Wind-resistant umbrella

Abstract

A wind-resistant umbrella is disclosed. The wind-resistant umbrella includes a canopy having one or more cutout sections. Each cutout section is covered by a flap. The flap is attached to the canopy at an upper edge. The flap is held in place by a limiting element such as an elastic strip. Ideally, the flaps cover and overlap the cutouts. Thus, when wind blows, air flow can take place through the cutout sections from the underside of the canopy. The flaps will be displaced by the air flow. Once the air flow dips below a threshold level, the flaps return to their closed position. Thus, the umbrella functions to provide shade or rain protection, but will not be damaged or blown about with a gust of wind as the cutout sections allow air to flow through the canopy.

1 . A wind-resistant umbrella comprising:
 an umbrella canopy,   at least one cutout section within said canopy,   a flap attached to said canopy at at least a first edge of said flap, and open at at least a second edge of said flap, wherein said flap substantially covers said cutout section in a closed mode, and wherein said flap is adapted to be displaced in response to airflow from an underside of said canopy through said cutout section to allow air current to pass through said cutout section.   
     
     
         2 . The wind-resistant umbrella according to  claim 1 , wherein said flap overlaps a region surrounding said cutout section in the closed mode. 
     
     
         3 . The wind-resistant umbrella according to  claim 2 , wherein said first edge is a top edge of said flap closest to a center of said canopy. 
     
     
         4 . The wind-resistant umbrella according to  claim 3 , wherein said flap is directly connected to said canopy solely at said first edge. 
     
     
         5 . The wind-resistant umbrella according to  claim 4 , wherein said flap is attached to said canopy at said first edge via a sewn connection. 
     
     
         6 . The wind-resistant umbrella according to  claim 3 , further comprising at least one limiting element adapted to limit how far a free portion of said flap can be displaced by air flow through said cutout section. 
     
     
         7 . The wind-resistant umbrella according to  claim 6 , wherein said limiting element is an elastic cord. 
     
     
         8 . The wind-resistant umbrella according to  claim 4 , wherein said flap is substantially rectangular or trapezoidal in shape, and wherein one rectangle or trapezoid side of said flap comprises said first edge. 
     
     
         9 . The wind-resistant umbrella according to  claim 8 , further comprising a first limiting element attached to a first front corner region of said flap adapted to limited how far a free portion of said flap can be displaced by air flow through said cutout section, and a second limiting element attached to a second front corner region of said flap adapted to limited how far a free portion of said flap can be displaced by air flow through said cutout section. 
     
     
         10 . The wind-resistant umbrella according to  claim 9 , wherein said first and second limiting elements comprise elastic strips adapted to hold said flap in said closed mode until a sufficient amount of air flow displaces it. 
     
     
         11 . A wind-resistant umbrella comprising:
 an umbrella canopy,   a plurality of cutout sections within said canopy,   a plurality of flaps each attached to said canopy at at least a first edge of each of said flaps, and open at at least a second edge of each of said flaps, wherein said flaps substantially cover corresponding ones of said cutout sections in a closed mode, and wherein each of said flaps is adapted to be displaced in response to airflow from an underside of said canopy through a corresponding one of said cutout sections to allow air current to pass through said cutout sections.   
     
     
         12 . The wind-resistant umbrella according to  claim 11 , wherein said flaps overlap corresponding regions surrounding corresponding ones of said cutout sections in said closed mode. 
     
     
         13 . The wind-resistant umbrella according to  claim 12 , wherein said first edge is a top edge of each of said flaps closest to a center of said canopy. 
     
     
         14 . The wind-resistant umbrella according to  claim 13 , wherein each said flaps are directly connected to said canopy solely at each said first edge. 
     
     
         15 . The wind-resistant umbrella according to  claim 14 , wherein said flaps are substantially rectangular or trapezoidal in shape, and wherein one rectangle or trapezoid side of each of said flaps comprises said first edge. 
     
     
         16 . The wind-resistant umbrella according to  claim 15 , further comprising a first limiting element attached to a first front corner region of a first one of said flaps adapted to limit how far a free portion of said first one of said flaps can be displaced by air flow through the corresponding cutout section, and a second limiting element attached to a second front corner region of said first one of of said flaps adapted to limit how far a free portion of said flap can be displaced by air flow through said corresponding cutout section, wherein said first and second limiting elements comprise elastic strips adapted to hold said first one of said flaps in said closed mode until a sufficient amount of air flow displaces it. 
     
     
         17 . The wind-resistant umbrella according to  claim 16 , wherein said first limiting element passes through a hole in said canopy underneath said first corner region to the underside of said canopy, and wherein said limiting element passes through a second hole in said canopy and is attached at another point to a front corner region of a second one of said flaps. 
     
     
         18 . The wind-resistant umbrella according to  claim 17 , wherein said plurality of cutout sections are each respectively disposed between umbrella support arms spaced and extending radially from a center of said canopy. 
     
     
         19 . The wind-resistant umbrella according to  claim 18 , wherein said cutout sections are substantially disposed on a portion of said canopy lying at least halfway out to an outer edge of said canopy from the center of said canopy. 
     
     
         20 . The wind-resistant umbrella according to  claim 19 , wherein said cutout sections further comprise a mesh layer extending over the area of said cutout sections.