Umbrella pak

Abstract

A holder for placing a wet umbrella in a purse, bag, or coat pocket that keeps the wet umbrella from getting anything else wet. The carrier is a two piece tube. The bottom piece has a closure device to close or lock the two pieces together. The top piece has the mating closure device. The umbrella is placed in the bottom tube, the top piece is placed over and the closure device engaged sealing the top and bottom tubes with a water tight seal.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The umbrella pak is a carrier that conveniently and easily stores a wet umbrella so that it can be put away and not get other objects wet. It works for any size collapsible umbrella and can be made for any size collapsible umbrella. The small umbrellas can be placed in the umbrella pak wet and then stored in a purse, bag, or coat pocket without getting all the contents of the purse, bag, or coat pocket wet. A larger umbrella can be placed in the umbrella pak and will not get the floor or table or other surface it is placed on wet.

A recent attempt at umbrella storage is Williams U.S. Patent Application No. US 2003/0234034 published Dec. 25, 2003. This is a complicated device with a nylon cover and a removable interior sponge that must be hand dried or wrung out at a later time.

The Ramos patent, U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,947 discloses a bag for storing a wet umbrella comprising a collapsible bag with one end acting a funnel and the other tied with a draw string. This device is not suitable for placing the umbrella in a purse, bag, or other carrier because water will leak out the drawstring area or the cap over the funnel will dislodge.

The Umbrella holder disclosed in Gaskins' U.S. Pat. No. 6,694,992 comprises a leak resistant exterior and an absorbing interior such as terrycloth with a connection and a pull tab. This complicated arrangement is unduly bulky and the terrycloth or other absorbing material will become saturated, need drying, or need replacing.

The Williams patent application is closed at the top with a draw string which makes it unsuitable for use in a purse or bag as water will leak through the top.

The umbrella hands free protective carrier disclosed in the Disher U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,077 is suitable to attach to a belt or such but is needlessly bulky for storage in a purse, bag, or coat pocket in those situations where the person does not want the umbrella attached to them when not in use.

The sheathing devise for an umbrella disclosed in the Shell Patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,743 is a complicated devise including a threaded cap and sleeve that must be discarded after each use. This requires a continuous supply of replacement sleeves.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention holds a wet umbrella without letting the water spill out regardless of the angle or direction of the container. It is ideal for placing the umbrella in a purse, bag, or coat pocket as it keeps the wet umbrella from getting anything else wet. The carrier is a round two piece tube. The bottom piece has one or more bubbles or a part of any other closure device to close or lock with holes or other closure devices on the top piece. Any closure device will work such as hook and loop fasteners (commonly referred to by the trade name Velcro), zippers, snaps, buttons, screw threads, or similar closure devices that removably connect the two pieces. The top piece has the matching closure device, in the preferred embodiment, holes. The umbrella is placed in the bottom tube, the top piece is placed over and the closure device engaged sealing the top and bottom tubes with a water tight seal. The top piece may or may not have a handle or shoulder strap on it depending on desire to carry it in a bag or purse as opposed to hold it in the hands or carried by a shoulder strap slung over the shoulder.

Clear, unbreakable plastic is the best material for this umbrella caddy because it is lightweight and forms a water tight seal. Other materials that form a seal when pressed together and are water resistant are acceptable materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings like elements are depicted by like reference numerals. The drawings are briefly described as follows:

FIG. 1 shows the top tube on the left and the bottom piece on the right.

FIG. 2 shows the top piece fitted over the bottom piece closed and an umbrella contained inside the caddy.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED ENVELOPMENT

The first piece, referred to as the top piece, is noted as 1 generally referring to the top portion. The top piece is a cylindrically shaped tube having one end, referred to as the top end, closed and the

Claims

1. An umbrella holder comprising:

a first cylindrically shaped tube, open at one end closed at the opposite end, having means to removably connect the second cylindrically shaped tube along its side; and

a second cylindrically shaped tube open at one end and closed at the opposite end and suitably adapted such that the first cylindrically shaped tube fits inside of it sufficiently close to create a seal and having the matching means to removably connect the first and second cylindrically shaped tube to the first such that it secures the first and second cylindrically shaped tubes into place.

2. An umbrella holder comprising:

a first cylindrically shaped tube open at one end and closed at the opposite end and suitably adapted such that the second cylindrically shaped tube fits inside of it sufficiently close to create a seal and having a means to removably connect the first and second cylindrically shaped tube to the first such that it secures the first and second cylindrically shaped tubes into place, and

a second cylindrically shaped tube open at one end and closed at the opposite end having means to removably connect the second cylindrically shaped tube along its side.

3. The umbrella holder referred to in claim 1 wherein:

the first cylindrically shaped tube open at one end and closed at the opposite end has a plurality of bubble shaped bulges along its side, and

the second cylindrically shaped tube open at one end and closed at the opposite end that is suitably adapted such that the first cylindrically shaped tube fits inside of it sufficiently close to create a seal has a plurality of holes suitably located and adapted such that the bubble shaped bulges in the first cylindrically shaped tube fit into the holes and removably secure the first and second cylindrically shaped tubes into place.

4. The umbrella holder referred to in claim 2 wherein:

the first cylindrically shaped tube open at one end and closed at the opposite end and suitably adapted such that the second cylindrically shaped tube fits inside of it sufficiently close to create a seal and has a plurality of holes suitably located and adapted such that the bubble shaped bulges in the second cylindrically shaped tube fit into the holes and secure the first and second cylindrically shaped tubes into place, and

the second cylindrically shaped tube open at one end and closed at the opposite end has a plurality of bubble shaped bulges along its side.

5. The umbrella holder referred to in claim 1 wherein:

the first cylindrically shaped tube open at one end and closed at the opposite end has screw threads along its side, and

the second cylindrically shaped tube open at one end and closed at the opposite end that is suitably adapted such that the first cylindrically shaped tube fits inside of it sufficiently close to create a seal has screw threads matching with the screw threads on the first cylindrically shaped tube suitably located and adapted such that the threads fit together tightly enough to form a water tight seal and removably secure the first and second cylindrically shaped tubes into place.