Umbrella hub assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11206905-B2
Application number	US-202016989033-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 10, 2020
Priority date	Dec 7, 2016
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

An umbrella assembly can be assembled using L-shaped elongate members pivotably coupled with upper and lower hubs for supporting and actuating an umbrella cover. The L-shaped elongate members can be pivotably coupled together and paired such that a lateral portion of each of the elongate members extends opposite the other lateral portion within the pair and pivotably coupled with one of the upper hub and the lower hub. The lateral portions pivotably coupled within rib-receiving slots corresponding to one of the upper hub and the lower hub and secured within the rib-receiving slots by one of an upper hub cap and a lower hub cap.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable umbrella assembly comprising:
an umbrella pole extending along a longitudinal axis,
an upper hub disposed on the umbrella pole and comprising a plurality of first slots;
a plurality of wire ribs configured for supporting a canopy, L-shaped inner ends of the wire ribs including lateral end portions at least partially disposed within respective first slots of the upper hub;
a lower hub disposed about the umbrella pole and comprising a plurality of second slots;
a plurality of wire struts, L-shaped inner ends of the wire struts including lateral end portions that are at least partially disposed within respective second slots of the lower hub, and outer ends of the wire struts pivotably coupled with respective wire ribs of the plurality of wire ribs; and
wherein the first slots of the upper hub oppose movement of the L-shaped inner ends of the wire ribs in a first direction such that the L-shaped inner ends of the of wire ribs are maintained within the first slots and the second slots of the lower hub oppose movement of the L-shaped inner ends of the wire struts in a second direction, opposite the first direction, such that the L-shaped inner ends of the of the wire struts are maintained within the second slots of the lower hub.

2. The portable umbrella assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wire ribs and the wire struts are steel rods.

3. The portable umbrella assembly of claim 1 , wherein the L-shaped inner ends of the wire ribs include elongate straight portions and elongate lateral portions, the elongate straight portions being perpendicular to the elongate lateral portions.

4. The portable umbrella assembly of claim 3 , wherein the first slots include a radial portion for receiving respective elongate straight portions and circumferential portions for receiving respective elongate lateral portions.

5. The portable umbrella assembly of claim 4 , wherein the circumferential portions of the first slots are at least partially blocked by a respective retaining protrusion configured to provide a resistance force against the elongate lateral portions when a radial force is exerted on the wire ribs in the first direction.

6. The portable umbrella assembly of claim 4 , wherein the radial portions are bounded by a respective uninterrupted radial wall.

7. The portable umbrella assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first direction is counterclockwise and the second direction is clockwise.

8. The portable umbrella assembly of claim 1 , the upper hub further comprising:
an upper hub body including the first slots arranged circumferentially around an outer perimeter of the upper hub body; and
an upper hub cap including a plurality of projections, the projections insertable through the upper hub body to partially block respective first slots and trap respective L-shaped inner ends of the wire ribs therein.

9. The portable umbrella assembly of claim 1 , the lower hub further comprising:
a lower hub body including the second slots arranged circumferentially around an outer perimeter of the lower hub body; and
a lower hub cap including a plurality of projections, the projections insertable through the lower hub body to partially block respective second slots and trap respective L-shaped inner ends of the wire struts therein.

10. A portable umbrella comprising:
an upper hub configured to be disposed on an umbrella pole and comprising a plurality of first slots;
a plurality of wire ribs configured for supporting a canopy, L-shaped inner ends of the wire ribs including lateral end portions configured to be at least partially received within respective first slots of the upper hub;
a lower hub configured to be disposed about the umbrella pole and comprising a plurality of second slots;
a plurality of wire struts with L-shaped inner ends including lateral end portions configured to be at least partially received within respective second slots of the lower hub and outer ends configured for pivotally coupling with respective wire ribs; and
wherein in an assembled configuration, the L-shaped inner ends of the wire ribs are received within the first slots of the upper hub and inner walls of the first slots oppose movement of the L-shaped inner ends of the wire ribs in a first direction such that the L-shaped inner ends of the of wire ribs are maintained within the first slots and the L-shaped inner ends of the wire struts are received within the second slots of the lower hub and inner walls of the second slots oppose movement of the L-shaped inner ends of the wire struts in a second direction, opposite the first direction, such that the L-shaped inner ends of the of the wire struts are maintained within the second slots of the lower hub.

11. A portable umbrella assembly comprising:
an wire member including an L-shaped inner end including an elongate straight portion and an elongate lateral portion; and
a hub, the hub comprising:
a hub body including a plurality of slots disposed around a periphery, a slot of the plurality of slots including a radial section extending along an radial wall and a circumferential section extending circumferentially from the radial portion in a first direction;
a hub cap including a plurality of projections corresponding to the plurality of slots extending from a base;
an upper surface of the hub body including a plurality of passages corresponding to the plurality of slots and the plurality of projections, a passage of the plurality of passages aligned with the circumferential section of the slot, a projection of the plurality of projections configured to be insertable through the passage to at least partially block the circumferential section of the slot and thereby trap the elongate lateral portion of the L-shaped inner end therein; and

wherein the radial wall of the upper hub opposes movement of the elongate straight portion of the L-shaped inner end in a second direction, opposite the first direction, and the projection opposes movement of the elongate lateral portion of the L-shaped inner end, such that the L-shaped inner end of the wire member is maintained within the slot of the hub.

12. The portable umbrella assembly of claim 11 , wherein the radial wall is uninterrupted.

13. The portable umbrella assembly of claim 11 , wherein the elongate straight portion is perpendicular to the elongate lateral portion.

14. The portable umbrella assembly of claim 11 , wherein the hub body comprises an central passage and is configured to be disposed about an umbrella pole.

15. The portable umbrella assembly of claim 14 , wherein the base of the hub cap comprises an annular member configured to be disposed about the umbrella pole.

16. The portable umbrella assembly of claim 11 , wherein either the hub cap or the hub body comprises a cantilevered hook and the other of the hub cap and the hub body includes an engagement lip, the cantilevered hook configured to engage the engagement lip when the projection is within the circumferential section of the slot.

17. The portable umbrella assembly of claim 11 , wherein the hub is an upper hub.

18. The portable umbrella assembly of claim 11 , wherein the hub is a lower hub.

19. The portable umbrella assembly of claim 11 , wherein the elongate straight section of the wire member is pivotable relative to the hub about the elongate lateral section disposed within the slot.

Assignees

• Ma Zhun An

Inventors

• Ma Zhun-An

Classifications

• A45B25/02

  Umbrella frames · CPC title

• A45B25/10 Primary

  Umbrella crowns {(A45B25/06 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• A45B25/06 Primary

  Umbrella runners · CPC title

• A45B17/00

  Tiltable umbrellas · CPC title