Patent ID: 7712476

Claim:
A disposable umbrella comprising: a staff having an upper end and a lower end suitable for gripping by a user; a fixed collar mounted to said upper end of said staff; a plurality of main struts pivably attached to said fixed collar and extending radially from said fixed collar, said plurality of main struts being movable from collapsed positions wherein said main struts extend generally parallel to said staff to open positions wherein said main struts extend outwardly from said staff; a waterproof film fixed to said plurality of main struts and extending generally from said staff to the extended ends of said main struts, said film being a waterproof film formed of a PVC petroleum-based plastic and an additive that substantially retains the physical properties of the PVC petroleum-based plastic but renders the PVC petroleum-based plastic film biodegradable when placed in an active landfill microbial environment; a slidable collar having a bore therethrough and being slidably mounted on said staff; a plurality of actuating struts, said actuating struts having an inner end pivotably attached to said slidable collar and an outer end pivotably attached to associated main struts so that movement of said collar along said staff towards said upper end of said staff causes said main struts to move out to said open positions; and latching means for selectively holding said slidable collar in a predetermined position on said staff to thereby hold main struts in said open positions, or releasing said slidable collar to allow movement of said slidable collar towards said lower end, said staff, collars, struts, waterproof film and latching means are all formed of bio-degradable materials, whereby the umbrella may be disposed of in a landfill without harming the environment.