GB2167952A - Umbrella with detachable cover - Google Patents

Abstract

An umbrella is provided with a detachable cover (20) which is attached to the umbrella spokes (14) by releasable cups (24) which fit over the ends of the spokes and releasable loops (25,26) of material e.g. Velcro (registered trade mark) which fit around the intermediate portions of the spokes. The cover is sealed to the shaft tip (12) by a releasable sealing gasket (22) surrounding ring (21) secured to the cover. Sealing gasket (22) being releasably prevented from movement by abutment under resilient tooth (23) formed in the shaft tip (12). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Collapsible Shelter and Cover The present invention relates to collapsible shelters of the type comprising a central supporting shaft, an array of spokes, and a flexible cover of sheet material attached to the spokes, the array being deployable to a configuration in which the spokes extend generally radially from the supporting shaft to spread the cover. The invention also relates to such flexible covers for such shelters.

The invention relates particularly but not exclusively to umbrellas and umbrella covers.

However in its broadest aspect the invention also relates to sunshades for example, whether portable or not.

Umbrellas of known type consist structurally of a centrally located shaft carrying articulated to it a frame to which the cover is restrained. Tha shaft can be constructed either wholly or partly of wood, metal or plastics material elements; the frame is generally metallic. The umbrella cover, or top, can be made of fabric of non-woven fabric, depending on the quality of the whole.

In conventional umbrellas the cover is generally secured undetachably to the flexible spokes of the frame, said spokes being operatively connected through a.system of support ribs to a locking assembly which is movable along the shaft between two extreme positions, one in which the umbrella is closed and the other in which it is opened.

In the fairly frequent case of tearing of the cover or its partial detachment from the frame, the decision is often taken to replace the whole umbrella, one of the reasons for this being the difficulties and costs involved in its repair.

This is significantly wasteful, since in the great majority of cases the cost of the shaft-plus-cover assembly which is thrown away represents almost the entire cost of the umbrella.

Moreover, if it is wished to use the umbrella as a fashionable accessory to suit or set off the attire being worn, or by the season, by adopting a cover with appropriate colours and designs, this is not possible with conventional umbrellas.

The general object of the present invention is therefore to embody an umbrella so constructed as to obviate the aforesaid drawbacks connected with the difficulties and costs of repairing or replacing the cover. The umbrella according to the invention is also intended to eliminate the wastefulness of the non-use of the shaft-frame assembly when the user decides to purchase a new umbrella, and at the same time to enable fashionable requirements to be satisfied.

To obtain these objects, the umbrella according to the present invention comprises a cover which is mounted in a freely detachable manner.

More specifically, in an umbrella embodied according to the innovative principles of the invention, provision is made proximally to the centre and circumference of the cover for first and second couplers for detachable coupling to the tip of the shaft and to the ends of the spokes respectively, and also third couplers for detachably coupling the cover to the spokes at an intermediate point of said spokes.

In one embodiment the first couplers for detachably coupling the cover to the tip of the shaft comprise in combination: a ring secured to the cover and disposed between a lower spokearticulation nut and an upperwater-seal being retained in place on the shaft in an extractable manner by an elastic stop pawl.

In one embodiment the said second couplers for detachably coupling the circumference of the cover to the ends of the spokes comprise small engagement elements secured to the cover and inserted at the free ends of the spokes by slight friction so as to be freely extractable.

In one embodiment the said third couplers for coupling the cover to the spokes each comprise a strip of material provided with releasably interengageable surfaces to enable the strip to be looped round an adjacent spoke. VELCRO (Registered Trade Mark) is a suitable material, and incorporates minute hooks on one surface which releasably engage minute loops on another surface when the two surfaces are pressed together.

The structural and functional characteristics of the invention, and its advantages, will become more apparent from an examination of the following description, referred to the appended schematic drawings which illustrate, by way of example only, one embodiment of an umbrella in accordance with the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 is an elevational view of an umbrella according to the invention in the opened position; Figure 2 is an enlarged particular illustrating the detachable coupling between the tip of the shaft and the cover; Figure 3 is an enlarged view of Figure 2; Figure 4 is an enlarged particular illustrating the detachable coupling between the circumference of the cover and the ends of the spokes; and Figures 5 to 7 are enlarged particulars showing the detachable coupling between an intermediate point of the spokes and the cover.

With reference to the drawings, the umbrella in question is indicated overall by 10 and consists structurally of a shaft 11 with tip 12 and handle 13.

A frame per se conventional and comprising spokes 14 and support ribs 15 is mounted in an articulated manner on the shaft 11 through a locking assembly 16 and a nut 17.

Resiliently supported teeth, lower (18) and upper (23) respectively, cooperate with the locking assembly 16 to determine stable positions of closure and opening of the umbrella respectively.

According to the invention a cover 20 is restrained to the frame in a readily interchangeable manner.

With reference to Figures 2 and 3, it is therein seen that the cover 20 is provided with a rigid central ring 21 which is slipped over the tip 12 and comes to rest on the nut 17 to which the spokes 14 are articulated.

On the tip 12 there is also freely placed a tapered gasketing bush 22, the lower portion of which rests on the cover 20 in the vicinity of the ring 21, while its upper portion closely embraces the tip 12 so as to assure a satisfactory seal against water.

The gasketing bush 22 is held in place in a removable manner by a conventional resiliently supported tooth 23 or equivalent means.

With reference to Figure 4, it is further apparent that small engagement elements 24 are restrained to the curcumference of the cover 20, these being inserted at the free ends of the respective spokes 14, by slight friction, so as to be freely extractable.

Lastly, Figures-57 show the cover 20 internally provided with strips of VELCRO (Registered Trade Mark) restrained to it along an intermediate line 25, thus forming two portions 26 which can be wrapped around an adjacent spoke 14, in superimposed relation, to obtain a dissoluble bond between cover 20 and spokes 14.

From what has been described above with reference to the Figures, it will be seen that the cover 20 can be readily and quickly replaced by whomsoever without the use of auxiliary equipment and simply by disconnecting the dissoluble restraints attaching the cover to the spokes, which cover 20 can then be removed from the tip 12 by simply depressing the pawl 23 and removing bush 22 (Figure 3). In this way the objects mentioned in the introductory part of the present description are obtained.

As will be apparent, the invention can be applied to umbrellas of any size, whether rigid shaft umbrellas of normal size, large umbrellas, or smaller, retractable shaft umbrellas.

Claims (9)

1.An umbrella comprising: a shaft (11) with tip (12) and handle (13) on which a frame featuring spokes (14) and support ribs (15) is mounted in articulated manner through a locking assembly (16) and nut (17), and also comprising a cover (20) applied to the frame, wherein proximally to the centre and circumference of the cover (20) provision is made for first and second couplers for detachable coupling to the tip (12) and to the ends of the spokes (14) respectively, and also third couplers for detachably coupling the cover (20) to the spokes (14) at an intermediate point of said spokes (14).

2. An umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first couplers for detachable coupling to the cover (20) and tip (11) of the shaft (12) comprise in combination: a ring (21) secured to the cover (20) and disposed between the nut (17) articulating the spokes (14) and an upper gasketing bush (22) to provide a water-seal retained in place on the shaft (12) in a removable manner by means of an elastic stop pawl (23).

3. An umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said second couplers for detachably coupling the circumference of the cover (20) to the ends of the spokes (14) comprise small engagement elements (24) secured to the cover (20) and inserted at the free ends of the spokes (14) by slight friction so as to be freely detachable.

4. An umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said third couplers for coupling the cover (20) to the ribs (14) comprises a strip nf VELCRO (Registered Trade Mark), or an equivalent material, which is restrained in an intermediate area (25) to the cover (20) so as to form two portions (26) which can be wrapped around an adjacent spoke (14) in a superimposed relation of reciprocal engagement so as to obtain a further dissoluble bond between the cover (20) and the spokes (14).

5.Acollapsibleshelterfora human being, comprising a central supporting shaft, an array of spokes, and a flexible cover of sheet material attached to the spokes, the array being deployable to a configuration in which the spokes extend generally radially from the supporting shaft to spread the cover, wherein said cover is attached to said spokes by releasable fastening means.

6. A flexible cover of sheet material provided with releasable fastening means and capable of being attached to a deployable array of spokes by said releasable fastening means to form a collapsible shelter for a human being.

7. In combination: a supporting framework provided with a deployable array of spokes, and two or more flexible covers, each flexible cover being capable of being attached to said array to form a personal collapsible shelter for a human being, said covers differing in their pattern andlor colouring.

8. A personal shelter as claimed in claim 5, wherein said shaft is provided with a carrying handle.

9. An umbrella substantially as described hereinabove with reference to the accompanying drawings.