Umbrella

Abstract

An umbrella includes an elongate stem, a notch with an insert portion for insertion into a concavity in a top edge wall of the stem, a canopy mounted on a mounting portion of the notch, and a rib assembly pivotally mounted to the mounting portion for supporting the canopy. A tubular runner is slidably sleeved on the stem and is movable between upper and lower positions for spreading and collapsing the canopy. A stretcher assembly is disposed to stretch or retract the rib assembly. The rib assembly can be brought into close proximity of the stem after retraction, thereby resulting in a compact size of the umbrella for convenient storage and carrying.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An umbrella comprising: 
 an elongate stem extending along an axis, and having a tubular upper end portion and a lower end portion opposite to each other along the axis, said upper end portion having a surrounding top edge wall which has outer and inner peripheries opposite to each other in radial directions relative to the axis, and an inner surrounding wall surface which extends from said inner periphery along the axis toward said lower end portion to confine a concavity;    a notch member including an insert portion which is configured to be inserted into said concavity along the axis via said inner periphery, a mounting portion which extends from said insert portion along the axis, which extends radially and outwardly relative to the axis, and which has an outer diameter larger than that of said insert portion, and a shoulder portion which is formed between said insert and mounting portions and which is disposed close to said top edge wall when said insert portion is inserted into said concavity, said mounting portion having an outer surrounding wall which surrounds the axis and which has a plurality of recesses that are angularly displaced from one another, each of said recesses extending radially and inwardly relative to the axis to terminate at an inner surface;    a canopy mounted on said mounting portion;    a cap member disposed to fasten said canopy to said mounting portion;    a rib assembly including a plurality of ribs, each of which has a proximate rib end that is disposed in a respective one of said recesses, and a distal rib end that extends from said proximate rib end radial to the axis and that is disposed at an underside of said canopy to support said canopy in a spread-out position and in a collapsed position;    a tubular runner slidably sleeved on said stem, and having upper and lower runner end portions respectively proximate to and distal from said notch member, said runner being movable between upper and lower positions which correspond respectively to the spread-out and collapsed positions of said canopy; and    a stretcher assembly disposed to interconnect said rib assembly and said upper runner end portion so as to stretch or retract said rib assembly, thereby bringing said canopy in the spread-out position or the collapsed position when said runner is moved to the upper position or the lower position, respectively.    
     
     
         2 . The umbrella of  claim 1 , wherein said shoulder portion of said notch member abuts against said top edge wall when said insert portion is inserted into said concavity, said inner surface of said mounting portion being substantially flush with said outer periphery.  
     
     
         3 . The umbrella of  claim 1 , further comprising a resilient tongue member which has a fixed end fixed to said shoulder portion of said notch member, and a hook end extending toward said lower end portion of said stem when said insert portion is inserted into said concavity, said hook end being biased away from said stem in a lateral and transverse direction relative to the axis, and wherein 
 said stem has an outer surrounding wall surface which extends from said outer periphery along the axis toward said lower end portion to surround said inner surrounding wall surface,    said runner including a tubular inner wall surface which is disposed in slidable contact with said outer surrounding wall surface of said stem, said tubular inner wall surface defining a guideway which extends from said upper runner end portion towards said lower runner end portion and which is radially spaced apart from said outer surrounding wall surface so as to receive said tongue member therein, said runner further including a tubular outer wall surface which is opposite to said tubular inner wall surface and which has a slot that extends radially and inwardly towards said tubular inner wall surface and that communicates with said guideway at such a position that said hook end will be biased to protrude and be retained in said slot once said tongue member is forced into said guideway.    
     
     
         4 . The umbrella of  claim 1 , wherein said cap member engages threadedly said mounting portion of said notch member so as to clamp said canopy therebetween.  
     
     
         5 . The umbrella of  claim 1 , further comprising a fastening pin extending through said insert portion and said stem along a radial direction relative to the axis so as to secure said insert portion to said stem.  
     
     
         6 . An umbrella comprising: 
 an elongate stem extending along an axis, and having a tubular upper end portion and a lower end portion opposite to each other along the axis, said upper end portion having a surrounding top edge wall which has outer and inner peripheries opposite to each other in radial directions relative to the axis, an inner surrounding wall surface which extends from said inner periphery along the axis toward said lower end portion to confine a concavity, and an outer surrounding wall surface which extends from said outer periphery along the axis toward said lower end portion to surround said inner surrounding wall surface;    a notch member including an insert portion which is configured to be inserted into said concavity along the axis via said inner periphery, a mounting portion which extends from said insert portion along the axis, which extends radially and outwardly relative to the axis, and which has an outer diameter larger than that of said insert portion, and a shoulder portion which is formed between said insert and mounting portions and which is disposed close to said top edge wall when said insert portion is inserted into said concavity, said mounting portion having an outer surrounding wall which surrounds the axis and which has a plurality of recesses that are angularly displaced from one another, each of said recesses extending radially and inwardly relative to the axis to terminate at an inner surface;    a canopy mounted on said mounting portion;    a cap member disposed to fasten said canopy to said mounting portion;    a rib assembly including a plurality of ribs, each of which has a proximate rib end that is disposed in a respective one of said recesses, and a distal rib end that extends from said proximate rib end radial to the axis and that is disposed at an underside of said canopy to support said canopy in a spread-out position and in a collapsed position;    a tubular runner slidably sleeved on said stem, and having upper and lower runner end portions respectively proximate to and distal from said notch member, said runner further having a tubular inner wall surface which is disposed in slidable contact with said outer surrounding wall surface of said stem between upper and lower positions which correspond respectively to the spread-out and collapsed positions of said canopy, said tubular inner wall surface defining a guideway which extends from said upper runner end portion towards said lower runner end portion and which is radially spaced apart from said outer surrounding wall surface of said stem;    a stretcher assembly disposed to interconnect said rib assembly and said upper runner end portion so as to stretch or retract said rib assembly, thereby bringing said canopy in the spread-out position or the collapsed position when said runner is moved to the upper position or the lower position, respectively; and    a resilient tongue member having a fixed end which is fixed to said shoulder portion of said notch member, and a hook end which extends toward said lower end portion of said stem when said insert portion is inserted into said concavity, said hook end being biased away from said stem in a lateral and transverse direction relative to the axis such that upward movement of said runner to the upper position by manual force permits said tongue member to slide along said guideway against biasing action of said tongue member.    
     
     
         7 . The umbrella of  claim 6 , wherein said shoulder portion of said notch member abuts against said top edge wall when said insert portion is inserted into said concavity, said inner surface of said mounting portion being substantially flush with said outer periphery.  
     
     
         8 . The umbrella of  claim 6 , wherein said runner further includes a tubular outer wall surface which is opposite to said tubular inner wall surface and which has a slot that extends radially and inwardly towards said tubular inner wall surface and that communicates with said guideway at such a position that said hook end will be biased to protrude into and to be retained in said slot once said tongue member is forced into said guideway.