Tent – canopy – umbrella – or cane – Umbrella – Cover or lining feature
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-14
2001-05-29
Kent, Christopher T. (Department: 3635)
Tent, canopy, umbrella, or cane
Umbrella
Cover or lining feature
C135S033500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237616
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to umbrellas, and more particularly to an umbrella that is resistant to inversion from the wind.
2. Description of Related Art
Frequently, a wind will catch an umbrella user unaware and exert a force against the inner surface of the canopy which will cause the canopy to invert from its normal operable position to an upwardly convex position. Accordingly, specially designed umbrellas for rainy, windy weather have been proposed.
As shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
, this disclosed windproof umbrella C has an upper canopy C
2
in covering relation to a lower canopy C
1
in which the canopy C
1
has a plurality of (e.g., eight) vent holes H each correspondingly arranged in a sector C
3
. The upper canopy C
2
is disposed over the vent holes H. The area of the upper canopy C
2
is about three fifth of the area of the lower canopy C
1
. In order to secure the bottom edge of the upper canopy C
2
to the umbrella C, eight elastic strips E are provided, wherein each of the elastic strips E with one end sewn to a corner of adjacent sectors C
4
of the upper canopy C
2
, and the opposite end fitted tightly onto a tip of a rib G. During rainy, windy weather, wind I that is caught beneath the lower canopy C
1
exit through the vent holes H and applies pressure to the underside of the upper canopy C
2
. This forces the upper canopy C
2
lift away from the lower canopy C
1
by means of the elastic strips E which are stretched to provide a path for wind I to escape the umbrella C. However, because the elastic strips E often stretched, its elasticity will be worn out after used for a predetermined times. As a result, the escape space for wind I will become larger.
Thus, heavy rain may enter the space between the lower canopy sectors C
3
and the upper canopy sectors C
4
and fall through bottom edges H
1
of the vent holes H in the lower canopy C
1
onto the user. Further, the manufacturing process of the windproof umbrella C is time consuming. For example, the upper canopy C
2
comprises eight sectors C
4
. Two edges of each canopy sector C
4
are secured to the ribs G by means of stitching respectively. As stated above, the corner of adjacent canopy sectors C
4
is sewn to one end of the elastic strip E, and the opposite end of the elastic strip E is fitted tightly onto the tip of the rib G. Furthermore, the lower canopy C
1
and the upper canopy C
2
(via the stretched elastic strips E) both exert a force onto the tip of the rib G and thus, the elastic strips E are very taut. As a result, the elastic strips E are prone to be separated from the tips of the ribs G in case of the tip of the ribs G damaged. Once the elastic strips E are separated from the tips of the ribs G, upper canopy C
2
will be lifted by the upward wind I caught beneath the canopy C
1
. Thus, the windproof function of the umbrella C will be completely worthless because the bottom edges H
1
of the vent holes H are not covered anymore.
An umbrella C which is similar in construction is disclosed in
FIGS. 3 and 4
. A circular vent hole H is provided in the center portion of a canopy C
1
. A small circular piece of fabric C
2
is positioned over the canopy C
1
in covering relation to the vent hole H. The area of the piece of fabric C
2
is about two fifth of the area of the canopy C
1
. Accordingly, an elastic strip E, which attached from a corner of adjacent fabric sectors C
3
to a tip G, will have a relatively longer length as compared with the elastic strip E illustrated in
FIGS. 1 and 2
. Further, because the price of elastic strip is higher than that of fabric, the cost of manufacturing the umbrella shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4
will be higher than that of
FIGS. 1 and 2
in spite of the saving in fabric. Furthermore, the umbrella of
FIGS. 3 and 4
has the same disadvantage as that of
FIGS. 1 and 2
in respect of the elastic fatigue of the elastic strips.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a windproof umbrella to overcome the above drawbacks of prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a windproof umbrella which comprises a main umbrella including a shank, a movable ring being capable of sliding along the shank, a plurality of ribs each having a free end portion, a plurality of spreaders each with one end pivotally secured to the ring and the other end pivotally secured to a predetermined position of one of the ribs, a lower canopy having a plurality of substantially trapezoidal cloth sectors in which a seam between sectors of the lower canopy is stitched from a top to a bottom of each of the ribs along its length to the free end portion thereof, and a substantially polygonal vent hole provided in a center portion of the main umbrella; an upper umbrella including a stationary hub, a plurality of ribs each having a free end portion, and an upper canopy having a plurality of substantially triangular cloth sectors; and a ferrule on a top of the upper umbrella; wherein each of the ribs of the upper umbrella is integral with each of the ribs of the main umbrella by means of a connection of a securing device for forming a gap between a corner of two adjacent sectors of the upper canopy and a corner of two corresponding adjacent sectors of the lower canopy, and the upper canopy is in covering relation to and capable of elastically separating from the main umbrella for exhausting the air from the space between the lower canopy and the upper canopy.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a windproof umbrella which does not employ any elastic strip.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a durable windproof umbrella by a providing the securing device for connecting the upper umbrella and the main umbrella.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a windproof umbrella which is time saving in assembly and cost effective by eliminating the process of stitching the upper canopy to the ribs of the upper umbrella.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 312446 (1885-02-01), Drake
patent: 3885582 (1975-05-01), Kowalski
patent: 4084600 (1978-04-01), DePolo
patent: 5078166 (1992-01-01), Lee
patent: 5115827 (1992-05-01), Lee
patent: 5611364 (1997-03-01), Woods et al.
patent: 6089244 (2000-07-01), Ko
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