Umbrella
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Umbrellas with improvements that make the umbrella easier to control. The improvements include an edge of the umbrella canopy that presents a convex surface to the flow of air across the canopy and that also may direct the flow of air away from the underside of the canopy and away from the user of the umbrella, gutters for directing the flow of water on the canopy, spoilers for modifying the flow of air across the canopy, windsocks that release air pressure under the canopy by inflating, and canopies with streamlined shapes, including shapes that may be modified by the user or modify themselves in response to the flow of air.
21 Citations
68 Claims
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1-20. -20. (canceled)
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21. A canopy for an umbrella comprising:
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an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface including a leading end and a trailing end, the upper surface having a shape which is substantially the shape of a portion of the surface of a teardrop, the portion'"'"'s shape having a leading end and a trailing end and the portion'"'"'s shape being bluffer in the leading end and more gradual in the trailing end, the leading end of the portion corresponding to the leading end of the upper surface and the trailing end of the portion corresponding to the trailing end of the upper surface. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A canopy for an umbrella comprising:
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an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface including a gutter on the canopy that causes water falling on the canopy to flow in a particular direction. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A canopy for an umbrella comprising:
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an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface having a spoiler that acts on an airflow across the upper surface. - View Dependent Claims (44)
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45. A canopy for an umbrella comprising:
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an upper surface, a lower surface, and a windsock having two ends, an end of the windsock being attached to the upper surface above a hole in the canopy and the windsock inflating when air pressure under the canopy is greater than air pressure above the canopy to release the air pressure under the canopy and otherwise collapsing. - View Dependent Claims (46)
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47. A canopy for an umbrella comprising:
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a fabric cover; and one or more fabric pieces that are attached to the cover and act on the cover to prevent deformation of the canopy.
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48. A canopy for an umbrella comprising:
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a fabric cover; and one or more ribs attached to the cover that support the cover when the cover is in use, the ribs being attached to the cover and having forms such that the canopy becomes substantially a disk when not in use.
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49. A canopy for an umbrella comprising:
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a non-deformable area; and a deformable area which is capable of being deformed to give the canopy a shape that improves controllability of the canopy by a user of the umbrella with regard to airflow across the canopy. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. An umbrella comprising:
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a canopy; a pole attached to the canopy; and an edge of the canopy that presents a convex surface to an airflow that strikes the edge, the convex surface acting to substantially increase controllability of the umbrella by a user who is holding the umbrella by the pole. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. An umbrella comprising:
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a canopy which is supported by at least one rib and by a pole which continues the rib. - View Dependent Claims (61)
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62. A foldable canopy for an umbrella, the foldable canopy comprising:
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an upper surface; an area of the upper surface which becomes an end of the canopy when the canopy is folded; and a tube attached to the area of the upper surface which is capable of serving as a cover to the folded canopy. - View Dependent Claims (63)
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64. A pole for an umbrella, the pole comprising:
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a shaft; a handle on the shaft which permits the user to grip the shaft; and an extension of the shaft which engages the user'"'"'s forearm, whereby the user may better resist an effect of a force applied to the umbrella'"'"'s canopy on the pole.
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65. A canopy for an umbrella, the canopy having a surface and the canopy comprising:
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a hub; and longerons attached to the hub which support the canopy'"'"'s surface, the longerons being attached such that the longerons are rotatable around the hub, whereby the canopy is made foldable. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68)
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Specification