830 are coupled to a first joint 840 at the first end 812 and the second ends of the first and second parallel rods 820, 830 are coupled to a second joint 850 at the second end 814.
  • the first joint 840 can be one of a male joint and a female joint and the second joint 850 can be one of a male joint and a female joint.
  • the first joint 840 can be in the form of a male joint (twin rod male joint) and the second joint 850 can be in the form of a female joint (twin rod female joint).
  • the male joint (e.g., joint 840) is defined by a single protrusion (finger) 841, while the female joint (e.g., joint 850) is defined by a pair of spaced protrusions (fingers) 843 with a space 845 defined between the protrusions 843.
  • the first joint 840 is configured to be pivotally attached to the floating notch 815 and the second joint 850 is configured to be pivotally attached to the rib 200.
  • the protrusion 841 of the first joint 840 is received in a complementary space (slot) formed in the floating notch 815.
  • the second joint 850 is operatively coupled to a floating joint, such as floating joint 500.
  • the floating joint 500 is slidingly coupled to the rib 200 and is configured to mate with the second joint 850.
  • Figs. 8A-D illustrate the floating joint 500.
  • the floating joint 500 is defined by the main body 510 that includes the bore 512 that is formed therein and represents a through hole that passes from one end of the main body 510 to the other end thereof.
  • the floating joint 500 also includes the joint connector 520 ( Fig. 8A ) in the form of a fin that extends radially outward from the main body 510.
  • the connector 520 can be formed perpendicular to the main body 510.
  • the connector 520 has an opening formed therein.
  • the connector 520 thus represents a male joint.
  • the anti-inversion strut 810 is coupled to the rib 200 by inserting the connector 520 into the space 845 formed between the spaced fingers (protrusions) 843 of the second end joint 413.
  • a fastener or the like can be used to couple the connector 520 to the fingers 843.
  • the rib 200 is received within and passes through the bore 512 ( Fig. 8A ) and the size (diameter) of the bore 512 and the size (diameter) of the rib 200 are selected such that the floating joint 500 can freely move in a longitudinal direction along the length of the rib 200. This allows the floating joint 500 to be one which can freely travel up (toward the top notch 119) and down the rib 200 (toward the rib tip) when the umbrella opens and closes.
  • the strut 300 passes within the open space that is formed between the first and second parallel rods 820, 830 of the anti-inversion strut 810. This open space between the rods 820, 830 extends from the first joint 840 to the second joint 850 and accommodates the strut 300 in all positions of the umbrella from the fully closed position to the fully collapsed position.
  • the rib 200 of umbrella 700 includes floating joint stop 530 that is fixedly attached to the rib 200.
  • the floating joint stop 530 is disposed between the floating joint 500 and the second rib joint 230 and remains at a fixed location along the rib 200.
  • the stop 530 includes a bore 532 that extends therethrough and receives the rib 200.
  • the stop 530 is fixed to the rib 200 using traditional techniques so as to fix the stop 530 at a specific target location along the length of the rib 200.
  • the stop 530 can be fixed by mechanical or overmolded which is the preferred method in this instance.
  • the stop 530 is constructed such that it restricts the movement of the floating joint 500 in the direction toward the top notch 119. As in the first embodiment, the stop 530 prevents the rib 200 from inverting under pressure.
  • the anti-inversion mechanism in umbrella 700 is thus formed between and serves to connect the floating notch 815 to the floating joint 500 as opposed to the first embodiment in which the anti-inversion mechanism was located between a pivotable strut and the rib.
  • the male/female type connections described herein can be reversed in that the part described herein as containing the male connector can instead contain the female connector and conversely, the part described herein as containing the female connector can instead contain the male connector.
  • the floating joint 500 is shown with a male connector 520; however, the floating joint 500 can instead be formed to have a pair of spaced fingers (flanges) that define a space therebetween (female connector).
  • the distal end of the anti-inversion strut would thus be formed to have a male joint as opposed to the female joint that is shown.
  • the coupling is the same in that the male joint is inserted into the space formed in the female joint.
  • the nature of the other joints such as the connection between the strut and the fixed joint (e.g., joint 230) can be reversed.
  • the runner locking feature of the present invention also provides a number of advantages over conventional designs as well.
  • the lock insert provides a connecting feature between shaft segments that allows a method to lock the runner in place by not adding an additional locking feature which would increase the diameter of the runner which is not desired.
  • Figs. 22-32D illustrate an umbrella 900 according to another embodiment.
  • the umbrella 900 is similar to the other umbrellas and therefore, like elements are numbered alike.
  • the umbrella 900 includes the shaft 110 and runner 150 which slidingly travels along the shaft 110.
  • the shaft 110 there is also a top notch 910 that slidingly travels along the shaft 110.
  • the top notch 910 is disposed above the runner 150 and there is a fixed notch, i.e., a compression notch 920, disposed at a top end of the shaft 110.
  • the top notch 910 is thus located between the compression notch 920 and the runner 150.
  • the compression notch 920 is pivotally connected to a first rib 930 at a first end of the first rib 930.
  • a second end of the first rib 930 is pivotally connected to a second end of a compression arm 950.
  • a first end of the compression arm 950 is pivotally connected to the top notch 910.
  • Figs. 32A-D illustrate the first rib 930.
  • the first rib 930 is an elongated structure that is asymmetric in nature.
  • a first end of the first rib 930 has a male feature in the form of a single angled extension (finger) 931 that protrudes outwardly from a main body 932 of the first rib 930. As shown, the main body 932 has a generally U-shaped construction.
  • a through hole is formed through the extension 931.
  • the extension 931 is configured to mate with the compressible notch 920 (e.g., a fastener can extend through the through hole of the extension 931 to couple to two together).
  • the first rib 930 has a female feature in the form of a pair of spaced apart arms 933 that are parallel to one another. As shown in the top plan view of Fig. 32C , an open space 934 is formed between the two arms 933.
  • the extension 931 is angled downwardly in a first direction and the two arms 933 are angled upwardly in a second direction.
  • the two arms 933 there are two attachment points, namely, a first attachment point 935 and a second attachment point 936.
  • the second end of the compression arm 950 is pivotally attached to the first rib 930 at the first attachment point 935 (e.g., as by using a fastener or the like).
  • the space 934 formed between the arms 933 allows a first strut 960 to pass therethrough.
  • a first end of the first strut 960 is pivotally connected to the runner 150.
  • a second end of the first strut 960 is pivotally connected to a second rib joint 970.
  • a second strut 980 is pivotally connected at a first end to the first rib 930 at the second attachment point 936 (e.g., as by using a fastener or the like).
  • a second end of the second strut 980 is pivotally connected to the second rib joint 970.
  • the second rib joint 970 is also attached to a second rib 990 at a first end thereof. More specifically, the first end of the second rib 990 is inserted through the opening 974 into the hollow interior space. A second end of the second rib 990 is attached to a tip, such as tip 1400 described herein.
  • a tip 1400 is set forth in Figs. 27A-D .
  • the tip 1400 includes a body 1410 having an open first end 1412 and a closed fin-shaped second end 1414.
  • the length of the first strut 960 is greater than the lengths of the first rib 930 and the compression arm 950.
  • the umbrella 800 includes an anti-inversion mechanism 1000.
  • the anti-inversion mechanism 1000 operates in a similar manner to anti-inversion mechanisms described herein.
  • the anti-inversion mechanism 1000 includes an anti-inversion strut 1010; an anti-inversion sliding joint 1100 and a sliding joint stop 1200.
  • the anti-inversion strut 1010 generally has an H-shape due to curvature incorporated into each of the first and second strut portions 1020, 1030.
  • the anti-inversion strut 1010 is defined by a first face 1013 and an opposing second face 1015.
  • the first strut portion 1020 has a concave shape along the first face 1013 and a convex shape along the second face 1015 and conversely, the second strut portion 1030 has a convex shape along the first face 1013 and a concave shape along the second face 1015.
  • each of the first and second strut portions 1020, 1030 defines a trough 1018 defined by a pair of opposing upstanding side walls 1019. Due to the shape of the anti-inversion strut 1010, the depth of the trough formed along the first face 1013 of the first strut portion 1020 and the depth of the trough formed along the second face 1015 of the second strut potion 1030 progressively decrease in a direction toward the center inflection point 1011. At the center inflection point 1011, each of the first and second faces 1013, 1015 transition between the concave shaped trough at one end and the convex shaped surface at the other end.
  • the first strut portion 1020 is attached to the second strut 980. More specifically, an AIS (anti-inversion strut) joint 1070 is provided along a location of the second strut 980 and is configured to mate to the first strut portion 1020.
  • the AIS joint 1070 can have a protrusion or flange (flag portion) which is inserted within the space 1040 between the arms 1050, 1052.
  • a fastener passes through the openings 1060 and through an opening in the protrusion of the AIS joint 1070 to pivotally couple the two together.
  • the AIS joint 1070 can be located at an intermediate position between the ends of the second strut 980 and remain at the selected fixed location. As described below, the trough 1018 of the first strut portion 1020 is sized and shaped to receive the second strut 980 as the umbrella is collapsed and assume the closed position.
  • the anti-inversion mechanism 1000 also includes a floating (sliding) joint 1100 that is slidingly coupled to the second rib 990 and configured to mate with the second strut portion 1030 of the anti-inversion strut 1010.
  • Figs. 28A-D illustrate the floating joint 1100 which is configured such that it can slidingly travel along the second rib 990.
  • the floating joint 1100 has a main body 1110 that includes a bore 1112 that is formed therein and represents a through hole that passes from one end of the main body 1110 to the other end thereof.
  • the floating joint 1100 also includes a joint connector 1120 in the form of a pair of spaced fins that extends radially outward from the main body 1110.
  • the connector 1120 can be formed perpendicular to the main body 1110.
  • the connector 1120 has an opening formed therein.
  • the connector 1120 thus represents a male joint and is positioned below the bore 1112 so as to not interfere therewith.
  • the convex first face 1013 of the second strut portion 1030 and the concave first face 1013 of the first strut portion 1020 face the second rib 990.
  • the concave second face 1015 of the second strut portion 1030 and the convex second face 1015 of the first strut portion 1020 face the second strut 980.
  • the anti-inversion strut 1010 is thus coupled to the second rib 990 by being coupled to the sliding joint 1100.
  • the floating joint can be a male part that includes a male connector (part 1120); however, it is positioned internal to the second rib 990 such that the floating joint is free to move within the hollow inside of the second rib 990 (e.g., an aluminum extrusion rib or formed steel rib).
  • the rib 990 could thus have a linear slot formed therein through which the connector 1120 passes.
  • the operation of the floating joint is otherwise the same.
  • the "floating action" of the floating joint thus occurs internally within the second rib 990 as opposed to on the outside of the second rib 990 in the illustrated embodiment.
  • the anti-inversion mechanism 1000 also includes a floating joint stop 1200 that is fixedly attached to the second rib 990 at a selected fixed location.
  • the floating joint stop 1200 is disposed between the floating joint 1100 and the second rib joint 970 and remains at a fixed location along the rib 200.
  • the stop 1200 includes a bore 1210 that extends therethrough and receives the second rib 990.
  • the stop 1200 is fixed to the second rib 990 using traditional techniques so as to fix the stop 1200 at a specific target location along the length of the second rib 990.
  • the stop 1200 can be fixed by mechanical or overmolded which is the preferred method in this instance.
  • the stop 1200 is constructed such that it restricts the movement of the floating joint 1100 in the direction toward the second rib joint 970.
  • the floating joint 1100 rides along the second rib 990 until it contacts the floating joint stop 1200.
  • the floating joint 1100 in combination with the floating joint stop 1200 prevents the second rib 990 from inverting as when under the force of a strong wind. Inversion is prevented since the rib cannot bend upwardly due to the blocking action of the floating joint stop 1200.
  • the shape of the anti-inversion strut 1010 is designed to assist in collapse of the umbrella into a small footprint (i.e., thin profile) as shown in Fig. 25 . More specifically and as best shown in Fig. 25 , the anti-inversion strut 1010 is designed such that when the umbrella 900 collapses to its fully collapsed position, the anti-inversion strut 1010 nestles between the second rib 990 and the second strut 980 allowing for a more compact assembly when collapsed. As shown in Fig.
  • Figs. 33-38 shows an umbrella 1300 according to another embodiment of the present invention.
  • the umbrella 1300 is similar to other umbrellas disclosed herein and in particular includes a floating joint arrangement, as described herein, and a bone shaped element, as described herein.
  • the umbrella 1300 includes a shaft 1310 with a handle 1312.
  • the umbrella 1300 also includes a top notch 1320 that is disposed at one end of the shaft 1310 and a slidable runner 1330.
  • Figs. 33-35 show one rib assembly for simplicity.
  • the top notch 1320 is configured to receive ribs 1400 and thus serves an attachment point for such ribs.
  • the ribs 1400 are attached to the shaft 1310 by fitting into the top notch 1320 and can then be held by a wire or other means.
  • the top notch 1320 can be a thin, round nylon or plastic piece with teeth around the edges.
  • each rib 1600 is coupled to both the top notch 1320 and the runner 1330 and this results in the opening and closing of the rib 1600 and the attached canopy (not shown) based on the direction of movement of the runner 1330.
  • the connection between the rib 1600 and the runner 1330 is made by a strut 1500 (main strut).
  • the strut 1500 is an elongated structure that has a first end 1502 and an opposite second end 1504, with the first end 1502 being pivotally attached to the runner 1330 and the second end 1504 being pivotally attached to the rib 1600.
  • the pivotal connection between the strut 1500 and the runner 1330 and between the strut 1500 and the rib 1600 can be accomplished with a fastener, such as a rivet or pin, etc. More specifically, a first strut joint 1510 is formed between the strut 1500 and the runner 1330 at the first end 1502 and a second strut joint 1520 is formed between the strut 1500 and the rib 1600 at second end 1504.
  • the second strut joint 1520 is in the form of a double joint and has a construction shown as joint 320 in Figs. 6 and 7A-D .
  • the second strut joint 320 can also be thought of as being a strut to rib joint and includes a first end that attaches to the distal end of the strut 1500 and a second end which includes a pair of spaced fingers that are parallel to one another and define an open space therebetween and have aligned openings formed therein to allow passage of a fastener or the like to couple the joint to another structure (rib) as discussed below. Additional details of one second strut joint 1520 are shown in Figs. 7A-D with respect to the second strut joint 320 which can have the same construction as joint 1520.
  • the strut 1500 can be formed of any number of different materials including a metal (e.g., a zinc alloy).
  • the rib 1600 is an elongated structure that is coupled to other components of the umbrella to provide a rib assembly defined by a plurality of ribs 1400 that open and close.
  • Each rib 1600 is an elongated, flexible structure that has a first end (proximal end) and an opposing second end (distal end).
  • the first end is pivotally attached to the top notch 1320 and more specifically, a first rib joint can be provided at the first end and be designed to allow the rib 1600 to pivot relative to the top notch 1320.
  • the first rib joint can be in the form of a male end joint that can have a similar or the same construction as the first rib joint that is part of the strut assembly.
  • the umbrella 1300 has an anti-inversion mechanism.
  • the anti-inversion mechanism includes the anti-inversion strut 1010; an anti-inversion sliding joint 1100 and a sliding joint stop 530.
  • the anti-inversion strut 1010 used in umbrella 1300 has been described in great detail hereinbefore and shown in a number of figures including Figs. 30A-D .
  • one end of the anti-inversion strut 1010 is pivotally coupled to the strut 1500, while the other end is pivotally coupled to the rib 1600 by sliding joint 1100.
  • the anti-inversion strut 1010 resembles a bone.
  • the anti-inversion strut 1010 is not symmetric but instead has a center inflection point 1011 that defines a first strut portion 1020 that extends to and terminates at the first end and a second strut portion 1030 that extends to and terminates at the second end.
  • the anti-inversion strut 1010 generally has an H-shape due to curvature incorporated into each of the first and second strut portions 1020, 1030.
  • the first strut portion 1020 is attached to strut 1500.
  • the anti-inversion mechanism also includes a floating (sliding) joint 1100 that is slidingly coupled to the rib 1600 and configured to mate with the second strut portion 1030 of the anti-inversion strut 1010.
  • Figs. 28A-D illustrate the floating joint 1100 and the connection between the second portion 1030 of the anti-inversion strut 1010 and the sliding joint 1100 is described herein.
  • the anti-inversion mechanism also includes the floating joint stop 530 that is fixedly attached to the rib 1600.
  • the floating joint stop 530 is disposed between the floating joint 1100 and the second rib joint 1525 and remains at a fixed location along the rib 1600.
  • the stop 530 includes a bore 532 that extends therethrough and receives the rib 200.
  • the stop 530 is fixed to the rib 200 using traditional techniques so as to fix the stop 530 at a specific target location along the length of the rib 200.
  • the stop 530 can be fixed by mechanical or overmolded which is the preferred method in this instance.
  • the stop 530 is constructed such that it restricts the movement of the floating joint 1100 in the direction toward the top notch 1320.
  • the floating joint 1100 rides along the rib 1600 until it contacts the floating joint stop 530.
  • the floating joint 1100 in combination with the floating joint stop 530 prevents the rib 1600 from inverting as when under the force of a strong wind. Inversion is prevented since the rib cannot bend upwardly due to the blocking action of the floating joint stop 530.
  • the umbrella 1300 also includes tip 600 or 1400 which is described herein and illustrated in Figs. 10A-D and 11-13 and Figs. 27A-D .

Landscapes

  • Walking Sticks, Umbrellas, And Fans (AREA)
EP17841773.9A 2016-08-19 2017-01-20 Umbrella having an anti-inversion mechanism Active EP3500128B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US201662377042P 2016-08-19 2016-08-19
US201662423708P 2016-11-17 2016-11-17
PCT/US2017/014241 WO2018034691A1 (en) 2016-08-19 2017-01-20 Umbrella having an anti-inversion mechanism

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EP3500128A1 EP3500128A1 (en) 2019-06-26
EP3500128A4 EP3500128A4 (en) 2020-01-15
EP3500128B1 true EP3500128B1 (en) 2021-05-05

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EP (1) EP3500128B1 (zh)
JP (1) JP6905581B2 (zh)
KR (1) KR102321539B1 (zh)
CN (1) CN109982599B (zh)
AU (1) AU2017313652B2 (zh)
CA (1) CA3033639A1 (zh)
ES (1) ES2881519T3 (zh)
TW (1) TWI728055B (zh)
WO (1) WO2018034691A1 (zh)

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Publication number Publication date
EP3500128A1 (en) 2019-06-26
KR102321539B1 (ko) 2021-11-03
CA3033639A1 (en) 2018-02-22
JP6905581B2 (ja) 2021-07-21
JP2019524343A (ja) 2019-09-05
TWI728055B (zh) 2021-05-21
CN109982599B (zh) 2021-06-01
WO2018034691A1 (en) 2018-02-22
TW201806514A (zh) 2018-03-01
KR20190051986A (ko) 2019-05-15
AU2017313652A1 (en) 2019-03-21
CN109982599A (zh) 2019-07-05
AU2017313652B2 (en) 2023-06-29
ES2881519T3 (es) 2021-11-29
EP3500128A4 (en) 2020-01-15

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