Patent ID: 6766814
Filing Date: 2004-07-27
Classification: A45B

Abstract:
Collapsible umbrella having a rib connector slidably mounted on a central shaft, a plurality of umbrella ribs, each rib having a first rib end portion and a second rib end portion, said first rib end portion being movably connected to said rib connector, and a flexible canopy covering said ribs, said umbrella comprising:a resilient rib tensioning member connected to an end portion of said central shaft, said rib tensioning member being interconnected with said first rib end portion and said second end portion, such that: i) in response to a first moving force against said rib connector, said rib connector moves from a default position to a first open position, said default position being when said umbrella is collapsed, said ribs lying generally adjacent said central shaft, said rib connector being positioned towards a mounting surface and away from said tensioning member, said second rib end portion being positioned towards said rib tensioning member, said first open position being when said second rib end portion is positioned away from said rib tensioning member, said rib connector being positioned away from said mounting surface, said rib tensioning member exerting a first threshold holding force on said second rib end portion; ii) in response to a second moving force against said rib connector, said rib connector moves from said first open position to a second open position, said second moving force being greater than said first moving force, said second open position being when said rib connector and said second rib end portion lie along a plane generally horizontal to said mounting surface, said rib tensioning member exerting a second threshold holding force on said second rib end portion, said second threshold holding force being greater than said first threshold holding force; iii) in response to a third moving force against said rib connector, said rib connector moves from said second open position to a third open position, said third moving force being greater than said second moving force and said second threshold holding force, said third open position being when said second rib end portion is inclined generally away from said generally horizontal line towards said mounting surface, said rib connector being moved towards said rib tensioning member, said rib tensioning member exerting a third threshold holding force on said second rib end portion, said third threshold holding force being less than said second threshold holding force, said ribs having a rib weight sufficient to bias said second rib end portions towards said mounting surface.