Umbrella

Abstract

An umbrella includes a shaft, a cap connected to the shaft, a runner movable on the shaft, long and short ribs, a controller unit and rib-collapsing units. The runner includes recesses. Each of the long ribs includes upper, middle and lower sections. The short ribs connect the upper sections of the long ribs to the runner. The controller unit is operable to allow the long ribs to stretch and collapse. Each of the rib-collapsing units includes a cap magnet connected to the cap, a runner magnet inserted in a corresponding one of the recesses and two middle-section magnets. The first middle-section magnet is connected to the middle section of a corresponding one of the long ribs and adapted for attraction to the cap magnet. The second middle-section magnet is connected to the middle section of a corresponding one of the long ribs and adapted for attraction to the runner magnet.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to an umbrella and, more particularly, to an umbrella that includes rib-collapsing units.

2. Related Prior Art

A conventional umbrella includes a panel, a shaft, ribs and a controller unit. The panel is connected to the ribs. The shaft includes an upper tube, a middle tube and a lower tube. A cap is non-movably connected to an upper portion of the upper tube. A runner is movably connected to the upper tube. A handle is connected to a lower portion of the lower tube. Each of the ribs includes upper, lower and middle sections pivotally connected to one another. An end of the upper section of each of the ribs is pivotally connected to the cap while an end of the lower section of the same is pivotally connected to the runner. The controller unit is inserted in the shaft. The controller unit includes a button located on the handle. The button is operable to instruct the controller unit to allow the ribs to stretch or collapse, i.e., allow the umbrella to open or close.

The ribs must be arranged in a good order before the panel can be folded neatly when the umbrella is in the closed position. However, the arrangement of the ribs is a troublesome process that takes a long period of time.

The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide an umbrella that can be neatly closed with ease.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the umbrella includes a shaft, a cap connected to the shaft, a runner movable on the shaft, long and short ribs, a controller unit and rib-collapsing units. The runner includes recesses. Each of the long ribs includes upper, lower and middle sections. The short ribs connect the upper sections of the long ribs to the runner. The controller unit is operable to allow the long ribs to stretch and collapse. Each of the rib-collapsing units includes a cap magnet connected to the cap, a runner magnet inserted in a corresponding one of the recesses and two middle-section magnets. The first middle-section magnet is connected to the middle section of a corresponding one of the long ribs and adapted for attraction to the cap magnet. The second middle-section magnet is connected to the middle section of a corresponding one of the long ribs and adapted for attraction to the runner magnet.

In another aspect, the shaft includes an upper tube, a middle tube telescopically connected to the upper tube, and a lower tube telescopically connected to the middle tube. The cap is connected to the upper tube. The runner is movable on the upper tube.

In another aspect, the cap magnet is made of a magnetic or ferromagnetic material.

In another aspect, the first middle-section magnet is made of a magnetic or ferromagnetic material.

In another aspect, the runner magnet is made of a magnetic or ferromagnetic material.

In another aspect, the second middle-section magnet is made of a magnetic or ferromagnetic material.

In another aspect, each of the rib-collapsing units includes a third middle-section magnet and a lower-section magnet. The third middle-section magnet is connected to the middle section of the corresponding long rib. The lower-section magnet is connected to the lower section of the corresponding long rib and adapted for attraction to the third middle-section magnet.

In another aspect, each of the rib-collapsing units includes an upper-section magnet connected to the upper section of the corresponding long rib and adapted for attraction to the cap magnets.

Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description referring to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of the preferred embodiment referring to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an umbrella according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the umbrella in another position than shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial view of the umbrella in another position than shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the umbrella shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the umbrella in another position than shown in FIG. 1 shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a magnet attached to a long rib of the umbrella shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of another magnet attached to the long rib shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the following description referring to the FIGS. 1 through 5, similar elements will be given identical numbers for briefness and clarity.

An umbrella includes a shaft 10, long ribs 20, short ribs 24, a controller unit (not numbered) and rib-collapsing units (not numbered) according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Each of the rib-collapsing units is used to collapse and keep a corresponding one of the long ribs 20 near the shaft 10.

The shaft 10 includes an upper tube 11, a middle tube 12 and a lower tube 13. The upper tube 11, the middle tube 12 and the lower tube 13 are telescopically connected to one another. Hence, the length of the shaft 10 is adjustable. A cap 14 is non-movably connected to an upper portion of the upper tube 11. A runner 15 is movably connected to the upper tube 11. A handle 16 is non-movably connected to a lower portion of the lower tube 13. A user can hold the umbrella by the handle 16.

Each of the long ribs 20 includes an upper section 21, a middle section 22 and a lower section 23 in the preferred embodiment. However, each of the long ribs 20 can include another number of sections in another embodiment. The upper section 21 includes an end pivotally connected to the cap 14 and another end pivotally connected to an end of the middle section 22. The middle section 22 includes another end pivotally connected to an end of the lower section 23. Each of the short ribs 24 includes an end pivotally connected to the runner 15 and another end pivotally connected to a portion of the upper section 21.

The controller unit is inserted in the shaft 10. The controller unit includes a button 31 located on the handle 16. The button 31 is operable to allow the long ribs 20 and the short ribs 24 to stretch or collapse, i.e., allow the umbrella to open and close. The controller unit will not be described in detail for being conventional.

The runner 15 includes recesses 51 evenly located around and made in the periphery. The recesses 51 are made in the runner 15 during the forming of the runner 15 by injection molding. Each of the recesses 51 is used to receive the middle section 22 of a corresponding one of the long ribs 20 when the long ribs 20 are in the collapsed position.

Each of the rib-collapsing units includes a cap magnet 52, a runner magnet 53, an upper-section magnet 57, three middle-section magnets 54, 55 and 56 and a lower-section magnet 58. Each of the rib-collapsing units is used for a corresponding one of the long ribs 20 as mentioned-above. The following description will be given to only one of the rib-collapsing units and the corresponding long rib 20. The magnets 53 to 58 are made of a magnetic or ferromagnetic material.

The cap magnet 52 is connected to the periphery of the cap 14 by any proper means.

The runner magnet 53 is fitted in a corresponding one of the recesses 51 made in the runner 15.

The upper-section magnet 57 is connected to a point of the upper section 21 of the long rib 20 near an upper end. The upper-section magnet 57 is used for attraction to the cap magnet 52.

Referring to FIG. 6, the first middle-section magnet 54 is connected to a point of the upper section 21 of the long rib 20 near an upper end. The first middle-section magnet 54 is used for attraction to the cap magnet 52 and/or the upper-section magnet 57.

Referring to FIG. 7, the second middle-section magnet 55 is connected to a point of the middle section 22 near a lower end. The second middle-section magnet 55 is used for attraction to the runner magnet 53.

The third middle-section magnet 56 is connected to a substantially middle point of the middle section 22 of the long rib 20. The middle-section magnet 56 is preferably in the form of a sleeve located around the middle section 22 of the long rib 20.

The lower-section magnet 58 is connected to a substantially middle point of the lower section 23 of the long rib 20. The lower-section magnet 58 is preferably in the form of a sleeve located around the lower section 23 of the long rib 20. The lower-section magnet 58 is used for attraction to the third middle-section magnet 56.

The button 31 can be pushed to instruct the controller unit to allow the opening or closing of the umbrella, i.e., allow the stretching or collapsing of the long ribs 20. As each of the long ribs 20 is in the collapsed position, the upper-section magnet 57 is attracted to the cap magnet 52. Moreover, the first middle-section magnet 54 is attracted to the cap magnet 52 and/or the upper-section magnet 57. Furthermore, the second middle-section magnet 55 is attracted to the runner magnet 53. In addition, the lower-section magnet 58 is attracted to the third middle-section magnet 56. Thus, the upper section 21, the middle section 22 and the lower section 23 are moved toward and kept near each other. The second middle-section magnet 55 and the lower end of the middle section 22 of the long rib 20 are kept in the corresponding recess 51. An upper end of the lower section 23 of the long rib 20 is retained near the cap 14. A lower end of the lower section 23 of the long rib 20 is retained near the runner 15. Therefore, the long rib 20 is collapsed and positioned automatically, i.e., the umbrella is closed neatly.

The present invention has been described via the illustration of the preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the cap magnets 52 can be replaced with a single annular element connected to the cap 14 in another embodiment. Similarly, the runner magnets 53 can be replaced with a single annular element connected to the runner 15 in another embodiment. The upper-section magnet 57 can be omitted in another embodiment since the first middle-section magnet 54 is used for attraction to the cap magnet 52 to keep the upper section 57 close to the shaft 11. The third middle-section magnet 56 and the lower-section magnet 58 can both be omitted in another embodiment. Therefore, the preferred embodiment shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.

Claims

1. An umbrella comprising:

a shaft (10);

a cap (14) connected to the shaft (10);

a runner (15) movable on the shaft (10) and comprising recesses (51);

long ribs (20) each of which comprises an upper section (21) pivotally connected to the cap (14), a middle section (22) pivotally connected to the upper section (21), and a lower section (23) pivotally connected to the middle section (22);

short ribs (24) connecting the upper sections (21) of the long ribs (20) to the runner (15);

a controller unit operable to allow the long ribs (20) to stretch and collapse; and

rib-collapsing units each of which comprises: a cap magnet (52) connected to the cap (14); a runner magnet (53) inserted in a corresponding one of the recesses (51); a first middle-section magnet (54) connected to the middle section (22) of a corresponding one of the long ribs (20) and adapted for attraction to the cap magnet (52); and a second middle-section magnet (55) connected to the middle section (22) of a corresponding one of the long ribs (20) and adapted for attraction to the runner magnet (53).

2. The umbrella according to claim 1, wherein the shaft (10) comprises an upper tube (11), a middle tube (12) telescopically connected to the upper tube (11), and a lower tube (13) telescopically connected to the middle tube (12), wherein the cap (14) is connected to the upper tube (11), wherein the runner (15) is movable on the upper tube (11).

3. The umbrella according to claim 1, wherein the cap magnet (52) is made of a material selected from the group consisting of magnetic materials and ferromagnetic materials.

4. The umbrella according to claim 3, wherein the first middle-section magnet (54) is made of a material selected from the group consisting of magnetic materials and ferromagnetic materials.

5. The umbrella according to claim 1, wherein the runner magnet (53) is made of a material selected from the group consisting of magnetic materials and ferromagnetic materials.

6. The umbrella according to claim 5, wherein the second middle-section magnet (55) is made of a material selected from the group consisting of magnetic materials and ferromagnetic materials.

7. The umbrella according to claim 1, wherein each of the rib-collapsing units comprises:

a third middle-section magnet (56) connected to the middle section (22) of the corresponding long rib (20); and

a lower-section magnet (58) connected to the lower section (23) of the corresponding long rib (20) and adapted for attraction to the third middle-section magnet (56).

8. The umbrella according to claim 1, wherein each of the rib-collapsing units comprises an upper-section magnet (57) connected to the upper section (21) of the corresponding long rib (20) and adapted for attraction to the cap magnets (52).