Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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- This invention relates to umbrellas. More
particularly, this invention relates to an improved umbrella
rib linkage system, and to an umbrella that incorporates that
improved rib linkage system.
There are two basic types of umbrellas, namely, stick
umbrellas and collapsible umbrellas. In a stick umbrella, the
umbrella centermost is of a single fixed length In a
collapsible umbrella, on the other hand, the umbrella
centermost is composed of two or more sections that can
telescope one within the other in order to shorten the
centermost length and, thereby, shorten the umbrella itself,
when it is in the collapsed or storage position. Collapsible
umbrellas, have been well received in the market place in
recent years because they are so easy to store and to carry by
their owners. collapsible umbrella can be carried in a
briefcase or handbag or the like so it is always available for
use if the need arises, whereas a stick umbrella is normally
only carried when it appears that its use will be necessary.
A rib linkage system for a collapsible umbrella must
permit an overall umbrella length that is reasonably short in
the storage or full closed position, relative to the full
opened or use position, so the umbrella can be easily stored or
carried wherever desired by the user. There are a couple of
different basic types of rib linkage systems by which a
collapsible umbrella's cover can be erected and collapsed that
meet this short length objective, one being of a simpler
structure and easier to operate, than the others. This one
type of collapsible umbrella rib linkage system has seen
significant success in the market place, and is known as a
topless umbrella rib linkage system. The topless rib linkage
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system is particularly useful and practical in connection with
collapsible umbrellas. The topless umbrella rib linkage system
incorporates a series of cover ribs that only partially support
the umbrella's cover when it is open. The cover ribs extend
radially inward from the outer periphery of the cover toward
the centermost, but they stop significantly short of the
centermost, e.g., they may only extend half the radial distance
from the cover's outer periphery to the centermost. Thus, the
cover ribs are not directly connected to the umbrellas
ferrule. This is contrary to other rib linkage systems in
which the umbrella's cover ribs are directly connected to the
umbrella's centermost and do extend radially outward from the
centermost to the cover's periphery. One such topless rib
linkage system that has been well received in the collapsible
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umbrella market place is that illustrated in Brooks et alit
patent No. 3,~67,115,
A collapsible umbrella must be relatively short when
it is collapsed for storage, but it also must be of regular or
usable size when it is open. In other words, it is desirable
to maintain as large a radius a possible for the umbrella's
cover when the umbrella is full opened, while providing a rib
linkage system that permits the centermost and rib linkages, as
well as the cover, to be retracted to a desirably short overall
length when it is in a storage or full collapsed position. But
in meeting this overall objective, it also is necessary that
the umbrellas rib linkage system be relatively strong so as to
withstand wind forces to which the umbrella my be subjected
during use. In this regard it it necessary that the
umbrella's rib linkage system be strong against wind induced
forces generally parallel to the centerpost-~hat might tend to
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collapse the rib linkages, as well as wind induced forces
generally perpendicular to the centermost that might tend to
sway or bend the rib linkages.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to pro-
vise an umbrella with a novel rib linkage system of the topless
type, that rib linkage system being of suitable stability and
strength so as to permit practical use of the umbrella by the
umbrella's owner, and that rib linkage system being structured
to permit use of it in a collapsible umbrella that is of a
relatively short length.
In accordance with this invention there is provided
an umbrella comprising a centermost having a runner slid able
thereon, a cover connected at its center to said centermost,
and a topless rib linkage having a cover rib to which said
cover is connected, a stretcher rib connecting said runner and
said cover rib, a support rib connecting said stretcher rib and
said centermost, and a control link located beneath said
stretcher rib connecting said support rib and said cover rib,
said stretcher rib, cover rib, support rib and control link
defining a profile opening beneath said stretcher rib of goner-
ally parallelogram configuration when said umbrella is held up-
right between full opened and full closed positions, and define
in a profile opening beneath said stretcher rib of a generally
triangular configuration when said umbrella is held upright in
said full opened position.
Also, in accordance with this invention, there is
provided an umbrella comprising a centermost having a runner
slid able thereon, a cover connected at its center to said center-
post, and a topless rib linkage having a cover rib to which said
cover is connected, a stretcher rib connecting said runner and
said cover rib, a support rib connecting said eenterpost and
said stretcher rib, and a control link connecting said support
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rib and said cover rib, said cover rib being indirectly con-
netted to said centermost only through said connections with
said stretcher rib support rib and control link so as not to be
directly connected thereto, and said support rib being pivotal
connected to said stretcher rib, and said support rib being
bifurcated at least at its outer end to provide parallel struts
at said outer end, said support rib struts being positioned
outboard of said control link and outboard of said stretcher
rib at the respective connections of said support rib with said
control link, and of said support rib with said stretcher rib.
Further, in accordance with this invention, there is
provided an umbrella comprising, a centermost having a runner
slid able thereon, a cover connected at its center to said center-
post, and a topless rib linkage having a cover rib to which said
cover is connected, a stretcher rib connecting said runner and
the inner end of said cover rib at a location between said
cover rib's ends, a support rib pivotal connected to said
stretcher rib at a location between said support rib's ends and
also connected to said centermost, the outer end of said support
rib being of a generally dog leg configuration, and a control
link connecting the outer end of said support rib with said
cover rib at a location between said cover rib's ends, said con-
trol link being connected to the toe end of said support rib's
dog leg outer end for locating said control link beneath said
stretcher rib when said umbrella is full opened and held in an
upright use position, and the longitudinal axis of the foot end
of said support rib's dog leg end being generally coaxial with
the longitudinal axis of said control link when said umbrella
is full opened.
Other objectives and advantages of the invention will
be more apparent from the following detailed description of the
invention taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:
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I- Figure 1 is a side view of an umbrella in accord with
the principles of this invention, the umbrella being shown in
the full opened position;
Figure 2 is a side view similar to Figure 1 but
showing the umbrella in an intermediate open position;
Figure 3 is a side view similar to Figures 1 and 2
but showing the umbrella in the full closed position;
Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken along line
4-4 of Figure 2; and
Figure 5 is a cross sectional view similar to Figure
4 but illustrating an alternative embodiment.
An umbrella in accord with the principles of this
invention is illustrated in Figures 1 and 3. The umbrella,
which is collapsible into a storage position shown in Figure 3
and erectable into a use position shown in Figure 1, basically
includes a centermost 10, a cover 11, and a series of eight
topless rib linkages 12. The centermost 10 includes an upper
section 14 and a lower section 15 telescopable relative one to
the other between collapsed (Figure 3) and erected (Figure 1)
positions, same being held in the erected position by a first
spring loaded latch 16 in accord with known umbrella practice.
The umbrella cover 11 is supported, by eight separate rib
linkages 12, all these linkages being identical one to the
other The rib topless linkages 12 interconnect with the
umbrella's ferrule 17, and with the umbrella's runner 18. The
umbrella's ferrule 17 is fixed to the top end of the
centermost, and the runner is movable or slid able along the
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centermost for raising and lowering the cover 11. The runner
18 is held in an upper or umbrella full opened position by a
second spring loaded latch 19 also in accord with known
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umbrella practice. A handle 20 is fixed to the bottom end of
the centermost 10 so the umbrella can be easily held by the
user when it is open.
It is the umbrella rib linkage 12 system to which
this invention is directed, and the invention is described here
in connection with one such topless rib linkage although as
earlier mentioned all eight rib linkages are identical one with
the other. Each topless rib linkage 12 includes a cover rib 25
to which the cover 11 is fixed at its outer periphery 26 as at
27, e.g., by tying with thread. The cover rib 25 extends
radially inward toward the umbrella's centermost 10, but is of
length L only equal to about one-half the radius L' of the
umbrella's cover so that the cover rib terminates as at its
inner end 28 about midway between the cover's periphery 26 and
the centermost. It is this cover rib 25 structure, which cover
rib 25 is not connected to the umbrella's ferrule 17, that
gives use to the "topless" reference in the characterization of
a topless rib linkage system.
The topless rib linkage 12 also includes a stretcher
rib 30 pivotal connected as at 31 at its inner end 32 to the
runner 18, and pivotal connected as at 33 at its outer end 34
to the cover rib 25. Note the stretcher rib 30 is generally
linear from one end 32 to the other 34, and defines
longitudinal axis 35 when the rib linkage 12 is relaxed as
shown in Figure 3. A bracket 37 is mounted to the inner end 28
of the cover rib 25, the bracket being configured to establish
a generally radially inward and downward directed dog leg at
the inner end 28 of that cover rib. It is at toe Ed 38 of the
cover rib dog leg's foot 39 that the stretcher rib 30 is
pivotal connected. As is apparent from Figure 1/ therefore
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3429-554
the pivot connection 33 of the cover rib 25 with the stretcher
rib 30 is spaced inward of the longitudinal axis 40 of that
cover rib. Thus, and as particularly shown in Figure 1, the
pivot connection 33 of the stretcher rib 30 with the cover rib
25 is spaced slightly inward of the cover 11 itself when the
umbrella is full opened to minimize rubbing, and thereby wear,
of the cover at that point.
The rib linkage 12 further includes a support rib 42
pivotal connected as at 43 at inner end 44 to the ferrule 17,
and pivotal connected as at 45 intermediate its inner and
outer 46 ends to the stretcher rib 30. The intermediate pivot
connection 45 is established by ears 47 mounted to the stretcher
rib 30 that locate that pivot connection 45 above and outboard
of the stretcher rib 30, i.e., between the stretcher rib and
the umbrella's cover 11 and above the longitudinal axis 35 of
that stretcher rib. The outer end 46 of the support rib 42 is
formed to establish a generally radially outward and upward
directed dog leg configuration, the support rib's dog leg con-
figuration being substantially a reverse image of the dog leg
configuration provided on the inner end 28 of the cover rib 25.
In other words, angle 49 at dog leg end 28 of the cover rib 25
is substantially the same as angle 50 at dog leg end 46 of the
support rib 42. As shown in Figure 1, the stretcher rib 32,
support rib 42 and centermost 14 define a profile opening above
the stretcher rib of generally triangle configuration when the
umbrella is held upright in the full open position.
The rib linkage 12 also includes a control link 52
pivotal connected as at 53 at its inner end 54 to the support
rib 42, and pivotal connected as at 55 at its outer end 56 to
the cover rib 25. Note particularly that the former point
connection 53 is therefore established between the support rib's
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longitudinal axis 57 and the cover rib's longitudinal axis 40,
i.e., is not on the support rib's longitudinal axis. This, of
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1 :~23~735
course, is because of the radially outward directed dog leg
configuration of the outer end 46 of the support rib 42.
Inwardly directed ears 58, that are part of bracket 37, are
mounted to the cover rib 25 adjacent its inner end 28 to
establish the pivot connection 55 of the control link 52 with
the cover rib 25. The pivot connection 55 so defined is
inwardly positioned relative to the longitudinal axis 40 of the
cover rib 25. Note particularly the linear axis 60 of the foot
end 46 of the support rib 42 is generally coaxial with the
linear axis 62 of the control link 52 when the umbrella is full
opened as shown in Figure 1, but not otherwise.
The configuration of the rib linkage 12, i.e., the
stretcher rib 30, the support 42, the control link 52 and the
cover rib 25, when the umbrella is in an intermediate
open/close position is as shown in Figure 2, and when the
umbrella is in a full opened position is as shown in urn 1.
In both of these positions, the control link 52 is oriented
beneath the stretcher rib 30, i.e., the control link is
underslung beneath the stretcher rib, so as to define a rib
linkage profile opening I slung under or positioned beneath
the stretcher rib when the umbrella is hid vertically
upright in a use position. When the umbrella rib linkage I is
in the intermediate openiclose position, this underslung
opening 65 is of a generally parallelogram configuration as
shown in Figure 2. On the other hand, when the umbrella rib
; linkage 12 is in the full opened position this underslung
opening 65 is of a generally triangular configuration as shown
in Figure 1. This parallelogram/triangle configuration change
of the profile opening 65, it is believed, enhances the
' structural stability of the rib linkage 12 during use of the
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umbrella. And the fact that the control link 52 is underslung
beneath the stretcher rib 30 in this rib linkage 12 permits the
umbrella to be collapsed to a shorter length X, as shown in
Figure 3, for easier storage in smaller spaces than would be
the case if the control link was above the stretcher rib 30 (as
is currently used in topless umbrella rib linkages currently
sold in the market place, and as shown in United States patent
No. 3,467,115). This parallelogram/triangle interrelationship
of the rib linkage profile opening 65 defined by the stretcher
rib 30, support rib 42, control link 52, and cover rib 25,
between the intermediate (Figure 3) and full opened (Figure 1)
positions of the umbrella, is made possible by virtue of the
dog leg configuration of the support rib 42 at its outer end
46, and the fact that the pivot connection 53 of the control
link 52 with the support rib 42 is radially outward of the
longitudinal axis 57 of that support rib. In this regard, and
as shown in Figure 1, when the umbrella is full opened and held
upright note that the corner point of the triangular configure
anion formed by stretcher rib 30 and support rib 42, and the
adjacent corner point of the triangle configuration formed by
stretcher rib 30 and control link 52, are spaced one from the
other along the stretcher rib, i.e., are not common one with
the other, because pivot points 45, 53 are spaced one from the
other.
The structural rigidity of the rib linkage 12, when
the umbrella is full opened, is also enhanced by the structure
of the support rib 42 at its outer end 46 and in that area
where same is pivotal connected to the stretcher rib 30, see
Figure 4 and 5. The stretcher rib 30, in cross section, is of
a generally U-shaped configuration at the point 45 where it is
pivotal connected with the support rib 42. The stretcher rib
30 provides two ears 47 that stand upwardly above the stretcher
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rib's longitudinal axis 35. The support rib 42, in preferred
form as shown in Figure 4, is defined by a pair of struts 66,
67 pivotal connected to the ferrule 17 in equally spaced
radial slots 68 by wire 69, the struts being parallel one with
the other. One 66 of each pair of struts is pivotal
connected to one aye of the stretcher rib's ears, and the other
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off the struts is pivotal connected to the other 47b of the
stretcher rib's ear, same being connected by common pin 70.
Note the struts 66, 67 of support rib 42 are located outboard
of the stretcher rib 30 on opposite sides thereof to entrap the
stretcher rib there between. And further, note the toe end aye
on one 66 of the support struts is connected on one side of the
control link 52, and the toe 46b of the other 67 of the support
struts is connected on the other side of the control link.
This bifurcated dog leg 57, 60 structure of the support rib 42
at its outer end where it is connected to the stretcher rib 30
and to the control link 52 is also important relative to
enhancing the structural stability of the rib linkage 12.
thus
, the topless rib linkage 12 stability is enhanced against
wind type forces that are exerted against the umbrella cover 11
during use of the umbrella, those forces being shown
diagrammatical by phantom arrows AYE, 71B disposed generally
parallel to the centermost 14 as well by phantom arrows 72, 73
generally perpendicular to the centermost. The point here is
that the support rib 42 structure at its interconnection 45
with the stretcher rib 30 as well as with the control link 52,
in combination with the geometry of the support rib at its dog
leg outer end 46 which provides the parallelogram/triangle
configuration of the opening 65 defined by the rib linkage 12
in the intermediate (Figure 2) and full opened (Figure 1)
position of the umbrella, all cooperate to enhance the
stability of that topless umbrella rib linkage.
An alternative embodiment of the support rib 42 is
illustrated in Figure 5. The alternative embodiment of the
support rib differs from the Figure 4 embodiment in that thy
alternative embodiment support rib 75 is of a single piece or
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unitary configuration. The alternative support rib 75 is of a
generally U-shaped cross sectional configuration throughout its
length except at its inner end 76 and at its outer end 77. At
its inner end 76, the U-shaped support 75 is pressed together
as at 78 to provide a single pivot connection 79 at which the
support rib is pivotal connected by wire 80 in a single slot
81 to the ferrule 17. At its outer end 77, however, the
U-shaped support rib 75 is bifurcated as is the case with the
support rib 42 shown in Figure I This bifurcated end 77
defines opposite parallel struts 82, 83, each of the struts
being of a dog leg configuration identical to the dog leg end
46 of support rib 42. As is the case with the Figure 4
embodiment, the dog leg sections 82, 83 so defined at the outer
end 77 of the alternative support rib 75 are pivotal
connected by pin 84 on the outboard sides of the stretcher rib
30, and on the outboard side of the end 54 of the control link
52. This alternative embodiment support rib 75 also improves
the structural stability of the rib linkage 12 when the
umbrella is in the full opened position.
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