ES2881519T3 - Umbrella with anti-inversion mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

An umbrella comprising: an elongated shaft (110; 1310) having a first end (112) and an opposite second end (114); a slider (150; 1330) slidably arranged about the elongate shaft (110) and movable along a length of the shaft (110; 1310); and a plurality of ribs (930, 990; 1600) that are attached to the slider (150; 1330) by a plurality of struts (960, 980; 1500) that move between the open and closed positions in which in the open position. , the ribs (930, 990; 1600) are in an open, extended position and in the closed position, the ribs (930, 990; 1600) are in a closed, folded position; an anti-reversal mechanism (1000) comprising a plurality of anti-reversal struts (1010), wherein each of the anti-reversal struts (1010) is rotatably coupled to a respective strut (980) and is interconnected rotary way to rib (990); wherein the anti-inversion strut (1010) has a first face (1013), a second opposite face (1015), a first end portion (1020) and a second end portion (1030), characterized in that the first portion of end (1020) has a first channel (1018) formed along the first face (1013) and the second end portion has a second channel (1018) formed along the second face (1015) such that in the closed position of the umbrella (900; 1300), one of the plurality of ribs (990; 1600) is received into the first channel (1018) and one of the plurality of struts (980; 1500) is received into the second channel ( 1018) to form a nested arrangement that increases the compactness of the umbrella.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Umbrella with anti-inversion mechanism

Technical field

The present invention relates to umbrellas and, more particularly, relates to an umbrella that is designed to withstand reversal in adverse conditions including high winds, etc.

Background

As is well known, an umbrella is a device that protects the user from the elements and in particular from liquid and icy precipitation or even from the sun, etc. A traditional umbrella has the following parts: a pole, a canopy, ribs, a slider, springs, and a cap. A pole is the metal or wooden shaft that runs between the umbrella handle at the bottom (or the base bracket in the case of a patio model) and the canopy at the top. The canopy is the fabric part of the umbrella that catches rain, wind, and sun. The ribs are what give the umbrella its structure and shape. The outer ribs support the canopy and the inner ribs (sometimes called stretchers) act as supports and connect the outer ribs to the umbrella pole. A slider slides up and down the mast while attached to the ribs / stretchers, and is responsible for opening and closing the canopy. Many umbrella designs include an upper spring to hold the slider when the canopy is open, a lower spring to hold the slider down when the canopy is closed, and sometimes a center ball spring to extend the length of the mast on models. telescopic. Strictly ornamental, the finial (also called a cap) is located at the top of the umbrella, above the canopy.

The umbrella poles work on a collapsible construction that supports the umbrella canopy fabric. Under normal operating conditions, the forces acting on the umbrella canopy fabric increase towards maximum values when the canopy is fully deployed and when gusts of wind tend to overturn the canopy. These forces are transmitted from the canopy to the ribs of the canopy and can act on the ribs in opposite directions depending on the direction of the wind. Therefore, the ribs have to be strong enough to resist the forces that can act on them from either of the two main opposite directions.

The above construction is the most common for an umbrella and the canopy assumes a downward convex shape. A significant problem with such a design arises when there is a strong wind or sudden gust that exerts a force against the inner surface of the canopy causing the canopy to reverse from its normal upward position to an upward convex position.

Umbrellas have been proposed that address the problems of wind gusts with a solution that is the placement of openings located within the canopy that allow air to flow through the canopy reducing the total force experienced by the canopy. However, the openings are not large enough to provide sufficient airflow to greatly reduce the force, and under most circumstances the canopy is still reversed. Another solution to this has been to add strings that connect from the umbrella stanchion to the tip area. However, this solution also suffers from a deficiency in that these ropes can loosen over time or get cut or tangled etc. during use.

Document US 2011/108074 A1 describes an umbrella having the features of the preamble of claim 1.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a windproof umbrella that acts to prevent inversion of the umbrella in strong wind.

Summary

The above object is achieved by providing an umbrella according to claim 1.

Brief Description of the Figures Drawn

Figure 1 is a side elevation view of an umbrella, of the manual type, including a shaft and an umbrella rib assembly that is not in accordance with the present invention and is shown in a fully open position, with only one rib assembly shown for illustrative purposes only; Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the umbrella rib assembly of Figure 1 shown in a semi-open position;

Figure 3 is a side elevation view of the umbrella rib assembly of Figure 1 shown in a closed position;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of an umbrella having a plurality of rib assemblies of Figure 1 shown in a fully open position;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the umbrella of Figure 4 shown in a fully closed position;

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the rib assembly of Figure 1 showing the anti-inversion feature of the present invention;

Figure 7A is a perspective view of a strut-to-rib joint of the rib assembly of Figure 1;

Figure 7B is a side elevation view of the strut-to-rib joint of Figure 7A;

Figure 7C is a top plan view of the strut-to-rib joint of Figure 7A;

Figure 7D is a rear view of the strut-to-rib joint of Figure 7A;

Figure 8A is a perspective view of a floating joint of the rib assembly of Figure 1;

Figure 8B is a side elevation view of the floating joint of Figure 8A;

Figure 8C is a top plan view of the floating joint of Figure 8A;

Figure 8D is an end view of the floating joint of Figure 8A;

Figure 9A is a perspective view of a floating joint stop of the rib assembly of Figure 1; Figure 9B is a side elevation view of the floating tie stop of Figure 9A;

Figure 9C is a top plan view of the floating tie stop of Figure 9A;

Figure 9D is an end view of the floating tie stop of Figure 9A;

Figure 10A is a perspective view of a rib tip;

Figure 10B is a top plan view of the rib tip;

Figure 10C is a side elevational view of the rib tip;

Figure 10D is an end view of the rib tip;

Figure 11 is a top plan view of a rib tip assembly in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the tip assembly in a closed / uncompressed state; Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of the tip assembly in an open / compressed state;

Figure 14 is a side elevation view of a shaft assembly of the umbrella of Figure 1;

Figure 15 is an enlarged side elevational view of an axle lock that is part of the axle assembly; Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of the axle lock;

Figure 17A is a side elevational view of a shaft assembly with the slider in an unlocked position;

Figure 17B is a cross-sectional view of the slider of Figure 17A in the unlocked position; Figure 18A is a side elevational view of the axle assembly with the slider in a locked position; Figure 18B is a cross-sectional view of the shaft assembly with the slider in the locked position; Figure 19 is a side elevational view of an umbrella, of the manual type, including a shaft and an umbrella rib assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention and shown in a fully open position, with a single rib assembly shown for illustrative purposes only; Figure 20 is a top plan view of an anti-inversion strut according to one embodiment;

Figure 21 is a side elevation view of the anti-inversion strut;

Figure 22 is a side elevational view of an umbrella (eg, two-section folding type) that includes a shaft and an umbrella rib assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention and is shown in a fully open position. open, with single rib assembly shown for illustrative purposes only;

Figure 23 is a perspective view of the umbrella of Figure 22 in the fully open position; Figure 24 is a side elevation view of the umbrella of Figure 22 in a semi-open position;

Figure 25 is a side elevation view of the umbrella of Figure 22 in a closed position;

Figure 26 is a perspective view of the umbrella of Figure 22 in the fully open position; Figure 27A is a perspective view of an exemplary rib tip;

Figure 27B is a top plan view of the tip of the rib;

Figure 27C is a side elevation view of the rib tip;

Figure 27D is an end view of the rib tip;

Figure 28A is a perspective view of a floating joint of the rib assembly of Figure 22; Figure 28B is a side elevation view of the floating joint of Figure 28A;

Figure 28C is a top plan view of the floating joint of Figure 28A;

Figure 28D is an end view of the floating joint of Figure 28A;

Figure 29A is a perspective view of a floating tie stop of the rib assembly of Figure 22;

Figure 29B is a side elevation view of the floating tie stop of Figure 29A;

Figure 29C is a top plan view of the floating tie stop of Figure 29A;

Figure 29D is an end view of the floating tie stop of Figure 29A;

Figure 30A is a perspective view of an anti-inversion strut of the rib assembly of Figure 22; Figure 30B is a side elevation view of the anti-inversion strut of Figure 30A;

Figure 30C is a bottom plan view of the anti-inversion strut of Figure 30A;

Figure 30D is an end view of the anti-inversion strut of Figure 30A;

Figure 31A is a perspective view of a second rib joint of the rib assembly of Figure 22;

Figure 31B is a side elevation view of the second rib joint of Figure 31A;

Figure 31C is a top plan view of the second rib joint of Figure 31A;

Figure 31D is an end view of the second rib joint of Figure 31A;

Figure 32A is a perspective view of a first rib of the rib assembly of Figure 22; Figure 32B is a side elevation view of the first rib of Figure 31A;

Figure 32C is a top plan view of the first rib of Figure 31A;

Figure 32D is an end view of the first rib of Figure 31A;

Figure 33 is a side view of an umbrella according to another embodiment and in a first position (fully open);

Figure 34 is a side view of the umbrella of Figure 33 in a second position;

Figure 35 is a side view of the umbrella of Figure 33 in a third position (fully closed); Figure 36 is a perspective view of the umbrella of Figure 33 in the first position;

Figure 37 is a perspective view of the umbrella of Figure 33 in the third position (fully closed); Y

Figure 38 is a close-up side view of a portion of a rib assembly.

Detailed Description of Certain Modalities

As discussed herein, the present invention is directed to improvement over various components of an umbrella including, but not limited to, a shaft construction and a rib assembly thereof. As described herein, the features of the present invention can be implemented with both a manual type umbrella and an automatic type umbrella. Also, the other features can be implemented with other types of umbrellas. Accordingly, the following discussion and Figures describe exemplary embodiments that implement the teachings of the present invention.

Figure 1 shows a side view of an umbrella 100 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, with only one assembly shown for clarity and to simplify discussion of the present invention. The umbrella 100 is of a type commonly referred to as a golf umbrella, which is commonly known to be an oversized umbrella used to protect golfers and their carts from the rain. The long shaft of a golf umbrella is usually not collapsible. It will be appreciated and understood that the various features of the present invention described herein can be implemented in other types of umbrellas in addition to golf umbrellas.

As shown in Figures 1 and 14, the umbrella 100 includes a shaft 110 having a first end 112 (upper) and an opposite second end 114 (lower). The shaft 110 itself can be made up of any number of different components to cooperate to provide the shaft 110 and the shaft 110 illustrated in Figure 1 is part of a manual umbrella assembly in which the user manually opens and closes the umbrella as described here. At the first end 112, a decorative cap or cap (not shown) is typically provided to close the shaft 110 and at the second end 114, a handle 130 is provided for the user to grasp.

Referring to Figures 14-16, the illustrated axle 110 is formed of a plurality of different axle sections that mate to form the assembled axle. More specifically, shaft 110 may be formed of three distinct shaft sections, namely, a first shaft section 111, a second shaft section 113, and a third shaft section 115. The first shaft section 111 is attached at one end to the cap / bush and at its other end to one end of the second shaft section 113. The second shaft section 113 is attached at its other end to one end of the third shaft section 115. The third shaft section 115 is attached at its other end to the handle 130. Thus, the first shaft section 111 represents the upper shaft section; the second axle section 113 represents the central axle section; and the third shaft section 115 represents the lower shaft section. The dimensions of the individual shaft sections 111, 113, 115 may differ and, in particular, at least one of the lengths and / or widths (eg the diameter) may be different. In the illustrated embodiment, sections 111, 113, 115 have the same width but center section 113 has a greater length than sections 111, 115 which are shown at the same lengths. For example, the three axle sections 111, 113, 115 may be 14mm carbon axle sections.

The axle sections 111, 113, 115 are connected to each other by means of coupling elements 105. A coupling member 105 is connected between two adjacent axle sections 111, 113, 115. The coupling member 105 can be thought of as a shaft locking member (locking insert) and can be formed of a metallic material, such as aluminum. The locking member 105 may be a hollow member (tube) having a first annular rim (projection) 107 formed along its outer surface and a second annular rim (projection) 109 formed along its outer surface and spaced apart. of the first annular flange 107. A space 108 is formed between the flanges 107, 109. The annular flanges 107, 109 define stops for the respective shaft sections. More specifically, an outer diameter of the locking member 105 outside the annular ridges 107, 109 is selected so that it can be inserted into the hollow interior of the respective shaft sections 111, 113, 115 to form a friction fit therebetween ( a mechanical adjustment). Since the flanges Annular rings 107, 109 have a diameter greater than the inner diameter of the axle sections 111, 113, 115, the locking member 105 cannot be inserted into the respective axle section. Instead, these annular ridges 107, 109 act as stops and prevent further insertion of the locking member 105 into the respective shaft section. When assembled, the surface of the locking member 105 between the two flanges 107, 109 is visible.

Locking members 105 thus provide rigid coupling members that securely join axle sections 111, 113, 115 to form the complete assembled axle.

As mentioned above, one of the main components of an umbrella is a slider 150. The slider 150 is the part of the umbrella that opens and closes the umbrella 100, with the slider 150 moving along the axis 110. Thus, the slider 150 is a hollow member that surrounds shaft 110 and is movable along shaft 110 and can be locked in one or more different positions. Figures 17A, 17B, 18A, and 18B show slider 150 in greater detail. The slider 150 is formed of various parts or portions including a generally cylindrical shaped base portion 152 and a shaft slider lock 154. An upper portion 153 of the slider 150 is configured to securely receive and join a plurality of struts, as described below, to effect movement of ribs 200. Top 153 thus includes a plurality of grooves 155 formed circumferentially around to receive struts. The axle slider lock 154 is located between the top portion 153 and the base portion 152.

Shaft slider lock 154 is designed to selectively lock slider 150 in one of a plurality of locked positions along shaft 110. Figures 18A and B are cross-sectional views of slider 150. Figures 17A and 17B show slider 150 in an unlocked (open) position relative to locking member 105, while Figures 18A and 18B show slider 150 in a locked position where slider 150 is locked in place relative to the shaft (ie. that is, it is locked relative to the locking member 105).

Thus, locking member 105 may be in the form of a machined piece of aluminum (or other material) that provides a recess (space 108) for slider 150 to make a connection to lock in place. The shaft slider lock 154 is designed to lock and engage the shaft lock member 105. The shaft slider lock 154 is a push / pull slider that moves along the shaft. More specifically, the axle slider lock 154 has a resilient locking member (slider lock) 157 that engages and seats within the space 108 formed between the annular flanges 107, 109. The resilient locking member 157 may comprise a annular-shaped locking member 157 having an inwardly directed projection that seats within the space 108 when aligned therewith. The elasticity (bending) of the locking member 157 allows the locking member 157 to bend outwardly allowing disengagement with the space 108. When the locking member 157 (and in particular, the projection 159 thereof) disengages from the member By locking shaft 105, slider 150 can move freely along shaft 110.

In use, when the slider 150 reaches a certain point where it can no longer move vertically upward and then the pressure is directed to the closure of the slider 157 which locks itself in the locking insert 105. An advantage of this The design is that typically the shaft diameter would need to be swaged or reduced in some way to allow the slider to engage the locking mechanism or material would have to be added to the outside of the shaft to achieve a locked position. However, adding material to the shaft is unsightly and also makes the folded diameter of the umbrella larger.

Figures 17A and 17B show the slider 150 in the unlocked position where it can move freely along the axis. In this unlocked position, the slider latch 157 does not actively engage with the gap (recess / channel) 108, while in Figures 18A and 18B, the slider latch 157 actively engages with the gap (recess) 108, locking thus the slider 150 on the shaft. As mentioned herein, when slider 150 is pushed, it reaches a certain point (such as the point shown in Figures 17A and 17B) where it can no longer move in the vertical direction. The continued application of force against the slider in the vertical direction causes a force to be applied to the slider lock 157 and this results in the deformation of the slider lock 157 in a radially inward direction toward the locking insert 105.

The slider latch 157 can be disengaged from the locking recess 108 by overcoming the holding force, which means that when the user exerts sufficient force on the slider 150, the slider latch 157 disengages from the locking recess 108 and the slider 150. can move freely.

As described herein, locking members 105 are thus positioned along axis 110 to lock slider 150 in desired positions, such as a fully open position and a fully closed position as illustrated herein.

It will be appreciated that slider 150 is merely illustrative and does not limit the scope of the present invention as other slider constructions can be used with the umbrella of the present invention.

To move slider 150 along axis 110 in either direction (up and down), the user simply applies sufficient force to disengage locking member 157 from the locking slot (space 108).

Umbrella 100 also includes a top notch 119 which is an annular member that is attached to shaft 110 and surrounds shaft 110. Top notch 119 is configured to receive ribs 200 and therefore serves as a point of attachment for said ribs. ribbing. The ribs are attached to the shaft 110 by engaging them in the upper notch 119 and can then be secured with a wire or other means. The top notch 119 can be a thin, round piece of nylon or plastic with teeth around the edges.

As will be appreciated from the following description, each rib 200 is coupled to both the top notch 119 and the slider 150 and this results in the opening and closing of the rib 200 and the attached canopy (not shown) based on the direction of travel. movement of the slider 150. The connection between the rib 200 and the slider 150 is made by a strut 300 (main strut). Strut 300 is an elongated structure having a first end 302 and an opposite second end 304, with the first end 302 being rotatably attached to the slider 150 and the second end 304 rotatably attached to the rib 200. The rotatable connection between the strut 300 and the slider 150 and between the strut 300 and the rib 200 can be achieved with a fastener, such as a rivet or pin, etc. More specifically, a first strut joint 310 is formed between strut 300 and slider 150 at first end 302 and a second strut joint 320 is formed between strut 300 and rib 200 at second end 304.

As shown in Figure 6, the first strut joint 310 may be in the form of a male end joint that is configured to rotatably join the slider 150 to allow the strut 300 to rotate between an open position and a closed position. .

The second strut joint 320 is in the form of a double joint and is best shown in Figures 6 and 7A-D. The second strut joint 320 can also be thought of as a strut-to-rib joint and includes a first end 321 that is attached to the distal end of the strut 300 and a second end 322 that includes a pair of spaced fingers 323 that are parallel to between. yes and they define an open space 324 between them and have aligned openings formed therein to allow passage of a fastener or the like to couple the joint to another structure (rib) as described below. As shown in Figures 7A-D, the second strut joint 320 also includes a joint connector 315 which may be in the form of a fin that protrudes out of the body of the joint 310 (i.e., the connector 315 is formed perpendicular to the body of the connector 315). Junction connector 315 has an opening formed therein to allow a fastener to pass through to allow another structure to be rotatably attached to junction connector 315.

Strut 300 can be formed of any number of different materials, including a metal (eg, a zinc alloy).

As shown in the figures, rib 200 is an elongated structure that is coupled to other components of the umbrella to provide a rib assembly defined by a plurality of ribs 200 that open and close.

Each rib 200 is an elongated, flexible structure having a first end (proximal end) 210 and an opposite second end (distal end) 212. First end 210 is rotatably attached to upper notch 119 and, more specifically, is attached to may provide a first rib joint 220 at first end 210 and be designed to allow rib 200 to rotate with respect to upper notch 119. In the illustrated embodiment, first rib joint 220 may be in the form of an end joint male that may have a similar or the same construction as the first rib joint 310 that is part of the strut assembly.

As best shown in Figure 6, rib 200 also includes a second rib joint 230 that is disposed along the length of rib 200. The second rib joint 230 can be fixedly attached to rib 200 at a specific location of the same. The second rib joint 230 may be in the form of a hollow structure that receives the rib 200 and is fixedly attached to the rib 200 so that during use, the second rib joint 230 does not move but remains in the fixed location. . The second rib joint 230 has a fin-shaped connector portion 232 (protrusion) extending radially outward therefrom. Thus, the connector portion 232 can be formed perpendicular to the body of the second rib joint 230. The connector portion 232 includes an opening formed therethrough. Referring to Figures 6 and 7A-D, the connector portion 232 is dimensioned and configured to be disposed within the open space 234 defined between the spaced pair of fingers 323 of the second strut joint 320. When inserted into the space open 234, the opening formed in the connector portion 232 aligns axially with the openings in the fingers 323 to allow passage of a fastener (such as a pin, rivet, or wire, etc.), whereby the second strut joint 320 is rotatably attached to the rib 200 (and thus therefore, strut 300 is rotatably attached to rib 200).

According to one aspect of the present invention, an anti-reversal mechanism (feature) 400 is provided and configured to counteract a reversal force that is applied to the umbrella during selected operating conditions and, in particular, during windy or other adverse conditions. . As is well known to umbrella users, if a sudden gust of wind is directed upward into the interior of the umbrella, the pressure applied by the wind will reverse the canopy causing the ribs to work counterproductively forcing it outward. The canopy generally assumes a concave shape when inversion occurs, and similarly the ribs are forced to rotate in unwanted directions, which can result in the breakage of one or more ribs. This makes the umbrella unusable. The umbrella of the present invention has the anti-reversal mechanism 400 which is comprised of various components which are individually described below.

As shown in Figure 6 and Figures 8A-C, the anti-inversion mechanism 400 comprises an anti-inversion strut 410 having a first end 412 that is coupled to the strut 300 and a second opposite end 414 that is coupled to the rib. 200. More specifically, the first end 412 is coupled to the second strut joint 320 and the second end 414 is coupled to the rib 200. The anti-inversion strut 410 has a first end joint 411 at the first end 412 and a second end joint 413 at second end 414. The illustrated first and second end joints 411, 413 are in the form of female end joints and, in particular, the first end joint 411 is defined by a pair of spaced fingers 415 which it has an open space formed between them and the second end joint 413 is also defined by a pair of fingers 417 spaced apart having an open space formed between them. The joint connector 315 (a male joint) is received in the open space between the fingers 415 (a female joint) of the first end joint 411, thereby coupling the anti-reversal strut 410 to the strut 300 so that the anti-reversal strut -Inversion 410 can rotate with respect to upright 300.

The first and second end joints 411, 413 can be mechanically attached to the elongated strut body or the end joints 411, 413 can be molded onto existing strut material.

The anti-inversion strut 410 can be formed from any number of different materials, including metals and synthetics. In an exemplary embodiment, the anti-inversion strut 410 comprises a 6mm carbon fiber rod.

The anti-inversion mechanism 400 also includes a floating joint 500 that is slidably coupled to the rib 200 and configured to engage the second end joint 413. Figures 8A-D illustrate the floating joint 500. The floating joint 500 has a main body 510 including a hole 512 that is formed therein and represents a through hole that passes from one end of the main body 510 to the other end thereof. Floating joint 500 also includes a joint connector 520 in the form of a fin that extends radially outward from main body 510. Connector 520 can be formed perpendicular to main body 510. Connector 520 has an opening formed therein . Thus, connector 520 represents a male joint.

The anti-inversion strut 410 is coupled to the rib 200 by inserting the connector 510 between the fingers 417 spaced from the second end joint 413. As with the other joint, a clip or the like can be used to couple the connector 510 to the fingers. 417.

The rib 200 is received into and passes through the hole 512 and the size (diameter) of the hole 512 and the size (diameter) of the rib 200 are selected so that the floating joint 500 can move freely in a longitudinal direction along it. along the length of the rib 200. This allows the floating joint 500 to be one that can travel freely up (towards the upper notch 119) and down the rib 200 (towards the tip of the rib) when the umbrella is opens and closes.

It will be appreciated that in another embodiment, the floating joint may be a male portion that includes a male connector 520; however, it is positioned within the rib 200 so that the floating joint can move freely within the hollow interior of the rib 200 (eg, an extruded aluminum rib or a formed steel rib). The rib 200 could thus be formed with a linear groove through which the connector 520 passes. Otherwise, the operation of the floating joint is the same. In this alternative embodiment, the "buoyant action" of the buoyant joint thus occurs internally within rib 200 as opposed to outside of rib 200 in the illustrated embodiment.

With reference to Figures 6 and 9A-D, the anti-reversal mechanism 400 also includes a floating joint stop 530 that is fixedly attached to the rib 200. The floating joint stop 530 is disposed between the floating joint 500 and the second joint of rib 230 and remains in a fixed location along rib 200. Stop 530 includes a hole 532 that extends through and receives rib 200. Stop 530 attaches to the rib 200 using traditional techniques to set stop 530 at a specific target location along rib 200. Stop 530 can be mechanically attached or overmolded, which is the preferred method in this case. The stopper 530 is constructed in such a way as to restrict the movement of the floating joint 500 in the direction towards the upper notch 119.

It will be appreciated that when the umbrella is in the open position, the floating link 500 moves along the rib 200 until it contacts the floating link stop 530. The floating link 500 in combination with the floating link stop 530 it prevents the rib 200 from reversing as if under the force of a strong wind. Inversion is avoided as the rib cannot bend upward due to the locking action of the floating joint stop 530.

Figures 10A-D and 11-13 illustrate the details of a tip 600 of rib 200. Tip 600 comprises a structure that is attached to the distal end of rib 200. Tip 600 is defined by a hollow main body 602 that it has a hole 603 that receives and is secured to the distal end of rib 200. Tip 600 generally has a delta wing shape and is defined by first and second wing sections 620, 630 extending outward and rearward from main body 610. Each wing section 620, 630 has a angled leading edge 625, 635, respectively, and angled trailing edge 627, 637, respectively. Also, as shown in Figure 10D, the wing sections 620, 630 are angled to each other in the sense that they are not completely within the same plane. The tip 600 is constructed and designed such that it is angled to match the angle of the canopy when the canopy is in the open position.

Figures 11-13 illustrate yet another feature of tip 600 in that hole 603 of main body 602 includes a biasing member 640, such as a spring. Spring 640 is disposed between the distal end of rib 200 and a stop 605 formed in main body 602. Stop 605 represents one end of hole 603. Hole 603 is designed to allow movement of the distal end of rib 200 to allow the ribs 200 and the umbrella to move between the open and closed positions. Therefore, spring 630 will store and release energy based on how rib 200 acts on it. Figure 12 shows the tip assembly in a closed / uncompressed state, while Figure 13 shows the tip assembly in an open / compressed state. In Figure 13, the relationship between the canopy and the tip when the umbrella is opened due to the compressed state of the inner spring 640 of the tip.

In an alternative embodiment, the tip may comprise a male unit (frame) having a protruding portion that is received within an opening (eg, a hole) formed in the distal end of the rib (eg, extrusion rib of aluminum or formed steel rib). In this way, the coupling is formed by inserting the protruding part of the tip into the opening (hole) of the rib. As in the previous embodiment, a biasing member, such as a spring, can be positioned within the opening (hole) formed in the rib and in contact with the protruding part of the tip which is also arranged within the opening. (hole) of the rib.

Figure 2 shows the umbrella 100 and, in particular, the single rib assembly in a semi-open position, while Figure 4 shows the umbrella and, in particular, the single rib assembly in a fully closed position.

Figure 4 shows the umbrella 100 with the plurality of rib sets in the fully open position, while Figure 5 shows the umbrella 100 with the plurality of rib sets in the fully closed position.

While each part of the umbrella is necessary for its operation, the slider 150 is the part that opens and closes it. When the slider 150 is fully down, the struts 300 fold flat against the shaft and the umbrella "closes", with the waterproof material and ribs wrapped around the shaft. To open the umbrella, the user slides the slider 150 all the way up. The struts 300 are extended, lifting the ribs 200 to which they are attached and spreading the tight material (canopy) over the ribs 200. Figures 19-21 illustrate an umbrella 700 according to another embodiment. Umbrella 700 is similar to Umbrella 100 and therefore like items are numbered the same. Umbrella 700 includes shaft 110 and slider 150 which slidably moves along shaft 110. As in the previous embodiment, the connection between rib 200 and slider 150 is made by strut 300. Unlike In the first embodiment, there is no anti-reversal strut 400 between strut 300 and rib 200. Instead, umbrella 700 of Figures 19-21 includes a different anti-reversal strut mechanism 800.

In this embodiment, the anti-reversal strut mechanism 800 includes an anti-reversal strut 810 having a first end 812 and an opposite second end 814. The first end 812 is operatively coupled to a floating notch 815 that is movably disposed. about axis 110. More specifically, floating notch 815 is slidably coupled to axis 110 and travels up and down axis 110 of shape very similar to slider 150. Floating notch 815 is located between slider 150 and upper notch 119.

Floating notch 815 may be similar to upper notch 119 in terms of its construction and may be in the form of an annular member that is attached to shaft 110 and surrounds shaft 110. Floating notch 815 is configured to receive anti-struts. -inversion 810 and therefore serves as an attachment point for such struts. Struts 810 are attached to shaft 110 by snapping into floating groove 815 and can then be secured with wire or other means. Floating notch 815 can be a thin, round piece of nylon or plastic with teeth around the edges.

The first end 812 of the anti-reversal strut 810 is operatively coupled to the floating notch 815 and the second end 814 of the anti-reversal strut 810 is operatively coupled to the rib 200.

Figures 19-21 show the details of the strut 810. The anti-inversion strut 810 is formed of first and second parallel rods 820, 830. The first ends of the first and second parallel rods 820, 830 are coupled to a first Link 840 at the first end 812 and the second ends of the first and second parallel rods 820, 830 are coupled to a second link 850 at the second end. 814. The first joint 840 can be a male joint and a female joint and the second joint 850 can be a male joint and a female joint. For example, the first link 840 may be in the form of a male link (male twin rod link) and the second link 850 may be in the form of a female link (female twin rod link). The male junction (eg, junction 840) is defined by a single bump (finger) 841, while the female junction (eg, junction 850) is defined by a pair of spaced bumps (fingers) 843 with a space 845 defined between protrusions 843.

The first joint 840 is configured to be rotatably attached to the floating notch 815 and the second joint 850 is configured to be rotatably attached to the rib 200. With respect to the coupling between the joint 840, the protrusion 841 of the first joint 840 It is received in a complementary space (slot) formed in the floating notch 815.

The second joint 850 is operatively coupled to a floating joint, such as the floating joint 500. As discussed above, the floating joint 500 is slidably coupled to the rib 200 and is configured to mate with the second joint 850. Figures 8A -D illustrate the floating joint 500. The floating joint 500 is defined by the main body 510 which includes the hole 512 that is formed therein and represents a through hole that passes from one end of the main body 510 to the other end thereof. Floating joint 500 also includes joint connector 520 (Figure 8A) in the form of a fin that extends radially outward from main body 510. Connector 520 can be formed perpendicular to main body 510. Connector 520 has an opening formed in it. Thus, connector 520 represents a male joint.

The anti-inversion strut 810 is coupled to the rib 200 by inserting the connector 520 into the space 845 formed between the spaced fingers (protrusions) 843 of the second end joint 413. As in the other joint, a fastener or the like may be used. for mating connector 520 to fingers 843.

The rib 200 is received into and passes through the hole 512 (Figure 8A) and the size (diameter) of the hole 512 and the size (diameter) of the rib 200 are selected so that the floating joint 500 can move freely in a longitudinal direction along the length of the rib 200. This allows the floating joint 500 to be one that can travel freely up (towards the upper notch 119) and down the rib 200 (towards the tip of the rib) when the umbrella opens and closes.

The strut 300 passes into the open space that is formed between the first and second parallel rods 820, 830 of the anti-inversion strut 810. This open space between the rods 820, 830 extends from the first joint 840 to the second joint 850 and accommodates the strut 300 in all positions of the umbrella from the fully closed position to the fully folded position.

As in the first embodiment, the rib 200 of the umbrella 700 includes a floating joint stop 530 that is fixedly attached to the rib 200. The floating joint stop 530 is disposed between the floating joint 500 and the second rib joint 230 and remains in a fixed location along rib 200. Stop 530 includes a hole 532 that extends therethrough and receives rib 200. Stop 530 is attached to rib 200 using traditional techniques to set the stop. 530 at a specific target location along rib 200. Stop 530 can be mechanically attached or overmoulded, which is the preferred method in this case. Stop 530 is constructed so as to restrict movement of float joint 500 in the direction toward upper notch 119. As in the first embodiment, stop 530 prevents rib 200 from inverting under pressure.

The anti-inversion mechanism in the umbrella 700 is thus formed between and serves to connect the floating notch 815 to the floating joint 500 as opposed to the first embodiment in which the anti-inversion mechanism was located between a rotating strut and the rib.

It will also be understood that the male / female type connections described in this document can be reversed in that the part described in this document as containing the male connector may instead contain the female connector and, conversely, the part described in this document containing the female connector may instead contain the male connector. For example, floating joint 500 is shown with a male connector 520; however, the floating joint 500 can instead be formed to have a separate pair of fingers (flanges) defining a space between them (female connector). The distal end of the anti-inversion strut would thus be formed to have a male joint as opposed to the female joint shown. The coupling is the same in that the male joint is inserted into the space formed in the female joint. Similarly, the nature of the other joints, such as the connection between the strut and the fixed joint (eg, joint 230) can be reversed.

The slider locking feature of the present invention also provides a number of advantages over conventional designs. In particular, the locking insert provides a connecting feature between the shaft segments that allows a method of locking the slider in place by not adding an additional locking feature that would increase the diameter of the slider that is not desired.

Figures 22-32D illustrate an umbrella 900 according to another embodiment. The 900 umbrella is similar to the other umbrellas and therefore like items are numbered the same. Umbrella 900 includes shaft 110 and slider 150 which slidably travels along axis 110. Along axis 110 there is also an upper notch 910 which slidably travels along axis 110. upper notch 910 is disposed above slider 150 and there is a fixed notch, that is, compression notch 920, arranged at an upper end of shaft 110. Upper notch 910 is thus positioned between compression notch 920 and slider 150. Compression notch 920 is rotatably connected to a first rib 930 at a first end of first rib 930. A second end of first rib 930 is rotatably connected to a second end of compression arm 950 A first end of the compression arm 950 is rotatably connected to the upper notch 910. Figures 32A-D illustrate the first rib 930. The first rib 930 is an elongated structure that is made of na asymmetric nature. A first end of the first rib 930 has a male element in the form of a single angled extension (finger) 931 protruding out of a main body 932 of the first rib 930. As shown, the main body 932 has a construction generally U-shaped. A through hole is formed through extension 931. Extension 931 is configured to mate with compressible notch 920 (for example, a fastener may extend through through hole in extension 931 to engage with two together). At the second opposite end, the first rib 930 has a female element in the form of a pair of spaced apart arms 933 that are parallel to each other. As shown in the top plan view of Figure 32C, an open space 934 is formed between the two arms 933.

As shown in the side view of Figure 32B, the extension 931 is inclined downward in a first direction and the two arms 933 are inclined upward in a second direction. Along the two arms 933 there are two attachment points, namely a first attachment point 935 and a second attachment point 936. The second end of the compression arm 950 is rotatably attached to the first rib 930 at the first point of attachment 935 (eg, wearing a bra or the like).

As best shown in Figures 23 and 30C, the space 934 formed between the arms 933 allows a first strut 960 to pass therethrough. A first end of the first strut 960 is rotatably connected to the slider 150. A second end of the first strut 960 is rotatably connected to a second rib joint 970. A second strut 980 is rotatably connected at a first end to the first rib 930 at the second attachment point 936 (eg, using a fastener or the like). A second end of the second strut 980 is rotatably connected to the second rib joint 970.

Figures 31A-D illustrate the second rib joint 970. The second rib joint 970 is formed by a main body 971 that is generally U-shaped. As shown in the figures, the second rib joint 970 has a slight curvature. along its length. The main body 971 has a first point of attachment 972 and a second point of attachment 973. The first point of attachment 972 is located intermediate the ends of the main body 971, while the second point of attachment 973 is located at one end of the main body 971. First strut 960 is rotatably attached to second attachment point 973 using fasteners or the like. The second strut 980 is rotatably attached at its end to the first link 972. The end of the main body 971 opposite the end containing the second attachment point 973 includes a shaped opening 974 leading to a hollow interior space. The illustrated opening 974 and hollow interior space are D-shaped.

The second rib joint 970 is also attached to a second rib 990 at a first end thereof. More specifically, the first end of the second rib 990 is inserted through the opening 974 in the hollow interior space. A second end of the second rib 990 is attached to a point, such as the point 1400 described herein. An exemplary tip 1400 is shown in Figures 27A-D. Tip 1400 includes a body 1410 having a first open end 1412 and a second closed end 1414 in the form of a fin.

The length of the first strut 960 is greater than the lengths of the first rib 930 and the compression arm 950.

As in previous embodiments, the umbrella 800 includes an anti-reversal mechanism 1000. The anti-reversal mechanism 1000 functions in a similar manner to the anti-reversal mechanisms described herein.

The anti-reversal mechanism 1000 includes an anti-reversal strut 1010; an anti-reversal slip joint 1100 and a slip joint stop 1200.

As best shown in Figures 30A-D, the anti-inversion strut 1010 is an elongated structure having a first end 1012 and an opposite second end 1014. Figures 30A-D better illustrate the shape and construction of the anti-inversion strut. 1010. In some respects, the anti-inversion strut 1010 resembles a bone. As shown in the figures, the anti-inversion strut 1010 is not symmetrical but has a central inflection point 1011 that defines a first strut portion 1020 that extends and terminates at the first end 1012 and a second strut portion 1030 extending to and terminating at the second end 1014. As will be described in more detail herein, from an end view (Figure 30D), the anti-inversion strut 1010 is generally H-shaped due to the curvature incorporated into each of the first and second strut portions 1020, 1030.

As seen from the side view of Figure 30B, the anti-inversion strut 1010 is defined by a first face 1013 and an opposite second face 1015. As can be seen in the figures and will be described in more detail below, the first strut part 1020 has a concave shape along the first face 1013 and a convex shape along the second face 1015 and, conversely, the second strut part 1030 has a convex shape along the first face 1013 and a concave shape along the second face 1015.

As can be seen in the plan view of Figure 30C, each of the first end 1012 and the second end 1014 has a U-shaped notch (opening) 1040 formed therein. The formation of the U-shaped notch 1040 defines the first and second finger extensions 1050, 1052 that are spaced apart and parallel to each other. The free ends of the first and second finger extensions 1050, 1052 have axially aligned openings 1060 formed therein to receive a fastener or the like for a

structure as described in this document.

As best shown in the perspective view of Figure 30A, the concave section of each of the first and second strut portions 1020, 1030 defines a channel 1018 defined by a pair of opposing vertical sidewalls 1019. Due to the shape of the anti-inversion strut 1010, the depth of the channel formed along the first face 1013 of the first strut portion 1020 and the depth of the channel formed along the second face 1015 of the second strut portion 1030 progressively decrease in a direction toward the central inflection point 1011. At the central inflection point 1011, each of the first and second faces 1013, 1015 transition between the concave-shaped channel at one end and the convex-shaped surface at the end. other extreme.

The profile of the vertical sidewalls 1019 is the same in the first strut portion 1020 as it is in the second strut portion 1030. In other words, the heights of the vertical sidewalls 1019 are the same in the two strut portions 1020, 1030 but are facing in opposite directions as described in this document.

The first strut portion 1020 is attached to the second strut 980. More specifically, an AIS 1070 (anti-inversion strut) joint is provided along a location of the second strut 980 and is configured to engage the first strut portion. 1020. In particular, the AIS joint 1070 may have a protrusion or flange (flag portion) that inserts into the space 1040 between the arms 1050, 1052. A fastener passes through the openings 1060 and through an opening in the AIS 1070 joint boss to rotatably couple the two together. The AIS joint 1070 can be located midway between the ends of the second strut 980 and remain in the selected fixed location. As described below, the channel 1018 of the first strut portion 1020 is sized and shaped to receive the second strut 980 when the umbrella is folded down and assumes the closed position.

The anti-reversal mechanism 1000 also includes a floating (sliding) joint 1100 that is slidably coupled to the second rib 990 and configured to engage the second strut portion 1030 of the anti-reversal strut 1010. Figures 28A-D illustrate the Floating joint 1100 that is configured slidably along the second rib 990. Floating joint 1100 has a main body 1110 that includes a hole 1112 that is formed therein and represents a through hole that passes from one end of the main body 1110 to the other end thereof. Floating junction 1100 also includes junction connector 1120 in the form of a pair of spaced fins extending radially outward from main body 1110. Connector 1120 may be formed perpendicular to main body 1110. Connector 1120 has an opening formed at the same. The connector 1120 thus represents a male joint and is positioned below the hole 1112 so as not to interfere with it.

The second part 1030 of the anti-inversion strut 1010 is coupled to the sliding joint 1100 by inserting the joint connector (two fins) 1120 internally between the arms 1050, 1052 of the second part of the strut 1030 so that the openings formed through the itself are axially aligned. Then a fastener or the like passes through the holes to allow the joint between them.

As shown in Figure 24, when the anti-inversion strut 1010 is attached to the surrounding parts in the manner described herein, the first convex face 1013 of the second strut part 1030 and the first concave face 1013 of the first part The strut 1020 faces the second rib 990. Similarly, the second concave face 1015 of the second strut portion 1030 and the second convex face 1015 of the first strut portion 1020 face the second strut 980.

Anti-inversion strut 1010 thus engages second rib 990 as it engages slip joint 1100.

It will be appreciated that in another embodiment, the floating joint may be a male part that includes a male connector (part 1120); however, it is positioned within the second rib 990 so that the floating joint can move freely within the hollow interior of the second rib 990 (eg, an aluminum extrusion rib or a formed steel rib). The rib 990 could thus be formed with a linear slot through which the connector 1120 passes. Otherwise, the operation of the floating joint is the same. In this alternative embodiment, the "buoyant action" of the buoyant joint thus occurs internally within the second rib 990 as opposed to the outside of the second rib 990 in the illustrated embodiment.

Referring to Figures 22 and 29A-D, the anti-inversion mechanism 1000 also includes a floating joint stop 1200 that is fixedly attached to the second rib 990 at a selected fixed location. Floating joint stop 1200 is disposed between floating joint 1100 and second rib joint 970 and remains in a fixed location along rib 200. Stop 1200 includes a hole 1210 that extends therethrough and receives the second rib 990. The stop 1200 is attached to the second rib 990 using traditional techniques to set the stop 1200 at a specific target location along the length of the second rib 990. The stop 1200 can be mechanically attached or overmolded, which is the preferred method in this case. Stop 1200 is constructed so as to restrict movement of floating link 1100 in the direction toward second rib link 970.

It will be appreciated that when the umbrella is in the open position, the float joint 1100 moves along the second rib 990 until it contacts the stop 1200 of the float joint. The floating joint 1100 in combination with the floating joint stop 1200 prevents the second rib 990 from inverting as if under the force of a strong wind. Inversion is avoided as the rib cannot bend upward due to the locking action of the floating joint stop 1200.

As described herein, the shape of the anti-inversion strut 1010 is designed to aid in the collapse of the umbrella into a small footprint (ie, a thin profile) as shown in Figure 25. More specifically and as shown best shown in Figure 25, the anti-inversion strut 1010 is designed in such a way that when the umbrella 900 collapses to its fully folded position, the anti-inversion strut 1010 nests between the second rib 990 and the second strut 980 allowing for a More compact mounting when folded. As shown in Figure 25, the channel 1018 of the second strut portion 1030 receives a distal end portion (a portion between the tip 1400 and the attachment stop 1200) of the second rib 990 is a nested shape and similarly , the channel portion 1018 of the first strut portion 1020 receives the second strut 980 in a nested manner. This nesting of second rib 990 and second strut 980 reduces the overall footprint of umbrella 900 in the fully folded position of Figure 25.

Figures 33-38 show an umbrella 1300 according to another embodiment of the present invention. The umbrella 1300 is similar to other umbrellas described herein and, in particular, includes a floating attachment arrangement, as described herein, and a bone-shaped element, as described herein. Umbrella 1300 includes a shaft 1310 with a handle 1312. Umbrella 1300 also includes a top notch 1320 that is disposed at one end of shaft 1310 and a sliding slider 1330. Figures 33-35 show a rib assembly for simplicity.

The upper notch 1320 is configured to receive the ribs 1400 and therefore serves as a point of attachment for the ribs. The ribs 1400 are attached to the shaft 1310 by fitting them into the upper notch 1320 and can then be secured with a wire or other means. The top notch 1320 can be a thin, round piece of nylon or plastic with teeth around the edges.

As will be appreciated from the following description, each rib 1600 is coupled to both the upper notch 1320 and the slider 1330 and this results in the opening and closing of the rib 1600 and the attached canopy (not shown) as a function of the direction of travel. movement of the slider 1330. The connection between the rib 1600 and the slider 1330 is made by a strut 1500 (main strut). Strut 1500 is an elongated structure having a first end 1502 and an opposite second end 1504, with the first end 1502 being rotatably attached to the slider 1330 and the second end 1504 rotatably attached to the rib 1600. The rotatable linkage between the strut 1500 and the slider 1330 and between the strut 1500 and the rib 1600 can be achieved with a fastener, such as a rivet or pin, etc. More specifically, a first strut joint 1510 is formed between strut 1500 and slider 1330 at first end 1502 and a second strut joint 1520 is formed between strut 1500 and rib 1600 at second end 1504.

The first strut joint 1510 may be in the form of a male end joint that is configured to rotatably join the slider 1330 to allow the strut 1500 to rotate between an open position and a closed position.

The second strut joint 1520 is in the form of a double joint and has a construction shown as joint 320 in Figures 6 and 7A-D. The second strut joint 320 can also be thought of as a strut-to-rib joint and includes a first end that is attached to the distal end of the strut 1500 and a second end that includes a separate pair of fingers that are parallel to each other and define a open space between them and have aligned openings formed therein to allow passage of a fastener or the like to couple the joint to another structure (rib) as described below. Additional details of a second strut link 1520 are shown in Figures 7A-D with respect to the second strut link 320 which may have the same construction as link 1520.

Strut 1500 can be formed of any number of different materials, including a metal (eg, a zinc alloy).

As shown in the figures, rib 1600 is an elongated structure that is coupled to other components of the umbrella to provide a rib assembly defined by a plurality of ribs 1400 that open and close.

Each rib 1600 is an elongated, flexible structure having a first end (proximal end) and an opposite second end (distal end). The first end is rotatably attached to the upper notch 1320 and, more specifically, a first rib joint may be provided at the first end and designed to allow the rib 1600 to rotate relative to the upper notch 1320. In one embodiment , the first rib joint may be in the form of a male end joint which may have a similar or the same construction as the first rib joint that forms part of the strut assembly.

Rib 1600 also includes a second rib joint 1525 (which may be the same as joint 230) that is disposed along rib 1600. Second rib joint 1525 can be fixedly attached to rib 1600 at one location. specific to it. Thus, the second rib joint 1525 may be in the form of a hollow structure that receives the rib 1600 and is fixedly attached to the rib 1600 so that in use, the second rib joint 1525 does not move but remains in place. the fixed location. The second rib joint 1525 has a fin-shaped connector portion 1527 (Figure 38) (protrusion) extending radially outward therefrom. The connector portion 1527 may thus be formed perpendicular to the body of the second rib joint 1525. The connector portion 1527 includes an opening formed therethrough.

The connector portion 1527 is dimensioned and configured to be disposed within the open space defined between the spaced pair of fingers of the second strut joint 1520. When inserted into the open space, the opening formed in the connector portion 1527 is aligned axially with the openings in the fingers to allow passage of a fastener (such as a pin, rivet, or wire, etc.), whereby the second strut joint 1520 is rotatably attached to the rib 1600 (and thus Therefore, strut 1500 is rotatably attached to rib 1600).

As in the previous embodiment described in this document, the umbrella 1300 has an anti-inversion mechanism. The anti-reversal mechanism includes anti-reversal strut 1010; an anti-reversal sliding joint 1100 and a sliding joint stopper 530.

The anti-inversion strut 1010 used in the umbrella 1300 has been described in great detail above and is shown in a series of Figures including Figures 30A-D. As in the previous embodiment, one end of the anti-inversion strut 1010 is rotatably coupled to strut 1500, while the other end is rotatably coupled to rib 1600 via slip joint 1100. As mentioned above and in accordance In some respects, the anti-inversion strut 1010 resembles a bone. As shown in the figures, the anti-inversion strut 1010 is not symmetrical but has a central inflection point 1011 that defines a first strut portion 1020 that extends and terminates at the first end and a second strut portion. strut 1030 that extends and terminates at the second end. As will be described in more detail herein, from an end view (Figure 30D), the anti-inversion strut 1010 is generally H-shaped due to the curvature incorporated in each of the first and second strut portions 1020, 1030.

The first strut portion 1020 is attached to strut 1500.

The anti-inversion mechanism also includes a floating (sliding) joint 1100 that is slidably coupled to rib 1600 and configured to engage second strut portion 1030 of anti-inversion prop 1010. Figures 28A-D illustrate the floating joint 1100 and the connection between the second part 1030 of the anti-inversion strut 1010 and the sliding joint 1100 is described herein.

The anti-reversal mechanism also includes the floating joint stop 530 which is fixedly attached to the rib 1600. The floating joint stop 530 is disposed between the floating joint 1100 and the second rib joint 1525 and remains in a fixed location. along rib 1600. Stop 530 includes a hole 532 that extends therethrough and receives rib 200. Stop 530 attaches to rib 200 using traditional techniques to set stop 530 at a specific target location. along rib 200. Stop 530 can be mechanically attached or overmoulded, which is the preferred method in this case. The stopper 530 is constructed in such a way as to restrict the movement of the floating joint 1100 in the direction towards the upper notch 1320.

It will be appreciated that when the umbrella is in the open position, the floating link 1100 moves along the rib 1600 until it contacts the floating link stop 530. The floating link 1100 in combination with the floating link stop 530 prevents rib 1600 from reversing as if under the force of a strong wind. Inversion is avoided as the rib cannot bend upward due to the locking action of the floating joint stop 530.

Umbrella 1300 also includes tip 600 or 1400 which is described herein and illustrated in Figures 10A-D and 11-13 and Figures 27A-D.

The anti-reversal strut 1010 is designed such that when the umbrella 1300 is folded to its fully folded position, the anti-reversal strut 1010 nests between the rib 1600 and the strut 1500 allowing for a more compact assembly when folded. The channel of the first strut portion 1020 receives a distal end portion (a portion between the tip 1400 and the bonding stop 530) of the rib 1400 is a nested shape and similarly, the channel portion of the second portion Strut 1030 receives strut 1500 in a nested manner. This nesting of rib 1400 and strut 1500 reduces the overall footprint of umbrella 1300 in the fully folded position of Figure 35.

While the invention has been described in connection with certain embodiments thereof, the invention may be practiced in other ways and using other materials and structures. Accordingly, the invention is defined by the descriptions of the appended claims.

Claims (14)

1. An umbrella comprising: an elongated shaft (110; 1310) having a first end (112) and an opposite second end (114); a slider (150; 1330) slidably disposed about the elongated shaft (110) and movable along a length of the shaft (110; 1310); Y a plurality of ribs (930, 990; 1600) that are attached to the slider (150; 1330) by a plurality of struts (960, 980; 1500) that move between the open and closed positions where in the open position, the ribs (930, 990; 1600) are in an open, extended position and in the closed position, the ribs (930, 990; 1600) are in a closed, folded position; an anti-reversal mechanism (1000) comprising a plurality of anti-reversal struts (1010), wherein each of the anti-reversal struts (1010) is rotatably coupled to a respective strut (980) and is connected in a rotary manner to the rib (990); wherein the anti-inversion strut (1010) has a first face (1013), a second opposite face (1015), a first end portion (1020) and a second end portion (1030), characterized in that the first portion of The end portion (1020) has a first channel (1018) formed along the first face (1013) and the second end portion has a second channel (1018) formed along the second face (1015) so that in the closed position of the umbrella (900; 1300), one of the plurality of ribs (990; 1600) is received within the first channel (1018) and one of the plurality of struts (980; 1500) is received within the second channel ( 1018) to form a nested arrangement that increases the compactness of the umbrella. The umbrella of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of struts (1500) is rotatably attached to the slider (1330) at a proximal end and is rotatably attached to the rib (1600) at a distal end. . The umbrella of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ribs (930, 990) includes a plurality of first ribs (930) and a plurality of second ribs (990) and the plurality of struts (960, 980) includes a plurality of first struts (960) and a plurality of second struts (960), wherein a single rib link assembly comprises: a first rib (930) rotatably coupled to a first notch formed in one end of the shaft (110); a second rib (990) having a point at a distal end to engage a canopy; a first strut (960) rotatably coupled to the slider (150); a rib joint (970) rotatably coupled to the first strut (960) and the second rib (990); a second strut (960) rotatably coupled to one end of the first rib (930) and to the rib joint (970); Y a compression arm (950) rotatably coupled at one end to the first rib (930) and to a top notch (910) at an opposite end; wherein the anti-inversion strut (1010) is rotatably coupled to the second strut (980). The umbrella of claim 3, wherein one end of the first rib (930) has a slot formed at one end, with the first strut (960) passing through the slot. The umbrella of claim 1, wherein the second end portion (1030) has a convex surface formed along the first face (1013) and the first end portion (1020) has a convex surface formed along along the second face (1015). The umbrella of claim 1, wherein a first end of the anti-inversion strut (1010) is rotatably connected to a floating attachment member (1100) that is freely movable along a length of the rib. (930; 1600), the anti-inversion mechanism (1000) also includes a stop (1200; 530) that is fixedly attached to the rib and restricts the degree of travel of the floating link member (1100) along the rib (990; 1600) and is positioned to prevent the rib (990; 1600) from reversing in response to an applied force. The umbrella of claim 6, wherein the anti-inversion strut (1010) has a female-type end joint (1040) at both a first end (1012) and an opposite second end (1014), the strut Main (1500) have a male-type junction connector that mates with the female-type end junction at the first end and the floating junction member (1100) includes a male-type junction connector that mates with the junction. female type end cap at the second end. The umbrella of claim 1, wherein the main strut (1500) is rotatably connected to the rib (1600) with a strut-to-rib joint (1520) that acts as a double joint wherein the Strut-to-rib attachment (1520) joins main strut (1500) to rib (1600) and also attaches main strut (1500) to anti-inversion strut (1010). The umbrella of claim 1, wherein a strut (1500) is rotatably attached to the slider (1330) at a first end thereof and is rotatably attached to the rib (1600) at a second end of the itself via a first rib joint, the anti-inversion strut (1010) is rotatably attached to the first rib joint at a first end thereof and is rotatably attached to rib (1600) at a second end of the same. The umbrella of claim 1, wherein the channel (1018) of the first face (1013) passes into a convex portion at an inflection point (1011) and the channel (1018) of the second face (1015) passes to a convex part at the inflection point (1011). The umbrella of claim 1, wherein a depth of the first channel (1018) is selected so that one of the ribs is received and captured therein and a depth of the second channel (1018) is selected so that one of the struts is received and captured therein. The umbrella of claim 1, wherein the first end portion (1012) of the anti-inversion strut (1010) includes a first attachment portion extending outward in a first direction and the second end portion of the strut Anti-inversion (1010) includes a second attachment portion that extends outwardly in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction. The umbrella of claim 1, wherein the first end portion (1012) terminates in a first pair of fingers (1050) with a first slot (1040) formed between them and the second end portion terminates in a second pair. of fingers (1052) with a second slot (1040) formed between them, wherein a first junction connector (1120) is received within the first slot (1040) to rotatably join the anti-inversion strut (1010) to The rib (990; 1600) and a second attachment connector are received within the second slot to rotatably attach the anti-inversion strut (1010) to the respective strut (980; 1500). The umbrella of claim 1, wherein the first end portion (1020) is curved in a first direction and the second end portion (1030) is curved in a second opposite direction.