US3628548A

US3628548A - Umbrella

Info

Publication number: US3628548A
Application number: US790750A
Authority: US
Inventors: Heinz Seitel
Original assignee: Telesco Brophey Ltd
Current assignee: KNIRPS INTERNATIONAL A GERMAN CORP GmbH
Priority date: 1968-04-03
Filing date: 1969-01-13
Publication date: 1971-12-21
Anticipated expiration: 1988-12-21
Also published as: DE1757134A1; ES362910A1; FR1598196A; CH481600A; GB1217292A

Abstract

An umbrella having a generally rectangular configuration when folded flat in a collapsed condition; the umbrella including a handle and stick in which the handle is movable downwardly against a normal compression spring pressure which urges the handle recesses into engagement with rib tips of collapsed dome ribs lying along the umbrella stick of the collapsed umbrella.

Description

States Paten Inventor ll-lleinz Seitel [50] Field 111 Search 135/25. 26, Solingen-Ohligs, Germany 44, 2O Appl. No. 790,750 Filed Jan. 13, 1969 [56] References Cited Patented Dec. 21, 1971 UNITED STATES PATENTS Assignee Telesw Bmrhey Limited 240,411 4/1881 Hartmann 135/44 I g q g w 2,177,458 10/1939 Okun 135/25 Pr-lomy ggfi Primary Examiner-J. Karl Bell P 17 57 34.5 Atlorney Alan Swabey ABSTRACT: An umbrella having a generally rectangular con- UMBRELLA lcmim 5 Drawing m figuranon when folded flat m a collapsed condltlon; the umbrella including a handle and stick in which the handle is l.l.S.Cl 1135/ 1 1, movable downwardly against a normal compression Spring 135/25 pressure which urges the handle recesses into engagement Hilliaof collapsed dome bs along the umbrella A45b 19/00 stick of the collapsed umbrella.

1 I I I 1 I z i l f? i 11% 53 L L 11:

SHEET 2 OF 2 INVENTOR Hmium SEWEL A TTORWEY PATENTEBnEm UMBRELLA BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of Invention The present invention relates to an umbrella and particularly to improvements in handles for collapsible umbrellas.

2. Description of Prior Art Collapsible umbrellas having telescopic sticks are already known wherein the lateral extensions on the handles define seats for receiving the tips of the dome ribs when it is in a collapsed position. However, in order to open such umbrellas, it is necessary to extend the telescopic stick somewhat to release the tips of the dome ribs. In the course of this operation, the pressure of the hand which grabs the handle is applied to the runner and the handle, thereby preventing the movement of the dome rib tips which in turn are being forced outwardly by the movement of the runner. Consequently, the tips of the dome ribs will be forced to relinquish their longitudinally parallel position with the stick and to assume a certain spreading position. Under these circumstances the dome ribs are being forced whenever the umbrella is expanded and subsequently when the umbrella is being collapsed. The umbrella covering material may set caught between the components of the mechanism which may easily lead to damage of the covering material.

It is an aim of the present invention to overcome these drawbacks and to provide such a handle construction whereby the outward swinging movement of the dome ribs from the handle requires no extension of the stick and wherein, particularly in collapsible umbrellas which have a flat cross section in the collapsed condition, an easy arrangement and grouping of the dome tips on the handle is made possible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The foregoing aim of the present invention is achieved in a collapsible umbrella which has a crown, dome ribs, stretchers, and, if needed, auxiliary stretchers, and at least one runner which has a guiding sleeve, and a handle upon the end of the stick, provided with a base and lateral extensions defining seats for the tips of the dome ribs in the collapsed condition of the umbrella. An annular recess in the handle is also provided for accommodating the guiding sleeve of the runner. Accordingly, the present invention is characterized by the handle being connected to the stick by means of a spring loaded connection, the length of which corresponds at least to the depth of insertion of the dome rib tips into the recess defining the seat for the tips.

According to the present invention, the movement of the handle axially of the stick in an upward and downward direction is limited, however, it may be still moved to such an extent that in the lowest position of the handle the tips of the dome ribs are released from the seat, without the necessity of extending the telescopic components of the stick. A simple tup upon the handle against the pressure of the control spring in a downward direction is sufiicient to release the tips of the dome ribs without in any way altering the telescoped position position of the umbrella stick components, whereby the position of the dome rib tips with relation to the stick will not be essentially altered. According to this arrangement, and particularly in collapsible umbrellas which in the collapsed condition have a flat cross section, the orderly arrangement of the dome rib ends into two groups, one on either side of the stick is substantially facilitated whenever the umbrella is being folded. Both bundles may be safely held together in one hand and may be easily guided into the recessed seats provided in the handle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The nature of the invention will now be explained with particular references to the accompanying drawings, which show by way of illustration preferred embodiments thereof, and in which:

FIG. l is a schematic illustration in cross section showing the handle in a normal position according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration in :a cross section similar to FIG. 1 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and showing the handle in extended position;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross section showing another embodiment of the handle of an umbrella in a normal position;

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration in cross section of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 and showing the handle in an extended position; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a detail of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the accompanying drawings, identical components are designated with the same reference numerals.

The handle shown in the drawings relates to umbrellas having a collapsible stick and dome ribs which fold upwards. In other words, the reference numeral 9 indicates the hinge portions of the folded umbrella dome ribs. The tips of the dome ribs would be near the crown (not shown). Furthermore, the embodiments shown in the figures of these drawings relate to the type of umbrella known as the flat: umbrella, as described in our copending United States application Ser. No. 7l7,523, filed Apr. 1, 1968.

Of course, the present invention would also apply to the conventional round type of collapsible umbrella.

The handle is denoted generally by the numeral 8 in the drawings and it is located on the lower end of a stick 2, and comprises generally a lower base member 7, lateral extensions 11, and a centrally located sleeve 4. The base 7, lateral extensions I1 define cavities or recesses llla. This, of course, as described in the above-mentioned copending application, is adapted to receive the tips of the umbrella dome ribs, or, in this case, the tips 3 of the hinge members 9 of the folded dome ribs.

The handle 8 includes a sleeve 4 which is adapted to receive a projecting sleeve 5 which is an extension of an umbrella runner 6.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the central sleeve 4 of the handle 8 defines a central bore 17 adapted to receive the stick 2. In the present case, the diameter of the bore 17 is substantially larger than the outside diameter of the stick 2 as shown in the drawings. Normally, in conventional umbrellas, the stick 2 would be close fitted in this bore. Near the base 7, the recess 4 is provided with opposite guide slots 14. These guide slots are preferably (not necessarily) aligned with the lateral extensions 11 of the handle 8. A guide pin 13 is secured to the bottom of the stick 2 and extends laterally into the guide slots 14 diametrically of the stick 2.

The sleeve 4 is provided near the upper limits of the guide slot 14 with inwardly extending flanges 15. A spring 12 is provided between the guide pin 13 and the flanges 15. The length of the guide slots 14 is determined by the height of the walls of the lateral extensions 11 defining recesses 11a. The length of these guide slots should be slightly greater than the height of the walls of the recesses 11a.

The position of the handle 8 in FIG. 1 is maintained in this normal position with the dome rib hinge members 9 within the recesses 11a by the force exerted on the cross pin 13 by means of the spring 12. Spring 12 presses the guide pin against lower limit 16 of the guide slot 14, thus keeping the end of the umbrella stick 2 in its lowermost position. Cutout flanges 2a which can be provided along the stick 2 and engage the upper portions of the flanges 15 also provide a limit to the axial extent of the spring 12 and prevent any axial force along the stick 2 against the base 7 of the handle 8.

When it is required to open the umbrella from a stowed, collapsed position, it is necessary to allow the dome rib tips or dome rib hinge members 59 to swing outwardly from the recess 110. By retaining the umbrella stick 2 fixed and by pulling the handle 8 axially away from the handle 2, thus compressing the spring 12, the walls of the recess 11a will be lowered to clear the end of the hinge members 9 as shown in FIG. 2. The direction of this movement of the handle is shown by arrow A in FIG. 2. Thus, the tips 3 of the dome rib hinge members 9 are released from the recess 11a. It is noted, that in this operation, no force is exerted on the runners 6 or relatively speaking on the stick 2. The force is applied only to the handle 8 against the spring 12.

Therefore, the dome ribs are not exposed to any tensile and/or compression stresses and their appropriate positions in the vicinity of the stick remain practically unaltered, so that upon subsequent handling of the umbrella there is no possibility of any damage occurring to the umbrella-covering material.

Similarly, when it is required to collapse the umbrella in a stowed condition, it is only necessary to give a slight tug to the handle 8 so as to allow the tips 3 of the hinge members 9 of the dome ribs to come into alignment with the recess lla Upon release of the handle 8, the walls of the recesses lla engage about the tips 3 of the hinge members 9 as shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings, the handle 8 is provided with a similar base 7 and lateral extension members 11. An inner concentric shaft 18 extends inwardly of the tubular stick 2 and is fixed to the base 7. The inner opening of the tubular stick 2 is referred to as 2b in the drawings. The handle 8 defines an annular space 4b between the concentric shaft 18 and the walls of the central sleeve 4. The bottom of this annular space 4b is indicated at 4a. An insert sleeve 19 is spring-fitted in the bottom of this annular space 411. The sleeve includes an annular wall portion and an inwardly extending flange 19d defining an inward shoulder 19a and an upper shoulder surface 190.

Insert 19 is shown in FIG. 5 as being provided with a slot 19b which allows the sleeve 19 to be slightly compressed when it is fitted into the end of the annular space 4b in the central sleeve 4.

In this embodiment, the end of the stick 2 is provided with an outwardly extending flange 2c. A spring 20 is provided between the flange 2c and shoulder 19a of the flange 19d.

Similar to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in

operation of the present embodiment, the handle is merely tugged-or pulled axially relative to the stick 2, thus compressing the spring 20 along the tips 3 of the dome rib hinge members 9 to clear the walls of the recess 1 la.

I claim: I

1. In an umbrella having a stick dome ribs, a runner reciprocably supported on said stick, and a handle at the end of the stick and having configuration generally in alignment with said runner, the handle including means for removably receiving said runner and means for receiving portions of said dome ribs, said handle being displacably connected to said stick for limited axial movement relative to said stick and ribs whereby said runner and rib tips are retained in a first seated position in said handle when the umbrella is collapsed, and the tips are cleared of the handle when the umbrella is opened in a second position, and a compression spring operatively connected between the stick and said handle and normally urging said handle toward the first position to retain the dome rib tips at said handle when the umbrella is collapsed, and means connected between said handle and said stick for retaining the handle in a path of axial movement preventing relative rotation of said handlewith respect to said stick whereby said runner and handle are maintained in a plane, the handle comprising a base having upwardly opening, diametrically opposed recesses flanking opposite sides of said handle for receiving tips of a respective group of dome ribs therein, said base including a centrally located sleeve extending concentrically about said stick and defining an elongated annular recess therein, said runner including a depending sleeve reciprocably received in said annular recess when said umbrella is folded, said handle including an integral shaft, said stick being telescopically connected to said shaft, said centrally located sleeve and said stick in said sleeve including opposed shoulders, said compression spring extending axially between said shoulders, and a deformable element having a generally cylindrical configuration disposed axially in said handle between said shoulders, said insert element having an inwardly extending shoulder, said stick terminating within said insert element and having a lower terminal shoulder, said spring being interposed between said last-mentioned shoulders.

Claims

1. In an umbrella having a stick dome ribs, a runner reciprocably supported on said stick, and a handle at the end of the stick and having configuration generally in alignment with said runner, the handle including means for removably receiving said runner and means for receiving portions of said dome ribs, said handle being displacably connected to said stick for limited axial movement relative to said stick and ribs whereby said runner and rib tips are retained in a first seated position in said handle when the umbrella is collapsed, and the tips are cleared of the haNdle when the umbrella is ''''opened'''' in a second position, and a compression spring operatively connected between the stick and said handle and normally urging said handle toward the first position to retain the dome rib tips at said handle when the umbrella is collapsed, and means connected between said handle and said stick for retaining the handle in a path of axial movement preventing relative rotation of said handle with respect to said stick whereby said runner and handle are maintained in a plane, the handle comprising a base having upwardly opening, diametrically opposed recesses flanking opposite sides of said handle for receiving tips of a respective group of dome ribs therein, said base including a centrally located sleeve extending concentrically about said stick and defining an elongated annular recess therein, said runner including a depending sleeve reciprocably received in said annular recess when said umbrella is folded, said handle including an integral shaft, said stick being telescopically connected to said shaft, said centrally located sleeve and said stick in said sleeve including opposed shoulders, said compression spring extending axially between said shoulders, and a deformable element having a generally cylindrical configuration disposed axially in said handle between said shoulders, said insert element having an inwardly extending shoulder, said stick terminating within said insert element and having a lower terminal shoulder, said spring being interposed between said last-mentioned shoulders.