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Title:
SAFETY UMBRELLA WITH WATER COLLECTING AND DRAINAGE MECHANISM
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2008/010791
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
A safety umbrella comprising fluorescent fabric panels, of which, at least one panel is transparent, a skeleton, a shaft assembly, and a cover assembly. Interconnecting the skeleton to the shaft assembly is a runner, which allows a user to open and close the umbrella and elongated sleeves upon stretchers to prevent pinching or trapping the fingers of the users thereof. A telescopic cover assembly collects water when the umbrella is closed, and the telescopic cylindrical are in the extended position engaged contiguously to each other's cooperating upper and lower flanges resulting in a substantially water-tight disposition. A removable cap mounted to a sleeve member that includes a thorough passage allows for the ready drainage of the water collected by the canopy, reducing the probability of water damage or accidents to the user or others, resulting from slippage upon water.

Inventors:
BLOOM MARTIN
BLOOM CYNTHIA (US)
Application Number:
PCT/US2006/027811
Publication Date:
January 24, 2008
Filing Date:
July 17, 2006
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
BLOOM MARTIN
BLOOM CYNTHIA (US)
International Classes:
A45B25/24; A45B25/28
Foreign References:
US5385162A1995-01-31
US6805144B22004-10-19
US5135017A1992-08-04
US5425388A1995-06-20
US0141151A1873-07-22
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
SANCHELIMA, Jesus (Miami, FL, US)
Download PDF:
Claims:

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.

Description:

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.