TH144599A - umbrella - Google Patents

Abstract

The umbrella components described here are ideally designed to provide a robust, durable and yet simple arrangement for fitting the umbrella in an open frame, such as with the runner in the raised position.

Claims (17)

1. An umbrella, comprising: a pole having an upper and lower ends, and an extension along its longitudinal axis, the upper hub being connected to the upper end of the pole, a runner positioned under the upper hub and connected to the pole to move between a lower position where the umbrella is in a closed configuration in such position and an upper position where the umbrella is in an open configuration in such position, a plurality of support members connected to the hub and the runner, a support projection extending outward from and rigidly attached to the outer surface of the pole, a support projection extending substantially perpendicular to and intersecting the longitudinal axis of the pole, and a locking device mounted on the runner rotating about its axis, a locking device positioned inward along the radial perimeter of the outer circumference of the runner, a locking device comprising an attachment member extending outward and capable of being moved towards the pole to engage the support projection to retain the runner in the upper position and capable of being moved away from the pole to be released from the support projection to permit the runner to move from the upper position to the lower position, the locking device being arranged to operate around Pivot, a pivot point placed beneath and extending transversely to the direction of the support projection when the attachment member is engaged with the support projection. 2. The umbrella as described in claim 1, wherein the runner comprises a cover portion arranged to engage both the locking device and at least one support member of the plurality of support members within the runner when the cover portion is assembled to the runner. 3. The umbrella as described in claim 1, wherein the locking device is arranged so as to be mounted rotating about an axis on the runner such that a force applied to one end of the locking device causes the other end of the locking device to rotate about an axis away from the side of the support structure. 4. An umbrella as described in claim 3, wherein the sleeve is provided over the locking device, the sleeve having an inner surface to engage the locking device to move the locking device between the engaged position and the released position. 5. An umbrella as described in claim 4, wherein when the sleeve is moved downward the inner surface applies an increased lateral force to the locking device and when the sleeve is moved upward the inner surface applies a reduced or no force to the locking device. 6. The parachute as described in claim 4, further comprising at least one oriented guiding surface positioned between the sleeve and the runner surface to guide the movement of the sleeve relative to the runner. 7. The umbrella as described in claim 6, wherein the sleeve includes a recess to accommodate the outward movement of the bottom portion of the locking device and the protrusion is a sleeve arranged to apply an inward force to the bottom portion of the locking device. 8. The umbrella as described in claim 7, wherein the sleeve and/or runner comprises a limiting actuation movement wherein the sleeve movement is limited to a limiting extent to prevent the lateral force using the sleeve protrusion from being released from the lower end of the lower portion of the locking device. 9. The umbrella as described in claim 8, wherein the sleeve lugs comprise a projection and the lugs comprise a shoulder attachment of the projection and a shoulder corresponding to the position of the sleeve relative to the locking device such that the lateral force applied by the projection is such that the sleeve is held in place over the lower end of the lower part of the locking device. 10. The umbrella as described in claim 1, wherein the supporting member comprises: a plurality of struts connected to the top hub and a plurality of struts, each of which extends between and is connected to the struts and a runner, wherein the inner struts are open-configured, the runners are lifted and the roof positioned over the struts is extended, and the inner ends of the struts are connected to the runners and are positioned at a height higher than the outer ends of the struts and are closed-configured, the runners are lowered and the inner ends of the struts are positioned at a height lower than the outer ends of the struts. 11. The umbrella as described in claim 10, wherein in an open configuration and in the absence of downward force, the external locking device is positioned directly over the pole projection but with a minimum downward force applied to the pole projection. 12. The umbrella as described in claim 10, wherein in the open configuration and in the absence of external downward forces, the locking device is positioned directly over the column projection but does not apply a significant downward force to the column projection. 13. The umbrella as described in claim 1, wherein the supporting member comprises: a plurality of ribs connected to the upper hub, and a plurality of struts extending between the outer ends connected to the ribs and the inner ends connected to the ribs, wherein the umbrella comprises an open frame in which the runners are raised and the roof is positioned, and an extension over the ribs and a closed frame in which the runners are lowered, the inner end of the strut being positioned at a height above the outer ends of the struts when the umbrella is in the open frame such that the folded umbrella is positioned. 14. Umbrella, comprising: a mast having an upper and lower end, an upper hub connected to the upper end of the mast, a runner positioned under the upper hub and connected to the mast to move between a lower position at which the umbrella is closed in said position and an upper position at which the umbrella is open. In said positions, the runner is connected to a number of struts that are pivotally mounted on the runner at a first position, a projection extending outward from and rigidly fixed to the surface of the mast, and a locking device having an actuator pivotally mounted on the runner at a second position, the second position below the first position, a locking device having a retaining member at a third position above the first position, a retaining member arranged to engage the projections to hold the runner in the upper position and to disengage it from the supporting structure to permit the runner to move from the upper position to the lower position, a sleeve being arranged over the locking device, the sleeve having an inner surface engaging the locking device to move the locking device from the engaged position to the released position. 15. An umbrella as described in claim 14, wherein the locking device is arranged such that when the sleeve is moved parallel in a downward direction, the inner surface of the sleeve applies an increased lateral force to the locking device and when the sleeve is moved parallel in a significantly upward direction, the inner surface of the sleeve applies a reduced lateral force or no lateral force to the locking device. 16. An umbrella as stated in claim r, wherein the range of movement of the sleeve is limited between the upper and lower shoulders of the runner such that parallel upward sliding of the sleeve is prevented upon contact between the surface of the sleeve and the upper shoulder of the runner and parallel downward sliding of the sleeve is prevented upon contact between the surface of the sleeve and the lower shoulder of the runner. 17. The parachute as described in claim 16, wherein the sleeve comprises one or more channels arranged to be attached to one or more guide members positioned on the runner to guide the ascending or descending of the sleeve relative to the runner.