Tent – canopy – umbrella – or cane – Umbrella – Runners and notches
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-03
2003-11-25
Canfield, Robert (Department: 3635)
Tent, canopy, umbrella, or cane
Umbrella
Runners and notches
C135S034200, C135S909000, C224S915000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06651682
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of umbrellas and in particular to umbrellas that can be assembled, disassembled and stored.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Kim, “Folding Device of a Tent-Framework,” U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,509 (1988) shows in
FIGS. 1 and 2
, a joint plate
5
formed at the center of a central hub member
1
. A plurality of U-shaped concave openings
7
are formed in the periphery of the joint plate
5
and spaced radially around the joint plate, for receiving the ends of ribs or framework pieces
3
. Each opening
7
has a joint groove
9
located on each of the sidewalls of the opening, which are substantially perpendicular to the outer periphery of the joint plate
5
. Each joint groove
9
is further provided with two hanging jaw devices
8
located across from one another on the walls of the joint groove
9
. A plurality of approximately half round rib grooves
6
are spaced radially about the periphery of the disk or hub member
1
and located adjacent to each opening
7
. Preferably, six of these openings and rib grooves are provided around the periphery of the hub member
1
, for receiving six radially extending ribs
3
, as indicated.
Beaulieu, “Hub Assembly For A Collapsible Structure,” U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,210 (1986) shows in
FIGS. 5 and 6
, circular hub body
20
with a central opening
22
which forms inner wall
24
. Preferably, eight retaining slots or sockets
30
, each preferably being circular in cross-section, extend radially inward through the thickness of hub body
20
. Shoulders or collars
32
are located approximately near the middle of each retaining slot
30
's length. The spherical heads
14
of extension caps
12
fit within retaining slots or sockets
30
while shoulders
32
provide seats to prevent heads
14
from passing therethrough, analogous to a ball-and-socket relationship.
Lucas, “Umbrella,” U.S. Pat. No. 2,306,706 (1941) shows in
FIGS. 6 and 7
, a rib holder is mounted upon post
11
, this holder comprising a notched hub
33
, a notched retaining disk
34
, and a retaining ring
35
. One end of the hub is reduced in size and the ring is placed upon this reduced end and in a groove that is closed on one side by the disk
34
, as shown in the Figures. The ribs
16
have loops
36
with elongated openings
24
within which the retaining ring
35
is engaged, gaps
37
into the elongated openings
24
being provided to receive the edge of the rib support when the ribs are turned to their lowered positions.
Zeigler, “Hub Assembly For Collapsible Structures,” U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,521 (1981) shows in
FIG. 3
, the two hub bodies
9
and
10
are of similar configuration. The body
9
is of disk-like form provided with a central opening
11
and with a series of radial slots
12
. The face
13
of the body
9
is provided with the circular recess
14
which is so located that it intersects the slots
12
adjacent to but spaced outwardly from their inner ends
15
. The body
10
is similarly formed with the central opening
11
′, radial slots
12
′, and circular recess
14
, in its face
13
′. As shown in
FIG. 2
, these two bodies are assembled in face-to-face relation with the openings
11
,
11
′, slots
12
,
12
′, and recesses
14
,
14
′ in registry.
Prusmack, “An Articulating Hub Assembly,” U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,695 (1998) shows in the Figures, a tang
14
having a head
15
and a tail
16
is inserted into each of the radial slots
3
and
8
. Tang
14
is held in place by a roll pin
17
which is inserted through an opening
18
through head
15
and is secured in groove
3
A. As shown in
FIG. 1
, hub body
1
is a disk-like unit having a central opening
2
therethrough and a series of radial slots
3
extending inwardly from the periphery of disk
1
and having a series of openings
4
extending through disk
1
and positioned radially between each of the radial slots
3
and between periphery
5
and central opening
2
. A groove
3
A is located perpendicular to each of radial slots
3
.
What is needed is a simple, robust hub and rib combination for use as an umbrella in which the hub is integral and provides rigid, captured structural support for each rib, provides for the possibility of individual rib replacement, and provides for storage using the hub as the storage fixture.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is an umbrella frame for supporting a cover comprising a hub, a center pole coupled to the hub for supporting the hub in a vertical position, and a plurality of ribs disposable into the hub. The ribs serve to extend, stretch or support the cover. The hub has a corresponding plurality of bores defined therein to receive the ribs. The bores are paired with each other as corresponding first and second sets. The first set of the bores are used for deploying the ribs in a configuration to support the cover. The second set of the bores are used to provide a storage configuration of the ribs. The umbrella frame can be considered as being combined with the cover to provide an umbrella assembly.
The first set of bores are inclined relative to a horizontal plane defined by the hub. The second set of bores are defined to be vertical relative to a horizontal plane defined by the hub.
Each rib has an inner end which is disposable into the hub and a spring lock to selectively retain the rib in the hub. The second set of bores coact with the spring lock to selectively lock the rib in the first set of bores. The first set of bores coact with the spring lock to selectively lock the rib in the second set of bores.
The ribs and center pole are telescopic and locking so that their length can be adjusted. The cover has a center grommet and the center pole has a pin. The pin is disposable in the grommet when the cover is deployed on the ribs. Thus the tension on the cover is adjustable.
In the illustrated embodiment the hub includes a corresponding plurality of integral fixture blocks, each block having one bore from each of the first and second sets defined therein. In very general terms, when the hub has n-fold symmetry and n ribs are disposable therein, a selected number, j, of the n ribs can selectively be disposed in the hub, where j=n or less, and preferably some submultiple, i.e. j=4 if n=8, 3 if n=6, 3 if n=9 and so forth to result in a symmetrical array of ribs, even at the submultiple number. Thus, an octagonal or square cover can be set on an octagonal hub, a hexagonal or triangular cover can be set on a hexagonal hub and so forth.
The umbrella assembly thus has the versatility that the cover deployed on one and the same umbrella frame can be any one of a plurality of selectable sizes, shapes or motifs, i.e. colors or graphically decorated.
On the top of the central hub is a universal mounting stub at the top end of the telescopic center pole. This stub allows a variety of finials to be firmaly secured to the umbrella. Custom or corporate logo flags may be used in lieu of typical finials.
A pair of storage plates having an array of mounting means defined therein for engaging the center pole at its opposing ends can be used to store a plurality of the umbrella frames into an array of frames. In the embodiment where the mounting means is an array of holes, the plurality of the umbrella frames are stored in an alternating array of upright and inverted umbrella frames.
REFERENCES:
patent: 899718 (1908-09-01), Eberle
patent: 3181542 (1965-05-01), Bareis
patent: 4627210 (1986-12-01), Beaulieu
patent: 4637748 (1987-01-01), Beavers
patent: 4750509 (1988-06-01), Kim
patent: 5494064 (1996-02-01), Chuang Lee
patent: 6296415 (2001-10-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 6298867 (2001-10-01), Chang
Canfield Robert
Dawes Daniel L.
Myers Dawes Andras & Sherman LLP
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