Hands-free umbrella equipment

Abstract

A harness for hands-free use of personal umbrellas uses a cross-body strap circling a user from one shoulder to the opposite waist and a top clip to hold the umbrella at the shoulder. The harness can have one or more side straps passing around the torso under the shoulder, a base clip holding the umbrella at a waist level, and/or a bag for holding the umbrella, the straps, the clips, and/or personal items of the user. The top clip and/or base clip can be on mounts and/or booms. The clips can be adjustable in angle relative to the torso. Booms can be adjustable in length. A mount can include an adjustable truss assembly for positioning the umbrella. The bag can have compartments made with varied materials for different moisture performance. The harness can be adapted for use with full-size umbrellas and/or compact umbrellas with collapsible shafts.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A harness for hands-free use of a personal umbrella, the harness comprising:
 a cross-body strap circling a torso of a user, the cross-body strap passing from a shoulder of the user to a waist of the user, the waist of the user being at a waist level of the user on a side of the torso opposite from the shoulder;   a top clip connected directly or indirectly to the cross-body strap at a shoulder level of the user, the top clip being adapted to detachably connect to a shaft of the umbrella at a top mount point, the top mount point being located along the shaft of the umbrella between a base of the umbrella and a canopy extension hub of the umbrella, wherein the extension hub, via motion along the shaft, folds and unfolds a canopy of the umbrella;   a lower side strap connecting a first strap point of the cross-body strap on the front of the torso to a second strap point of the cross-body strap on the back of the torso, the lower side strap passing along the torso under the shoulder of the user;   a base clip connected to the lower side strap at a waist level of the user, the base clip being adapted to detachably connect to a base point that is along the shaft of the personal umbrella at or adjacent to the base of the umbrella; and   an upper side strap connected to a third strap point of the cross-body strap, the upper side strap passing around the torso along a line that is under the shoulder and above the lower side strap.   
     
     
         2 . The harness of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the third strap point of the cross-body strap is on the front of the torso; and   the upper side strap connected between the third strap point and a fourth strap point of the cross-body strap located on the back of the torso.   
     
     
         3 . The harness of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the third strap point of the cross-body strap is at a top of the shoulder and toward the front of the torso; and   the upper side strap connected between the third strap point and a fourth strap point of the cross-body strap located at the top of the shoulder toward the back of the torso.   
     
     
         4 . The harness of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the third strap point of the cross-body strap is at the top of the shoulder; and   the upper side strap is a loop.   
     
     
         5 . The harness of  claim 1 , wherein the top clip is affixed directly to the cross-body strap. 
     
     
         6 . The harness of  claim 1 , wherein the top clip is affixed directly to the upper side strap. 
     
     
         7 . The harness of  claim 1 , wherein the top clip is adjacent to an armpit beneath the shoulder, such that the top clip lies on the front or top of the shoulder and along a vertical circumference of the shoulder. 
     
     
         8 . The harness of  claim 7 , wherein the base clip is located on a line angling from the armpit to a base location at an intersection of the lower side strap and a side of the torso beneath the armpit. 
     
     
         9 . The harness of  claim 1 , wherein the base clip is located at or above a waistline of the user, the waistline being below and immediately adjacent to a ribcage of the user. 
     
     
         10 . The harness of  claim 9 , wherein the base clip is located approximately 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 ribs above the waistline. 
     
     
         11 . The harness of  claim 1 , wherein the base clip is located at or below a waistline of the user, the waistline being below and immediately adjacent to a ribcage of the user. 
     
     
         12 . The harness of  claim 1 , further comprising a bag. 
     
     
         13 . The harness of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the shaft of the umbrella is a collapsible shaft for compact storage of the umbrella; and   the bag is of sufficient size to store the umbrella when the umbrella is folded for storage.   
     
     
         14 . The harness of  claim 13 , wherein the bag comprises a front compartment comprising a closure facing away from the torso to permit removal of the umbrella via a motion away from the body. 
     
     
         15 . The harness of  claim 14 , wherein the front compartment comprises a water-proof material that prevents dripping of water from the front compartment of the bag. 
     
     
         16 . The harness of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the front compartment comprises a water-resistant material that prevents dripping of water from the front compartment of the bag; and   the water-resistant material is gas-permeable to allow evaporation of moisture from an interior of the front compartment.   
     
     
         17 . The harness of  claim 1 , wherein the lower side strap is detachable from the first strap point and/or the second strap point. 
     
     
         18 . The harness of  claim 1 , wherein the lower side strap is detachable from the first strap point and/or the second strap point. 
     
     
         19 . The harness of  claim 1 , wherein the upper side strap is detachable from the third point. 
     
     
         20 . The harness of  claim 1 , wherein the top clip is vertically located between 2 and 3 inches above the armpit.