Folding umbrella

Folding umbrellas which close into a compact condition, for convenience in storage and portability are, of course, well known. To such umbrella, having the characterizing closing mode in which lower rib portions fold bodily against upper rib portions, there are provided, in one embodiment, cooperating closure panels which move towards each other from opposite sides against the bodily folded ribs and are joined to each other, by snaps, zipper, or the like, so as to effectively serve as an integral cover for the umbrella and, in another embodiment, a sock-like tube which is pulled over the folded-closed umbrella thereby serving as a closure for same.

The present invention relates generally to folding umbrellas, of that 
particular classification described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 
4,007,753, and more specifically to improvements for same that utilize to 
full advantage the characterizing closing mode of the umbrella to provide 
an integral cover for same and thereby further adding to the convenience 
in the storing and portability of the umbrella. 
One well known type of folding umbrella, as exemplified by that described 
and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,753, assumes a compact, closed 
condition as a result of the cover-supporting ribs thereof bodily folding 
together, and such folded ribs then closing upon the umbrella central rod. 
Underlying the present invention is the recognition that this closing or 
folding mode can impart a closing movement to closure panels that 
advantageously can be used to provide an integral cover to the umbrella. 
Moreoever, until this umbrella type is folded closed, it is further 
recognized that the closure panels are in an out-of-the-way position, and 
thus do not interfere with the normal, intended use of the umbrella. 
Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to further enhance the 
convenience aspects of a folding umbrella by additional use of the closing 
mode thereof. Specifically, in one preferred embodiment it is an object to 
have panels close upon the umbrella rib structure, as a further 
consequence of the closing movement of said rib structure, such that said 
panels effectively serve as a protective, integral cover for the umbrella. 
As already noted, the within invention is applied to a folding umbrella of 
the type having a central rod-type handle and circumferentially spaced 
ribs hingedly connected adjacent the top of said handle, each of said ribs 
being further hinged at a medial location therealong and operationally 
disposed to fold bodily upon itself during the folding of said umbrella 
into a compact storage condition, said invention residing in certain 
improvements to such folding umbrella that provides an integral cover for 
same. As is more particularly detailed subsequently herein, the 
improvements which demonstrate objects and advantages of the present 
invention include a central panel attached to the handle at a location 
therealong below the ribs in their bodily folded condition. A cooperating 
pair of closure panels are foldably attached on opposite sides of the 
central panel and means are provided for interconnecting the remote end of 
each said closure panel to at least a selected cooperating one said 
folding rib, with the result that said closure panels are urged through 
closing movement towards each other incident to the bodily folding of the 
ribs. In the within umbrella as just generally described therefor, the 
closure panels are advantageously positioned so they end up in covering 
relation on opposite sides of the bodily folded ribs, to thereby 
contribute to providing an integral, protective cover to the umbrella. 
In another preferred embodiment use is made of a sock-like fabric tube, 
instead of the closure panels, which tube is pulled in covering relation 
over the folded-closed umbrella.

In remaining FIGS. 8-10B there is illustrated still another embodiment of 
an improved folding umbrella according to the present invention in which a 
sock-like fabric tube is used as a closure for the folded-closed umbrella. 
More particularly, FIG. 8 is a partial side elevational view illustrating 
structural details of this additional inventive embodiment; 
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the sock-like tube prior to attachment to 
the umbrella; and 
FIGS. 10A and 10B are perspective views illustrating the manner in which 
the sock-like tube is pulled in covering relation over the folded-closed 
umbrella. 
As is well understood, there is a classification of folding umbrellas of 
the type in which the lower section closes upon an upper section as both 
these sections close upon the umbrella rod, such movement in the sections 
occurring as a result of articulating or pivotal movement of the umbrella 
ribs. The aforesaid well known classification of folding umbrellas is 
exemplified by prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,753 which, by the reference just 
made thereto, is intended to be incorporated in its entirety herein. That 
is, the manner in which the umbrella folds so that a lower or peripheral 
section moves bodily against an upper section, namely the one hingedly 
attached to the top of the umbrella rod, and both said sections move 
against the umbrella rod during the closing of the umbrella, is believed 
to be described in such sufficient detail in said U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,753 
that it is unnecessary, for a complete understanding of the within 
invention, to repeat said description except in passing and in a general 
manner. 
Stated another way, the bodily folding of the umbrella ribs as above 
described is not the thrust of the within invention. Rather, the within 
invention is the recognition that in such a folding umbrella of the type 
referred to and described in said U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,753, that there can 
be advantageously embodied as part of the umbrella closure panels which 
effectively serve as an integral cover for the umbrella when the umbrella 
ribs assume their compact folded condition against the umbrella rod, all 
as will now be described in detail. 
EMBODIMENT OF FIGS. 1-5 
Referring to the first embodiment of the within improved umbrella as 
illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, respectively, said umbrella, generally 
designated 10, has a characteristic closing action that may be readily 
discerned by progressive examination of FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5. Thus, 
starting with FIG. 1, and as further amplified by corresponding FIG. 1A, 
umbrella 10 includes a circumferential arrangement of upper section 
umbrella ribs, individually and collectively designated 12, hingedly 
connected, as at 14, adjacent the upper end of the umbrella rod 16. At its 
opposite end, as at 18, there is a hinged connection to a lower section of 
umbrella ribs, individually and collectively designated 20. Thus, ribs 20 
are an extension of ribs 12 and cooperate with each other to provide 
support for a weather barrier or cover 22 of suitable material, such as 
fabric, plastic or the like. 
To effectuate closing of the umbrella as above described, wherein the lower 
section ribs 20 bodily fold upon the upper section ribs 12 as both said 
sections 12, 20 themselves fold and move into a position adjacent the 
umbrella rod 16, use is made in the umbrella 10 of umbrella-closing struts 
24 and 26, and a slide 28. With respect to components 24, 26 and 28, 
umbrella 10 hereof differs from the patented umbrella of referred to U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,007,753 which uses a somewhat different cooperative arrangement 
of components, but such components as are used in said patented umbrella 
and the just referred to components 24, 26 and 28 will be understood to be 
mechanically equivalent. In any event, the particular structure used for 
bodily folding umbrella ribs 20 upon ribs 12 is not the essence of the 
within invention. 
To follow the operation of the rib-folding mechanism progressive 
examination should be made of FIGS. 1 and 2 and, of course, associated 
FIGS. 1A and 2A. The referred to operation is initiated by depressing the 
conventional spring-biased stop 30 which releases the slide 28 for 
downward movement along the rod 16. In response to such movement, or at 
least the initial portion thereof as illustrated in FIG. 2, strut 26 is 
projected into a more vertical orientation and has the effect of urging 
its cooperating upper rib 12 into closing movement against rod 16 and in 
initiating its cooperating lower rib 12 into a clockwise pivotal traverse 
about hinge 18 which, as already noted, results in said rib 20 bodily 
folding upon rib 12. 
In response to continued downward movement of slide 28 for the further 
distance as illustrated in FIG. 4, there will be produced, in a manner 
which is well understood, the closed folded condition for the umbrella 
ribs as illustrated in FIG. 4. Said terminal closing movement is also 
essentially the result of the pivotal traverse of strut 24 about its pivot 
connection 32 to slide 28. This pivotal traversing movement in strut 24 in 
effect pushes the cooperating lower rib 20 into a bodily folded condition 
against an upper rib 12. To keep each cooperating pair of a 
movement-imparting strut 24 in alignment with a cooperating lower rib 20 
use is made of a loop 34 attached as at 36 to the end of strut 24, through 
which each cooperating lower rib 20 is projected. 
The manner by which ribs 20 bodily fold upon ribs 12, and said ribs 20, 12 
themselves fold upon rod 16, as just described, as already indicated does 
not form an essential part of the present invention except that this 
closing or folding movement is a characterizing operational attribute of 
umbrella 10 embodying the present invention. 
More particularly, the present invention as applied to umbrella 10 consists 
of the structural features and of the operation of such features as will 
now be described. The same includes a panel 38 which, by position, is in a 
central location also occupied by the rod 16, said central panel 38 being 
affixed in an appropriate manner to slide 28 of the rod 16. At opposite 
edges, as at 40 and 42, and as is perhaps best illustrated in FIG. 3, 
central panel 38 has an appropriate connection which permits articulation 
or folding movement in a connected pair of closure panels 44 and 46. Each 
closure panel 44 and 46 is generally rectangular, as illustrated in FIG. 
5, and by articulating connections 40 and 42 it is meant that these panels 
have a degree of folding movement from opposite directions, designated 48 
in FIG. 4A, which maintains the lower umbrella ribs 20 in bodily folded 
condition against ribs 12 and both said ribs folded against the rod 16. In 
the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 this is actually achieved by manually 
depressing the closure panels 44 and 46 together and engaging together 
male and female snap fasteners 50, one such fastener being on the closure 
panel 44 and the other at the end of a strap 52 attached to the closure 
panel 44, as at 54, and of sufficient length to encircle the folded 
construction, all as is clearly illustrated in FIG. 5. 
EMBODIMENT OF FIG. 6 
At this point in the description it is convenient to note that in another 
contemplated embodiment of the invention, namely that illustrated in FIG. 
6, that the closure panels 44 and 46 are provided with strips of fabric 56 
and 58 appropriately connected about their periphery, which strips are 
provided with a zipper 60 along their confronting edges. Also readily 
noted by comparison of FIGS. 5 and 6 is that the lower length portion of 
the rod 16, designated 16A in these figures, is preferably telescoped 
within the upper rod portion so that it can be pushed therein so as to 
assume the compact condition illustrated in FIG. 6. 
EMBODIMENT OF FIGS. 8-10B 
As a substitute for the closure panels 44 and 46, there can be use of a 
sock-like fabric tube 100 as shown in isolated perspective in FIG. 9. The 
bottom opening 102 of tube 100 is connected, as at 104, to the top of the 
central panel 38 in any appropriate manner, said central panel 38, as 
already explained in connection with the previously described embodiments 
being made an integral part of the umbrella slide 28. As a consequence, 
and as clearly illustrated in FIG. 8, in the open or unfolded condition of 
umbrella 10 the sock 100 occupies an out-of-the-way storage position about 
slide 28 between the slide central panel 38 on its lower side and the 
rib-attaching flange 32 thereof at its upper side. 
As shown in progressive sequence in FIGS. 10A and 10B, after umbrella 10 is 
placed in its folded-closed condition (FIG. 10A), the fabric tube 100 is 
pulled upward, as in the direction 106, in covering relation over the 
folded-closed umbrella, all as is clearly illustrated in FIG. 10B. A 
drawstring 108 is then advantageously used to close the tube upper opening 
110, and the bottom telescoping rod 16A pushed up into the rod length 
portion 16 to there provide the umbrella 10 with the compact storage 
condition illustrated in FIG. 10B. 
For completeness' sake it is mentioned that a preferred construction 
material for the sock 100 is an elastic or similar fabric. 
From the foregoing it should be readily appreciated that there has been 
described herein improved umbrella embodiments having the characteristic 
folding action as noted which are further embodied, in one embodiment, 
with closure panels 44 and 46 and, in another embodiment, with a fabric 
tube 100, both of which provide an integral cover for the umbrella. 
EMBODIMENT OF FIG. 7A 
In passing it is noted, in particular conjunction with FIGS. 7 and 7A, that 
there may be instances in which the user may want to those the umbrella in 
the conventional way in which the ribs 12, 20 are merely folded upon the 
rod 16 but not bodily folded upon themselves. FIGS. 7 and 7A demonstrate 
that this method of closing is possible and, more particularly, is not 
interfered with by the presence of the closure panels 44 and 46. This is 
because the articulating connections 40 and 42 of the closure panels 44, 
46 to the central panel 38 allow a degree of pivotal traversing movement 
in the opposite direction which results in the closure panels 44 and 46 
being moved adjacent the umbrella rods 16, 16A, and the rib struts folded 
against these panels. This closing mode, however, must be achieved 
manually. In practice, the user is thus required to release slide 28 to a 
position just slightly below stop 30, which is the position illustrated in 
FIGS. 7 and 7A, and then manually complete the conventional closing of the 
umbrella. 
A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the 
foregoing disclosure, and in some instances some features of the invention 
will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. 
Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed 
broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the 
invention herein.