Abstract:
An umbrella that is constructed with a portion that takes the appearance of the crown of a hat and another portion which takes the appearance of the brim of a hat.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    An umbrella apparatus is disclosed that includes a raised interior cover, a substantially horizontal outer cover, and optional fabric wall that extends around the perimeter. The wall may be formed from porous material which permits drainage of water off the umbrella cover. The umbrella can then be in the form of a hat with the interior cover forming the crown of the hat, the outer cover forming the brim of the hat and the wall forming an upturned edge of the brim of the hat. 
       REFERENCE TO RELATED ART 
       [0002]    Umbrellas have been used in connection with patio furniture for many years, and have likely been available for personal use even longer. However, configurations that deviate from the traditional “dome” shaped umbrella are less well known. One reason for this is that new umbrella configurations may be less efficient at protecting the user from the weather. Another consideration is that new designs may be more difficult to manufacture. Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an umbrella apparatus that may allow a user to adopt more innovative umbrella shapes for use in marketing and advertising or the like while still retaining the principal functions of the umbrella. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]    Reference will be made infra to drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout and wherein: 
           [0004]      FIG. 1  is a perspective side view of an embodiment of an umbrella apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a planar side view of the umbrella apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a planar top view of the umbrella apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is a planar bottom view of the umbrella apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is a partial vertical cross-sectional view of the umbrella apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of the top notch assembly of the umbrella apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of the runner assembly of the umbrella apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 8  is a vertical cross-sectional view of the umbrella apparatus of  FIG. 1  with the cover partially collapsed; 
           [0012]      FIG. 9  is a vertical cross-sectional view of the umbrella apparatus of  FIG. 1  with the cover fully collapsed; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 10  is a vertical cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the umbrella apparatus with the cover fully extended and excluding a perimeter wall. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    The umbrella apparatus of the present invention includes a tube or support, a top notch mounted at or proximate an end (i.e., top) of the tube, and a runner movably mounted to the tube and spaced apart from the top notch. A plurality of stretchers may be pivotably secured to the runner, with each stretcher extending radially horizontally or nearly horizontally (i.e., between 0 and 10 degree) outwardly from the runner. A plurality of ribs, equal in number to the stretchers, may also be provided with each rib being pivotably secured at one end to the top notch and pivotably secured at an opposite end to a separate stretcher. The cover of the apparatus may include an interior cover that extends over the ribs of the apparatus. Likewise, an outer cover may extend from a point of overlap with the interior cover (e.g., where the ribs engage the stretchers) to a point at or proximate the opposite end of the stretcher. A perimeter wall may also be formed around the perimeter of the umbrella that may be supported by the vertically extending or curved end portions of each stretcher. The wall may be formed using porous material, while a nonporous material is used to construct the cover. 
         [0015]    Referring now to  FIGS. 5 , the umbrella apparatus  10  includes a tube or support  12 , a top notch  14  mounted at or proximate an upper end (i.e., top) of the tube  12 , and a runner  16  movably mounted to the tube  12  and spaced apart from the top notch  14 . A plurality of stretchers  18  may be pivotably secured to the runner  16 , with each stretcher  18  extending radially horizontally or nearly horizontally (i.e., between 0 and 10 degree) outwardly from the runner  16 . A plurality of ribs  20 , equal in number to the stretchers  18 , are provided with each rib  20  being pivotably secured at one end  22  to the top notch  14  and pivotably secured at an opposite end  24  to a separate stretcher  18 . 
         [0016]    Still referring to  FIG. 5  a cover  26  of the apparatus preferably includes an interior cover  28  that extends over the ribs  20  of the apparatus  10 . Likewise, an outer cover  30  may extend from a point of overlap  32  with the interior cover  28  (e.g., where the ribs engage the stretchers) to a point  34  at or proximate the opposite end of the stretcher. A perimeter wall  36  may also be formed around the perimeter of the apparatus  10  that is supported by vertically extending or curved end portions  38  of each stretcher  18 . The wall  36  may be formed using porous material, while a nonporous material is used to construct the cover  26 . 
         [0017]    As best shown in  FIGS. 5-9 , the tube  12  may be a cylindrical aluminum tube  12  having a diameter in a range of 1 and 3 inches. A hand crank assembly  40  is provided along the length of the tube  12 , with a cable  42  being positioned in the interior  44  of the tube  12  and attached to the crank  40 . As shown, the cable  42  may exit the tube  12  interior through an aperture  46  located proximate the top notch  14  and with an opposite end secured to the runner  16 . 
         [0018]    Referring now to  FIG. 7 , an annular channel  47  extends around the runner  16  with a plurality of uniformly spaced openings  48  that radiate outwardly from the channel  47 . An end  50  of each stretcher  18  may be pivotably secured to a ring  52 , and the ring  52  positioned in the channel  47  so that each stretcher  18  may extend through one of the openings  48 . A lid  54  may also be provided that is positioned over a top  56  of the runner  16  and functions to retain the ring  52  and the stretchers  18  within the channel  47 . In addition, the runner  16  may include an annular grip  58  that may extend from an underside  60  of the runner  16  and function as a handhold for a user when opening or closing of the cover  26 . 
         [0019]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , the top notch  14  of the apparatus  10  may be substantially similar in construction to the runner  16  with the exception that the top notch  14  does not include a grip  58 . Accordingly, as shown, an end  22  of each rib  20  may be pivotably secured to a ring  64 , with the ring  64  being positioned in a channel  66  so that each rib  20  may extend through one of several openings  68  of the top notch  14 . However, unlike the runner  16 , the ring  64  and ribs  20  of the top notch  14  may be retained in the channel  66  by the material of the interior cover  28  which is secured to the apex  70  of the apparatus  10  by a cap  72  that is securable to the end or top  74  of the tube  12 . 
         [0020]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1-5 ,  8  and  9 , each stretcher  18  may include one of the vertically extending or curved end portions  38  that functions as a rib or support for the perimeter wall  36 . As mentioned supra, the perimeter wall  36  may be formed from a mesh or like porous material so that water collected by the cover  26  may drain from the edge of the cover  26 . 
         [0021]    Referring now to  FIG. 10 , an alternative embodiment of the umbrella apparatus  10  is shown that does not include a perimeter wall  36 . 
         [0022]    The ribs  20 , which extend downwardly from the top notch  14  to engage the stretchers  18 , may be configured into a variety of shapes. For example, as shown, the ribs  20  may be configured so that the interior cover  28  has the outward appearance of a cone. Moreover, when combined with the horizontal arrangement of stretchers  18 , the entire apparatus  10  when covered may take on the outward appearance of a hat with the ribs  20  and the interior cover  28  forming the crown of the hat and the stretchers  18  and the outer cover  30  forming the brim of the hat. Indeed, as shown in  FIG. 10 , the look of a hat (e.g., here a “witches” hat) may be modified through variation in the length and configuration of the ribs  20 , and through adjustment of the attachment point of the ribs  20  with the stretchers  18 . 
         [0023]    In the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-9  and with the curved ends  38  and the cover  36  a hat with an outer upwardly curved end is formed so that the umbrella ca n take on the appearance of a sombrero. 
         [0024]      FIGS. 1-5  show the umbrella of the present invention in an open position with the stretchers  18  in a substantially horizontal position.  FIG. 9  shows the umbrella of the present invention in a collapsed position in which the stretchers  18  and the ribs  20  are in a substantially vertical position adjacent the support  12 .  FIG. 8  shows the umbrella in an intermediate position between an open position and a closed position. 
         [0025]    Having thus described various embodiments of the umbrella apparatus, various other embodiments will become apparent to those of skill in the art that do not depart from the scope of the present invention.