Tent – canopy – umbrella – or cane – Umbrella – Collapsible in length
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-04
2002-05-28
Callo, Laura A. (Department: 3635)
Tent, canopy, umbrella, or cane
Umbrella
Collapsible in length
C135S031000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06394115
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an intermediate rib for collapsible umbrella, and more particularly to an umbrella intermediate rib that is not easily subject to bending and deformation, so that the stretched umbrella has a graceful appearance and the collapsed umbrella has even reduced volume.
As shown in
FIG. 1A
, a common collapsible umbrella mainly includes a telescopic shaft
11
consisting of multiple segments, a hub
12
mounted to a top of the shaft
11
, a runner
13
slidably put around the shaft
11
to move up, and down along the shaft
11
, multiple sets of rib arrangements (A), and a cover
14
connected to and covering top of the rib arrangements (A).
Each set of the rib arrangement (A) includes an inner rib
2
, an intermediate rib
3
, an outer rib
4
, a stretcher
5
, an inner tie
6
, and an intermediate tie
7
that are connected to one another in a predetermined manner. The inner rib
2
is pivotally connected at an inner end
2
a
to the hub
12
and at an outer end
2
b
to the intermediate rib
3
close to, an inner end
3
a
thereof, the stretcher
5
is pivotally connected at an inner end
5
a
to the runner
13
and at an outer end
5
b
to the inner rib
2
close to a middle
2
c
thereof, the inner tie
6
is pivotally connected at an inner end
6
a
to the stretcher
5
close to the outer end
5
b
thereof and at an outer end
6
b
to the inner end
3
a
of the intermediate rib
3
, the intermediate rib
3
is pivotally connected at the inner end
3
a
to the outer end
6
b
of the inner tie
6
and at an outer end
3
b
to the outer rib
4
close to an inner end
4
a
thereof, and the intermediate tie
7
is pivotally connected at an inner end
7
a
to the inner rib
2
close to the outer end
2
b
the of and at an outer end
7
b
to the inner end
4
a
of the outer rib
4
. As can be seen from
FIGS. 1B and 1C
, the intermediate rib
3
is an open-topped U-shaped member and is provided near a middle point of one side wall thereof with a lug
31
that is bent to flatly lie across the open top of the U-shaped rib
3
, so that a passage
32
is provided between the bent lug
31
and the U-shaped rib
3
. The intermediate tie
7
is adapted to extend through the passage
32
in order to slide in the U-shaped intermediate rib
3
below the bent lug
31
when the umbrella is stretched or collapsed.
In each set of the rib arrangement, the inner rib
2
, the stretcher
5
, and the intermediate rib
3
are mainly provided to serve as supports and therefore usually have an U-shaped cross section. The intermediate tie
7
and the outer rib
4
need to elastically bend when the umbrella is stretched or collapsed and when the umbrella is subject to a strong wind pressure and therefore usually have a round cross section and are flexible. As to the inner tie
6
, it may be either an U-shaped or a round member.
In brief, the conventional intermediate rib
3
for collapsible umbrella is provided with an U-shaped cross section to achieve the projected supporting effect. Such U-shaped intermediate rib
3
has, however, the following disadvantages:
1. When a user stretches the umbrella while walks or while there is wind blowing against the stretched umbrella, the cover of the umbrella, particularly an outer periphery of the cover, is subject to a downward wind pressure (F). At this point, the flexible outer rib
4
having a round cross section would naturally elastically bend in a direction the same as that of the wind to avoid deformation or breaking thereof. The wind pressure (F) also applies on the outer end
3
b
of the intermediate rib
3
. As mentioned before, the entire intermediate rib
3
has an U-shaped cross section and is therefore a rigid instead of a flexible member. When the cover
14
of the stretched umbrella is subject to a high wind pressure (F), the rigid intermediate rib
3
would fail to elastically bend in response to the wind pressure applied on it and tends to deform and become damaged near the inner end
3
a
thereof.
2. The conventional U-shaped rigid intermediate rib
3
is not adapted to naturally and elastically bend under the tension of the cover
14
. And, since the outer end
3
b
of the intermediate rib
3
is pivotally connected to the outer rib
4
close to the inner end
4
a
thereof, there are clearances existing between the intermediate rib
3
and the cover
14
. Areas of the cover
14
above such clearances tend to form undesirable depressions
15
when the umbrella is stretched.
3. The U-shaped intermediate rib
3
has two side-walls
33
that necessitate a large space W for the outer end
3
b
of the intermediate rib
3
to pivotally connect to the outer rib
4
. The side walls
33
of the intermediate rib
3
also make the collapsed umbrella to occupy a large space.
Another problem with the conventional intermediate rib
3
is that the intermediate tie
7
extended through the passage
32
below the bent lug
31
of the intermediate rib
3
is slightly bent and deformed at a point below the lug
31
. Therefore, the intermediate tie
7
undesirably frictionally contacts with two ends of the bent lug
31
when it moves relative to the intermediate rib
3
at the time the umbrella is stretched or collapsed, preventing the umbrella from stretching or collapsing smoothly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide-an improved intermediate rib for collapsible umbrella, wherein the intermediate rib includes an U-shaped inner part that is adapted to support and pivotally connect to other appropriate ribs, and a round outer part that is sufficiently flexible to elastically bend in response to a wind pressure without becoming broken. The round outer part of the intermediate rib bends naturally under a tension of the cover of the umbrella when the latter is stretched, giving the stretched umbrella a smooth and graceful appearance. The round outer part of the intermediate rib, being without U-shaped walls, also enables the pivotal connection of the intermediate rib to the outer rib within a reduced space and to further reduce the collapsed volume of the umbrella.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved intermediate rib for collapsible umbrella, wherein the intermediate rib is associated with the intermediate tie with a collar. The intermediate tie has an U-shaped bend near a middle portion thereof with two sides of the U-shaped bend engaged into two axial guide slots provided at two ends of the collar, so that the intermediate tie is guided by the collar to slide along the intermediate rib without shifting sideward when the umbrella is stretched or collapsed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2616439 (1952-11-01), Thompson
patent: 4658844 (1987-04-01), Ping
patent: 4766917 (1988-08-01), Yang
patent: 4815489 (1989-03-01), Yang
patent: 5564449 (1996-10-01), Lin et al.
patent: 6158452 (2000-12-01), You
patent: 6202661 (2001-03-01), Okuda
patent: 6230725 (2001-05-01), Ko
A & J
Callo Laura A.
LandOfFree
Intermediate rib for collapsible umbrella does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Intermediate rib for collapsible umbrella, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Intermediate rib for collapsible umbrella will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2909939