Patent ID: 8302616
Filing Date: 2012-11-06
Classification: A45B

Abstract:
1. A crankless umbrella comprising a pole; a first yoke movably and freely mounted on said pole at an upper end thereof; a second yoke fixedly mounted on said pole below said first yoke; a plurality of radially disposed ribs, each said rib being pivotally connected at one end to said first yoke to pivot between a lowered position adjacent said pole and a raised position outwardly splayed from said pole, each said rib being disposed at an angle of greater than 90° with respect to said pole in said raised position thereof; a cover mounted at a central area on said pole and secured at a plurality of peripherally disposed points to said ribs for movement between a collapsed condition about said pole corresponding to said lowered position of said ribs and a raised tensioned position splayed outwardly of said pole corresponding to said raised position of said ribs; a plurality of radially disposed struts, each strut being pivotally connected at one end to said second yoke and being pivotally connected at an opposite end to a respective one of said ribs; whereby the amount of tension in said cover in said raised position of said ribs is sufficient to impart a biasing force on said ribs that counteracts the gravitational forces on said ribs that would otherwise collapse said ribs into said lowered position of said ribs; and whereby pivoting of one of said ribs from said lowered position thereof causes said first yoke to move from a first raised position spaced from said second yoke to a second lowered position near said second yoke and a corresponding movement of the remaining ribs and said cover to splay outwardly of said pole and whereby a downwardly deflection of said cover between a pair of said ribs in said raised position thereof causes said ribs to simultaneously move from said raised positions thereof to said lowered position thereof and a corresponding movement of said cover to said collapsed condition thereof and a corresponding movement of said first yoke towards said raised position thereof.