GB2260489A - Wind force responsive umbrella - Google Patents

Abstract

An umbrella closes to avoid wind damage when the inside surface of the open umbrella's cover is exposed to a gust of wind otherwise strong enough to turn it inside-out. The umbrella is of the topless rib system type wherein each stretcher rib (21) is connected to the runner (12) when the umbrella is open to extend beneath a horizontal plane i.e. at a downwardly directed acute angle ( alpha 2) with the umbrella's centerpost. A latch (14) mounted in the centerpost (1) has an edge profile (131) which does not engage the runner (12) on the centerpost when the underside of the umbrella's cover is exposed to substantially no wind force. As the wind pressure increases, the latch edge first restrains the runner in that position where the linkage system is held in the erected position, and then the latch edge cooperates with the runner so that the latch is depressed into the centerpost so that the runner can pass over it and the linkage system can collapse to a closed position, protected from wind damage. <IMAGE>

Description

n - 113 n4 1 -1 Wind Force Responsive Umbrella This invention relates to

umbrellas. More particularly, this invention relates to an umbrella that collapses when it is exposed to a strong gust of wind on the underside of the umbrella's cover so the umbrella's rib linkage system is not inverted, i.e., not turned inside out.

Umbrellas have been in use for many years.

An umbrella basically includes a centerpost with handle, a cover, and a rib linkage system connected between the cover and centerpost. The prior art rib linkage system is extendable and retractable to open and close the umbrella, i.e., to raise and collapse, the umbrella's cover. When the umbrella is open and in use, and if the inside of the umbrellas cover is exposed to a strong gust of wind such as periodically might occur during a bad rain and wind storm, the umbrella's rib linkage system could invert or turn inside out. An inverted or inside out rib linkage system normally cannot biz- returned to its normal io condition without irreparably damaging the umbrella.

is Accordingly, one objective of this invention is to provide an improved umbrella where the umbrella's rib linkage system is closed, rather than turned inside out, in order to protect that rib linkage system when the inside cover surface of the opened umbrella is exposed to wind forces normally strong enough to invert the umbrella's rib linkage system.

It has been another objective of this invention to provide an improved umbrella with a unique stretcher rib, runner, and runner latch assembly that causes the umbrella to collapse, i. e., that causes the runner to move down the centerpost, when the inside cover surface of the opened umbrella is is exposed to wind forces normally strong enough to invert the umbrella's rib linkage system.

Other advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description in connection with the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of an umbrella in accord with the invention under normal open use conditions; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the umbrella exposed to wind forces strong enough to turn the umbrellats rib linkage system inside out; Fig. 3 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of umbrella's centerpost illustrating the shape -3of the runner latch used in the Figs. 1 and 2 embodiment; Fig. 4 is a schematic view of a second embodiment of an umbrella in accord with the invention under normal open use conditions; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the umbrella exposed to wind forces strong enough to be able to turn the umbrellas rib linkage system inside out; Fig. 6 illustrates a variation of the shape of the runner latch that can be used with either the Figs. 1 and 2 embodiment or the Figs. 3 and 4 embodiment; Fig. 7 is a schematic view of a conventional prior art umbrella under normal open use conditions;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the prior art umbrella exposed to wind forces strong enough to turn the umbrella's rib linkage inside out; and

Fig. 9 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the prior art umbrellas centerpost illustrating the shape of the runner latch used in the prior art umbrella.

An umbrella 10 is accord with the principles of this invention is shown in Figs. 1-3. The umbrella includes a crown 11 mounted on the top end of centerpost 1, and a runner 12 slideable on the centerpost.

1 The umbrella 10 includes a topless type rib linkage system 20 with a stretcher rib 21 pivotally connected at one end to the runner 12, and a control strut 22 pivotally connected at one end to the crown 11, the other end of the control strut being pivotally connected midway between the ends of the stretcher rib. A control link 23 is pivotally connected at one end to the control strut 22 but adjacent the outer end of that control strut, the other end of the control link being pivotally connected to the inner end of cove rib 24. The outer end of the stretcher rib 21 is pivotally connected to the cover rib 24 between its ends, but adjacent to the inner end of that cover rib. Umbrella cover 25 is supported by the cover ribs 24 when the rib linkage system 20 is erected so that the umbrella is opened as shown in Fig. 1.

The centerpost 1 includes slot 14 defined in it near the crown 11 end. A runner latch 2 that includes a latch head 3 and a latch spring 13 is placed within the centerpost 1, and the latch head is continuously biased to protrude from the centerpost slot 14 when the runner 12 is oriented in the umbrella open position. As shown in Fig. 3, the upper edge (i.e.,' the latch edge) 131 of the latch head 3 is somewhat concave and arcuate, and slants downward with respect to the central axis A of the centerpost 1.

In use, the stretcher rib 21, as shown in Fig. 3, particularly is arranged to slantdownward from the runner 12 when the umbrella is open during normal umbrella use conditions, and when the underside of the cover 25 is not exposed to major wind forces that would otherwise turn the rib linkage system 20 inside out. In this attitude, the downward angle 21a formed between the stretcher rib 21 and the center axis A of the centerpost 1 is less than 90 degrees, i.e., the stretcher rib 21 is located beneath a phantom plane oriented traverse to the centerpost's axis that includes the connection of the stretcher rib with the runner. Thus the stretcher rib 21, when in the umbrella open condition, and when no wind force is exerted against the inside of the cove 25, slants downward from the position at which the stretcher 21 is connected with the runner 12, and such rib linkage structure under the umbrella's equilibrium open condition can naturally produce a force which holds the runner 12 in its umbrella open position on the centerpost as shown in Fig. 3 where it is not in contact with the latch 2. Therefore, it is not necessary for the latch edge 131 of the latch head 3 to support the runner 12 by contact with the runner during normal use of the umbrella when no wind force is exerted against the underside of the umbrella's cover. In other words, when using the umbrella of the invention on a windless day, the normal use of the umbrella condition will be maintained without the latch head 3 to support the runner 12.

When the inside surface of the umbrellas cover 25 encounters a gust of wind (see arrow in Fig. 2) of minor force, i.e., if the strength of the wind gust is not great enough to turn the umbrella's rib linkage 20 inside out, the runner 12 then will be subjected to a force which can move it downward on the centerpost 1 toward the umbrella's handle (not shown). But in this operational condition, the runner 12 now will be supported by the latch edge 131 of the latch head 3, and the open condition of the umbrella will be maintained. But if the strength of the wind gust (see arrow in Fig. 2) is of major force, i.e., is strong enough to turn the umbrellas rib linkage 20 inside out as shown in Fig. 2, at this time the f orce produced by the stretcher rib 21 to depress and move the runner 12 downward toward the umbrella's handle (not shown) will be longer than the support provided by the latch edge 131 of the latch head 3 as established by the latch spring 13. When this condition occurs, see Fig. 2, the runner 12 will slide downward along the latch edge 131 of the latch head 3, and depress that latch head into the centerpost. This allows the runner 12 to move continu"ously downward along the centerpost, which in turn collapses the rib linkage system 20, toward an umbrella closed condition, so as to prevent the umbrella from being turned inside out, and so as to protect the rib linkage 20. of the umbrella.

The runner 12 used in the umbrella embodi ment shown in Fig. 1 is not provided with a longi tudinal slot in the side thereof. However, the invention also can be used with an umbrella in which the runner 12 does have a longitudinal slot 121 in the side thereof, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In this second embodiment, the umbrella structure is as before described, and functions as before described, except that the latch head's latch edge 131 cooperates with top end edge 121a of the runner's slot 121 instead of with the runner's bottom end edge 12a as in the first embodiment shown in Figs. 1-3. Further, according to an alternative embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 6, the shape of the latch edge 132 of the latch head 3 of the invention also can be linear.

The umbrella of this invention, therefor, functions so that when the inside surface of the umbrella's cover encounters a wind force, e.g., a wind gust, and if that wind gust is strong enough to turn the umbrella's rib linkage 20 inside out, the umbrella will tend toward a closed condition instead of an inverted condition in order to protect the rib linkage 20 of the umbrella. Further, and in light of the downwardly sloping latch edge 131, 132 of the latch head 3, when a user wants to close the umbrella the user only needs to pull the runner 12 downward which causes the runner to slide across and depress the latch head protruding from the centerpost 1 to close the umbrella, which is a one hand closing sequence, i.e., which requires only one of a userOs hands. With a conventional umbrella, the user must first depress the analogous protruding latch head 3 of the analogous runner latch 2 into a centerpost, and then pull the analogous runner 12 downward toward the umbrellas handle to close the umbrella, which is a two hand closing sequence, i.e, which requires both the userOs hands. Hence, the umbrella of this invention is also more convenient to close than the conventional umbrella.

A prior art conventional umbrella over which this invention constitutes an improvement is shown in Figs. 7-9. The prior art umbrella, as shown in Fig.

7, includes a crown 110 on centerpost lt and a runner slideable on the centerpost 11. The crown llt and centerpost 11 are respectively pivotally connected to control link 221 and stretcher rib 211. The other end of the control link 22 is pivotally connected at a proper position to the stretcher rib 210, and a control link 23 is pivotally connected at a proper position to the control strut 221. Further, the ends -gof the stretcher rib 211 and control link 231 are respectively pivotally connected at a proper position of, and to the inner end of, a cover rib 241. The stretcher rib 21' of this conventional umbrella, under the normal open condition shown in Fig. 7, slants upwardly from the position at which the stretcher rib 211 is connected with the runner 121. In other words, the downward action angle 21 formed between the stretcher rib 21' and the center axis A' of the centerpost 11 is larger than 90 degrees. This rib linkage 201 will produce a force which continually biases the runner 121 downwardly toward the umbrellats handle (not shown) when the umbrella is erected. Hence, the conventional umbrella needs a runner latch is 1311 as shown in Fig. 9 to restrain or hold the runner 121 in its open position on the centerpost it, and to prevent the runner from sliding downward, in order to maintain the umbrella open condition. As shown in Fig. 9, the conventional runner latch 131 has a substantial horizontal upper edge portion 1311 for supporting the runner 121, which upper edge portion 1311 is substantially normal to the center axis A' of the centerpost 11.

When in use, this conventional umbrella shown in Figs. 7-9 is liable to be turned inside out when the inside surface of the umbrella's cover 251 is exposed to a major wind force, i.e., to a sufficiently is -10strong gust of wind. When the inside surface of the umbrella's cover 2S.' encounters a strong wind gust (as shown by the arrow in Fig. 8), the center rib 241 will bend upward due to the upward strong pressure. At this time, the stretcher rib 211 will produce a force that tends to move the runner 121 downward due to the function of the rib linkage 200 and the tension of the cover 251. Since the runner 121 is tightly supported by the substantially horizontal edge portion 1311 of the runner latch 131, and this force which presses the runner against the latch can not be released because the latch is not released. As a result, the stretcher rib 211 and cover rib 241 are bent upwardly until they are turned inside out. once the cover ribs 241 are turned inside out, it is virtually impossible to re-close the umbrella; if the user forces the rib linkage 201 back toward the collapsed or storage position, that rib linkage will be seriously damaged. It is this problem that the umbrella of this invention overcomes.

It will of course be understood that the present invention has been described above purely by way of example, and that modifications of detail can be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims (1)

1. CLAIMS (1) An umbrella comprising a centerpost having a runner slideable

   thereon, said centerpost having a crown at one end and a handle at the other end, a rib linkage system for a cover, said linkage system being connected between said centerpost and said runner, said linkage system being movable between erected and collapsed positions to open and close said umbrella, said linkage system including a stretcher rib connected to said runner, in said erected position said stretcher rib extending beneath a phantom plane oriented transverse to the centerpost's axis, that includes the connection of said stretcher rib with said runner at a downwardly directed acute angle with said centerpost, that orientation of said stretcher rib alone retaining said umbrella in said erected position during normal use of said umbrella when said umbrella is opened and the underside of said cover is exposed to substantially no wind forces, and a latch mounted in said centerpost, said latch being adapted to extend outwardly from and retract inwardly into said centerpost, said latch defining a latch edge adapted to engage said runner when said latch is extended exteriorly of said centerpost, that latch edge being configured to restrain said runner, and therefor said umbrella, in said -12erected position during normal use of said umbrella when said umbrella is opened and the underside of said cover is exposed to minor wind forces not sufficient to turn said cover inside out, and that latch edge also being configured to allow said runner to slide downwardly over said latch so that latch is retracted inwardly of said centerpost in order to allow said rib linkage system to move to said collapsed position when said stretcher rib is extended above that transverse plane that includes the connection of said stretcher rib with said runner, said rib linkage system such as might occur when said umbrella is open during normal use and the underside of said cover is exposed to major wind forces that would otherwise turn said rib linkage system inside out.

   c (2) An umbrella as claimed in Claim 1, said umbrella comprising a spring connected with said latch to normally bias said latch to a position extended exteriorly of said centerpost, said latch edge and said spring being adapted to cooperate with said runner to allow said latch to be depressed interiorly of said centerpost so that said linkage system can collapse when said umbrella is opened during normal use and the underside of said cover is exposed to said major wind forces.

   (3) An umbrella as claimed in claim 2, said latch edge being generally curvilinear.

   (4) An umbrella as claimed in claim 2, said latch edge portions being generally linear.

   (5) An umbrella as claimed in Claim 1, said runner having a bottom edge, said latch edge cooperating with said runner's bottom edge.

   (6) - An umbrella as claimed in Claim 1, said runner having a slot aligned parallel to the longi tudinal axis of said centerpost, said latch edge cooperatinq with the top edqe of said runnerOs slot.

   (7) An umbrella substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in any one or more of Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.