Patents by Inventor Chen M. Lai

Chen M. Lai has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5392799
    Abstract: The invention herein relates to a kind of four-section umbrella strut spreader structure that mainly offers a highly safe and smoothly operating umbrella strut spreader structure to increase overall practicality and which consists of a structural improvement within the strut spreader members through the addition of an upward facing U-shaped opening and a T-shaped guide on the third main strut member, wherein a leaf-type strut member is inserted through the U-shape opening to maintain smooth action during the opening and the folding of the umbrella. Furthermore, the third main strut member can be configured as a S-shaped strut spreader element to reduce the overall physical dimensions of the umbrella strut spreader rear ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Inventor: Chen M. Lai
  • Patent number: 5305772
    Abstract: The invention relates to a strut structure of a folding umbrella having a seamless umbrella cover, which structure makes use of an integrally molded fastener with an open groove provided on the hollow cylindrical body thereof to fix the umbrella cover on the strut. The outside diameter of the strut is slightly smaller than the hole diameter of the fastener and slightly larger than the width of the open groove and so the fastener can be directly pushed inwards from the outside to clamp the strut as well as the umbrella cover, forming a firm engagement. As a result, when the folding umbrella is closed, the umbrella cover made of a single cloth folds inwardly as well for storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Inventor: Chen M. Lai
  • Patent number: 5218981
    Abstract: An umbrella is provided devoid of an axis connecting line. The umbrella includes a primary blank member on which a pattern can be printed without consideration of the arrangement of the meshes and several triangular supplementary blank members attached about the periphery of the primary blank member. The meshes of the supplementary blank members are arranged to be perpendicular to or parallel to the outer periphery of the completed umbrella cover for providing structural integrity to the umbrella construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1993
    Inventor: Chen M. Lai