Integrated Pulley System for an Umbrella

Abstract

An umbrella includes a pole and upper pulley assembly, a lower hub assembly, and a rope. The pole has a base portion and a top end portion. The top end portion defines a through passage that extends entirely through the top end portion. The upper pulley assembly is disposed substantially within the through passage. The lower hub assembly is slidingly disposed about the pole such that the lower hub assembly has a first position in which the umbrella is in a closed configuration and a second position in which the umbrella is in an open configuration. The second position is above the first position. The rope extends through a lower pulley assembly and the upper pulley assembly. The rope is configured to translate the lower hub assembly from the first position to the second position and to maintain the lower hub assembly in the second position.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An umbrella comprising:
 a pole having a base portion and a top end portion opposite the base portion, the top end portion defining a through passage that extends entirely through the top end portion;   a lower hub assembly disposed about the pole and translatable along the pole to transition the umbrella between a closed configuration and an open configuration, the lower hub assembly including a first lower pulley and a second lower pulley;   a first upper pulley disposed substantially within the through passage of the pole;   a second upper pulley disposed substantially within the through passage of the pole; and   a rope extending through the first lower pulley, the first upper pulley, the second lower pulley, and the second upper pulley, the rope configured to be drawn to transition the umbrella towards the open configuration and released to transition the umbrella towards the closed configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The umbrella according to  claim 1 , further comprising a rope mount end secured to the pole, the rope mount end securing a first end of the rope. 
     
     
         3 . The umbrella according to  claim 2 , wherein the rope mount end is secured to the pole below the through passage. 
     
     
         4 . The umbrella according to  claim 2 , wherein the lower hub assembly includes a cleat configured to fix a length of the rope between the cleat and the first end of the rope. 
     
     
         5 . The umbrella according to  claim 4 , wherein the rope has a first length between the cleat and the first end of the rope in the closed configuration and a second length between the cleat and the first end of the rope in the open configuration, the second length being less than the first length. 
     
     
         6 . The umbrella according to  claim 1 , further comprising an insert disposed within the pole, the insert defining an opening in communication with the through passage, the first upper pulley and the second upper pulley disposed substantially within the insert. 
     
     
         7 . The umbrella according to  claim 1 , further comprising an upper hub assembly fixed to the top end portion of the pole. 
     
     
         8 . The umbrella according to  claim 7 , wherein the upper hub assembly is positioned above the through passage. 
     
     
         9 . An umbrella comprising:
 a pole having a base portion and a top end portion opposite the base portion, the top end portion defining a through passage that extends entirely through the top end portion;   an upper pulley assembly disposed substantially within the through passage of the pole;   a lower hub assembly slidingly disposed about the pole such that the lower hub assembly has a first position along the pole in which the umbrella is in a closed configuration and a second position along the pole in which the umbrella is in an open configuration, the second position above the first position, the lower hub assembly including a lower pulley assembly; and   a rope extending through the lower pulley assembly and the upper pulley assembly, the rope configured to translate the lower hub assembly from the first position to the second position and to maintain the lower hub assembly in the second position.   
     
     
         10 . The umbrella according to  claim 9 , further comprising a rope mount end secured to the pole, the rope mount end receiving and fixing a first end of the rope relative to the pole. 
     
     
         11 . The umbrella according to  claim 10 , wherein the rope mount end is secured to the pole between the upper hub assembly and the lower hub assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The umbrella according to  claim 10 , further comprising a cleat that is configured to receive a portion of the rope therethrough, the rope having a first active length defined along the rope from the first end of the rope to the cleat when the lower hub assembly is in the first position and a second active length defined along the rope from the first end of the rope and the cleat when the lower hub assembly is in the second position, the first active length longer than the second active length. 
     
     
         13 . The umbrella according to  claim 12 , wherein the cleat is secured to the lower pulley assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The umbrella according to  claim 9 , further comprising an insert disposed within the pole, the insert defining an opening in communication with the through passage, the upper pulley assembly disposed substantially within the insert. 
     
     
         15 . The umbrella according to  claim 9 , further comprising an upper hub assembly fixed to the top end portion of the pole. 
     
     
         16 . The umbrella according to  claim 15 , wherein the upper hub assembly is positioned above the through passage. 
     
     
         17 . The umbrella according to  claim 15 , further comprising ribs, stretchers, and a canopy, the canopy supported on the ribs, each rib pivotally received in the upper hub assembly, each stretcher pivotally received in the lower hub assembly and pivotally secured to a respective rib, each stretcher lifting a respective rib such that the canopy is opened as the lower hub assembly is translated towards the second position. 
     
     
         18 . A method of operating an umbrella, the method comprising:
 drawing a free end of a rope such that a lower hub assembly translates upwards along a pole of the umbrella to transition the umbrella from a closed configuration to an open configuration, the rope extending through the pole adjacent a top end of the pole; and   releasing the free end of the rope such that the lower hub assembly translates downwards along the pole as the umbrella transitions towards the closed configuration.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein drawing the free end of the rope includes the rope passing over an upper pulley assembly that is disposed substantially within a through passage defined entirely through the pole adjacent a top end of the pole and the rope passing through a lower pulley assembly disposed in the lower hub assembly. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein releasing the free end of the rope includes releasing the free end of the rope from a cleat fixed to the lower hub assembly.