Patent ID: 7484518

Claim:
A reversible umbrella, comprising: (a) a supportive pole having an upper portion and a lower portion; wherein the supportive pole further comprises: (i) a cap mounted on one end thereof; (ii) a handle mounted on the opposite end thereof; and (iii) first, second, and third locking members mounted partially within the supportive pole, wherein the first locking member is located near the handle, wherein the third locking member is located near the cap, and wherein the second locking member is located between the first and third locking members; and (b) a canopy assembly slidably mounted on the supportive pole, wherein the canopy assembly further includes: (i) first, second, and third sliding collars mounted on the supportive pole, wherein the first sliding collar is located on the lower portion of the pole, wherein the third sliding collar is located on the upper portion of the pole, and wherein the second sliding collar is located between the first and third sliding collars; (ii) a canopy attached to a plurality of canopy support rods, wherein each of the plurality of canopy support rods is hingeably attached at one end to the third sliding collar; (iii) a first plurality of connector rods, wherein one end of each connector rod is hingeably attached to one of the canopy support rods and wherein the other end of the connector rod is hingeably attached to the second sliding collar; and (iv) a second plurality of connector rods, wherein one end of each connector rod is hingeably attached to one of the first plurality of connector rods and wherein the other end is hingeably attached to the first sliding collar; and (c) wherein the canopy support rods extend downward in an open orientation and extend upward in an inverted orientation, the third sliding collar being retained in a location near the cap by the third locking member while the first sliding collar cooperates with the second locking member to retain the umbrella in an open orientation, and wherein the first, second, and third sliding collars are pulled together downward to a location near the handle, and the first and second connector rods and the supportive rods turned upward respectively in an inverted orientation, and the first sliding collar also cooperates with the first locking member to retain the umbrella in a closed, inverted position.