Movable Connection Structure for an Umbrella Rib

Abstract

The invention disclosed is a movable connection structure for an umbrella rib and an umbrella rib using the same. The movable connection structure includes a first connector arranged on a first umbrella rib and a second connector arranged on a second umbrella rib. The first connector and the second connector are connected by a folding junction portion. The first connector, the second connector, and the junction portion are made of a plastic material and formed into an integral element. The present invention avoids specialized manufacturing equipment. The present invention eliminates hole drilling steps and rivet punching steps otherwise required during the manufacture of a movable connector. The movable connection structure and the umbrella rib using the same are conveniently and quickly assembled, thereby minimizing manual labor, improving production efficiency, and reducing production cost. The present invention provides a sturdy and durable umbrella structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A movable connection structure for a pair of umbrella ribs comprising:
 a first connector ( 51 ) arranged on a first umbrella rib ( 1 ); and   a second connector ( 52 ) arranged on a second umbrella rib ( 2 );
 wherein:
 the first connector ( 51 ) and the second connector ( 52 ) are connected by a folding junction portion, and 
 the first connector ( 51 ), the second connector ( 52 ), and the folding junction portion are composed of a plastic material and integrally formed. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The movable connection structure of  claim 1 , wherein the folding junction portion is a thin contact sheet ( 71 ). 
     
     
         3 . The movable connection structure of  claim 1 , wherein
 the folding junction portion includes a middle connecting rod ( 72 ), a first thin sheet ( 73 ) and a second thin sheet ( 74 ) set at each end of the middle connecting rod ( 72 ),   the first thin sheet ( 73 ) is connected with the first connector ( 51 ), and   the second thin sheet ( 74 ) is connected with the second connector ( 52 ).   
     
     
         4 . The movable connection structure of  claim 3 , wherein
 the middle connecting rod ( 72 ) is equipped with a recess ( 75 ) for supporting a bottom of the first umbrella rib ( 1 ) on a side toward the first umbrella rib ( 1 ).   
     
     
         5 . A rib structure for an umbrella comprising:
 a first umbrella rib ( 1 ); and   a second umbrella rib ( 2 ), the first umbrella rib ( 1 ) and the second umbrella rib ( 2 ) are respectively provided with a first connector ( 51 ) and a second connector ( 52 );
 wherein:
 the first connector ( 51 ) and the second connector ( 52 ) are connected with each other by a folding junction portion, and 
 the first connector ( 51 ), the second connector ( 52 ), and the folding junction portion are composed of a plastic material and integrally formed. 
 
   
     
     
         6 . The rib structure  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a third umbrella rib ( 3 );   a fourth umbrella rib ( 4 );   a first drawing string ( 61 ); and   a second drawing string ( 62 );
 wherein:
 the third umbrella rib ( 3 ) is provided with a third connector ( 53 ) and a sixth connector ( 56 ) respectively on an inner end and an outer end, 
 the fourth umbrella rib ( 4 ) is provided with a fifth connector ( 55 ) on a second inner end, 
 the first umbrella rib ( 1 ) is also provided with a fourth connector ( 54 ), 
 the third connector ( 53 ) and the fourth connector ( 54 ) as well as the fifth connector ( 55 ) and the sixth connector ( 56 ) are of movable connection therebetween through a first flexible connecting component ( 76 ) and a second flexible connecting component ( 77 ), 
 the third connector ( 53 ), the fourth connector ( 54 ), and the first flexible connecting component ( 76 ) are composed of the plastic material and integrally formed, 
 the fifth connector ( 55 ), the sixth connector ( 56 ) and the second flexible connecting component ( 77 ) are composed of the plastic material and integrally formed, 
 two first ends of the first drawing string ( 61 ) are respectively connected with the second connector ( 52 ) and the third connector ( 53 ), and 
 two second ends of the second drawing string ( 62 ) are respectively connected with the fourth connector ( 54 ) and the fifth connector ( 55 ). 
 
   
     
     
         7 . The rib structure of  claim 6 , wherein
 the first drawing string ( 61 ) and the second drawing string ( 62 ) are composed of the plastic material,   the first connector ( 51 ), the second connector ( 52 ), the junction portion, the first drawing string ( 61 ), the third connector ( 53 ), the fourth connector ( 54 ), the first flexible connecting component ( 76 ), the second drawing string ( 62 ), the fifth connector ( 55 ), the sixth connector ( 56 ), and the second flexible connecting component ( 77 ) are integrally formed.   
     
     
         8 . The rib structure of  claim 5 , wherein the folding junction portion is a thin contact sheet ( 71 ). 
     
     
         9 . The rib structure  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a third umbrella rib ( 3 );   a fourth umbrella rib ( 4 );   a first drawing string ( 61 ); and   a second drawing string ( 62 );
 wherein:
 the third umbrella rib ( 3 ) is provided with a third connector ( 53 ) and a sixth connector ( 56 ) respectively on an inner end and an outer end, 
 the fourth umbrella rib ( 4 ) is provided with a fifth connector ( 55 ) on a second inner end, 
 the first umbrella rib ( 1 ) is also provided with a fourth connector ( 54 ), 
 the third connector ( 53 ) and the fourth connector ( 54 ) as well as the fifth connector ( 55 ) and the sixth connector ( 56 ) are of movable connection therebetween through a first flexible connecting component ( 76 ) and a second flexible connecting component ( 77 ), 
 the third connector ( 53 ), the fourth connector ( 54 ), and the first flexible connecting component ( 76 ) are composed of the plastic material and integrally formed, 
 the fifth connector ( 55 ), the sixth connector ( 56 ) and the second flexible connecting component ( 77 ) are composed of the plastic material and integrally formed, 
 two first ends of the first drawing string ( 61 ) are respectively connected with the second connector ( 52 ) and the third connector ( 53 ), and 
 two second ends of the second drawing string ( 62 ) are respectively connected with the fourth connector ( 54 ) and the fifth connector ( 55 ). 
 
   
     
     
         10 . The rib structure of  claim 9 , wherein
 the first drawing string ( 61 ) and the second drawing string ( 62 ) are composed of the plastic material,   the first connector ( 51 ), the second connector ( 52 ), the junction portion, the first drawing string ( 61 ), the third connector ( 53 ), the fourth connector ( 54 ), the first flexible connecting component ( 76 ), the second drawing string ( 62 ), the fifth connector ( 55 ), the sixth connector ( 56 ), and the second flexible connecting component ( 77 ) are integrally formed.   
     
     
         11 . The rib structure of  claim 5 , wherein
 the junction portion includes a middle connecting rod ( 72 ),   a first thin sheet ( 73 ) and a second thin sheet ( 74 ) set at each end of the middle connecting rod ( 72 ),   the first thin sheet ( 73 ) is connected with the first connector ( 51 ), and   the second thin sheet ( 74 ) is connected with the second connector ( 52 ).   
     
     
         12 . The rib structure  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a third umbrella rib ( 3 );   a fourth umbrella rib ( 4 );   a first drawing string ( 61 ); and   a second drawing string ( 62 );
 wherein:
 the third umbrella rib ( 3 ) is provided with a third connector ( 53 ) and a sixth connector ( 56 ) respectively on an inner end and an outer end, 
 the fourth umbrella rib ( 4 ) is provided with a fifth connector ( 55 ) on a second inner end, 
 the first umbrella rib ( 1 ) is also provided with a fourth connector ( 54 ), 
 the third connector ( 53 ) and the fourth connector ( 54 ) as well as the fifth connector ( 55 ) and the sixth connector ( 56 ) are of movable connection therebetween through a first flexible connecting component ( 76 ) and a second flexible connecting component ( 77 ), 
 the third connector ( 53 ), the fourth connector ( 54 ), and the first flexible connecting component ( 76 ) are composed of the plastic material and integrally formed, 
 the fifth connector ( 55 ), the sixth connector ( 56 ) and the second flexible connecting component ( 77 ) are composed of the plastic material and integrally formed, 
 two first ends of the first drawing string ( 61 ) are respectively connected with the second connector ( 52 ) and the third connector ( 53 ), and 
 two second ends of the second drawing string ( 62 ) are respectively connected with the fourth connector ( 54 ) and the fifth connector ( 55 ). 
 
   
     
     
         13 . The rib structure of  claim 12 , wherein
 the first drawing string ( 61 ) and the second drawing string ( 62 ) are composed of the plastic material,   the first connector ( 51 ), the second connector ( 52 ), the junction portion, the first drawing string ( 61 ), the third connector ( 53 ), the fourth connector ( 54 ), the first flexible connecting component ( 76 ), the second drawing string ( 62 ), the fifth connector ( 55 ), the sixth connector ( 56 ), and the second flexible connecting component ( 77 ) are integrally formed.   
     
     
         14 . The rib structure of  claim 11 , wherein
 the middle connecting rod ( 72 ) is equipped with a recess ( 75 ) for supporting a bottom of the first umbrella rib ( 1 ) on a side toward the first umbrella rib ( 1 ).   
     
     
         15 . The rib structure  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a third umbrella rib ( 3 );   a fourth umbrella rib ( 4 );   a first drawing string ( 61 ); and   a second drawing string ( 62 );
 wherein:
 the third umbrella rib ( 3 ) is provided with a third connector ( 53 ) and a sixth connector ( 56 ) respectively on an inner end and an outer end, 
 the fourth umbrella rib ( 4 ) is provided with a fifth connector ( 55 ) on a second inner end, 
 the first umbrella rib ( 1 ) is also provided with a fourth connector ( 54 ), 
 the third connector ( 53 ) and the fourth connector ( 54 ) as well as the fifth connector ( 55 ) and the sixth connector ( 56 ) are of movable connection therebetween through a first flexible connecting component ( 76 ) and a second flexible connecting component ( 77 ), 
 the third connector ( 53 ), the fourth connector ( 54 ), and the first flexible connecting component ( 76 ) are composed of the plastic material and integrally formed, 
 the fifth connector ( 55 ), the sixth connector ( 56 ) and the second flexible connecting component ( 77 ) are composed of the plastic material and integrally formed, 
 two first ends of the first drawing string ( 61 ) are respectively connected with the second connector ( 52 ) and the third connector ( 53 ), and 
 two second ends of the second drawing string ( 62 ) are respectively connected with the fourth connector ( 54 ) and the fifth connector ( 55 ). 
 
   
     
     
         16 . The rib structure of  claim 15 , wherein
 the first drawing string ( 61 ) and the second drawing string ( 62 ) are composed of the plastic material,   the first connector ( 51 ), the second connector ( 52 ), the junction portion, the first drawing string ( 61 ), the third connector ( 53 ), the fourth connector ( 54 ), the first flexible connecting component ( 76 ), the second drawing string ( 62 ), the fifth connector ( 55 ), the sixth connector ( 56 ), and the second flexible connecting component ( 77 ) are integrally formed.