Abstract:
An umbrella is provided a pair of legging-storage pockets on diametrically opposite sides of the center of the umbrella canopy to aid in balancing the weight of the pockets and their contents on opposite sides of the canopy center. Each of the pockets has a closeable entry opening communicating with the pocket interior and through which opening a legging body can be passed into and out of the pocket interior. A pair of folded open-ended tubular legging bodies of flexible, liquid-tight sheet material are normally stored in these pockets. Each of the tubular bodies has an open bottom with a loop-forming stirrup adapted to loop around one of the user&#39;s shoes and be pulled adjacent to the heel of the user&#39;s shoe, where it makes little or no contact with the ground to minimize wear thereof. Securing means, which are preferably a Velcro® strip and complementary patch are provided at an outer portion of each legging-forming tubular body, to retain the outer portion of the body upon the user&#39;s leg, preferably just above the user&#39;s knee.

Description:
DESCRIPTION 
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to umbrellas and rain cover leggings and, in the most important application of the invention, to a unique combination thereof. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Prior to the present application, it was contemplated by some umbrella manufacturers to include in the umbrella canopy a single pocket for storing light-in-weight articles. However, the pocket was not practical for storing a raincoat, a pair of foot coverings or the like. Moreover, even if such a pocket were of adequate size to store such articles, the umbrella would have been difficult or inconvenient to hold in an elevated position over the user&#39;s head, because the umbrella would be unbalanced. 
     Raincoats are so bulky and heavy that it would not be practical to place a folded raincoat in an umbrella pocket. While foot coverings, like thin plastic or rubber galoshes or the like could be stored in such a pocket, it is believed that no one prior to the present invention considered designing a thin plastic tubular product which could serve as an easy-to-attach covering for a user&#39;s pants legs or exposed legs to prevent the uncomfortable and inconvenient soaking of the user&#39;s pants legs or user&#39;s legs which umbrellas cannot prevent in a heavy downpour of rain. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One embodiment of the present invention provides a unique construction of both an umbrella and a pair of tubular leggings which can be normally folded and stored in the umbrella canopy in a manner not to unbalance the umbrella, and which can be quickly and easily removed from the umbrella and secured around the user&#39;s pants legs or legs. Another aspect of the invention is the design of a pair of pockets, each of which contain one of the tubular leggings, which can be easily attached to most umbrellas in a manner which will not unbalance the umbrella. Another embodiment of the invention incorporates the pockets into the umbrella canopy during the manufacture thereof. 
     Accordingly, one of the features of the present invention is an umbrella provided with a pair of storage pockets on the diametrical opposite sides thereof, so that when articles like the tubular leggings described are placed in the pockets, the umbrella can remain balanced when held over the user&#39;s head. A related feature of the invention is to place in each pocket a legging which, under very heavy rain conditions, where rain is likely to splash on the user&#39;s legs or pants, can be quickly removed from the umbrella pockets and securely placed over the user&#39;s legs or pants legs. To avoid the necessity of requiring a different sized pants leg for each different leg or pants size, it is another aspect of the present invention to design the leggings so that they can be fitted over and securely attached to the legs and/or pants legs of a range of lengths and thicknesses thereof so that the invention can be conveniently marketed to encompass users of all ages and size. 
     While the design of the leggings to be useable with a wide variety of leg sizes has a special use with the unique umbrella of the present invention, it also has use where the leggings are carried by a user in a handbag or brief case. The manner in which the leggings are constructed to be useable with a wide variety of leg or pants leg sizes will be described in detail below. 
     As above indicated, the legging storage pockets can be incorporated into the umbrella when the umbrella is initially manufactured. However, as previously indicated, another feature of the invention is to manufacture the pockets separately from the umbrella, and to design them so that they can be easily attached to most existing umbrellas. The preferred manner in which this is achieved will also be described below. 
     Other advantages and aspects of the invention will become apparent upon making reference to the specification, claims, and drawings to follow. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pair of legging-holding pockets designed to be attached to a conventional umbrella canopy in a manner where the umbrella involved can be used in the normal manner, one of the pockets being shown as empty and the other having a folded legging therein; 
     FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the pocket shown in FIG. 1 which has the legging removed therefrom, as taken along section line 2--2 therein; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one of the leggings which has been removed from one of the pockets shown in FIG. 1 and unfolded; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an umbrella opened and inverted to show the pockets of FIG. 1, but both having leggings therein, and secured to the ribs of the umbrella canopy; 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the connection of one of the hollow grommets of one of the pocket-connecting cords of one of the pockets of FIG. 1 to the outer end of one of the canopy ribs of the umbrella shown in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the entwining of another one of the connecting cords of one of the pockets shown in FIG. 3 with the inner end portions of a canopy rib of the umbrella shown in FIG. 3 and the connection of the end thereof to a Velcro patch on the pocket; 
     FIG. 7 is an exploded fragmentary side view which shows how the legging shown in FIG. 3 is applied around and over the upper portion of a pants leg and over the shoe of the user, so that the pants leg is protected from splashing rainwater; 
     FIG. 8 is a fragmentary exploded side view showing how the legging of FIG. 7 is applied around the central portion of the pants leg, just above knee level; 
     FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of an umbrella where the pockets are incorporated into the umbrella canopy when the umbrella canopy is manufactured; and, 
     FIG. 10 is an enlarged, transverse cross-sectional view through the umbrella of FIG. 9, as seen along section line 9--9 therein. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     While this invention is susceptible of many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail the preferred embodiments of the invention, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated. 
     Refer now to FIG. 1 which shows the form of present invention which is useable with a conventional umbrella. It comprises a pair of generally triangularly shaped legging-containing pockets 2-2&#39; which are attachable in a manner to be explained to the inside of an umbrella canopy 19 (FIG. 4) over a pair of diametrically opposite triangular panels 19a&#39;--19a&#39; thereof. Each pocket 2 or 2&#39; is formed preferable by a pair of generally triangular shaped confronting panels 6,8 or 6&#39;, 8&#39; of sheet material, which could be synthetic plastic or woven material, connected in any suitable way along a pair of opposite tapering edges like 6a&#39;, 8a&#39; shown in FIG. 2 from their wide end o a point or points at their narrow ends where the pockets are preferably completely closed. The confronting wide ends of the panels 6,8 or 6&#39;,8&#39; are unconnected to leave an opening into the storage space defined between the panels 6,8 or 6&#39;,8&#39;. Folded tubular leggings 4,4&#39; are passable into and out of the interior of the pockets 2,2&#39; through these openings. A flap 9 or 9&#39; formed by an extension of the panels 8 or 8&#39; selectively covers or uncovers these pocket openings. Each flap 9 or 9&#39; is provided with a suitable fastener, such as a Velcro patch 9a or 9a&#39;, which is securable to a complementary fastener, such as a Velcro patch 9b or 9b&#39;, carried by what will be referred to as the outermost pocket panel 6 or 6&#39; when the pocket is connected to the umbrella as shown in FIG. 3. One pocket is first secured to the umbrella structure over one of the triangular panel sections 19a&#39; of the umbrella canopy 19 in a manner to be explained and the other pocket 2&#39; is similarly secured to the umbrella frame structure over the diametrically opposite triangular panel 19a&#39;, as shown in FIG. 4. 
     The umbrella frame structure includes a series of rib 2&#39; extending radially outward along the inner surface of the umbrella canopy 19. A center post 34 extends from the center point of the canopy 19 and terminates at its outer end in a handle 35. A canopy expanding and contracting assembly is provided including a post-encircling member 36 slidable along the post 34 from a point adjacent the handle 35, when the canopy is in its contracted or collapsed condition, to a point adjacent the inner end of the post. In the latter position of the post-encircling member 36, the canopy 19 is in its expanded position where it acts as a rain cover. A series of links 37 are pivotally connected between the ribs 16, usually at points between the ends thereof, and the post-encircling member 36. When the post-encircling member 36 is in its position adjacent to the handle 35, the links 37 extend generally parallel to the post 34. When the post-encircling member 36 is adjacent the inner end of the post adjacent to the center of the canopy 19, the links 37 extend radially outward of the post 34, as shown in FIG. 4, to aid in holding the canopy in its expanded rain cover position. The post-encircling member 36 may be held in its position adjacent to the center of the canopy 19 where the canopy is in its expanded position by any suitable means, which may be coil spring means or a releasable spring-urged shoulder-forming member 41 as shown in FIG. 6. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the invention, extending from the outer face of a narrow end of the outer panel 8 or 8&#39; of each pocket 2 or 2&#39; is an elastic cord 18 or 18&#39; with a Velcro patch 18a or 18a&#39; secured to the outer end thereof. The cord 18 or 18&#39; may be intertwined around and over the inner end of a tab or other frame element on the opposite side of the umbrella as shown in FIG. 6. 
     In accordance with the broadest aspect of the invention, any connecting means can be used to connect these pockets to the umbrella frame structure. 
     Preferably extending outward from each wide corner of the pocket 2 or 2&#39; is an elastic cord or band 10 or 10&#39; with a hollow plastic or metal grommet 12 or 12&#39; at the outer end thereof, adapted to snap-fit over the hollow bead 14 commonly found at the outer end of each longitudinal margin of each triangular section 19a&#39; of the umbrella canopy, as shown in FIG. 4. Each bead 14 connects the portion of the canopy involved to the end of one of the ribs 21 of the umbrella framework. The elastic cords 10 or 10&#39; at each wide corner of the pocket 2 or 2&#39; is then stretched substantially so each grommet 12 or 12&#39; can reach and be connected to one of the umbrella canopy rib-connected beads 14. This stretches the other elastic cord 18 or 18&#39; at the narrower end of the pocket involved. This stretching of the cords securely mounts the pocket involved in place on the umbrella over one of the triangular canopy sections thereof. 
     FIG. 2 shows the leggings 4 or 4&#39; when removed from the pockets 2 or 2&#39; and unfolded. Each legging includes an open ended tubular body 26 tapered to fit a given range of leg sizes, the largest of which is determined by the fully stretched and unfolded condition of the legging body 26. Extending over the narrow open end 26a of the body 26 is a stirrup or strap 28 adapted to fit over the user&#39;s right or left shoe and be pulled next to the heel of the user&#39;s shoe, where it will not generally scrape along the ground as the user is walking. A long Velcro strip 25 is secured to the legging body at a point intermediate the open ends of the tubular body 26, where the body is expected to be slightly above the user&#39;s knee. The long Velcro strip 25 is shown centered and extending across the width of the legging body. A short complementary Velcro patch 25&#39; is located at one side margin of each legging body in alignment with the associated Velcro strip 25. As shown in FIG. 8, to tightly secure the legging body over a smaller user&#39;s pants leg or leg, the side margin of the legging body 26 is grasped so that the outer margin of the body can be folded over and connected by the Velcro patch 25&#39; to the Velcro strip 25 when the legging body tightly envelops the user&#39;s leg or pants leg. The legging body 26 will not then slip below the user&#39; s knee. If the legging body is to be made to extend over the user&#39;s thigh as shown in the drawings, a similar Velcro strip 27 and patch 27&#39; is secured to the interior of the legging 26 along the wide open end thereof, so that the legging body 26 thereat can be folded inside out and the body gathered in and folded around the user&#39;s thigh to aid in keeping the legging on the user&#39;s leg or pants leg, as shown in FIG. 7. 
     As previously indicated, the present invention is also applicable to the incorporation of legging-holding pockets into an umbrella when it is initially manufactured. This form of the invention is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 to which reference is now made. The pockets 2A and 2B, as there shown, are formed, in part, by the triangular canopy sections 19a&#39;,19a&#39; on diametrically opposite sides of the umbrella canopy 19. The outermost wall of each such pocket is formed by a relatively shorter triangular panel 6A or 6B of sheet material stitched or otherwise secured along its longitudinal margins and at its narrow end to the confronting canopy panel 19a&#39;. The wide end of the panel 6A or 6B is left unsecured to the canopy panel 19a&#39;, to leave a pass-through opening into the pocket space defined between the panels 6A or 6B and 19a&#39;. The inner surface of the panel 6A or 6B at each transverse outer margin of each panel 6A or 6B is provided with a suitable fastener, like a Velcro patch 9A or 9B, so that the panel at this part can be close to the opening by being secured to a complementary fastener, like a Velcro patch 11A shown in FIG. 10, secured to the outer face of the panel 6A or 6B adjacent the pocket opening. A legging-forming body 4 or 4&#39; is suitably folded and placed in the interior of each pocket formed between the panels 6A and 19a&#39; or 6B and 19A&#39; within the location of the Velcro patches, as shown in FIG. 9. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the broader aspects of the invention. Also, it is intended that broad claims not specifying details of a particular embodiment disclosed herein as the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention should not be limited to such details.