BLOOM CYNTHIA (US)
BLOOM CYNTHIA (US)
US5385162A | 1995-01-31 | |||
US6805144B2 | 2004-10-19 | |||
US5135017A | 1992-08-04 | |||
US5425388A | 1995-06-20 | |||
US0141151A | 1873-07-22 |
VIII. CLAIMS
What is claimed is:
1. An umbrella, comprising:
A) an elongated shaft having first and second ends;
B) an elongated sleeve member having third and fourth ends,
said third end coaxially mounted to said first end and said sleeve
member extending coaxially therefrom, said sleeve member includes a
first peripheral flange extending radially outwardly from said third end
and said sleeve member including a central longitudinally extending
through opening having a first predetermined internal diameter that is
larger than the external diameter of said shaft and further including
stopper means for keeping said shaft in a substantially coaxial
arrangement within said sleeve member, so that a continuous passage is
defined between said shaft and said sleeve member;
C) a skeleton assembly including first and second hub
members, said first hub member being rigidly mounted to said shaft at a
first predetermined distance from said first end and substantially
adjacent to said third end, said first hub member including a plurality of rib members pivotally mounted thereon, each of said rib members
including connector joints and blunt tips, said second hub member
slidably mounted to said shaft between said first hub member and said
second end, said second hub member further including a plurality of
pivotally mounted hub connectors radially and outwardly extending
therefrom and pivotally connected to said connector joints;
D) a canopy mounted to and over said rib members; and
E) an elongated collapsible telescopic assembly having fifth and
sixth ends that is selectively placed in retracted and extended portions
and including a plurality of coaxially disposed telescopic cylindrical
members with decreasing internal diameters and selectively retractable
and expandable between two extreme positions said fifth end defined by
the cylindrical member with the smallest diameter that is slightly larger
than the diameter of said sleeve for the former housing the latter and
each of said telescopic cylindrical members including an upper
peripheral and inwardly extending flange to prevent further movement
of said cylindrical member with the smallest diameter towards said
second end and the rest of said cylindrical members cooperate to engage
said upper and lower flanges in the extended position to collect water
from said canopy and direct said water towards said passage; and F) cap means removably mounted to said fourth end.
2. The umbrella set forth in claim 1, wherein said sleeve
member includes at least one spacer means to keep said sleeve member
coaxially mounted over a portion of said elongated shaft and said spacer
means further includes at least one through opening.
3. The umbrella set forth in claim 2, further including
releasably locking means for keeping said inwardly extending flange of
said cylindrical members in a substantially watertight engagement with
said outwardly extending flange of adjacent smaller cylindrical
members.
4. The umbrella set forth in claim 3, wherein said canopy is
fluorescent in color.
5. The umbrella set forth in claim 4, wherein said canopy
includes at least a portion that is transparent. |
I. TITLE: "SAFETY UMBRELLA WITH WATER COLLECTING
AND DRAINAGE MECHANISM"
II. TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an umbrella, and more
particularly, to a safety umbrella with a water collecting and drainage
mechanism.
III. BACKGROUND ART
2. Other Related Applications.
Many designs for umbrellas have been designed in the past. None
of them, however, include water collecting and drainage features that
are simple and easy to operate.
There are no umbrellas, to the best of applicant's knowledge, that
include a drainage mechanism that permit a user to selectively discharge
the water collected from a wet canopy with a simple mechanism.
One related reference corresponds to U.S. patent No. 5,425,388
issued to Chen wherein a complicated valve mechanism is used. The
present invention, on the other hand, provides a simple water collecting
and drainage mechanism that can be readily implemented with a
minimum number of components and cost.
IV. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore one of the main objects of the present invention to
provide an umbrella that includes a simple water collecting and
drainage mechanism.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an umbrella
that includes such a mechanism that can be readily actuated on the
distal end of an umbrella shaft.
It is another object of this invention to provide an umbrella that
may contain water from its canopy after becoming wet and while in the
closed position.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide such an
umbrella that is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain while
retaining its effectiveness.
Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the
following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for
the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations
thereon.
V. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
With the above and other related objects in view, the invention
consists in the details of construction and combination of parts as will be
more fully understood from the following description, when read in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 represents an elevation view of the instant invention with
the cover assembly in the extended position.
Figure 2 represents an elevation view of the instant invention with
the cover assembly in the retracted position.
Figure 3 illustrates an elevation view of the umbrella in the open
position.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the instant invention with the
umbrella in the open position.
Figure 5 is a partial elevational cross-sectional view of the distal
end of an umbrella in accordance with the present invention showing
the telescopic cover assembly in the retracted position.
Figure 5A is a detail view of one way of implementing the
releasable engagement of adjacent cylindrical members.
VI. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, where the present invention is
generally referred to with numeral 10, it can be observed that it basically
includes fabric or canopy 20, skeleton 30, shaft assembly 50, and
telescopic cover assembly 70.
As seen in figures 1 and 2, instant invention 10 is an umbrella
having shaft assembly 50. Extending from shaft assembly 50 is handle
56 at one end. The shape of handle 56 may vary and is preferably
ergonometrical. Protruding from an elongated portion of handle 56 is
tab 58. Tab 58 secures tag 62 and loop 60, as seen in figure 2. Tag 62 is
preferably made of a durable weather resistant material, as is instant
invention 10 itself. Tag 62 may contain personal information of the user.
Secured onto opposite to handle 56 on shaft assembly 50 and serving as
a telescopic exterior cover is extendable cover assembly 70.
Sleeve member 80 houses a distal end position 52' of shaft
assembly 50. End 84 of sleeve member 80 is exteriorly threaded in the
preferred embodiment but other equivalent designs can be used to
removably receive end cap 76. End position 52' is rigidly mounted
internally to sleeve member 80 and kept in place with stopper or spacer
members 53 that include through holes or openings 53'. In this manner
a continuous passage is defined between shaft end 52' and the interior of
sleeve member 80 to permit the collected water to go through, as it will
be further explained below. Thus, the internal diameter of sleeve
member 80 is larger than the outer diameter of shaft assembly 50 to
permit the collected water to go through.
Sleeve member 80 also includes peripheral flange 82 that extends
radially outwardly at end 81. Flange 82 provides a stop surface for the
smallest (inner-most) telescopic member 72.
Cover assembly 70 contains the water on the canopy when instant
invention 10 is in the extended position. Containing water within
assembly 70 prevents water damage to surrounding clothing, furniture,
and other items. Also, cover assembly 70 prevents water from
accumulating on a surface, such as a floor, which may lead to an
accident if someone slips. In figure 1, end-cap 76 is removed. After
water has accumulated within cover assembly 70, water may drain out
from end 84 to a safe receptacle or location.
As seen in figure 2, cover assembly 70 is in the retracted position
whereby the larger-most telescopic member 72 slides over the next to
larger telescopic member and so forth, until fully retracted as illustrated.
Telescopic members 72, as shown in figure 5, include upper inwardly
extending flanges 75 and lower outwardly extending flanges 77.
Flanges 75 and 77 cooperate to engage each other in a substantially
watertight disposition. Covering most of shaft 52 of shaft assembly 50,
as seen in figure 2, is fabric 20. In the illustrated position, fabric 20
covers most of shaft 52 and is selectively wrapped by tie closure 26,
which may be sewed thereon in one of the preferred embodiments.
As seen in figure 3, instant invention 10 is in the open position. In
the preferred embodiment, fabric 20 has a plurality of panels 22, which
can be fluorescent in color. The fluorescent color is designed to visually
alert others around the user. In addition, fabric 20 also can have
symbols 24 affixed thereon. Symbols 24 also serve to give notice to
others that the user of instant invention 10 is a child or other class of
users, or it can also serve advertising and/ or promotional objections.
Fabric 20 also has, in use of the preferred embodiments, at least
one transparent, or substantially transparent, panel defined as clear
panel 22'. Clear panel 22' is designed to allow the user to see through
that portion of fabric 20 when otherwise it would be difficult to do so,
possibly because of rain, snow, dust, other similar matter that is
airborne. Panel 22' is also useful for viewing by the user, when wind
may disturb the user.
As seen in figure 4, skeleton 30 provides the structural integrity to
keep instant invention 10 in the illustrated position, when desired by the
user. Skeleton 30 has inside cap 32, ribs 34, tips 36, joints 38, stretchers
40, and runner 42. Elongated sleeves 41 are mounted over stretchers 40
prevent pinching or trapping the fingers of the users thereof.
Inside cap 32 secures fabric 20 and the former is mounted to shaft
assembly 50 adjacent to portion 52'. Tips 36 are blunt to prevent injury
to the user or others in the vicinity of the user. In the preferred
embodiment, ribs 34 are secured onto the inside face of fabric 20, on
seams dividing panels 22 and clear panel 22'. Runner 42 slides
longitudinally upon shaft 52 of shaft assembly 50. Extending from one
end of runner 42 are stretchers 40, which fringedly connect to joints 38 of
ribs 34. Joints 38 are positioned on ribs 34 to support skeleton 30 in the
concave position shown, without an additional retaining mechanism,
when runner 42 is slid in the uppermost position of shaft 52.
To close instant invention 10, runner 42 is pulled towards handle
56 until protrusion 54 secures runner 42. Protrusion 54 has a spring-like
member to provide resistance when runner 42 slides over it and is
cammingly overcome.
In figure 5 telescopic members 72 are shown in the contracted
position, in other words in the position they would be to permit the
umbrella to open. In the extended position, as shown in figure 1, a user
brings end 74 down causing the water on the exterior surface of fabric 20
to move downwardly. The water is collected within telescopic members
72 after entering through opening 83 of sleeve member 80. Once inside
sleeve member 80, the water passes through holes 53' of spacer members
53 that are transversally and rigidly mounted to the internal walls of
sleeve member 80. The end of shaft 52 is rigidly mounted to uppermost
spacer 53 thereby keeping it at a relative fixed position within sleeve
member 80. When cap 76 is removed, the water can be selectively
discharged in appropriate areas. When user extends telescopic members
72, fabric 20 is covered thereby containing the water therein, prior to
removing cap 76. The contiguous telescopic members 72 slide with
respect to each other with a substantially water tight disposition to
minimize or eliminate any water leakage. The inwardly extending
flange 75 of innermost member 72 engages with outwardly extending
flange 82. Figure 5A shows one way of implementing a releasable
engagement of protuberance 75' with socket or cavity 77' to achieve a
substantially watertight disposition.
The foregoing description conveys the best understanding of the
objectives and advantages of the present invention. Different
embodiments may be made of the inventive concept of this invention. It
is to be understood that all matter disclosed herein is to be interpreted
merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.
VII. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
It is apparent from the previous paragraphs that an improvement
of the type for such an umbrella is quite desirable for containing the
water for proper subsequent disposal.
Next Patent: A STACKED LIGHT-EMITTING DEVICE AND FABRICATION THEREOF