Tent – canopy – umbrella – or cane – Portable shelter – Umbrella-type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-17
2002-03-12
Stephan, Beth A. (Department: 3635)
Tent, canopy, umbrella, or cane
Portable shelter
Umbrella-type
C135S028000, C135S029000, C135S031000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06354315
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of The Invention
The invention relates to a novel umbrella structure, and in particular, to a novel umbrella structure in which the symmetrical sides with respect to the shaft of the umbrella are connected with surface frames by means of connecting parts so as to increase the opening area of the surface fabric.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional multiple-folding umbrella normally aim at an end of lightweight, thinness and miniature for the convenient carrying by the users. However, those conventional types of multiple-folding umbrella have a relatively limited surface area when they are opened. Consequently, use of multiple-folding umbrella in the rainy day often causes wetting of the user by the rain.
Accordingly, in order to solve the drawback of the limited surface area of the above-mentioned multiple-folding umbrella, folding umbrella with increased overall surface area has been developed, as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
. The umbrella
10
comprises mainly fixing two cross-connecting stretchers
15
and
16
on the shaft
13
by using the shaft
13
as the cross point
14
; attaching notches
11
a,
11
b
and runners
12
a,
12
b
on both ends of stretchers
15
and
16
, respectively, in a manner that said notches
11
a
,
11
b
and runner
12
a
,
12
b
are positioned symmetrically on both sides of the shaft
13
; connecting inner main ribs
18
a
,
18
b
and inner branched rib
17
a,
17
b
of the two-folding rib at a position between said notches
11
a,
11
b
and said runners
12
a,
12
b
such that the object of increasing surface area can be achieved. However, since the lengths of said inner main ribs
18
a,
18
b
and said inner branched ribs
17
a,
17
b
must be equal to the distance from runners
12
a,
12
b
or notches 11
a
,
11
b
to the cross point
14
of the two stretchers
15
,
16
such that the umbrella
10
can be opened or closed, when it applies to the two-folding type of ribs, a maximum surface area can be obtained, but in case of umbrella with three- or more folding type of ribs, lengths of main ribs
18
a,
18
b
and branched ribs
17
a,
17
b
are invariably less than those in case of two-folding type, leading to the correspondingly shortening of lengths of stretchers
15
,
16
and hence the dramatically decreasing of surface area. Thus, though that structure of umbrella
10
can increase the surface area, it cannot apply to other multiple folding types of ribs. Furthermore, during opening or closing of said umbrella
10
, moving of stretchers
15
,
16
can be done only through driving by assisting stretchers
19
a,
19
b,
19
c,
and
19
d,
resulting in not only a complicated structure but also time-consuming and cost increasing that can not meet the economical efficacy.
Therefore, the above-mentioned conventional umbrella has still many drawbacks and is not a well designed one that further improvement is needed.
In view of the various disadvantages associated with the conventional multiple folding type of umbrella, the inventor has aimed at improving and creating, and, after extensive and comprehensive studies, developed successfully an umbrella with novel structure and thus accomplished the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the invention is to provide a novel umbrella structure in which upper and sub-runners are provided on symmetrical sides with respect to the shaft of the umbrella, and surface frames are connected on both symmetrical sides of the shaft by means of connecting parts formed by cross-engaging two ribs so as to increase the opening area of the surface fabric.
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel umbrella structure wherein connecting parts are provided and connected on both sides symmetrical with respect to the shaft such that it can retain a larger surface area as it applies to two-, three- or four-folding type of the shaft.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel umbrella structure wherein, unlike conventional umbrella that stretchers can only be driven by means of assisting stretchers, connecting parts formed by cross-engaging two ribs are linked directly to upper and main runners such that said connecting parts can move as the main runners runs up and down, and functions of a simple structure, easy fabricating and cost lowering can be achieved.
With advantages described above, the novel umbrella structure according to the invention comprises a shaft, two surface frames, upper and main runners, and two connecting parts; wherein said main notch is fixed at the top of said shaft while said main runner is provided as a sleeve around said shaft and can slide up and down along said shaft; wherein said surface frames are consisting of upper and sub-runners linked by main ribs and branched ribs; wherein an umbrella surface is provided covering said main ribs such that it can be opened and closed by virtue of the relative moving of said upper and sub-runners; wherein said connecting parts is formed mainly by cross-engaging of two ribs in a manner that both ends of the first rib are connected to a main notch and a sub-runner, while both ends of the second rib are connected to a main runner and a sub-notch such that the two surface frames can be linked symmetrically at both sides by means of said two connecting parts, and as said main runner slides up and down over said shaft, the distance it slide over can be transferred via said connecting parts, resulting change of positions of said two sub-runners, so as to achieve the function of increasing surface area of the umbrella.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2334330 (1943-11-01), Janowsky
patent: 3853136 (1974-12-01), Schwartzenberg
patent: 4193415 (1980-03-01), Hermanson
patent: 4601301 (1986-07-01), Hermanson
patent: 4942693 (1990-07-01), Sibold
patent: 5758677 (1998-06-01), Wang
patent: 5836328 (1998-11-01), Lee
patent: 5865201 (1999-02-01), Lin
patent: 6070602 (2000-06-01), Kuo
patent: 6230727 (2001-05-01), Chen
Rosenberg , Klein & Lee
Stephan Beth A.
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