Tent – canopy – umbrella – or cane – Umbrella – Runners and notches
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-10
2001-11-06
Canfield, Robert (Department: 3635)
Tent, canopy, umbrella, or cane
Umbrella
Runners and notches
C135S041000, C135S029000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311706
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a runner that supports stretcher ends and more particularly to a new runner that does not use a finishing wire.
BACKGROUND ART
Generally, the shaft (metal rod) of an umbrella has a structure wherein a ferrule is disposed on the top end and a handle is disposed on the bottom end, an upper runner on which the ends of the multiple ribs pivot is fixed to the upper part, and a lower runner on which the ends of the stretchers attached to the middle of each of the ribs pivot is affixed to the bottom part such that it slides freely.
FIG. 22
is a perspective view of an example of a lower runner of the prior art, where a cylindrically-shaped lower runner
2
attached to a shaft
1
such that it can slide freely is coaxially integrated with a flange portion
3
on the top of a boss portion
23
, this flange portion
3
has grooves
5
which hold the ends of each of stretchers
4
and are located radially around the rim on the top surface of the flange portion
3
, and a groove
6
for holding the wire is formed on the outer surface of the flange portion
3
such that it intersects with the stretcher holder grooves
5
.
Also, when linking the stretchers
4
to the lower runner
2
, a wire (finishing wire)
7
is passed sequentially through axial holes
4
a
provided on the ends of the stretchers
4
, and as the ends are inserted in the stretcher holder grooves
5
, the wire
7
is laid in groove
6
and the ends of the wire
7
are twisted together, whereby the wire
7
takes on a ring shape and supports the ends of the stretchers
4
so that they can pivot. A twisted member
7
a
of the wire
7
is generally pressed into a groove
9
on the outer surface of a protrusion
8
protruding from the top surface of the flange portion
3
.
Similarly, wire is passed sequentially through the axial holes on the ends of the ribs and the ends of the wire are twisted together and support the ends of the ribs such that they can pivot on the upper runner.
However, in this kind of umbrella runner, it is necessary to the pass wire
7
through the axial holes
4
a
at the ends of the stretcher and twist the wire together in order to support the ends of the stretchers such that they can pivot, and this operation is difficult and is extremely difficult to automate. Another problem occurs when the umbrella is repeatedly opened and closed, which causes the twisted member
7
a
of the wire
7
to become loose, thus allowing the stretchers to rattle or causing other problems.
Further, not only does the presence of the wire
7
which links the ends of the stretchers detract from the appearance, the end of the twisted member
7
a
which can become loose due to repeated opening and closing of the umbrella may injure a finger or catch on clothing and damage it.
To prevent that, covering of said twisted member
7
a
by heat-shrink synthetic resin tubing (Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3017521) or covering the end of the twisted member
7
a
with melted synthetic resin (Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3023762) have been proposed, but this kind of processing in addition to twisting the ends of the wire
7
together makes the operation of linking the umbrella stretchers even more difficult.
Also, in order to improve the umbrella stretcher linking operation, various stretcher pivoting structures that eliminate the wire passed through the axial holes in the ends of the stretchers have been proposed; for example, in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3(1991)-7714, a runner structure is proposed wherein bulb members are formed on the ends of the stretchers while bulb-shaped holes corresponding to said bulb members are provided in the runner, and the bulb members of the stretchers are press-fitted into these holes, thus providing pivot support of the ends of the stretchers.
However, in this kind of stretcher pivoting structure, a special stretcher in which bulb members are formed on the ends, for example, is required thus making it impossible to use conventional stretchers with the axial holes
4
a
in the ends.
In view of the above situation, the purpose of this invention is to greatly simplify the operation of linking the stretchers to the runner and also make automation possible while allowing the use of conventional stretchers by eliminating the wire passed through the axial holes in the ends of the stretchers.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The runner of this invention is characterized by the use of plate springs for pivot support of the stretchers and having free ends disposed in the plurality of stretcher holder grooves disposed in a radial pattern on the rim of the end of the runner and which are deformed by insertion of the stretcher ends and then engage the axial holes in the stretcher ends after insertion to support them so they can pivot.
Said plate springs can be configured from a pair of plate springs with opposing free ends or one cantilevered plate spring.
In this case, a single metal, ring-shaped, thin plate equipped with hooked-shaped plate members or an outer ring having slits at intervals nearly equal to the intervals of said stretcher holder grooves and an inner ring linked to these hook-shaped plate members or outer ring as a unit is embedded coaxially in the runner such that the free ends of each hook-shaped plate member or slit are disposed in each of the stretcher holder grooves and plate springs are formed by the hook-shaped plate members or by the free ends of the outer ring which oppose each other via the slits.
In either case, it is desirable that a void (disposed on the side of the plate spring deformed by insertion of the stretcher) that allows deformation (deformation for engaging the free ends of the plate springs in the axial holes of the stretcher) of the plate spring when the ends of the stretchers are inserted in the stretcher holder grooves and a stopper member (disposed opposite of said void) that prevents deformation (deformation that would allow the free ends of the plate springs to deform in a direction opposite the above direction when the stretcher is pulled in a direction opposite that when it is inserted) in the opposite direction of the above deformation be formed in the runner.
Further, it is desirable that said metal, ring-shaped, thin plate be embedded in the runner by insert molding. Also, when the runner is configured from a boss portion and a flange portion in which a plurality of stretcher holder grooves are formed in a radial pattern around the end, the boss portion and flange portion may be formed as a unit, or a separately formed flange portion and boss portion may be joined mechanically. Said metal, ring-shaped, thin plate is embedded inside said flange portion.
In addition, if the runner is configured from a separately formed flange portion and boss portion joined mechanically, a configuration can be used wherein said metal, ring-shaped, thin plate is sandwiched between the flange portion and boss portion and not embedded by insert molding.
Further, the stretcher pivot support member of this invention is configured from a single metal, ring-shaped, thin plate equipped with an outer ring having slits at intervals nearly equivalent to the intervals of the stretcher holder grooves of said runner and an inner ring linked to this outer ring as a unit, and it is characterized by the formation of pairs of plate springs having free ends, which support said stretcher ends, by the part of the outer ring exposed in said stretcher holder grooves such that the free ends oppose each other via each slit.
In addition, the stretcher pivot support member of this invention is configured from a single metal, ring-shaped, thin plate equipped with hook-shaped plate members protruding outward in a radial pattern from the ring-shaped member at intervals nearly equivalent to the intervals of the stretcher holder grooves in said runner, and it is characterized by single plate springs having free ends that support said stretcher ends and which are formed by the end of the hook-shaped plate members exposed in the stretcher holder gro
Canfield Robert
Misuzu Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
Nixon & Peabody LLP
Studebaker Donald R.
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