Patent Publication Number: US-2017354214-A1

Title: Umbrella

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application is related to and claims priority from prior provisional application Ser. No. 62/349,379, filed Jun. 13, 2016 which application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     COPYRIGHT NOTICE 
     A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 37 CFR 1.71(d). 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention(s). It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art, or material, to the presently described or claimed inventions, or that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art. 
     1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of umbrella devices and more specifically relates to an illuminated umbrella device comprising a handheld umbrella that has an on/off switch to illuminate streaming or solid lights. The lights may be useful for inclement weather, to help a person be seen at night, or for decorative purposes. Also, the lights may illuminate at the top and sides of the umbrella. 
     2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
     An umbrella or parasol is a folding canopy supported by wooden or metal ribs, which is mounted on a wooden, metal or plastic pole. It is designed to protect a person against rain or sunlight. The word “umbrella” typically refers to a device used for protection from rain. The word parasol usually refers to an item designed to protect from the sun. Often the difference is the material used for the canopy; some parasols are not waterproof. Umbrella canopies may be made of fabric or flexible plastic. 
     Umbrellas and parasols are primarily hand-held portable devices sized for personal use. The largest hand-portable umbrellas are golf umbrellas. Umbrellas can be divided into two categories: fully collapsible umbrellas, in which the metal pole supporting the canopy retracts, making the umbrella small enough to fit in a handbag, and non-collapsible umbrellas in which the support pole cannot retract; only the canopy can be collapsed. Another distinction can be made between manually operated umbrellas and spring-loaded automatic umbrellas which spring open at the press of a button. 
     Various attempts have been made to solve the above-mentioned problems such as those found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,831 to Akira Tatsumi; U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,873 to Chiu-Hsiung Yang; and U.S. Publication No. 2009/0260663 to Carlos J. Lewis. This art is representative of umbrellas having illumination means. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the invention as claimed. 
     Ideally, an umbrella should provide protection from rain and sun, be versatile enough to carry, and sturdy enough to have a long usage life, and, yet would operate reliably and be manufactured at a modest expense. Thus, a need exists for a reliable improved umbrella to avoid the above-mentioned problems. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known umbrella art, the present invention provides a novel improved umbrella. The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail is to provide an illuminated umbrella device comprising a handheld umbrella that has an on/off switch to illuminate streaming or solid lights. The lights may be useful for inclement weather, to help a person be seen at night, or for decorative purposes. 
     An improved umbrella is disclosed herein comprising an elongated shaft member including a handle member on a proximal end having a computer circuit board member, and a power source formed as at least one rechargeable battery member located within an interior portion which is adapted to control an electric current passing through; and a button member mounted on the outside of the handle member which is connected to the computer circuit board member and the power source, and is connected to electrical wiring within the elongated shaft member and extends beyond the length of it and out from a distal end. A series of light members formed as light emitting diodes are adapted to emit colors chosen from a group of colors consisting of red, white, blue, green, and orange, are electrically connected to one another and to an outer edge of the canopy member thereby encircling the canopy member. 
     The series of light members are electrically connected to the electrical wiring from the elongated shaft member to receive electrical current from the power source within the handle member to be selectively turned on and off by the button member. The handle member further includes a sound emitting member electrically connected to the button member and adapted to emit an emergency alarm sound when the button is pushed twice. The computer circuit board member is adapted to control the flow of electricity from the button member to the series of light members, such that individual series of light members can be turned on and off at chosen intervals to signal an emergency if necessary. 
     A releasable retainer is located on an upper section of the elongated shaft member in proximity to the distal end, and is adapted to hold a ring member in an open position. The ring member is adapted to slide along the elongated shaft member and be retained at the upper section or the lower section by a releasable retainer. A plurality of spaced elongated rib members are pivotally connected to the elongated shaft member at the distal end and radiate outward from the center. A flexible material canopy member chosen from a group of flexible materials consisting of nylon, plastic, and cotton is attached to the rib members. 
     Stretcher members are pivotally connected at respective distal ends to the ring member, and are also pivotally connected at respective proximal ends to a respective rib member, such that the flexible canopy member can be stored in a collapsed position for storage around the elongated shaft member, and also be opened and held in a fully extended and taut configuration adapted to withstand wind and rain. The rib members and stretcher members are formed from a material chosen from a group of materials consisting of stainless steel, plastic, and aluminum, and the elongated shaft member is formed from a material chosen from a group of materials consisting of stainless steel, plastic, aluminum, wood, fiberglass, and ceramic for durability. 
     The present invention holds significant improvements and serves as an improved umbrella. For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and method(s) of use for the present invention, improved umbrella constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view illustrating an improved umbrella according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view illustrating an improved umbrella according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side view illustrating the electrical components and wiring of an improved umbrella according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view illustrating an improved umbrella according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to an umbrella device and more particularly to an improved umbrella as used to provide protection from the weather, which further has a switch on the handle to illuminate streaming or solid LED lights along the border for decorative and safety purposes, to be readily seen at night. 
     Generally speaking, improved umbrella is a handheld umbrella with a switch on the handle to illuminate streaming or solid lights along the borders for decorative and safety purposes. The lights help a person be seen at night or in inclement weather. The umbrella is also able to emit a sound with the push of a button in case of emergency. 
     Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference there is shown in  FIG. 1 , a perspective view illustrating an improved umbrella  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Improved umbrella  100  is disclosed herein comprising elongated shaft member  106  including handle member  110  on a proximal end  112  having computer circuit board member  116 , and power source  124  formed as at least one rechargeable battery member  130  located within interior portion  138  which is adapted to control an electric current passing through; and button member  144  mounted on the outside of handle member  110  which is connected to computer circuit board member  116  and power source  124 , and is connected to electrical wiring  150  within elongated shaft member  106  and extends beyond the length of it and out from distal end  114 . Series of light members  160  formed as light emitting diodes  162  are adapted to emit colors chosen from a group of colors consisting of red, white, blue, green, and orange, are electrically connected to one another and to outer edge  168  of canopy member  170  thereby encircling canopy member  170 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a side view illustrating an improved umbrella according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Series of light members  160  are electrically connected to electrical wiring  150  from elongated shaft member  106  to receive electrical current from power source  124  within handle member  110  to be selectively turned on and off by button member  144 . Handle member  110  further includes sound emitting member  120  electrically connected to button member  144  and adapted to emit an emergency alarm sound when button member  144  is pushed twice. Computer circuit board member  116  is adapted to control the flow of electricity from button member  144  to series of light members  160 , such that individual series of light members  160  can be turned on and off at chosen intervals to signal an emergency if necessary. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a side view illustrating the electrical components and wiring of an improved umbrella according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Releasable retainer  180  is located on an upper section  188  of elongated shaft member  106  in proximity to distal end  114 , and is adapted to hold ring member  184  in an open position. Ring member  184  is adapted to slide along elongated shaft member  106  and be retained at upper section  188  or lower section  190  by releasable retainer  180 . The plurality of spaced elongated rib members  172  are pivotally connected to elongated shaft member  106  at distal end  114  and radiate outward from the center. Flexible material  174  canopy member  170  chosen from a group of flexible materials  174  consisting of nylon, plastic, and cotton is attached to spaced elongated rib members  172 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , an exploded view illustrating an improved umbrella according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Stretcher members  178  are pivotally connected at respective distal ends to ring member  184 , and are also pivotally connected at respective proximal ends to elongated rib members  172 , such that flexible canopy member  170  can be stored in a collapsed position for storage around elongated shaft member  106 , and also be opened and held in a fully extended and taut configuration adapted to withstand wind and rain. Elongated rib members  172  and stretcher members  178  are formed from a material chosen from a group of materials consisting of stainless steel, plastic, and aluminum, and elongated shaft member  106  is formed from a material chosen from a group of materials consisting of stainless steel, plastic, aluminum, wood, fiberglass, and ceramic for durability. 
     Improved umbrella  100  may be manufactured and provided for sale in a wide variety of sizes and shapes for a wide assortment of applications. Upon reading this specification, it should be appreciated that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, arrangements such as, for example, different orders within above-mentioned list, etc., may be sufficient. 
     The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.