US20060144432A1

US20060144432A1 - Easily openable and collapsible folding umbrella having further reduced collapsed volume

Info

Publication number: US20060144432A1
Application number: US11/024,677
Authority: US
Inventors: Tsun-Zong Wu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-12-30
Filing date: 2004-12-30
Publication date: 2006-07-06

Abstract

A folding umbrella includes multiple sets of rib members, each of which includes pivotally connected connecting element, inner, middle, and outer main ribs, stretcher, and inner and outer links. Since the inner link is a round-sectioned rib, and the inner main rib and the stretcher are U-sectioned ribs, the inner link is received in the inner main rib, and the inner main rib with the inner link received therein along with the connecting element are received in the stretcher when the folding umbrella is fully collapsed, allowing the collapsed folding umbrella to have a further reduced volume. The folding umbrella also includes a lower hub having an inward curved waist portion and a conic lower wall portion that provide an increased contact area for a user to comfortably and easily move the lower hub upward or downward to open or collapse the folding umbrella.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a folding umbrella, and more particularly to a three-folds umbrella that is easily openable and collapsible and has a further reduced collapsed volume.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
General folding umbrellas may be divided into, for example, two-folds, three-folds, and four-folds umbrellas. In FIG. 1, there is shown a conventional three-folds umbrella 1 in a fully stretched state. The three-folds umbrella 1 mainly includes a shaft 11 formed from three telescopically connected sections, an upper hub 12 fixedly mounted to a top of the shaft 11, a lower hub 13 upward and downward slidably mounted on the shaft 11, a grip 14 fixedly connected to a lower end of the shaft 11, multiple sets of rib members 2, and an umbrella cover 15 connected to and covering a top of the multiple sets of rib members 2.
The shaft 11 includes three sections, namely, an upper shaft section 111, a middle shaft section 112, and a lower shaft section 113 that are telescopically connected to one another.
The lower hub 13 is provided at a lower part with an annular sleeve 131, an upper end and a lower end of which are formed of an upper flange 132 and a lower flange 133, respectively.
Each of the multiple sets of rib members 2 includes an inner main rib 21, a middle main rib 22, an outer main rib 23, a stretcher 24, an inner link 25, and an outer link 26, which are pivotally connected to one another.
As can be clearly seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, the inner main rib 21 is pivotally connected at an inner end 211 and an outer end 212 to the upper hub 12 and a near-inner-end point 221 a on the middle main rib 22, respectively. The stretcher 24 is pivotally connected at an inner end 241 and an outer end 242 to the lower hub 13 and a near-middle point 213 on the inner main rib 21, respectively. The inner link 25 is pivotally connected at an inner end 251 and an outer end 252 to a near-outer-end point 242 s on the stretcher 24 and an inner end 221 of the middle main rib 22, respectively. The middle main rib 22 is pivotally connected at the inner end 221 and an outer end 222 to an outer end 252 of the inner link 25 and a near-inner-end point 23 la on the outer main rib 23, respectively. The middle main rib 22 is a U-sectioned rib and provided near a middle point with a bent hook 223. The outer link 26 is pivotally connected at an inner end 261 and an outer end 262 to a near-outer-end point 212 a on the inner main rib 21 and an inner end 231 of the outer main rib 23, respectively, to pass below the bent hook 223 of the middle main rib 22.
To open the folding umbrella 1, a user upward pushes the lower hub 13 at the annular sleeve 131, and the rib members in each set are sequentially stretched from inner to outer side until the folding umbrella 1 is fully opened. Reversely, to collapse the folding umbrella 1, the user downward pulls the lower hub 13 at the annular sleeve 131, and the rib members in each set are sequentially folded from outer to inner side until the folding umbrella 1 is fully collapsed.
In the above-described conventional folding umbrella 1, the stretcher 24, the inner link 25, and the inner main rib 21 are U-sectioned ribs. When the folding umbrella 1 is fully collapsed as shown in FIG. 4, these U-sectioned ribs are not in a nested state, and the inner end 221 of the middle main rib 22 having the inner main rib 21 and the inner link 25 pivotally connected thereto is not received in the U-sectioned stretcher 24. Moreover, since the inner end 221 of the middle main rib 22 of the collapsed folding umbrella 1 is located at the same height as the lower hub 13, it is outward biased due to the lower hub 13. Furthermore, the middle main ribs 22 of the conventional folding umbrella 1 are generally U-sectioned ribs defining a channel each, through which the outer link 26 is extended. The U-sectioned middle main ribs 22 obviously occupy a considerable space to increase the collapsed volume of the folding umbrella 1. The above-mentioned factors make the collapsed folding umbrella 1 to have a considerably large volume.
Meanwhile, to open or collapse the folding umbrella 1, a user has to upward push or downward pull the lower hub 13 at the annular sleeve 131 using one hand, usually by the thumb and the index finger. The annular sleeve 131 is generally small in size and has a straight outer wall surface to provide only a very limited contact area with the user's fingers, preventing the user from comfortably pushing or pulling the annular sleeve 131 to conveniently and easily open or collapse the folding umbrella 1. Particularly, when the user applies a force to upward push the annular sleeve 131, the user's fingers pushing the annular sleeve 131 tend to slide beyond the upper flange 132 of the annular sleeve 131 and frictionally contact with a toothed top of the lower hub 13 to cause injury or pain of the fingers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a folding umbrella, particularly a three-folds umbrella, that could be easily operated to open or collapse and has a further reduced collapsed volume.
The folding umbrella according to the present invention includes a shaft, an upper hub, a lower hub, multiple sets of rib members, and an umbrella cover. In each set of rib members, there are included a connecting element, an inner, a middle, and an outer main rib, a stretcher, and an inner and an outer link pivotally connected to one another. Since the inner link is a round-sectioned rib, and the inner main rib and the stretcher are U-sectioned ribs, the inner link is received in a channel defined by the inner main rib, and the inner main rib with the inner link received therein along with the connecting element are received in a channel defined by the stretcher when the folding umbrella is fully collapsed to thereby further reduce a collapsed volume of the folding umbrella. Moreover, the stretcher is formed at an inner section with an expanded channel for receiving the pivotally connected connecting element, outer end of the inner link, and outer end of the inner main rib therein to further reduce the collapsed volume of the folding umbrella of the present invention. On the other hand, the middle main ribs are round-sectioned ribs that occupy a reduced space in the collapsed folding umbrella and thereby enable the folding umbrella to have a further reduced collapsed volume.
The lower hub for the folding umbrella of the present invention includes a runner slidably mounted on the shaft for opening or collapsing the folding umbrella. The runner has an upper flange formed around a top of the runner, an inward curved waist portion downward extended from the upper flange, and a conic lower wall portion integrally downward extended from the waist portion to a bottom of the runner. The inward curved waist portion and the conic lower wall portion together provide an increased contact area with a user's fingers pushing or pulling the runner, and the upper flange prevents the user's fingers from moving beyond the runner to touch the toothed top of the lower hub, so that the user could comfortably and easily move the runner upward or downward to open or collapse the folding umbrella without being scraped or injured by the toothed lower hub.
The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein
FIG. 1 schematically shows a conventional folding umbrella in a fully stretched state;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of one set of rib members of the folding umbrella of FIG. 1 in a half-collapsed state;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a stretcher of the folding umbrella of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 shows the folding umbrella of FIG. 1 in a fully collapsed state;
FIG. 5 shows an easily openable and collapsible folding umbrella having further reduced collapsed volume according to the present invention in a fully stretched state;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a lower hub of the folding umbrella of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of one set of rib members of the folding umbrella of FIG. 5 in a half-collapsed state;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a stretcher of the folding umbrella of FIG. 5;
FIG. 9 shows the folding umbrella of FIG. 5 in a fully collapsed state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
Please refer to FIG. 5 that shows an easily openable and collapsible folding umbrella having further reduced collapsed volume 3 according to the present invention. As shown, the folding umbrella 3 also structurally includes a shaft 31 formed from telescopically connected upper shaft section 311, middle shaft section 312, and lower shaft section 313, an upper hub 32 fixedly connected to a top of the shaft 31, a lower hub 33 upward and downward slidably mounted on the shaft 31, a grip 34 fixedly connected to a lower end of the shaft 31, multiple sets of rib members 4, and an umbrella cover 35 connected to and covering a top of the multiple sets of rib members 4. The folding umbrella 3 of the present invention is different from the conventional folding umbrella 1 in the lower hub 33 and the multiple sets of rib members 4.
Each set of the rib members 4 includes an inner main rib 41, a middle main rib 42, an outer main rib 43, a stretcher 44, an inner link 45, an outer link 46, and a connecting element 47, which are pivotally connected to one another.
As can be clearly seen from FIG. 7 that is an enlarged perspective view of one set of rib members 4 of the folding umbrella 3 of the present invention, the inner main rib 41 is a U-sectioned rib defining a longitudinal channel 414, and is pivotally connected at an inner end 411 and an outer end 412 to the upper hub 32 and an outer end of the connecting element 47, respectively. The stretcher 44 is a U-sectioned rib defining a longitudinal channel 443, an inner section of which is sideward expanded to form an expanded channel 444 (also see FIG. 8 that is an enlarged perspective view of the stretcher 44 of the folding umbrella 3), and is pivotally connected at an inner end 441 and an outer end 442 to the lower hub 33 and a near-middle point 413 of the inner main rib 41, respectively. The inner link 45 is a round-sectioned rib pivotally connected at an inner end 451 and an outer end 452 to a near-outer-end point 442 a on the stretcher 44 and an inner end 471 of the connecting element 47, respectively. The middle main rib 42 is a round-sectioned rib pivotally connected at an inner end 421 and an outer end 422 to an outer end 472 of the connecting element 47 and a near-inner-end point 43 la on the outer main rib 43, respectively. The outer link 46 is a round-sectioned rib pivotally connected at an inner end 461 and an outer end 462 to a near-outer-end point 412 a on the inner main rib 41 and an inner end 431 of the outer main rib 43, respectively. The outer link 46 is formed at a near-middle point with a curved bend 463 to wind around the middle main rib 42 for reinforcing the middle main rib 42 and the outer link 46 and preventing the same from deflection. The outer main rib 43 is a round-sectioned rib, which together with the middle main rib 42 provide elasticity for stretching the umbrella cover 35 and strength for bearing an appropriate deformation of the cover 35 caused by wind.
Please refer to FIG. 6 that is an enlarged view of the lower hub 33 for the folding umbrella 3 of the present invention. As shown, the lower hub 33 includes a runner 331 mounted around the shaft 31 to slide upward and downward along the shaft 31. The runner 331 includes an upper flange 332 located around a top of the runner 331, an inward curved waist portion 333 downward extended from a bottom of the upper flange 332, and a conic lower wall portion 334 integrally downward extended from the waist portion 333 to a bottom of the runner 331.
The folding umbrella 3 of the present invention is collapsed and opened in the same manner as the conventional folding umbrella 1. That is, to open the folding umbrella 3, simply upward push the lower hub 33 at the runner 331, and the multiple sets of rib members 4 are pushed outward into a stretched state. Reversely, to collapse the folding umbrella 1, simply downward pull the lower hub 33 at the runner 331, and the multiple sets of rib members 4 are pulled inward into a folded or collapsed state. The present invention is superior to the conventional folding umbrella 1 in that the curved waist portion 333 and the conic lower wall portion 334 on the runner 331 of the lower hub 33 provide an increased contact area between the runner 331 and a user's fingers pushing or pulling the lower hub 33, and therefore allow the user to comfortably hold the runner 331 and easily move the runner 331 upward or downward. Moreover, with the curved waist portion 333 and the upper flange 332, the user's fingers moving the runner 331 are restricted from moving beyond the upper flange 332 to touch a toothed top of the lower hub 33, and are therefore protected against scrape or pain caused by touching the toothed top of the lower hub 33.
When the folding umbrella 3 of the present invention is fully collapsed as shown in FIG. 9, in each set of rib members 4, the inner link 45 is received in the longitudinal channel 414 defined by the inner main rib 41, and the inner main rib 41 with the inner link 45 received therein along with the connecting element 47 are received in the channel 443 of the stretcher 44 with the connecting element 47, the outer end 452 of the inner link 45, and the outer end 412 of the inner main rib 41 received in the expanded channel 444 of the stretcher 44. Therefore, the folding umbrella 3 has a largely reduced volume after it is fully collapsed. Moreover, since the middle main rib 42 is a round-sectioned rib, it occupies only a minimized space in the collapsed folding umbrella 3 to enable further reduction of the collapsed volume of the folding umbrella 3.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.
While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. An easily openable and collapsible folding umbrella having further reduced collapsed volume, comprising:

a shaft formed from three telescopically connected shaft sections, namely, an upper shaft section, a middle shaft section, and a lower shaft section;

an upper hub fixedly connected to a top of said shaft;

a lower hub including a runner upward and downward slidably mounted on said shaft;

a grip fixedly connected to a lower end of said shaft;

multiple sets of rib members; and

an umbrella cover connected to and covering a top of said multiple sets of rib members;

each of said multiple sets of rib members including:

a connecting element;

an outer main rib, which is a round-sectioned rib;

an inner main rib, which is a U-sectioned rib defining a longitudinal channel; said inner main rib being pivotally connected at an inner end and an outer end to said upper hub and an outer end of said connecting element, respectively;

a middle main rib, which is a round-sectioned rib; said middle main rib being pivotally connected at an inner end and an outer end to the outer end of said connecting element and a near-inner-end point on said outer main rib, respectively;

a stretcher, which is a U-sectioned rib defining a longitudinal channel, an inner section of which is sideward expanded to form an expanded channel; said stretcher being pivotally connected at an inner end and an outer end to said lower hub and a near-middle point on said inner main rib, respectively;

an inner link, which is a round-sectioned rib; said inner link being pivotally connected at an inner end and an outer end to a near-outer-end point on said stretcher and an inner end of said connecting element, respectively; such that when said folding umbrella is fully collapsed, said inner link is received in said longitudinal channel defined by said inner main rib, and said inner main rib with said inner link received therein along with said connecting element are received in said longitudinal channel defined by said stretcher with said connecting element, the outer end of said inner link and the outer end of said inner main rib located in the expanded channel of said stretcher, and

an outer link which is a round-sectioned rib; said outer link being pivotally connected at an inner end and an outer end to a near-outer-end point on said inner main rib and an inner end of said outer main rib, respectively; and said outer link being formed at a near-middle point with a curved bend to wind around the middle main rib.

2. The easily openable and collapsible folding umbrella having further reduced collapsed volume as claimed in claim 1, wherein said runner of said lower hub includes an upper flange located around a top of said runner, an inward curved waist portion downward extended from a bottom of said upper flange, and a conic lower wall portion integrally downward extended from said waist portion to a bottom of said runner.