Patent ID: 6202661
Filing Date: 2001-03-20
Classification: A45B

Abstract:
In a windproof umbrella of the type having a shaft, a crown secured to the shaft, a slider slidably mounted on the shaft, and a plurality of spokes defining a framework for supporting a cover, each spoke being supported on the shaft by a respective rib, each rib being constituted by a stay, a strut, a tension member and a joint member, the inner end of each strut being pivoted to the slider and the outer end of that strut being pivotally linked to the outer end of the joint member, the inner end of each stay being pivoted to the crown and the outer end of that stay being pivotally linked to an intermediate portion of the associated strut, the inner and outer ends of each tension member being pivoted respectively to an intermediate portion of the associated stay and the inner end of the associated joint member, and the inner end of each spoke also being pivotally connected to the outer end of tension member, the improvement comprising:each tension member is formed of resilient material, the inner and outer ends of each tension member bent into hooks directly pivotally connecting the associated stay and the associated joint member through holes on said stay and said joint member, respectively, said one end of the spoke includes a hole that receives said second hook so that, when the umbrella is turned inside out, the tension members are curved upwardly under tension, and when the slider is pulled downwardly along the shaft, the joint members are urged upwardly, thereby restoring the umbrella to its original condition.