Umbrella having protected stave assembly

Abstract

A strut device for an umbrella includes an upper stave, a main stave having an inner end portion pivotally coupled to an outer end portion of the upper stave, a lower stave having an outer end portion pivotally coupled to the upper stave with a stave support, and an outer stave having an inner end portion pivotally coupled to the outer end portion of the main stave, the staves are made of a fiber reinforcing material, a number of couplers are attached onto the end portions of the staves and each has a metal member engaged onto the end portions of the staves, and an outer covering attached onto the metal member for covering and protecting the metal member and for preventing the couplers from scraping or damaging the canopy.

1 . A strut assembly for an umbrella comprising: 
 an upper stave including an inner end portion and an outer end portion, said upper stave being made of a fiber reinforcing material,    a first coupler and a second coupler attached onto said inner end portion and said outer end portion of said upper stave respectively, said first coupler and said second coupler each including a first metal member engaged onto said inner end portion and said outer end portion of said upper stave, and a first outer covering attached onto an outer peripheral portion of said first metal member for covering and protecting said first metal member,    a main stave including an inner end portion pivotally coupled to said outer end portion of said upper stave with a first pivot pin, and including an outer end portion, said main stave being made of a fiber reinforcing material,    a third coupler and a fourth coupler attached onto said inner end portion and said outer end portion of said main stave respectively, said third coupler and said fourth coupler each including a second metal member engaged onto said inner end portion and said outer end portion of said main stave, and a second outer covering attached onto an outer peripheral portion of said second metal member for covering and protecting said second metal member,    a lower stave including an inner end portion, and an outer end portion pivotally coupled to said upper stave, said lower stave being made of a fiber reinforcing material,    a fifth coupler and a sixth coupler attached onto said inner end portion and said outer end portion of said lower stave respectively, said fifth coupler and said sixth coupler each including a third metal member engaged onto said inner end portion and said outer end portion of said lower stave, and a third outer covering attached onto an outer peripheral portion of said third metal member for covering and protecting said third metal member,    an outer stave including an inner end portion pivotally coupled to said outer end portion of said main stave with a second pivot pin, and including an outer end portion, said outer stave being made of a fiber reinforcing material, and    a seventh coupler attached onto said inner end portion of said outer stave and including a fourth metal member engaged onto said inner end portion of said outer stave, and a fourth outer covering attached onto an outer peripheral portion of said fourth metal member for covering and protecting said fourth metal member.    
   
   
       2 . The strut assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said third coupler of said main stave includes an ear pivotally coupled to said second coupler of said upper stave with said first pivot pin.  
   
   
       3 . The strut assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said first and said second and said third and said fourth and said fifth and said sixth and said seventh couplers each include a flat end portion.  
   
   
       4 . The strut assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said seventh coupler of said outer stave is pivotally coupled to said fourth coupler of said main stave with said second pivot pin.  
   
   
       5 . The strut assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a spring rod is coupled between said outer end portion of said upper stave and said inner end portion of said outer stave.  
   
   
       6 . The strut assembly as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein said spring rod is coupled between said second coupler of said upper stave and said seventh coupler of said outer stave.  
   
   
       7 . The strut assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said outer stave includes an outer end portion, and an eighth coupler attached onto said outer end portion of said outer stave and having a metal member engaged onto said outer end portion of said outer stave, and an outer covering attached onto an outer peripheral portion of said metal member of said eighth coupler for covering and protecting said metal member of said eighth coupler.  
   
   
       8 . The strut assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a stave support is slidably attached onto said upper stave and pivotally coupled to said inner end portion of said lower stave with a third pivot pin.  
   
   
       9 . The strut assembly as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said stave support includes an ear pivotally coupled to said sixth coupler of said lower stave with said third pivot pin.  
   
   
       10 . The strut assembly as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein a spring rod is coupled between said outer end portion of said lower stave and said inner end portion of said main stave.  
   
   
       11 . The strut assembly as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said spring rod is coupled between said sixth coupler of said lower stave and said third coupler of said main stave.  
   
   
       12 . The strut assembly as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said stave support includes a metal member slidably attached onto said upper stave and an outer covering attached onto an outer peripheral portion of said metal member of said stave support for covering and protecting said metal member of said stave support.  
   
   
       13 . The strut assembly as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said stave support includes at least one notch formed in said metal member of said stave support for allowing said outer covering to be engaged into said at least one notch of said metal member of said stave support.  
   
   
       14 . The strut assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said upper stave includes a recess formed therein, and said first coupler includes at least one notch formed in said first metal member of said first coupler and aligned with said recess of said upper stave, and said first outer covering is engaged into said recess of said upper stave.  
   
   
       15 . The strut assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said upper stave includes a recess formed therein, and said second coupler includes at least one notch formed in said first metal member of said second coupler and aligned with said recess of said upper stave, and said first outer covering is engaged into said recess of said upper stave.  
   
   
       16 . The strut assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said main stave includes a recess formed therein, and said third coupler includes at least one notch formed in said second metal member of said third coupler and aligned with said recess of said main stave, and said second outer covering is engaged into said recess of said main stave.  
   
   
       17 . The strut assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said main stave includes a recess formed therein, and said fourth coupler includes at least one notch formed in said second metal member of said fourth coupler and aligned with said recess of said main stave, and said second outer covering is engaged into said recess of said main stave.  
   
   
       18 . The strut assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said lower stave includes a recess formed therein, and said fifth coupler includes at least one notch formed in said third metal member of said fifth coupler and aligned with said recess of said lower stave, and said third outer covering is engaged into said recess of said lower stave.  
   
   
       19 . The strut assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said lower stave includes a recess formed therein, and said sixth coupler includes at least one notch formed in said third metal member of said sixth coupler and aligned with said recess of said lower stave, and said third outer covering is engaged into said recess of said lower stave.