Patent ID: 7963293

Claim:
An umbrella, comprising: a support pole assembly comprising: a lower pole having a lower end and an upper end; an upper pole vertically translatable relative to the lower pole; a canopy support frame comprising: an upper hub coupled with the upper pole and with a first plurality of ribs, each rib of the first plurality of ribs having a proximal end coupled with the upper hub and a distal end spaced therefrom; a lower hub coupled with a second plurality of ribs, each rib of the second plurality having a proximal end coupled with the lower hub and a distal end coupled with one of the first plurality of ribs; and a middle hub coupled with the lower pole and with a third plurality of ribs, each of the third plurality of ribs having a proximal end coupled with the middle hub and a distal end coupled with one of the second plurality of ribs; and an actuating handle coupled with the upper pole and translatable relative to the lower pole so that, when the actuating handle is raised, the upper pole and the upper hub are raised causing the canopy support frame to close; wherein the umbrella comprises: a closed configuration corresponding to a raised position of the actuating handle, the upper pole, and the upper hub, a substantially fully open configuration corresponding to a lowered position of the actuating handle, the upper pole, and the upper hub, and a weight-balanced configuration corresponding to an intermediate position between the closed and fully open position of the actuating handle, the upper pole, and the upper hub, in which the weight loads of the umbrella are substantially balanced such that absent an opening or closing force, the umbrella is neither induced to open or close, the intermediate position being disposed between and spaced from the raised and lowered positions of the actuating handle, the upper pole, and the upper hub.