US3490469A - Umbrella cover - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 20, 1970 E. ouams-KY UMIBRELLA COVER Filed Nov. 8, 1967 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,490,469 UMBRELLA COVER Emanuel Dubinsky, New York, N.Y. (99 Kingston Ave., Yonkers, N.Y. 10701) Filed Nov. 8, 1967, Ser. No. 681,370 Int. Cl. A45b 25/24 US. Cl. 13533 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Umbrella cover fabricated of a unitary panel of waterproof material folded to define a tapered sleeve having a generally cup-shaped closed peak portion, an open end provided with drawstring means, a slit extending from the open end to the peak portion, a rod positioned in a pocket adjacent said slit extending from said peak portion to a location spaced apart from the open end, a zipper adapted to selectively open and close the slit and a bodily flexibly pull member associated with the slider of the zipper.

This invention relates generally to protective covers and, more particularly, to protective covers for umbrellas such as garden and beach umbrellas.

Garden and beach umbrellas are relatively bulky, large, heavy and expensive. For maximum life such umbrellas should be stored between periods of use, that is, when folded, out of direct exposure to the elements, particularly sunlight and rain, and protected from tree sap and animal droppings. Continued exposure to sunlight deteriorates both the dyes and the fabrics utilized in such umbrellas. Storage in a folded condition when the umbrella is wet, or permitting the umbrellas to become wet when folded contributes to oxydation of the metal frame elements, rotting of the fabric canopy and the growth of mildew and mold. The bulk and weight of these umbrellas, however, makes the transportation and storage thereof at 10- cations spacially removed from the location of use quite burdensome.

It has heretofore been suggested to provide relatively inexpensive and lightweight protective waterproof or water-resistant covers for such umbrellas when in the folded configuration. However, such umbrella covers as heretofore known in the art have not been entirely satisfactory due to difiiculties encountered in positioning the covers on the closed umbrellas for storage and difficulties encountered in removing such covers from the umbrellas for use.

Having in mind the foregoing, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide protective covers for umbrellas which may be easily positioned in protective relationship to the umbrellas.

Another primary object of the present invention, in addition to the foregoing object, is the provision of protective covers for umbrellas which may be easily removed from protective association with such umbrellas.

Another primary object of the present invention, in addition to each of the foregoing objects, is the provision of such umbrella covers which are light in weight and low in bulk.

Still another primary object of the present invention, in addition to each of the foregoing objects, is the provision of protective covers for umbrellas which are economical and capable of a long useful life.

Yet another primary object of the present invention, in addition to each of the foregoing objects, is the provision of such umbrella covers which are aesthetically appealing.

A yet further primary object of the present invention, in addition to each of the foregoing objects, is the pro- "ice vision of such umbrellas covers which effectively protect such umbrellas from damage, fading and spotting from rain, sunlight, and plant and animal droppings.

Another and yet still further primary object of the present invention, in addition to each of the foregoing objects, is the provision of such an umbrella cover which may be positioned or removed quickly and easily by one erson.

The invention resides in the combination, construction, arrangement and disposition of the various component parts and elements incorporated in an improved umbrella cover constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention. The present invention will be better understood and objects and important features other than those specifically enumerated above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following details and description, which when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawing describes, discloses, illustrates and shows a preferred embodiment or modification of the present invention and what is presently considered and believed to be the best mode of practicing the principles thereof. Other embodiments or modifications may be suggested to those having the benefit of the teachings herein.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an umbrella cover constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a pictorial illustration showing the manner in which the umbrella cover of the present invention may be positioned in protective relationship to an umbrella;

FIG. 4 is a pictorial illustration similar to the preceding figure illustrating the umbrella cover in the closed or protective configuration thereof; and

FIG. 5 is a pictorial illustration similar to the preceding figures showing the manner in which the protective cover may be opened and removed from the umbrella.

With reference now to the drawing, there is shown and illustrated an umbrella cover constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and designated generally by the reference character 10. The umbrella cover 10, as will be pointed out in more detail hereinafter, is particularly constructed and arranged to be readily and easily assembled with and disassociated from an umbrella 12, such as a conventional garden or beachtype of umbrella having a canopy 14 structurally associated with a frame or plurality of ribs (not shown) hingedly associated with a center pole or post 16 which in turn may be supported directly by the ground or by means of a supporting table 18.

The umbrel a cover 10 may comprise sleeve means, such as a unitary panel of waterproof material 20 folded along a fold line or side edge 22 and secured together,

as by means of stitching 24 and 26 to define a closed end or seam 28 and a closed side or seam 30, respectively and thereby defining a peak portion 32. The end seam 28 and the side seam 30 may be formed by inwardly tur ed hem portions 34 and 36, respectively, as by introduci g the stitching 24 and 26 with the umbrella cover 10 turned inside out to present generally smooth aesthetical y appealing seams, as shown. The end of the umbrella cover 10 opposite the peak end seams 28 may be generally open, formed, for example, by an inwardly turned h m 38 a d stitch ng 40 to define a smooth lower edge 42. A bodily flexible member or drawstring 44 may be positioned or disposed within the hem 38, that is, between the edge 40 and the stitching 42, if desired.

The panel 20 and, accordingly, the umbrella cover 10, may be of generally tapered configuration, tapering from a maximum dimension at the open edge 42 and the peak portion 32 may be configured to a greater taper, as shown. The edges 30 of the panel 20 between the edge 42 and the peak portion 32 may likewise be provided with inwardly turned hems 46 and 48 to define therebetween a slit 50 extending from the edge 42 to adjacent the peak portion 32. A generally rigid member, such as a rod 52 may be disposed within the hem 48 and fastener means, such as a slide fastener or zipper 54 may be structurally associated with the hems 46 and 48 to enable closure of the slit 50. Pull means, such as a bodily fiexi ble pole member or chain 56 may be structurally associated with the slider 58 of the Zipper 54.

In assembling the umbrella cover with the umbrella 14, that is, in covering the umbrella 14, the umbrella cover 10 may be grasped by one hand adjacent the lower end portion of the rod 52 and the peak portion 32 thereof raised and engaged with the peak of the umbrella 14. The generally rigid member of rod 52 enables the peak portion 32 of the umbrella cover 10 to be properly positioned relative to the peak portion of the umbrella 14 and readily manipulated without undue strain or effort on the part of the person covering the umbrella 14. With the peak portion 32 of the umbrella cover 10 positioned in encompassing relationship to the peak of the umbrella 14, it is merely necessary to grasp the lower end portion of the bodily flexible memher or pull chain 56 with the other hand to close the slit 50 to cover the canopy and frame of the umbrella 14. The drawstring 44 may then be tied beneath the canopy and frame of the umbrella 14 to firmly secure the umbrella cover 10 in position.

The zipper 54 will, however, normally remain closed due to the pressures being exerted by the umbrella outwardly against the cover intermediate the open edge 42 and the peak portion 30. In other words, if the length of the umbrella cover 20 is sufiicient to completely encompass the canopy 14 and associated ribs of the umbrella 12, then the lower edge 42 of the umbrella cover 20 will be disposed generally below the lower edge of the umbrella canopy 14, and hence, outward forces will be applied to the umbrella cover 20 generally above the lower edge 42 of the umbrella cover 20 due to the tendency of the umbrella canopy 14 and associated ribs to expand. Since in a closed position the zipper slider 58 will be disposed below the point of application of this outward force, the tendency of the umbrella canopy 14 to expand will be effective to bias the zipper slider 58 away from the lower edge of the umbrella canopy 14, or towards the open end 42 of the umbrella cover 20. Accordingly, the zipper slider 58 will naturally remain below the lower edge of the umbrellacanopy 14 and the slit 50 will remain secured or closed by means of the zipper 54.

Upon movement of the zipper slider 58, as by manual manipulation, to a location above the lower edge portion of the umbrella canopy 14, the expansion tendencies of the umbrella canopy 14 will still apply an outward force to the portions of the umbrella cover 20 adjacent thereto and continue to urge the zipper slider 58 away from the region of the umbrella cover 20 adjacent the lower end portion of the umbrella canopy 14. However, with the zipper slider 58 disposed above the lower edge portion of the umbrella canopy 14, a force tending to move the zipper slider 58 away from the lower edge of the umbrella canopy 14 will tend to open the zipper 54. Hence, the zipper slider 58 will substantially automatically move upwardly to open the slit 50, without requiring manual manipulation or movement of the zipper slider 58 upwardly along the entire length of the zipper 54. Hence, after an initial upward movement of the zipper slider 58, the umbrella cover 20 will be substantially automatically self-opening.

After the umbrella cover 20 has been opened, removal th of t am he. umb e l 1 ma e ead a em sh cl by again grasping the umbrella cover 20 adjacent the lower end portion of the rod 52 to lift the umbrella cover 20 away from the umbrella 12, freeing the umbrella canopy 14 for conventional movement to the open position thereof.

For convenience in description, the terms upper, lower, above, below and derivatives thereof, as used in the preceding description and in the subjoined claims, along with other similar directional terminology have reference to the disposition of the umbrella cover as shown in the drawing, and is to be construed and interpreted in its normal and accepted sense. However, such terminology is not to be construed or interpreted in a limiting sense either in the preceding description or the subjoined claims, since the same is used merely to facilitate an understanding of and to clearly set forth and particularly define the present invention.

While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in terms of an embodiment or modi fication which it has assumed in practice, the scope of the invention should not be deemed to be limited by the precise embodiments or modifications herein described, disclosed, illustrated or shown.

What is claimed is:

1. Cover means, as for a garden or lawn umbrella adapted to extend about the canopy and frame thereof comprising, in combination, sleeve means and generally rigid support means extending generally longitudinally of at least a portion thereof, said sleeve means being provided with a generally open and unobstructed lower end portion and with slit means extending generally upwardly from said open end together with means for selectively closing said slit means.

2. Cover means defined in claim 1 wherein said sleeve means is closed at the other end.

3. Cover means defined in claim 2 wherein said other end comprises a generally cup-shaped peak portion.

4. Cover means defined in claim 2 wherein said slit means extends only to a location spaced apart from said closed end.

5. Cover means defined in claim 1 further comprising fastener means for selectively joining the adjacent edges of said slit means.

6. Cover means defined in claim 5 wherein said fastener means comprises slide fastener means.

7. Cover means defined in claim 6 further comprising flexible pull means structurally associated with the slider of said slide fastener means.

8. Cover means defined in claim 5 wherein said fastener means is constructed and arranged to be self-opening after an initial partial manual manipulation thereof.

9. Cover means defined in claim 1 wherein said support means extends generally adjacent said slit means.

10. Cover means defined in claim 1, wherein said means for selectively closing said slit means extends only partially longitudinally of the sleeve means, and the longitudinal dimensional extent of said support means corresponds generally with that of said means for selectively closing said slit means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,823,648 9/1931 Dunn. 1,904,510 4/1933 Mott.

2,105,172 1/1938 Voelker -33 2,781,811 2/1957 Dilar et a1. -52

FOREIGN PATENTS 371,637 5/1939 Italy.

DONALD F. NORTON, Primary Examiner

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