Tent – canopy – umbrella – or cane – Umbrella – Rib and stretcher joints
Reexamination Certificate
2002-08-07
2004-04-20
Friedman, Carl D. (Department: 3635)
Tent, canopy, umbrella, or cane
Umbrella
Rib and stretcher joints
C028S206000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06722382
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an umbrella, more particularly to an umbrella having a stem formed with a plurality of slots for receiving anchoring ends of a plurality of ribs that are pivoted to an anchored wire.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, a conventional umbrella is shown to include an elongate stem
1
and a runner
3
which is sleeved slidably on the stem
1
to connect pivotally with a stretch assembly
5
for supporting a rib assembly
4
. A notch
2
includes a sleeve portion
201
which is sleeved on an upper end of the stem
1
, and a mounting portion
202
for pivotally connecting a plurality of ribs
401
of the rib assembly
4
. The runner
3
is movable between an upper position for stretching the rib assembly
4
and a lower position for collapsing the same. A spring-loaded stop
101
is disposed in the stem
1
so as to retain the runner
3
in the upper position.
However, the ribs
401
cannot be brought into close proximity of the stem
1
due to the thickness of the sleeve portion
201
after being collapsed, as shown in
FIG. 2
, thereby resulting in inconvenient carrying and storage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide an umbrella in which ribs can be brought into close proximity of a stem after being collapsed so as to facilitate storage and carrying.
According to this invention, the umbrella includes an elongate stem which has a tubular upper end portion, and a lower end portion extending from the upper portion along an axis. The upper end portion has a top edge wall with inner and outer peripheries respectively surrounding the axis, an outer surrounding wall surface which extends downwardly from the outer periphery and which surrounds the axis, and an inner surrounding wall surface which extends downwardly from the inner periphery and which is disposed opposite to the outer surrounding wall surface. The upper end portion defines a plurality of slots which are angularly displaced from one another. Each of the slots extends radially and inwardly relative to the axis, extends from the top edge wall toward the lower end portion, and terminates at a slot edge wall. An anchored wire extends around the axis, and is disposed inwardly and radially of the inner surrounding wall surface. The wire has a plurality of anchored segments which are disposed to be respectively exposed from the slots such that each of the anchored segments is accessible radially. Each of the anchored segments is disposed proximate to the top edge wall along the axis. A canopy is mounted on the top edge wall. A cap member is disposed to fasten the canopy to the top edge wall. A rib assembly includes a plurality of ribs. Each rib has an anchoring end which is pivoted to a respective one of the anchored segments, a distal end which is disposed opposite to the anchoring end radial to the axis and which is disposed at an underside of the canopy to support the canopy in a spread-out position and in a collapsed position, and a bent portion which extends from the anchoring end toward the distal end. The bent portion is formed by bending a respective one of the ribs which is adjacent to the anchoring end towards the axis, thereby bringing the bent portion close to the slot edge wall. A tubular runner is slidably sleeved on the stem, and is movable between upper and lower positions respectively corresponding to the spread-out and collapsed positions of the canopy. A stretcher assembly is disposed to interconnect the rib assembly and the runner so as to stretch or retract the rib assembly, thereby placing the canopy in the spread-out position or the collapsed position when the runner is moved to the upper position or the lower position, respectively.
REFERENCES:
patent: 449716 (1891-04-01), Thorp
patent: 4576191 (1986-03-01), Schultes et al.
patent: 5193566 (1993-03-01), Chen
patent: 5964235 (1999-10-01), Wang
Friedman Carl D.
Slack Naoko
Wang Max
Webb Ziesenheim & Logsdon Orkin & Hanson, P.C.
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