Flat umbrella improvement structure
A flat umbrella improvement structure is comprised of a notch and a runner, both are in flat shapes. A variety of main ribs have one ends thereof symmetrically pivoted on both sides of the curved edges of the notch and have the middle portions thereof that are pivoted to the notch on the same side of the notch designed as curved surfaces and protruded in shape, in addition, a variety of stretchers that are correspondently pivoted to the main ribs have the portions thereof connecting to the runner designed as curved protruded shapes as well. As the umbrella is collapsed, the collapsed middle radial heights of the main ribs and of the stretchers are higher than the collapsed radial heights of the rest main ribs and of the corresponding stretchers. Therefore, the umbrella of the invention is able to be collapsed tightly in a flat collapsed shape with minimum umbrella size, thereby enabling said umbrella to be easily carried and stored.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a flat umbrella improvement structure, in particular, a flat umbrella structure that is easily stored and carried with the features of reducing the umbrella size.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An umbrella is an article for daily use keeping a user from sunlight or rain, and is very popular due to its light and portable features. Especially, various folding umbrellas are extensively used for its advantages of easily being stored and carried.
A folding umbrella could reduce the umbrella size for being easily stored; nevertheless, the main ribs of a conventional folding umbrella are retracted inwardly with layers folded inside out against the middle shaft and are crowd out of each others to form loose folds. Therefore, the multi-layer folds are in cylinder-like shapes with a wider diameter, so that a folding umbrella is uneasily stored into a briefcase or a valise. This enlightens the inventor to create and produce this flat umbrella of the invention.
Furthermore, the prior flat umbrella applies a flat notch and a flat runner, and the main ribs are displaced symmetrically on the slicing planes of the notch and the runner to achieve the efficacy of reducing the umbrella size by collapsing the umbrella in a flat shape. However, the limitation of the prior flat umbrella structure makes the main ribs of said umbrella displaced in cylinder-like shape after being collapsed, so as to fail to substantially achieve the purpose of collapsing said umbrella in a flat shape. In addition, the prior umbrella structure generates higher manufacturing costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe main objective of the invention is to provide an improved flat umbrella structure with the advantages of reducing the umbrella size by tightly folding respective ribs together and enabling the umbrella easily to be collapsed, stored and carried.
Another objective of the invention is to provide an umbrella design with simple structure that is easily to be manufactured and suitable for various manually operated or automatic-opened umbrellas.
This invention comprises a notch and a runner, both are in flat shapes. The notch is fastened on the upper end of a shaft and the runner is sleeved on the shaft and is moveable along the shaft ups and downs. A variety of main ribs are symmetrically pivoted on the curved edges of both sides of the notch, and the outer ends of the main ribs connect to other corresponding ribs. The main ribs have the middle portions thereof that are pivoted to the notch on the same side of the notch designed as curved surfaces and protruded in shape; whereas several stretchers that are correspondently pivoted to the main ribs have the portions thereof connecting to the runner designed as curved protruded shapes as well. When said umbrella ribs are collapsed, the radial heights of the middle main ribs and the corresponding stretchers are higher than the radial heights of the rest main ribs and the corresponding rest stretchers.
The ends of the main ribs pivotally connect to the notch and the ends of the stretchers pivotally connect to the runner could be designed as either U-shape rods, round-shaped rods, flat-shaped rods or solid rods.
The invention is embodied through the following description. The invention comprises a notch and a runner; both are formed in flat shapes. A variety of main ribs are symmetrically pivoted on both sides of the curved edges of the notch, wherein the main ribs on the same side of the notch have the end of the middle main ribs thereof pivoted to the notch forming “7”-shaped joints, which are designed as curved protruded structures in the middle thereof and a variety of long-shaped holes on the inner sides of the joints are for ties of the notch to pierce through thereof; the ends of the corresponding stretchers pivoted to the runner are designed as “7”-shaped joints, which are designed as curved protruded structures in the middle thereof and the variety of long-shaped holes on the inner sides of the joints are for ties of the runner to pierce through thereof. As the umbrella is collapsed, the radial heights of the middle main ribs and the corresponding middle stretchers are higher than the radial heights of the rest main ribs and the corresponding rest stretchers on the same side.
A locking section is set on a pivotal cavity of the notch. Respective supporting sections are protruded on the edges of both lateral sides of the lower portion of the notch each corresponding to the collapsed positions of the joints. Furthermore, a locking section is disposed on a pivotal cavity of the runner, and respective supporting sections are also protruded on the edges of both lateral sides of the upper portion of the runner each corresponding to the collapsed positions of the joints.
This invention enables the main ribs and the stretchers to be designed as curved and protruded shapes or combines the curved protruded shaped joints to make that the radial heights of the middle main ribs and the corresponding middle stretchers are higher than the radial heights of the rest main ribs and the corresponding rest stretchers when the umbrella is collapsed. The collapsed main ribs and the corresponding stretchers of the same side form ladder-shaped layers to enable all the rest main ribs and the rest stretchers to be collapsed and positioned in different layers without any displacement. This flat umbrella structure of the invention can make the umbrella collapsed much more tightly and achieve the practical purpose of minimizing the umbrella size in a flat shape for easily being collapsed, stored or carried.
Other advantages of the invention comprise that the notch and the runner both have respective locking sections for opening the umbrella and respective supporting sections for collapsing the umbrella. The invention further achieves the effects of stably collapsing or opening the umbrella, in addition, both processing of the notch and the runner are easy with lower cost, and the umbrella structure is suitable for various manually or automatically operated umbrellas, so as to increase the diversification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
New characteristics and advantages of the invention are descriptive by preferred embodiments. Changes may be made in details without exceeding the scope of the invention by those who are skilled in the art. The scope of the invention is, of course, defined in the language in which the appended claims are expressed.
With reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, the flat umbrella structure of this invention comprises a notch 1 and a runner 2, both are in flat shapes. The notch 1 is fixed on the upper portion of a shaft 3, and the runner 2 is sleeved on the shaft 3 moving along the shaft 3 ups and downs for opening or closing said umbrella. A variety of main ribs 4 are pivoted symmetrically on the arc edges of both lateral sides of the notch 1 and the outer ends of the main ribs 4 connect to other corresponding ribs. The main ribs 4 on the same side of the notch 1 have the ribs 4a in the middle thereof formed in curved and protruded shapes and pivoted on the end of the notch 1. The middle main ribs 4a are pivoted to corresponding middle stretchers 5a, which have the end thereof connect to the runner 2 and are designed as curved protruded shapes. As the umbrella is collapsed, the radial heights of the middle main ribs 4a and the middle stretchers 5a are higher than the radial heights of the rest main ribs 4b and the rest stretchers 5b.
As shown in
With reference to
With reference to
Moreover, the shapes of the joints 41 and 51 can be subject to the shapes of their corresponding main ribs 4a or stretchers 5a, such as flat, round or other shapes. The locking section 13 of the notch 1 performs the function of confining and pressing against the inner pivoting parts of the joints 41 within certain limits and the variety of long-shaped holes 411 on the joints 41 provide the required space for the ties 11 of the notch 1 to flexibly shift when the umbrella is either opened or collapsed, thereby enabling the smooth operation of the umbrella and a nice smooth design of the umbrella on the top along the curved rods. Based on the design, the locking section 23 on the runner 2 and the variety of long-shaped holes 511 on the joints 51 can achieve the same effects.
With reference to a two-sectional folding umbrella shown in
With reference to the embodiment of a four-sectional manual umbrella in
With reference to an embodiment applying the structure of the invention to a multi-sectional automatic umbrella as shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, and another embodiment applying the structure of the invention to a multi-sectional automatic umbrella as shown in
This structure of the invention described herein simplifies conventional umbrella structure to enable more effective manufacturing process and lower manufacturing cost. The arc edges on both lateral sides of the notch 1 are able to pivot six or eight main ribs 4 as required. The embodiment as shown in
Referring to the
As shown in
New characteristics and advantages of the invention covered by this document have been set forth in the foregoing description. It is of course to be understood, however, that this disclosure is, in many respects, only illustrative. Changes may be made in details without exceeding the scope of the invention by those who are skilled in the art under the doctrine of equivalents. The scope of the invention is, of course, defined in the language in which the appended claims are expressed.
Claims
1. A flat umbrella improvement structure, comprising a notch and a runner, both are in flat shapes; wherein the notch has the arc edges on both sides thereof symmetrically pivoted a variety of main ribs with the characteristics lie in: the main ribs on the same side of the notch have the ends of the middle main ribs thereof pivoted to the notch in bending protruded shapes; in addition, the ends of the corresponding stretchers pivoted to the runner are designed in bending protruded shapes thereby the radial heights of the middle main ribs and of the middle stretchers are higher than the radial heights of the rest main ribs and of the corresponding stretchers, when the umbrella is collapsed.
2. The flat umbrella improvement structure of claim 1, wherein the pivotal connection portions of said main ribs and said notch are able to be either U-shaped rods, round-shaped rods or solid rods.
3. A flat umbrella improvement structure, comprising a notch and a runner, both are in flat shapes; wherein the notch has the arc edges on both sides thereof symmetrically pivoted a variety of main ribs with the characteristics lie in: the main ribs on the same side of the notch have the ends of the middle main ribs thereof pivoted to the notch are “7”-shape joints, in the middle of which is a bending protruded structure and the inner sides thereof have a variety of long-shaped holes set on the joints are for ties of the notch to pierce through thereof; the ends of the corresponding stretchers pivoted to the runner are designed as “7”-shaped joints, which are designed as curved protruded structures in the middle thereof and the variety of long-shaped holes on the inner sides of the joints are for ties of the runner to pierce through thereof, thereby the radial heights of the middle main ribs and of the middle stretchers are higher than the radial heights of the rest main ribs and of the corresponding stretchers, when the umbrella is collapsed.
4. The flat umbrella improvement structure of claim 3, wherein the notch has a locking section set on a pivotal cavity thereof, and respective supporting sections are protruded on the edges of both lateral sides of the lower portion of the notch corresponding to the collapsed positions of the joints each.
5. The flat umbrella improvement structure of claim 3, wherein the runner has a locking section set on a pivotal cavity thereof; respective supporting sections are protruded on the edges of both lateral sides of the upper portions of the runner corresponding to the collapsed places of the joints each.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 19, 2005
Publication Date: Mar 22, 2007
Inventors: Fu-Tien Liu (Taipei County), Ping-Tung Su (Taipei County)
Application Number: 11/228,412
International Classification: A45B 19/00 (20060101);