US3429320A

US3429320A - Umbrella covers

Info

Publication number: US3429320A
Application number: US579559A
Authority: US
Inventors: Dorothy Edelkind
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1966-09-15
Filing date: 1966-09-15
Publication date: 1969-02-25
Anticipated expiration: 1986-02-25

Description

D. EDELKIND UMBRELLA COVERS Feb. 25, 1969 Filed Sept. 15, 1966 FIGES FIGZ FIG.4

INVENTOR. DOROTHY EDELKI ND BY HER ATTORNEY United States Patent Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The essense of this invention resides in a square reversible umbrella cover. A plurality of connecting means are provided, generally, at the outer periphery of the umbrella cover which connecting means may be reversibly connected to the ribs of the umbrella structure. The connecting means are reversibly connected to the umbrella cover such that when the cover is reversed the connecting means may readily be made to support the cover on the ribs. A hole is provided at the approximate center of the cover and is provided with a ring there around so that the center of the cover may be fit over the umbrella ferrule whether in one position or in a reversed position.

The present invention relates to a reversible umbrella and more particularly to a reversible umbrella cover of one piece construction.

Heretofore, it has been known in the art of rain umbrellas that the cover which provides the protection for the user of the umbrella has been comprised of a multiplicity of pieces cut and sewn together to form a circular cover for an umbrella frame. The circular cover is fitted over the frame or skeleton of the umbrella and fastened thereto by means of clips or sewing such that the cover is permanently aflixed to the frame of the umbrella. In the known form of the umbrella art varying degrees of style design have been made within the past decade however, because of the increasing style changes and color combinations the older fixed cover umbrellas have lost a great deal of their customer appeal because of the lack of versatility in the fashion world. Further, the umbrella art has been bogged down by tradition in that new departures and innovations in construction as well as cover construction have not been attempted for fear of public reaction thereto.

Various attempts have been made to form a new type of cover arrangement and in some degrees have attempted a reversible type cover for the umbrella, however, the majority of these attempts have met with dismal failure because of the rather complicated frame construction that was required as well as the inability to adapt new parts for the reversible type umbrellas. Further, it is recognized that new innovations must be made to keep pace with the modern trends and to extend to some degree the life and utility of the umbrella. It may also be recognized that because of the type of covers which are common in the umbrella art, it was almost impossible to have a cover reversible because of the circular shape which required the seaming of the cover and the seams generally were hidden in the under part of the cover, however, when reversing the cover the seams would become visible.

It is the general object of the present invention to avoid and overcome the foregoing and other difiiculties and objections to prior art devices by providing a reversible umbrella cover which is both inexpensive and easily manufactured.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an umbrella cover which is easily and quickly reversible.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide an umbrella cover which may provide different color schemes on the two sides of the cover.

3,429,320 Patented Feb. 25, 1969 ice Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a reversible umbrella cover having a new shape.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide an umbrella cover with the proper connecting means to permit the quick and easy reversibility of the cover.

The objects of the present invention have been achieved by providing a reversible umbrella comprising a reversible cover, said cover being four sidedly shaped joining at right angles at its corners and having a hole therein, a frame over which said reversible cover fits, said frame having a center rod and a plurality of elongated ribs extending radially therefrom, a plurality of foreshortened ribs extending radially from said center rod, a reversible alignment means disposed in said hole and adapted to fit over the ferrule end of said center rod, and a plurality of reversible connecting means attached to said reversible cover, said reversible connecting means adapted to receive the ends of said elongated ribs when said reversible cover is in one position or its reversed position.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an umbrella,

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of an umbrella cover,

FIGURE 3 is a view of the ring construction in the umbrella cover, and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of the connecting means.

It should be recognized that the principles of the present invention are applicable to new and novel umbrellas and although these principles may be thought to encompass other areas, the present invention is limited to the improvement and new innovations in the umbrella art solely.

As shown in FIGURE 1, an umbrella is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10. In order to provide the necessary protection alforded by the umbrella a cover 12 is provided which fits over the ribbed construction 14 of the umbrella 10.

The cover 12 may be made of material well known to those skilled in the art and it is particu arly understood that the material per se forms no part of the present invention.

The cover 12 may be made of a material 16 well known to those skilled in the art and is provided with a hole 18 in the center thereof. As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the shape of the cover 12 is generally four sided with its corners and right angles and may be provided on its upper surface 20 with a design and on its lower surface 22 with yet another design or color scheme. It should be noted that the cover 12 may be of one piece construction however, more than one layer of material may be used thereby permitting distinctively different design and color combinations on the covers upper and

lower surfaces

20, 22. The hole 18 may be provided with a reversible alignment means 24 therein such as a ring 24 therearound of generally metallic material, however, other materials may be used in the making of the reversible alignment means 24 such as plastic or like materials.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the general construction of the umbrella 10 is comprised of a rod 26 having ribs 27 in communication therewith. The ribs 27 are so constructed and disposed so that four (4) elongated ribs 28, of equal length, may extend to the extremities of the cover 12 to the point where the cover material join at right angles 32 whereas other foreshortened ribs 29, whether four (4) or eight (8) equal sized ribs, extend to the periphery of the cover 12, at points between the corners. The foreshortene-d ribs 29 are used generally to maintain the proper shape of the cover 12. The rod 26 may be provided with a ferrule end 30 which may protrude through the top of the cover 12 through the hole 18 and the reversible alignment means 24. As further shown in FIGURE 1, the present invention provides a thin ferrule end 30 arrangement such that the reversible alignment means 24 may slip over the ferrule end 30 without any hindrance and this reversible alignment means 24 may fit over the ferrule end 30 in its position as shown or in the position wherein the cover 12 is reversed.

At the right angle joints 32 of the cover 12 and at other points along the periphery of the cover 12 a multiplicity of connecting means 34 are pivotable attached such that the ends 36 of the elongated ribs 28 and foreshortened ribs 29 may be connected thereto, thereby holding the cover 12 onto the ribs 28 so that the cover 12 may not be easily removed therefrom by a high wind or jostling. The pivotable connecting means 34 may be comprised of a small tu-bular shaped member 38 being opened at its

ends

42, 44 and may be provided with a plurality of holes 46 in the center around the center periphery thereof to allow the connecting means 34 to be either sewn to the extremities of the cover 12 or connected in a convenient manner to the cover 12. It should be noted that the connecting means 34 are generally short in length the reason being that they are pivotably connected to the outer periphery at the right angle joints 32 and other points on the periphery of the cover 12 such that in its reversed position the pivotable connecting means 34 may be reversed so that the elongated ribs 28 and foreshortened ribs 29 of the umbrella, may be fit thereinto. In this respect, it may be seen that the ends of the elongated ribs 28 and foreshortened ribs 29 may fit into either

end

42, 44 of the connecting means 34 so that when the umbrella cover 12 is firstly connected in one position on the ribs 14, when the cover 12 is desired to be reversed, the cover 12 will be turned over exposing the second surface or lower surface 22 and the pivotable connecting mans 34 will be pivoted so that the other end of the Connecting means 34 will receive the tips of the ribs 27. In this manner, it will be recognized that the

ends

42, 44 of the pivotable connecting means 34 are open to receive the tips of the ribs 27 when the cover 12 is in one position or its reversed position.

With this particular construction, it may be seen that the cover 12 may be provided with ornamental designs on either its upper surface 20 or its lower surface 22 and that by disconnecting the pivotable connecting means 34 from the elongated ribs 28 and foreshortened ribs 29 of the umbrella and by allowing the reversible alignment means 24, in the center of the cover 12, to slip over the ferrule end 30, the cover 12 may be removed and reversed or inverted and then placed back over the ribs 27 allowing the ferrule end 30 to slip through the center of the reversible alignment means 24 and by reversing the pivotable connecting means 34 will allow the ends of the elongated ribs 28 and foreshortened ribs 29 to slide int-o the open end of the pivotable connecting means 34 thereby fastening the cover 12 directly to the ribs 27. In this manner, it will be seen that the cover 12 is quite easily reversible providing a means for varying the design on the umbrella cover so that the user of the umbrella 10 may vary the color schemes available to him when it is so desired.

It will further be recognized that the uncomplicated reversible feature lends itself to a more utilitarian and novel type of umbrella.

While in accordance with the patent statutes, a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be particularly understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby.

I claim:.

1. A reversible umbrella comprising a frame having a plurality of elongated ribs, said frame being provided with a center rod having a handle end and a ferrule end, said elongated ribs being collapsibly mounted on said center rod and being provided with ends extending radially from said center rod, a plurality of foreshortened ribs collapsibly mounted on said center rod and extending radially therefrom, a reversible cover connectable to said ribs and having a hole therein, a reversible alignment means disposed in said hole and adapted to fit over the ferrule end of said center rod, said reversible cover being four sidedly shaped joining at right angles at its corners, and a plurality of cylindrically shaped open ended connecting means attached to said reversible cover, said cylindrically shaped reversible connecting means adapted to receive the ends of said elongated and foreshortened ribs when said reversible cover is in one position or its reversed position.

2. A reversible umbrella according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of foreshortened ribs are collapsibly connected to said center rod for aiding in maintaining the shape of said reversible cover when said reversible cover is in one position or its reversed position.

3. A reversible umbrella according to claim 2 wherein said reversible connecting means comprises an open ended tubular shaped member having a lurality of holes around the center thereof, said holes providing a means connecting said reversible connecting means to the corners and periphery of said reversible cover.

4. A reversible umbrella according to claim 3 wherein the ends of said elongated ribs and foreshortened ribs are insertable in one end of said reversible connecting means and when said reversible cover is reversed said ends are insertable in the other end of said reversible connecting means.

5. A reversible umbrella according to claim 4 wherein said reversible alignment means com-prises a ring member fixedly secured in the hole of said reversible cover and adapted to slide over the ferrule end of said center rod when said reversible cover is changed from one position to the reversed position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 33,472 10/1861 Bancroft l3534 664,123 12/1900 Carmelich --34 802,719 10/ 1905 Sybrandt 135-36 1,006,240 10/1911 Lewis 135-34 1,208,097 12/1916 Collins et al. 135-20 1,285,082 11/1918 Emshwiller 13520 2,746,469 5/1956 DAndrea l3534 PETER M. CAUN, Primary Examiner.