Tent – canopy – umbrella – or cane – Umbrella – Having quick assembly feature
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-06
2001-05-22
Friedman, Carl D. (Department: 3635)
Tent, canopy, umbrella, or cane
Umbrella
Having quick assembly feature
C135S022000, C135S025400, C135S033600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234185
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to umbrellas and, more particularly, to an umbrella which is of inexpensive molded plastic construction and adapted for one-time use and disposal.
People are often caught in a public place without an umbrella when the weather turns for the worse. Oftentimes, these people have one or more umbrellas at their home or office so they are loathe to spend a significant amount of money to purchase an additional umbrella. It would therefore be desirable to have an umbrella which can be manufactured and sold very inexpensively so that it can be used as a temporary umbrella and be disposed of after a single use.
It would also be desirable to provide such an umbrella which is of compact construction so that it can be sold through a vending machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided an umbrella which comprises a shaft and unitary rib structure. The shaft has first and second ends and the rib structure includes a central hub secured to the first end of the shaft and a plurality of substantially equiangularly spaced and equally long rib members extending radially outwardly from the central hub. The rib structure is molded of a plastic material and is relatively rigid except for the portions where the rib members are joined to the central hub. Each such joining portion is thinner than the remainder of each rib member to constitute a self-hinge where each rib member joins the central hub. This allows each rib member to be folded inwardly so as to be substantially parallel to the shaft with its distal end extending toward the second end of the shaft. Each self-hinge has memory so that when a rib member is released from its inwardly folded position it returns to a radially extending position. A membrane is secured to the plurality of rib members. Accordingly, the rib members can be folded about the respective self-hinges toward the shaft and thereafter held to place the umbrella in a collapsed state, and when the rib members are released they spring outwardly to return the umbrella to an extended state.
In accordance with an aspect of this invention, the rib structure is formed unitarily with the shaft.
In accordance with another aspect of this invention, the umbrella further includes a cover sleeve adapted to overlie the folded rib members and membrane to maintain the umbrella in the collapsed state.
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Davis David L.
Friedman Carl D.
Yip Winnie
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