US20120111383A1

US20120111383A1 - Rib assembly of umbrella

Info

Publication number: US20120111383A1
Application number: US12/941,169
Authority: US
Inventors: Jao-Huei Fang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-11-08
Filing date: 2010-11-08
Publication date: 2012-05-10

Abstract

A rib assembly of umbrella having added safety to a user and longer service life is provided. The umbrella assembly structure has grooves of the outer and inner ribs faced away from the user. In other words, the sharp edges of the inner and outer ribs are turned away from the user to prevent hand cuts. Structurally, the use of grooved inner rib over a solid rib helps to reduce the weight of the rib assembly. In addition, the umbrella assembly structure has a secure portion of the outer rib removed to maintain the structural strength of the outer rib.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The instant disclosure relates to a rib assembly of umbrella; in particular, a rib assembly of umbrella with added safety to a user and longer service life.
2. Description of the Related Art
As society grows, higher living standards and product qualities are being demanded. Such demand includes the consumer product such as the umbrellas. With a large global market, umbrellas continue to be actively developed with different styles and improved qualities.
Umbrella products include folding umbrellas, straight umbrellas, and auto open & close umbrellas. The auto open & close umbrellas are most popular because of simplicity and easy to use. FIG. 1 shows a rib assembly of a typical umbrella, where a rib assembly 1 comprises a top notch 11, a middle runner 12, a bottom runner 13, a pole 14, a flexible member 15, a stretcher 16, a U-shaped outer rib 17, and an 0-shaped inner rib. The top notch 11 is fixed to the upper portion of the pole 14, with the middle runner 12 and the bottom runner 13 slidable about the pole 14. One end of the stretcher 16 is pivotally connected to the top notch 11, while the other portion is pivotally connected to one end of the outer rib 17. Arched with a U-shaped groove 170 having a secure portion 171, the outer rib 17 is pivotally connected on one end to the middle runner 12. One end of the inner rib 18 is pivotally connected to the secure portion 171, while the other end is pivotally connected to the bottom runner 13. Specifically, the U-shaped groove 170 is facing the inner rib 18 and accommodate the inner rib 18 therein. The first flexible member of the flexible member 15 is connected in between the top notch 11 and the middle runner 12, while the second flexible member is connected in between the middle runner 12 and the bottom runner 13. To close the umbrella, the bottom runner 13 is pulled downward manually. By moving the inner rib 18 via the bottom runner 13, the outer rib 17 and the stretcher 16 are pivoted concurrently to collapse the rib assembly 1. At the closed position, the inner rib 18 is accommodated within the U-shaped groove 170 of the outer rib 17.
As discussed above, the U-shaped groove 170 faces the inner rib 18, which means the sharp edges of the outer rib 17 faces the user. Consequently, the hand of the user is often cut by the sharp edges of the outer rib 17 while opening or closing the umbrella. Furthermore, the typical umbrella is defected structurally, where the secure portion 171 reduces the supporting strength of the outer rib 17. In turn, the outer rib 17 tends to become unstable and breaks the inner rib 18. Thereby, the rib assembly 1 has a relative short service life.
To resolve the above issue, the inventor provides an instant disclosure to overcome the shortcomings of the related art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the instant disclosure is to provide a rib assembly of an umbrella with added safety to a user and longer service life.
To achieve the above object, the instant disclosure provides a rib assembly of an umbrella having a pole; a top notch fixed to the upper portion of the pole; a middle and bottom runner which are slidable about the pole; a flexible member having a first and second flexible member, such as a coil spring, wherein the first flexible member is disposed in between the top notch and the middle runner, and the second flexible member is disposed in between the middle and the bottom runner, wherein both flexible members work together operationally; a stretcher connected pivotally on one end to the top notch; an outer rib connected pivotally on one end to the stretcher and to the middle runner on the other end, wherein the outer rib is grooved with the opening toward the stretcher; and an inner rib having an insertion end and a fixing end extended therefrom, wherein the fixing end has a secure portion formed thereof and pivotally connected to the outer rib, and the insertion end is pivotally connected to the bottom runner, wherein the inner rib is grooved for accommodating the outer rib.
The instant disclosure has the following advantages. For safety, the grooves of the outer and inner ribs are faced away from the user, which means the sharp edges of the inner and outer ribs are turned away from the user to prevent hand cuts. Structurally, the use of grooved inner rib over a solid rib helps to reduce the weight of the rib assembly. In addition, the secure portion of the outer rib is removed to maintain the structural strength of the outer rib.
Furthermore, the grooves of the outer and inner ribs are U-shaped, which is easy to manufacture. Comparing to solid ribs, the U-shaped groove is stronger against bending and folding stress, which allows the rib assembly to have a longer service life.
For material selection, the stretcher may be manufactured from steel or plastic materials, and the outer and inner ribs may be made of aluminum or iron alloys.
In order to further appreciate the characteristics and technical contents of the instant disclosure, references are hereunder made to the detailed descriptions and appended drawings in connection with the instant disclosure. However, the appended drawings are merely shown for exemplary purposes, rather than being used to restrict the scope of the instant disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a structural view of a rib assembly of an umbrella of the related art.

FIG. 2 shows a structural view of a rib assembly of an umbrella of the instant disclosure.

FIG. 3 shows a structural view of a rib assembly of an umbrella of another embodiment of the instant disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to FIG. 2, which shows a rib assembly 2 of an umbrella of the instant disclosure. The rib assembly 2 comprises a top notch 21, a middle runner 22, a bottom runner 23, a pole 24, a first flexible member 251, a second flexible member 252, a stretcher 26, an outer rib 27, and an inner rib 28. The top notch 21 is fixed to the upper portion of the pole 24, and the middle and bottom runners 22 and 23 are slidable about the pole 24. The stretcher 26 is pivotally connected on one end to the top notch 21. The stretcher 26 is also pivotally connected to one end of the outer rib 27. Another end of the outer rib 27 is pivotally connected to the middle runner 22. The inner rib 28 has an insertion end 28 b and a fixing end 28 a extended therefrom. The fixing end 28 a is pivotally connected to the outer rib 27 and the insertion end 28 b is pivotally connected to the bottom runner 23. The first flexible member 251 is connected in between the top notch 21 and the middle runner 22, and the second flexible member 252 is connected in between the middle runner 22 and the bottom runner 23. The first and second flexible members 251 and 252 can be a coil spring.
The outer rib 27 is arched in forming a U-shaped continuous groove 270 facing the stretcher 260. The grooved structure helps to reduce weight and increases the supporting strength. Similarly, the inner rib 28 is also grooved. The U-shaped continuous groove faces the outer rib 27 and receives the outer rib 27 therein when collapsing the rib assembly 2. The U-shaped continuous groove also reduces weight and increases the supporting strength of the inner rib 28. At the fixing end 28 a, the opposed longitudinally extending channels of the U-shaped continuous groove form a secure portion 281, which is pivotally connected to the outer rib 27.
Alternatively, FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the instant disclosure. The rib assembly 2 comprises a top notch 21, a middle runner 22, a bottom runner 23, a pole 24, a flexible member 25, a stretcher 26, an outer rib 27, and an inner rib 28. The instant embodiment employs only one flexible member 25, which is connected in between the middle runner 22 and the bottom runner 23.
In addition, the number of the stretcher 26, the outer rib 27, and the inner rib 28 are not restricted for the instant disclosure
Thereby, the instant disclosure has the following advantages. For the safety aspect, the U-shaped continuous groove 270 of the outer rib 27 and the U-shaped continuous groove of the inner rib 28 are faced away from the user, which means the sharp edges of the outer and inner ribs 27 and 28 are turned away from the user to prevent hand cuts. Compared to solid ribs, the grooved outer and inner ribs 27 and 28 reduce the weight of the rib assembly. In addition, the grooved rib assembly is stronger against bending and folding stress. Furthermore, the secure portion 281 defined by the fixing end 28 a of the inner rib 28 removes the need to modify the outer rib 17 as shown in the related art. By maintaining the uniformity of the grooved structure, the outer rib 27 is stronger structurally in providing longer service life.
Still further, the U-shaped continuous groove 270 of the outer rib 27 and the U-shaped continuous groove of the inner rib 28 can be easily formed through the manufacturing process. For material selection, the stretcher 26 may be manufactured from steel or plastic materials, and the outer and inner ribs 27 and 28 may be made of aluminum or iron alloys.
The descriptions illustrated supra set forth simply the preferred embodiments of the instant disclosure; however, the characteristics of the instant disclosure are by no means restricted thereto. All changes, alternations, or modifications conveniently considered by those skilled in the art are deemed to be encompassed within the scope of the instant disclosure delineated by the following claims.

Claims

1. A rib assembly of umbrella, comprising:

a pole;

a top notch fixed to the pole;

a middle runner slidably mounted on the pole;

a bottom runner slidably mounted on the pole;

at least one flexible member mounted on the pole;

at least one stretcher connected pivotally on one end to the top notch;

at least one outer rib connected pivotally on one end to each stretcher, each outer rib is pivotally connected on another end to the middle runner, a continuous groove is formed on each outer rib facing each stretcher; and

at least one inner rib having an insertion end and a fixing end extended therefrom, the fixing end is further extended in forming a secure portion pivotally connecting to the outer rib, the insertion end is pivotally connected to the bottom runner, a continuous groove is formed on each inner rib facing each outer rib to accommodate each outer rib therein.

2. The rib assembly of umbrella of claim 1, wherein the continuous groove of each outer and inner rib is U-shaped.

3. The rib assembly of umbrella of claim 1, wherein each stretcher is steel or plastics.

4. The rib assembly of umbrella of claim 1, wherein each outer rib and each inner rib is aluminum alloys or iron alloys.

5. The rib assembly of umbrella of claim 1, wherein each flexible member is a spring unit.