Patent ID: 7484516

Claim:
An oval umbrella system, comprising: a support member; a collar slidably positioned upon said support member; a plurality of first rib linkages extending in a first direction and a second direction from said support member and said collar; each said first rib linkage having a first inner linkage section pivotally attached to said support member and said collar, a first middle linkage section pivotally attached to said first inner linkage section, and a first outer rib section pivotally attached to said first middle linkage section; a plurality of second rib linkages extending in a third direction and a fourth direction from said support member and said collar; each said second rib linkage having a second inner linkage section pivotally attached to said support member, said collar, and a second outer rib section; wherein said first rib linkages are longer than said second rib linkages when fully extended; and a covering attached to said first rib linkages and said second rib linkages, wherein each said first rib linkage has a first outer dome rib attached to said covering at the distal end of said first outer dome rib and each said second rib linkage has a second outer dome rib attached to said covering at the distal end of said second outer dome rib, each said first outer dome rib and each said second outer dome rib having substantially uniform lengths, wherein each said first inner linkage section has a first stretcher rib pivotally attached to a top of said support member and a first strut pivotally attached to said collar and to said first stretcher rib approximately medially along said first stretcher rib's length, and each said second inner linkage section has a second stretcher rib pivotally attached to said collar and a second strut pivotally attached to a top of said support member and to said second stretcher rib approximately medially along said second stretcher rib's length, wherein the distal ends of said first rib linkages and said second rib linkages lie on the same plane when said covering is collapsed, and wherein the distal ends of said first rib linkages and said second rib linkages lie on the same plane when said covering is opened.