US20180116351A1

US20180116351A1 - Inverted Umbrella with Integrated Carrying Case

Info

Publication number: US20180116351A1
Application number: US15/801,086
Authority: US
Inventors: Salvatore Ranieri
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-11-01
Filing date: 2017-11-01
Publication date: 2018-05-03

Abstract

An inverted umbrella with an integrated carrying case includes a tubular handle, a runner, a track, a plurality of stretchers, a canopy, and a spring-loaded locking mechanism. The runner is slidably engaged within the tubular handle by the spring-loaded looking mechanism and the track from a bottom surface and a lateral surface of the runner, respectively. The plurality of stretchers is radially and foldably connected to a top surface of the runner. The canopy is radially connected to the plurality of stretchers so that the plurality of stretchers and the canopy can be reciprocally move in between an opened configuration that radially positions the canopy and the plurality of stretchers around the tubular handle and a closed configuration that folds the canopy and the plurality of stretchers within the tubular handle.

Description

The current application claims a priority to the U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 62/415,616 filed on Nov. 1, 2016.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to an umbrella. More specifically, the present invention is an inverted umbrella as a handle of the inverted umbrella functions as its own carrying case.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Umbrellas have been an essential tool for years as a way to stay dry during rainy days or stay cool during hot days. Although conventional umbrellas different designs and available in many different sizes, they still have some issues when it comes to the practicality. For example, awkward designs can make umbrellas hard to carry with all the other personal accessories people carry around and can frequently break or damage due to flimsy wirings. Furthermore, trying to balance/carry an umbrella while utilizing other personal or electronic devices is still difficult task. Furthermore, users tend to misplace or lose the carrying case for an umbrella thus resulting unnecessary and hazarded rain water spillage.
It is therefore an objective of the preset invention to provide an inverted umbrella, wherein a handle of the inverted umbrella functions as a carrying case. The present invention also eliminates pivoting connections that are normally integrated into a canopy of the conventional umbrella thus improving the durability. Additionally, the present invention also provides optional accessory apparatus such as a device holder to improve the functionality

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view of the present invention in the opened configuration.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the present invention in the opened configuration.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the present invention in the opened configuration, showing the plane upon which a cross sectional view is taken shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a cross section view of the present invention in the opened configuration taken along line A-A of FIG. 3 and showing the section which a detailed view is taken shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the present invention in the opened configuration taken within section C of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view for the runner of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view for the tubular handle of the present invention, showing the plane upon which a cross sectional view is taken shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 8 is a cross section view for tubular handle of the present invention taken along line A-A of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the present invention, showing the opened configuration.

FIG. 10 is a side view of the present invention, showing the inverted closing process in between the opened configuration and the closed configuration.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the present invention in the closed configuration.

FIG. 12 is a side view of the present invention in the closed configuration, showing the plane upon which a cross sectional view is taken shown in FIG. 13.

FIG. 13 is a cross section view of the present invention in the closed configuration taken along line A-A of FIG. 12.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
The present invention is an inverted umbrella with an integrated carrying case, wherein its handle double as a carrying case as the top of the umbrella can be easily inverted and retracted into and out of the handle. The present invention comprises a tubular handle 1, a runner 9, a track 15, a plurality of stretchers 18, a canopy 22, and a spring-loaded locking mechanism 23 as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 4-5, and FIG. 13. In reference to the general configuration of the present invention, a spring mount 10 of the runner 9 is slidably engaged within the tubular handle 1 by the spring-loaded locking mechanism 23 and the track 15. The plurality of stretchers 18 is radially and foldably connected to a hub 14 of the runner 9. The canopy 22 is radially connected to the plurality of stretchers 18. Resultantly, the plurality of stretchers 18 and the canopy 22 reciprocally move in between an opened configuration and a closed configuration, wherein the opened configuration represents an open umbrella and the closed configuration represents a folded umbrella.
The tubular handle 1 functions as a carrying case and a handle for the present invention. Additionally, the tubular handle 1 also encloses the track 15 and the spring-loaded locking mechanism 23 so that the user is able to fully utilize an external surface 5 of the tubular handle 1 without any obstructions from the track 15 and the spring-loaded locking mechanism 23. In reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 7-8, the tubular handle 1 further comprises a closed end 2, an opened end 3, an internal surface 4, a stop ring 6, and a lateral opening 7. The closed end 2 that functions as a bottom end the present invention encloses the tubular handle 1 from one end. The opened end 3 that delineates the internal surface 4 of the tubular handle 1 and the external surface 5 of the tubular handle 1 is positioned opposite of the closed end 2. Resultantly, the internal surface 4 of the tubular handle 1 can be accessed through the opened end 3. In reference to FIG. 8, the stop ring 6 is terminally positioned within the opened end 3 and laterally connected to the internal surface 4 of the tubular handle 1. More specifically, a top rim of the stop ring 6 is positioned flush with a brim of the opened end 3. In reference to FIG. 1, the lateral opening 7 is adjacently positioned to the closed end 2 and traverses through the tubular handle 1. More specifically, the lateral opening 7 preferably delineates a channeled opening from the internal surface 4 of the tubular handle 1 to the external surface 5 of the tubular handle 1.
In reference to FIG. 6, the spring mount 10 and the hub 14 are concentrically positioned and adjacently connected to each other so that the runner 9 can slide within the tubular handle 1. More specifically, a bottom surface 12 of the spring mount 10 is oriented toward the closed end 2 so that the bottom surface 12 of spring mount 10 can be connected to the closed end 2 through the spring-loaded locking mechanism 23. A lateral surface 13 of the spring mount 10 is perimetrically positioned within the internal surface 4 of the tubular handle 1 so that the lateral surface 13 of the spring mount 10 can be engaged to the internal surface 4 of the tubular handle 1 through the track 15.
In reference to FIG. 13, the spring-loaded locking mechanism 23 comprises a compression spring 24, a lock release button 25, and a pull cord 26. The compression spring 24 is terminally connected the closed end 2 and the bottom surface 12 of the spring mount 10 so that the present invention is able to move from the closed configuration to the opened configuration. The lock release button 25 can be flexibly connected to the lateral surface 13 of the spring mount 10 or mounted to the spring mount 10 as a spring-loaded button so that the lock release button 25 can engaged with the lateral opening 7.
The compression spring 24 moves the present invention from the closed configuration to the opened configuration. In reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 13, the compression spring 24 is concentrically positioned within the tubular handle 1 and connected in between the bottom surface 12 of the spring mount 10 and the closed end 2. As a result, when the lock release button 25 is pressed through the lateral opening 7 and positioning adjacent to the internal surface 4 of the tubular handle 1, the compression spring 24 pushes the canopy 22 and the plurality of stretchers 18 through the opened end 3 due to the disengagement between the lock release button 25 and the lateral opening 7.
The pull cord 26 moves the present invention from the opened configuration to the closed configuration. In reference to FIG. 4-5 and FIG. 13, the pull cord 26 is concentrically positioned within the compression spring 24 and traverses through the closed end 2 so that the pull cord 26 and the compression spring 24 do not engage with each other during operation. A first end 27 of the pull cord 26 is adjacently connected to the bottom surface 12 of the spring mount 10. A second end 28 of the pull cord 26 is positioned external to the closed end 2 as the pull cord 26 traverses through the closed end 2. The second end 28 of the pull cord 26 may be optionally connected to a split key ring or any other types of grasping apparatus to ease the operation from the opened configuration to the closed configuration. More specifically, the pull cord 26 allows the user to pull the runner 9 towards the closed end 2 so that the present invention can be moved from the opened configuration to the closed configuration. Resultantly, when the present invention is at the closed configuration, the lock release button 25 traverses through the lateral opening 7 thus securing the canopy 22 and the plurality of stretchers 18 within the tubular handle 1.
In reference to FIG. 6 and FIG. 8, the track 15 that linearly move the runner 9 within the tubular handle 1 comprises an alignment channel 16 and an alignment rail 17. More specifically, the alignment channel 16 traverses into the tubular handle 1 from the internal surface 4 of the tubular handle 1 as the alignment channel 16 is extended from the opened end 3 to the closed end 2. The alignment rail 17 is adjacently connected to the lateral surface 13 of the spring mount 10 and is extended from the bottom surface 12 of the spring mount 10 to an upper surface 11 of the spring mount 10. The alignment rail 17 is slidably engaged with the alignment channel 16, wherein the engagement of the alignment rail 17 and the alignment channel 16 completes the track 15.
The canopy 22 and the plurality of stretchers 18 move in and out of the tubular handle 1 so that the present invention can function as the inverted umbrella. More specifically, the canopy 22 and the plurality of stretchers 18 are collectively pulled into the tubular handle 1 by the runner 9 and the pull cord 26 of the spring-loaded locking mechanism 23. Oppositely, the canopy 22 and the plurality of stretchers 18 are collectively pushed out of the tubular handle 1 by the runner 9 and the compression spring 24 of the spring-loaded locking mechanism 23. In reference to FIG. 4, each of the plurality of stretchers 18 comprises a proximal section 19, an intermediary section 20, and a distal section 21. The proximal section 19 is terminally connected to the hub 14. The intermediary section 20 is terminally connected to the proximal section 19, opposite of the hub 14. The distal section 21 is terminally connected to the intermediary section 20, opposite of the proximal section 19.
In reference to FIG. 9, the plurality of stretchers 18 is strong enough to maintain their natural shape when the present invention resembles the opened configuration. In other words, when the preferred embodiment of the present invention resembles the opened configuration, the proximal section 19 and the intermediary section 20 are oriented at a right angle or an acute angle while the intermediary section 20 and the distal section 21 are oriented at an obtuse angle. The combination of the right angle or the acute angle between the proximal section 19 and the intermediary section 20 and the obtuse angle between the intermediary section 20 and the distal section 21 delineate a skeleton structure for the plurality of stretchers 18 so that the canopy 22 can be connected to the skeleton structure, resembling a conventional umbrella top.
In reference to FIG. 10 and FIG. 13, the plurality of stretchers 18 is flexible enough to deform into a linear shape when the present invention resembles the closed configuration. In other words, when the preferred embodiment of the present invention resembles the closed configuration, the proximal section 19, the intermediary section 20, and the distal section 21 are oriented at a linear profile. As a result, the linear profile for each of the plurality of stretchers 18 allows the skeleton structure and the canopy 22 to be placed within the tubular handle 1.
In reference to FIG. 3-4 that illustrates the opened configuration, an upper surface 11 of the spring mount 10 is perimetrically engaged with the stop ring 6. The hub 14 is positioned adjacent to the opened end 3 of the tubular handle 1. Since the hub 14 is terminally positioned adjacent to the opened end 3 of the tubular handle 1, the plurality of stretchers 18 and the canopy 22 are radially positioned around the opened end 3 of the tubular handle 1 thus forming an umbrella top above the tubular handle 1. A cap 29 of the present invention, that is externally tethered to the opened end 3 of the tubular handle 1, is then adjacently positioned to the opened end 3 of the tubular handle 1 so that the plurality of stretchers 18 and the canopy 22 can be stretched over the tubular handle 1 without interfering with the cap 29.
In reference to FIG. 11-13 that illustrates the closed configuration, the spring mount 10 is engaged with the lateral opening 7 by the lock release button 25. The spring mount 10 is positioned adjacent to the closed end 2 of the tubular handle 1. Since the spring mount 10 is terminally positioned adjacent to the closed end 2 of the tubular handle 1, the plurality of stretchers 18 and the canopy 22 are foldably positioned within the tubular handle 1. Resultantly, the cap 29 of the present invention is then perimetrically attached around the opened end 3 of the tubular handle 1 so that the plurality of stretchers 18 and the canopy 22 can be sealed within the tubular handle 1.
Optionally, the present invention may comprise a harness channel that is connected along the external surface 5 of the tubular handle 1 or a recoil mechanism that is integrated into the closed end 2 of tubular handle 1. The harness channel provides an empty space to place the pull cord 26. More specifically, when the present invention is in the closed configuration and the runner 9 is positioned adjacent to the closed end 2 of the tubular handle 1, an excess length of the pull cord 26 projects from the closed end 2. The excess length of the pull cord 26 can then be placed within the harness channel only exposing the second end 28 of the pull cord 26. The recoil mechanism functions similar to the harness channel and retreats the excess length of the pull cord 26 into the closed end 2 of the tubular handle 1 only exposing the second end 28 of the pull cord 26.
In reference to FIG. 7-8, the present invention further comprises a grip 8 so that the users can securely grasp the tubular handle 1. More specifically, the grip 8 is adjacently positioned to the closed end 2 of the tubular handle 1 and laterally connected to the external surface 5 of the tubular handle 1. As a result, the grip 8 is able to designate a specific area of the tubular handle 1 as the grasping area thus improving the friction between the user's hand and the tubular handle 1.
In reference to FIG. 1-2, the present invention further comprises a device holder 30 that can mount electronic devices such as mobile phones, electronic tablets, and portable mobile players. More specifically, the device holder 30 is adjacently positioned to the closed end 2 of the tubular handle 1 and laterally mounted to the external surface 5 of the tubular handle 1. Optionally, the user may selectively move the mounting position of the device holder 30 along the tubular handle 1 upon user's preference and for optimal placement of the electronic device.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An inverted umbrella with an integrated carrying case comprises:

a tubular handle;

a runner;

a track;

a plurality of stretchers;

a canopy;

a spring-loaded locking mechanism;

a spring mount of the runner being slidably engaged within the tubular handle by the spring-loaded locking mechanism and the track;

the plurality of stretchers being radially and foldably connected to a hub of the runner; and

the canopy being radially connected to the plurality of stretchers, wherein the plurality of stretchers and the canopy reciprocally moves in between an opened configuration and a closed configuration.

2. The inverted umbrella with an integrated carrying case as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

the spring mount and the hub being concentrically positioned with each other; and

the spring mount and the hub being adjacently connected to each other.

3. The inverted umbrella with an integrated carrying case as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

the track comprises an alignment channel and an alignment rail;

the alignment channel traverses into the tubular handle from an internal surface of the tubular handle;

the alignment channel being extended from an opened end of tubular handle to a closed end of the tubular handle;

the alignment rail being adjacently connected to a lateral surface of the spring mount;

the alignment rail being extended from a bottom surface of the spring mount to an upper surface of the spring mount; and

the alignment rail being slidably engaged with the alignment channel.

4. The inverted umbrella with an integrated carrying case as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

a grip;

the grip being adjacently positioned to a closed end of the tubular handle; and

the grip being laterally connected to an external surface of the tubular handle.

5. The inverted umbrella with an integrated carrying case as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

each of the plurality of stretchers comprises a proximal section, an intermediary section, and a distal section;

the proximal section being terminally connected to the hub;

the intermediary section being terminally connected to the proximal section, opposite of the hub; and

the distal section being terminally connected to the intermediary section, opposite of the proximal section.

6. The inverted umbrella with an integrated carrying case as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

the spring-loaded locking mechanism comprises a compression spring, a lock release button, and a pull cord;

the compression spring being terminally connected a closed end of the tubular handle and a bottom surface of the spring mount;

the lock release button being flexibly connected to a lateral surface of the spring mount;

the pull cord being concentrically positioned within the compression spring and traverses through the closed end;

a first end of the pull cord being adjacently connected to the bottom surface of the spring mount; and

a second end of the pull cord being positioned external to the closed end.

7. The inverted umbrella with an integrated carrying case as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

a device holder;

the device holder being adjacently positioned to a closed end of the tubular handle; and

the device holder being laterally mounted to an external surface of the tubular handle.

8. The inverted umbrella with an integrated carrying case as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

the opened configuration;

a stop ring;

the stop ring being terminally positioned to an opened end of the tubular handle;

the stop ring being laterally connected to an internal surface of the tubular handle;

an upper surface of the spring mount being perimetrically engaged with the stop ring;

the hub being positioned adjacent to the opened end of the tubular handle; and

the plurality of stretchers and the canopy being radially positioned around the opened end of the tubular handle.

9. The inverted umbrella with an integrated carrying case as claimed in claim 8 comprises:

a cap;

the cap being externally tethered to the opened end of the tubular handle; and

the cap being adjacently positioned to the opened end of the tubular handle.

10. The inverted umbrella with an integrated carrying case as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

the closed configuration;

a lateral opening;

the lateral opening being adjacently positioned to a closed end of the tubular handle;

the lateral opening traverses through the tubular handle;

the spring mount being engaged with the lateral opening by a lock release button of the spring-loaded locking mechanism;

the spring mount being positioned adjacent to the closed end of the tubular handle; and

the plurality of stretchers and the canopy being foldably positioned within the tubular handle.

11. The inverted umbrella with an integrated carrying case as claimed in claim 10 comprises:

a cap;

the cap being externally tethered to the opened end of the tubular handle; and

the cap being perimetrically attached around the opened end of the tubular handle.