Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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WIND INVERTI8LE UMBRELLA RIB LINKAGE SYSTEM
This invention relates to umbrellas. More
particularly, this invention relates to an improved
umbrella rib linkage system, and to an umbrella which
incorporates that improved rib linkage system.
A collapsible umbrella has a centerpost
composed of two or more sections that can telescope one
within the other in order to shorten the centerpost
length and, thereby, shorten the umbrella itself, when
the umbrella's cover and rib linkage are collapsed.
Collapslble umbrellas have been well received in the
marketplace in recent years because they are so easy to
store and to carry by their owners. A collapsible
umbrella can be carried in a briefcase or handbag or the
like so it i5 always available for use if the need
arises.
- 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
its length in the ~ull 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
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of rib linkage systems by which a collapsible umbrella's
cover can be erected and collapsed that meet this short
storage length objective, one being of a simpler struc-
ture and easier to operate than the others. This one
type o~ collapsible umbrella rib linkage system has seen
significant success in the marketplace, and is known as
a topless umbrella rib linkage system. 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
centerpost, but they stop significantly short of the
centerpost, e.g., they may only extend half the radial
distance from the cover's outer periphery to the center-
lS post. Thus, the cover ribs are not directly connected to
the umbrella's centerpost. This is contrary to other rib
linkage systems in which the umbrella's cover ribs are
directly connected to the umbrella's centerpost, and do
extend radially outward from the centerpost to the
cover's periphery. One such topless rib linkage system
that has been well received in the umbrella market place
is that illustrated in U.S. patent No. 4,627,455, the
disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
One ~ractical problem ~hat periodically or-curs
~` 2S during use of an umbrella, and particularly one problem
that is associated with prior art topless rib linkage
systems of the type described above, is that sam~ can
become ruined or at least severely damaged when the
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underside of the umbrella's cover is exposed to a wind
gust of sufficient force to invert the umbrella's rib
linkage. In other words, if a wind gust force is
directed against the underside of the umbrella's cover
when the umbrella with its rib linkage system is fully
opened and in use, and if the wind gust is of sufficient
force such as may occur during use of the opened umbrella
in a rain and wind storm, then the umbrella's rib linkage
may be inverted or turned inside out into a non-useful
position. And when this occurs, it is often the case
that the umbrella's rib linkage is caused significant
damage so as to prevent reversing of that rib linkage
back into a pre-wind gust position. In other words, when
this situation occurs, the umbrella is often ruined, and
cannot thereafter be used.
Accordingly, it has been a primary objective of
this invention to provide an umbrella that incorporates
an improved topless type rib linkage system which can be
inverted without causing sufficient damage to the rib
linkage to prevent reversing that rib linkage back into
a pre-wind gust position if a wind gust is directed
against the underside of the umbrella's cover of suffi-
cient force to invert the rib linkage into a non useful
or inside out position.
It has been another objective of this invention
to provide an umbrella with an improved topless type rib
linkage system of the type defined in the paragraph above
where, in the event the rib linkage is indeed inverted,
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the rib linkage can he reversed from the non-use~ul
position ~ack into a useful or pre-wind gust position
without sufficient damage to the rib linkage to prevent
further opening and closing of the umbrella simply by
applying a manual force to the umbrella's runner in a
direction ~pposite to that of the wind gust force which
is of sufficient magnitude to reverse the rib linkage.
In accord with these objectives, this invention
is directed to a wind invertible umbrella with a topless
rib linkage system. The rib linkage includes a flexor
that is flexible in response to a wind gust directed
against the underside of the umbrella's cover which is of
sufficient force to invert the rib linkage into a non-
useful or inside out position without causing sufficient
rib linkage damage to prevent reversing of the linkage
back into a pre-wind gust position. The flexor also is
flexible in response to a manual force applied to the rib
linkage in a direction opposite to the wind gust force
that is of sufficient magnitude to rev~rse the rib
linkage from its non-useful position back into a useful
umbrella position without causing sufficient damage to
the linkage to prevent further opening and closing, i.e.,
further use, of the umbrella. Pre~erably the flexor is
connected to the umbrella's runner, and the manual
reversing force i5 applied to the runner for moving the
xunner down the centerpost toward the umbrella closed
position when reversing the inverted rib linkage back
into its pre-wind gust position.
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Other objectives and advantages of this
invention will be more apparent from ths following
detailed description taken in ~onjunction with the
drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a side view of an umbrella in
accord with the principles o~ this invention, the
umbrella being shown in the ~ull opened position;
Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the
encircled section of the umbrella's rib linkage illus-
trated in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but
illustrating an alternative embodiment for the encircled
section of the rib linkaye shown in Figure 1;
Figure 4A is a side view similar to Figure 1
but illustrating the rib linkage system after it has been
inverted or turned inside out by a wind gust;
Figure 4B is a view similar to Figure 4A but
illustrating the rib linkage system in an intermediate
posture as it i~ reversed from the inverted position
illustrated in Figure 4A;
Figure 4C is a view similar to Figure 4B but
illustrating-the rib linkage system after it has been
fully reversed from its inverted position shown in Figure
4A back into a useful or pre-wind gust position; and
Figure 5 is a view of an umbrella in accord
with the principles of this invention, and with a rib
linkage basically the same as that shown in Figure 1, the
umbrella being a self-opening umbrella~
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An umbrella with rib linkage system 10 in
accord with the principles of this invention is illus-
trated in Figures 1 and 2. The umbrella, which is
collapsible into a storage position (not shown) and
erectable into a use position shown in Figure 1, basical-
ly includes a centerpost 11, a cover 12, and the rib
linkage system 10 that includes a series of eight topless
rib linkages 13. The centerpost 11 includes an upper
section 14 and a lower section 15 telescopable relative
one to the other between collapsed (not shown) and
erected (Figure 1) positions, same being held in the
er~cted position by a first spring loaded latch (not
shown) in accord with known umbrella practice. The
umbrella cover 12 is supported by the eight separate rib
linkages 13 when the umbrella is full opened, all these
linkages being identical one to the other. The topless
rib linkages 13 interconnect with the umbrella's ferrule
16 as at 17 and with the umbrella's runner 18 as at 19.
The umbrella's ferrule 16 is fixed to the top end of the
centerpost 11, and the runner 18 is movable or slidable
. along the centerpost for raisin~ and lowering the rib
linkages 13 and, thereby, the cover 12. T~e runner 18 is
held in an upper or umbrella full opened position by a
second spring loaded latch ~not shown) also in accord
with known umbrella practice. A handle (not shown) is
fixed to the bottom end (not shown) of the centerpost 11
so the umbrella can be easily held by the user in the
rain when it is fully opened.
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It is the umbrella rib linkage system 10 to
which this invention is directed, and the invention is
described here in connection with one such topless type
rib linkage 13 although as earlier mentioned all eight
rib linkages are identical one with the other. Each
topless rib linkage 13 includes a flexible cover rib 20
to which the cover 12 is fixed at its outer periphery as
at 21, e.g., by tying with thread. The cover rib 20
extends radially inward toward the umbrella's centerpost
11 but is of length only equal to about one-half the
radius of the umbrella's cover 12 when the umbrella is
full opened, so that the cover rib terminates as at its
inner end 22 about midway between the cover'~ periphery
23 and the centerpost. It is this cover rib 20 struc-
ture, which cover rib is not directly connect~d at its
inner end 22 to the umbralla's ferrule 16, that gives
rise to the "topless" re~erence in the chaxacterization
of a topless rib linkage system.
The topless rib linkage 13 also includes a non-
flexible or rigid stretcher rib 24 pivotally connected as
at 19 at its inner end to the runner 18. The rib linkage
13 further includes a non-flexible or rigid support rib
25 pivotally connected as at 17 at its inner end to the
ferrule 16, and pivotally by pin 26 intermedi~te its
inner and outer 2nds to the stretcher rib 24. This
intermediate pin 26 connection of the stretcher 18 and
support 25 ribs is also intermediate the in~er and outer
ends of the stretcher rib. Note the outer end of the
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support rib 25 is formed of spaced legs 25 that establish
a generally radially outward and upward directed dog leg
configuration. This allows the support rib 25 to be
located outboard of the stretcher rib 24 at the pivot
connection 26. Note also the stretcher rib 24 is of a
length that allows its radially outer end 27 to extend
substantially beyond that pivot connection 26 between the
support rib 24 and stretcher rib 25 so as to provide
support for and interact with a flexor 30 assembled
therewith as described in further detail below.
The rib linkage 13 also includes a non-flexible
or rigid control link 31 pivotally connected by pin 32 at
its inner end to the support rib 24, and pivotally
connected by pin 33 at its outer end to the cover rib 20.
Note particularly that the former pivot connection 32 is
therefor established between the support rib's longitudi-
nal axis 35 and the cover rib's longitudinal axis 36,
i.e., is not on the support rib's longitudinal axis 35.
This, of course, is because of the radially outward
directed dog leg configuration of the outer end 25a of
the support rib 25. A bracket 34 ~ixed to the cover rib
20 at its inner end establishes the pivot pin 33 connec-
tion of the control link 31 with the cover rib. Note
particularly the iinear axis 37 of the foot end 38 of the
support rib 25 is generally coaxial with the linear axis
39 of the control link 31 when the umbrella is full
opened as shown in Figure 1, but not otherwise.
The rib linkage 13, in accord with the princi-
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ples of this invention, also includes the flexor 30 or
flexible stretcher rib. The flexor 30 is integrated with
the rib linkage system lo in that it is connected at one
end to the stre~cher rib 24 and support rib 25, and at
the other end to the cover rib 20 as illustrated in
Figure 1. Note particularly the flexor 30 is in the form
of a flexible rib provided with a hook 40, 41 at each of
its inner and outer ends, respectively. The flexor's
inner hooked end 40 is hooked over pin 26 fixed between
side walls 24a, 24b of the stretcher rib 24 which is in
the form of an upwardly opening U-shaped cross-section
strut. In this regard, therefor, note the flexor 30 is
connected with both the support rib 25 and the stretcher
rib 24 at its inner end 40 at that same pivot connection
26 where the support rib and stretcher rib are pivotally
connected one with the other. Note also the flexor's
hook-shaped outer end 41 is hooked over rivet 43 on
bracket 34 fixed to the cover rib's inner end. And
further, note the control link is connected to the cover
rib 20 at a location between the flexor's pin connection
43 with the cover rib 20 and the cover rib's outer end
21.
The flexor 30, as particularly illustrated in
Figure 2 ~which figure illustrates the speci~ic embodi-
ment shown in Figure 1), has a primary or outer section
30a that extends between the outer end 27 of the rigid
stretcher rib 24 and the cover rib 20 without constraint,
i.e., this section of the flexor can flex upwardly or
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downwardly relative to the umbrella's cover 12, during
normal use or full-opened position of the umbrella. The
flexor 30 also includ~s an inner section 30b that lies
adjacent the floor 44 of the upwardly directed U-shaped
rigid stretcher rib 24~ and is so constrained within same
by rivet 45 at the outer end 27 of that rigid stretcher
rib as particularly illustrated in Figure 2. According-
ly, the inner or constrained section 30b of the flexor or
flexible stretcher rib 30 is of a length less than the
outer or unconstrained section 30a of the flexor. And
this inner or constrained section 30b is supported by the
outer section of the rigid stretcher rib 24 that extends
beyond the pivot connection 26 of the rigid stretcher rib
with the rigid support rib 25. In light of this rib
linkage, therefor, the ~lexor or flexible stretcher rib
30 is also connected to the runner 18 since the flexor is
directly connected to the stretcher rib 24.
An alternate embodiment of the ~lexor 30 and
rigid stretcher rib 24 interconnection is illustrated in
Figure 3. In this alternative embodiment, the rigid
stretcher rib 24 also is fabricated from an upwardly
directed U-shaped cross-section rigid strut. And a~ with
the Figure 2 embodiment, in the Figure 3 embodiment the
flexor 30 is connected by hook 40 with rivet 26 that
extends between the rigid strut's side walls. However,
and in place of the rivet 45 at the stretcher rib's outer
end in the Figure 2 embodiment, the top edge ends 46, 47
of the U-shaped rigid strut 24 are hent or crimped
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inwardly toward one another as shown in Figure 2 so as to
restrain the flexor's short section 30b in general
alignment and assembly with the stretcher rib 24. In any
event, and in both the Figure 2 and Figur~ 3 assembly
embodiments, same define a mouth 48 at the stretcher
rib's radially outer end which defines upper and lower
limits between which the flexor 30 can move as the rib
linkage 13 is operated upon opening and closing of the
umbrella.
The umbrella cover 12, in light of the fact
that the cover ribs 20 are not directly interconnected
with the umbrella's ferrule 16, is tied to the umbrella
rib linkage 13 at two spaced locations ~9, 50 between the
cover's outer periphery 23 and the centerpost 11. At the
first location 49, there is provided a bore in the cover
rib's bracket 34. A first threat 52 is stitched at one
end to the cover 12, and is ti~d at the other end to the
bracket 34 through the bore 51. At the second location,
a bore 53 is provided in the outer end of the rigid
stretcher rib 24. A second threat 54 is fixed at one end
to the cover 12 and at the other end to the stretcher rib
24 through that bore 53. These threads 52 or ties 54
tend to hold the cover 12 in alignment with the respec-
tive rib linkages 13 as the umbrella is opened or closed.
In use, the flexor 30 i5 ~lexible in response
to a force, e.g., a wind gust, directed against the
underside 56 of the cover 12 that is of sufficient force
to invert the rib linkage system 10 into a non use~ul or
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inside out position as illustrated in Figure 4A without
allowing sufficient damage to the rib linkages 13 to
prevent reversing of the rib linkages back into a pre-
wind gust position. Also, and importantly, the flexor 30
is flexible in respons2 to a manual force 57 applied to
the rib linkage system 10 in a direction illustrated in
Figures 4B and 4C that is generally opposite to the wind
gust force 55 direction, which manual force 57 is of a
sufficient magnitude to reverse the rib linkages 13 from
the non-useful position illustrated in Figure 4A back
into a useful position illustrated in Figure 4C without
sufficient damage to the rib linkage system 10 to prevent
further opening and closing of the umbrella.
. More particularly, and as illustrated in
Figures 4A-4C as before noted, when a wind gust force 55
is directed against the underside 56 of the umbrella's
cover 12 and rib linkage system 10, the rib linkages 13
may be inverted or turned inside out into that non-useful
position illustrated in Figure 4A. In this attitude, the
cover rib's inner end bracket 34 will tend to bottom out
against the floor 58 of the upwardly directed U-shape
cross-section control link 31, and the flexor 30 will be
flexed or depressed downward toward that control link 31.
Since the inherent flexibility of the flexor 30 absorbs
those forces which might otherwise damage the rib linkage
13, it is not likely the rib linkage will be distorted or
broken when it has been inverted into the Figure 4A non-
useful position. In this inverted attitude, note
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particularly the distance Dl bet~een the flexor's outer
end connection 43 with the cover rib 20 and the ~lexor~s
inner end connection 26 with the stretcher rib 24 and
support rib 25.
When the umbrella/s rib linkage 13 is turned
inside out or inverted as shown in Figure 4A, and in
order to bring the rib linkage back into a useful
attitude, the umbrella'~ user can simply pull the runner
18 down in the direction shown by phantom arrow 57 in
Fi~ures 4B and 4C so as to close or collapse the rib
linkage. This closure action utilizes the inherent
flexibility of the flexor 30 so as to simultaneously
reverse the inverted rib linkage into its useful or pre-
wind gust position illustrated in Figure 4C. In this
regard, when the runner i5 pulled downward to an interme-
diate position a~ shown in Figure 4B, the stretcher rib
24 is also pulled downward simultaneously. And this, in
turn, decreases the distance between the control link's
pivot connection 32 with the cover rib 20 and the control
l~nk's pivot connection 32 between the support rib 25 and
stretcher rib 24 to a distance D2. This rib linkage 13
closing action that results by pulling the runner 18
downward in the direction shown by phantom arrow 57
causes the stretcher rib's outer end 27 to move upward,
thereby forcing the flexor 30 into an upwardly curved
attitude as shown in Figure 4B due to the structural
interconnection of the flexor with the stretcher rib 24.
Thus the flexor 30 is ~orced to arch into an upwardly
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directed bow-shape as shown in Figure 4B which, in turn,
tends to store spring forces in the flexor which subse-
quently will cause it to straighten out toward a linear
attitude. With further downward manual force 57 exerted
on the runner 18, the rib linkage 13 is closed further.
And when the outer peripheral radius of the cover rib
~i.e., the distance between the cover rib's outer end and
the centerpost 11) gets to be smaller than the outer
peripheral radius of the cover, the cover no longer
exerts any tension on the cover rib. And thus the
elastic or spring forces stored in the bowed flexor 30 as
shown in Figure 4B will cause the flexor to straighten
toward co-axial linearity with the rigid stretcher rib 24
shown in Figure 4C. And this in turn allows the cover
rib 20 to pivot about its pivotal interconnection 33 with
the control link 31 to continue closing or collapsing of
the umbrella rib linkage system 10. Accordingly, the
flexor 30 allows the rib linkage 13 structure to be
completely closed into the normal collapsed or storage
position (not shown) from the inverted or non-useful
inside out position shown in Figure 4A without damaging
the rib linkage system 10.
The improved rib linkage system 10 in accord
with the principles of this invention is illustrated, in
Figures 1-4, with a manual umbrella. In other words, the
umbrella's runner 18 is manually raised and manually
lowered along the centerpost 11 to open and close,
respectively, the umbrella's rib linkage 13 and cover 12.
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On the other hand, and as illustrated in Figure 5, the
wind invertible rib linkage system 10 of this invention
also can be us~d with an automatic opening umbrella of
the topless rib system type. As shown in Figure 5, the
umbrella's primary runner 60 is connected with the
stretcher rib 24 by a strut 61, the stretcher rib being
connected to a secondary runner 62 which is spring ~3
loaded relative to the primary runner 60 in known
automatic umbrella fashion. The telescopable sections
14, 15 of the centerpost 11 also may be spring loaded
(not shown) in Xnown automatic umbrella fashion relative
one to the other. In use, and when closure of the
umbrella from the erected or opened Figure 5 position is
desired, the use simply exerts a manual force 64 on the
primary runner as to collapse the rib linkage 13. This
same force 64 on runner 60 should be exerted if the rib
linkage 13 has been inverted into the non-useful Figure
4A type position in order to reverse the rib linkage of
this Figure 5 automatic umbrella in the same fashion as
is done with the Figures 1-4 manual umbrella.
Now in accord with the principles of this
invention, the wind invertible umbrella rib linkage
system 10 allows the umbrella rib linkages to operate in
a novel method or fashion which prevents the rib linkages
from being damaged sufficient to prevent further use upon
being inverted in response to wind gust forces 55. This
method includes the steps of providing a flexor 30 in the
rib linkage system 10 that is flexible in response to
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wind gust forces 55 directed against the underside of the
cover 12 which are of sufficient force to invert the rib
linkages 13 into a non-useful inside out position but
without allowing sufficient damage to the rib linkages to
prevent reversing of the linXages back into a pre-wind
gust position. Subsequently, and if same occurs during
use, the umbrella is exposed to wind gust ~orces 55 which
inverts the rib linkages 13. When that inverted rib
linkage 13 situation obtains, then the umbrella's user
simply can apply a manual force 57 to the rib linkages 13
in a direction opposite to the wind gust forces 55 of
sufficient magnitude to reverse the rib linkages 13 ~rom
the non-useful position into a useful umbrella position
without sufficient damage to the rib linkage system to
prevent further opening and closing of the umbrella.
This manual force 57 application can be accomplished by
moving the umbrella's runner 18 along the centerpost 11
to its umbrella closed position when reversing the
inverted rib linkages 13 back into a pre-wind gust
position.
Having described in detail the preferred
embodiment of my invention, what I desire to claim and
protect by Letters Patent is:
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