US3848740A

US3848740A - Umbrella

Info

Publication number: US3848740A
Application number: US00420908A
Authority: US
Inventors: H Weber
Original assignee: Telesco Brophey Ltd
Current assignee: KNIRPS INTERNATIONAL A GERMAN CORP GmbH
Priority date: 1973-12-03
Filing date: 1973-12-03
Publication date: 1974-11-19
Anticipated expiration: 1991-11-19

Abstract

An umbrella having a folding dome rib structure with part of the dome rib structure mushrooming a portion of the umbrella cover as the umbrella is folded. The mushrooming part of the dome rib structure, and the remainder of the dome rib structure, end up side-by-side in a circumferential direction when the umbrella is folded so as to reduce the cross-sectional size of the folded umbrella.

Description

I United States Patent [191 1111 3, Weber 1 1 Nov. 19, 1974 1 UMBRELLA 1,223,138 4/1917 Blythe 135/25 R [75] In entor: He nz ber, e Ge ny 2,168,188 8/1939 Bernhard 135/26 [73] Assignee: Telesco Brophey Limited, Montreal, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Quebec, Canada 786,138 6/1935 France 135/25 Filed: 3, 1973 Primary ExaminerJ. Karl Bell [21] APPL NOJ 420,908 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Alan Swabey; Robert E.

Mitchell [30] D F;)rei9g7n2 Ap lication Priority Data 2259885 57] ABSTRACT many An umbrella having a folding dome rib structure with 52 us. 01 135/25 R Part 0f the dome Structure a 51 1m. 01 A45b 19/00 the umbrella as the umbrella is The [58] Field of Search 13 5 /2O 26 mushrooming part of the dome rib structure, and the l remainder of the dome rib structure, end up side-by- [56] References Cited side in a circumferential direction when the umbrella is folded so as to reduce the cross-sectional size of the UNITED STATES PATENTS folded umbrella 805,957 11/1905 Hoffman 135/25 R 974,211 11/1910 Olsson 135/25 R 7 Claims, 4 Drawlllt; Flgures UMBRELLA BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to an umbrella, and more particularly, to an umbrella of the type which can be collapsed to form a relatively small package when not in use.

2. Description of the Prior Art One known type of collapsible umbrella employs a parallelogram frame structure to support an umbrella cover. This type of umbrella has foldable rather than telescopic dome ribs which makes it rather easy to open and close. It is preferable to provide this type of umbrella with means for forming the cover, near the crown of the umbrella, into a mushroom shape when folding the umbrella. These mushroom forming means properly shape the cover for insertion into a carrying case and for providing a wet cover with an opportunity to dry. In addition, these means minimize pinching of the cover which could lead to its tearing.

Suitable means for forming the cover into a mushroom shape, as the umbrella is folded, are shown in a copending US. Pat. application, Ser. No. 349,006, filed Apr. 9, 1973. These means consist of dome ribs made in two sections with the section nearest the crown of the umbrella made in two parts and adapted to be folded outwardly. These foldable parts form a portion of the cover into a mushroom shape when folding outwardly as the umbrella is folded.

One disadvantage to this structure, however, is that the folded dome rib sections lie side-by-side radially and thus increase the cross-sectional size of the folded umbrella.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides structure which reduces the cross-sectional size of the folded umbrella while still permitting formation of a portion of the cover into a mushroom shape during folding.

The present invention is particularly directed toward an umbrella frame having a stick with foldable dome ribs extending substantially radially from the stick. Each dome rib consists of first and second sections pivotably joined together. The first dome rib section, adjacent the stick, consists of first and second parts pivotably joined together. The first dome rib section is laterally offset from the second dome rib section where they join together.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described in detail having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial elevational view of the umbrella in an opened condition;

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the umbrella in an opened condition;

FIG. 3 is a partial elevational view of the umbrella in a folded condition; and

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of the umbrella in a folded condition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, the umbrella has a stick 1 composed of two telescoping sections 2, 3. Section 3 can have a polygonal cross-section, and the lower end of section 2, the remainder of which is of circular crosssection, can also have a polygonal cross-section to prevent the two sections from rotating with respect to each other. A catch 4 on the lower end of section 2 maintains the sections in an extended position. A handle, not shown, is at the bottom of section 3 and a crown 6 is at the top of section 2.

Dome ribs 7 are pivotably connected to a tie flange 8 on crown 6. The dome ribs 7 extend substantially radially from the crown, and are uniformly, angularly spaced about the crown. Each dome rib 7 is made of two

sections

7a, 7b. Dome rib section 7a, nearest crown 6, is made of two parts T T pivotably connected together by a hinge pinl2. Part T nearest the crown 6, is preferably made from a steel wire which has a slight, outwardly extending bend 11 near hinge pin 12. Part T is preferably made from a member 60 having a U- shaped cross-section. Part T is slightly longer than part T Dome rib section 7b preferably comprises a steel wire extending from a bracket 14, to the side of which bracket 14, section 7a is hinged by pin 17. Thus, the end of section 7a is located laterally of the adjacent end of section 7b. Preferably, the web of member 60, forming part T is cut back in the vicinity of hinge pin 17 forming two projecting legs 61. The legs 61 are bent to lie flat one upon the other and to be offset with respect to the side of part T adjacent side surface 14' of bracket 14. This offset provides a space between

sections

7a and 7b when the umbrella is folded as will be described.

The umbrella has a support system S which supports the dome ribs 7 and controls their folding motion. The support system includes stretcher members 25, each pivotably connected at one end to a dome rib at a hinge point 16 on bracket 14. The other end of each stretcher member 25 is pivotably connected to a tie flange 26 on a main runner 24 which slides on stick 1. A strut 29 is hinged at one end to a tie flange 28 on an auxiliary runner 27, and at its other end to stretcher member 25 at hinge point 30. Auxiliary runner 27 also slides on stick 1, and is located between crown 6 and main runner 24. The support system S includes a link member 31 which extends substantially parallel to stretcher member 25 and is hinged at one end to strut 29 at hinge point 33, and is hinged at its other end to bracket 14 by hinge pin 17. Bracket 14 is preferably of U-shaped cross-section, and the other end of link 31 sits inside the bracket 14. Thus, with this arrangement,

one pin 17 connects both link 31 and legs 61 to the bracket. Link 31 is preferably made from steel wire with the ends flattened and pierced. Strut 29 is prefera bly made from a member having a U-shaped crosssection so as to at least partly receive link 31 when the umbrella is folded.

The umbrella has a cover 20, secured to crown 6, bracket 14 and ends 23 of dome rib section 7b. The cover 20 is also attached to rib section 7a in the vicinity of hinge point 12 joining parts T and T The umbrella also'has a locking key 37 on main runher 24 which maintains the umbrella in an open position.

To close the umbrella, key 37 is actuated, permitting main runner 24 to be moved down the stick 1 towards the handle. As the runner 24 moves down, the support system S" folds towards stick 1. At the end of the operation, the dome ribs 7 are grouped about the stick 1 substantially parallel thereto. To collapse the umbrella, the group of dome ribs are then held at their lower end and crown 6 is pushed toward the umbrella handle. Parts 2, 3 of the stick 1 telescope, and parts T and T of rib section 7a fold outwardly to a position shown by dotted lines in FIG. 1, forming an angle a open toward the stick 1. This automatically causes that portion of the cover between crown 6 and brackets 14 to assume a mushroom shape. Movement of slide 24 toward crown 6 causes part T to move in toward slide 1 and to have part T nest in part T substantially parallel, along with part T to stick 1. Because of the laterally offset mounting between

dome rib sections

7a and 7b at hinge pin 17, folded and nested parts T T end up alongside dome rib section 7b, which lies substantially parallel to stick 1, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Thus, the empty angular space B between adjacent dome ribs 7 is utilized to receive a portion of the frame thereby reducing the cross-sectional area of the folded umbrella.

Because of the offset of legs 61, a gap is provided between

adjacent sections

7a, 7b when the umbrella has been folded. The gaps receive folds of cover 20. Additional space is provided for folded cover material since the wire of section 7b is narrower than bracket 14 and thus farther away from section 7a than the bracket is. A usual small amount of play in the mounting of hinge pin 17 also allows

sections

7a, 7b to move or twist slightly apart to accommodate portions of folded cover 20 therebetween. Also, during folding,

runners

24 and 27 can twist slightly on stick 1 providing additional space between folded rib parts to accommodate cover material. If still more space for folded cover material is required, the hinge points of the dome ribs 7 to the crown 6 can be offset with respect to the hinge points of respective stretcher members to runner 24 by a distance M" as shown in FIG. 2.

The umbrella can be opened by reversing the closing sequence. I claim:

1. An umbrella frame having a stick, foldable dome ribs extending substantially radially from the stick, each dome rib consisting of first and second sections pivotably joined together, the first dome rib section, adjacent the stick consisting offirst and second parts pivotably joined together, the first dome rib section being laterally offset from the second dome rib section where they join together.

2. An umbrella frame as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first part comprises a member having a U-shaped cross-section, the second part sized to nest in the first part.

3. An umbrella frame as claimed in claim 2, wherein it is the first part of the first section which is joined to the second section.

4. An umbrella frame as claimed in claim 3, wherein the member has two projecting legs, offset to one side, by which the first section is joined to the side of the second section.

5. An umbrella frame as claimed in claim 2, including a stretcher member supporting each dome rib and pivotably connected to a main runner slidable on the stick, the connection point of each dome rib to the stick being circumferentially offset with respect to the connection point of each respective stretcher member to the main runner.

6. An umbrella frame as claimed in claim 2, including a stretcher member supporting each dome rib, a strut extending from each stretcher member, a link extending substantially parallel to the stretcher member between the strut and the second dome rib section, the pin pivotably joining the first and second sections, also joining the link to the second section.

7. An umbrella frame as claimed in claim 2, in combination with a cover attached to the dome ribs and the stick.

Claims

1. An umbrella frame having a stick, foldable dome ribs extending substantially radially from the stick, each dome rib consisting of first and second sections pivotably joined together, the first dome rib section, adjacent the stick consisting of first and second parts pivotably joined together, the first dome rib section being laterally offset from the second dome rib section where they join together.