Outdoor umbrella cover

Abstract

An umbrella cover is disclosed for minimizing or eliminating wear and tear on an outdoor umbrella while the umbrella is not being used. The umbrella cover utilizes two support sticks and a hard cover to keep the wear and tear of weather from damaging an umbrella Further, the umbrella cover utilizes an attachment means, preferably a hook and loop attachment system or a plurality of buckles, to firmly maintain the umbrella cover in a “down” position when in use. The two support sticks can be broken down into shorter lengths to make packaging of the present invention more convenient.

Description

I. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention concerns that of a new and improved apparatus for minimizing or eliminating wear and tear on an outdoor umbrella while the umbrella is in a “down” position.

II. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0002] U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,086, issued to Muller, discloses an umbrella cover assembly which includes a truncated conical cover made from flexible water repellent material and closed at its upper end has a longitudinal slit extending from its open lower end toward its upper end.

[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,017, issued to Fujiyama, discloses an umbrella cover which comprises a plurality of short connector cylinders that have their diameter decreased, the cylinders also including inner protuberances which are provided at the inner circumferences of the small diameter sides or ends and outer protuberances that are included at the outer circumferences of the large diameter sides or ends of the cylinders.

[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 3,490,469, issued to Dubinsky, discloses an umbrella cover fabricated of a unitary panel of waterproof material folded to define a tapered sleeve having a generally cup-shaped closed peak portion.

III. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention concerns that of a new and improved umbrella cover for minimizing or eliminating wear and tear on an outdoor umbrella while the umbrella is in a “down” position. The umbrella cover utilizes two support sticks and a hard cover to keep the wear and tear of weather from damaging an umbrella. Further, the umbrella cover utilizes an attachment means, preferably Velcro or buckles, to firmly maintain the umbrella cover in a “down” position when in use. The two support sticks can be broken down into shorter lengths to make packaging of the present invention more convenient.

[0006] There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of an umbrella cover in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the umbrella cover that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

[0007] In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the umbrella cover in detail, it is to be understood that the umbrella cover is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The umbrella cover is capable of other embodiments and being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.

[0008] As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present umbrella cover. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0009] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an umbrella cover which has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.

[0010] It is another object of the present invention to provide an umbrella cover which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.

[0011] It is another object of the present invention to provide an umbrella cover which is of durable and reliable construction.

[0012] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an umbrella cover which is economically affordable and available for the buying public.

[0013] Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment when considered with the attached drawings and appended claims.

IV. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] FIG. 1 shows a cut-away side view of the present invention in a “down” position.

[0015] FIG. 2 shows a side view of a support stick of the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the present invention in use.

V. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0017] FIG. 1 shows a side view of the umbrella cover 1 after it has been placed over an umbrella 5. Center pole 2 and fabric 3 of umbrella 5 can be seen folded up.

[0018] Umbrella cover 1 comprises a rounded conical hard top 6, a pair of support poles 8 and 10, and an extended cover 4 preferably fabricated from a waterproof fabric. Hard top 6 measures approximately one to one and one-half feet from the top downward and would be preferably fabricated from rigid plastic, aluminum, or wood materials.

[0019] Extended cover 4 would be attached to the underside of hard top 6 around the perimeter of hard top 6. Extended cover 4 comprises a plurality of tapered panels attached together to form one long continuous piece of fabric. However, the first panel and the last panel are not attached to one another, creating two ends, a first end and a second end, of the cover 4. The opening created by the non-attachment of the first panel to the last panel aids a user in placing umbrella cover 1 over an umbrella 5 of various sizes.

[0020] The pair of support poles 8 and 10 would each have two ends, a first end and a second end. The first end of each of the support poles would be removably attached to the lower surface of the hard top 6. The first end of support pole 8 would be removably attached to the inside surface of the extended cover 4 near the first end of the extended cover 4, while the first end of support pole 10 would be removably attached to the inside surface of the extended cover 4 near the second end of the extended cover 4.

[0021] Umbrella cover 1 also includes various attachment means for keeping umbrella cover 1 fixedly attached to an umbrella 5 once placed on top of an umbrella 5. The inside surface of the extended cover 4 near the first end of extended cover 4 includes a set of attachment means 12 that are designed to attach to a set of attachment means 14 that are located on the inside surface of the extended cover 4 near the second end of extended cover 4. Each set would preferably comprise at least three individual patches which would match up in height with each other once umbrella cover I had been placed over an umbrella 5. The patches could be designed to either be matching hook and loop attachment systems (i.e. Velcro) or buckles that would attach to one another.

[0022] Support poles 8 and 10 are designed to be capable of being broken down into much shorter lengths to allow for easy packaging of the present invention. Each support pole would preferably be about six feet in length, while each support pole would be capable of being broken down into three two-foot segments for easier storage and transportation when the present invention would not be in use.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a side view of a support pole of the present invention. As previously stated, each support stick is designed to be capable of being broken down into much shorter lengths to allow for easy packaging of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the umbrella cover 1 in use. In this position, the umbrella cover 1 would protect a user from sun, rain, other precipitation, and possibly dust.

Claims

1. An umbrella cover comprising:

(a) a top, the top being in the approximate shape of an upside-down cone, the top having an inside surface, the top having a bottom perimeter,

(b) a fabric covering attached to the bottom perimeter of the top, the fabric covering being fabricated from a plurality of tapered panels attached to one another, the plurality of tapered panels including a first tapered panel and a last tapered panel, the first tapered panel and the last tapered panel not being attached to one another, the fabric covering having a first end and a second end, the fabric covering having an inside surface and an outside surface,

(c) a pair of support poles, a first support pole and a second support pole, each support pole having two ends, a first end and a second end, the first end of the first support pole and the first end of the second support pole being removably attached to the inside surface of the top, the first support pole being removably attached to the inside surface of the fabric covering near the first end of the fabric covering, the second support pole being removably attached to the inside surface of the fabric covering near the second end of the fabric covering, and

(d) attachment means for removably connecting the first end of the fabric covering to the second end of the fabric covering, once the umbrella cover has been placed over an umbrella.

2. An umbrella cover according to

claim 1 wherein each support pole is approximately six feet in length, and further wherein each support pole is fabricated from three sections, each section being approximately two feet in length, the three sections of each support pole being easily taken apart.

3. An umbrella cover according to

claim 2 wherein the attachment means for removably connecting the first end of the fabric covering to the second end of the fabric covering further comprises:

(a) a first row of fasteners, the first row comprising at least three fasteners, a first fastener, a second fastener, and a third fastener, the first row of fasteners being attached to the inside surface of the fabric covering immediately next to the first end of the fabric covering, the first row of fasteners being evenly spaced out,

(b) a second row of fasteners, the second row comprising at least three fasteners, a first fastener, a second fastener, and a third fastener, the second row of fasteners being attached to the inside surface of the fabric covering immediately next to the second end of the fabric covering, the second row of fasteners being evenly spaced out,

(c) wherein a user would be able to removably attach the first end of the fabric covering to the second end of the fabric covering by connecting the first fastener on the first row of fasteners to the first fastener on the second row of fasteners, by further connecting the second fastener on the first row of fasteners to the second fastener on the second row of fasteners, and by further connecting the third fastener on the first row of fasteners to the third fastener on the second row of fasteners.

4. An umbrella cover according to

claim 3 wherein each pair of fasteners in contact with one another comprise a hook and loop attachment system.

5. An umbrella cover according to

claim 3 wherein each pair of fasteners in contact with one another comprise a buckle.