Adjustable rib connectors
AssigneeOliver Joen-an Ma
InventorOliver Joen-an Ma
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present inventions relate generally to connectors for interconnecting members of shade structures (e.g. umbrellas and pavilions), such as support ribs and hubs. The connectors can be incorporated or attached to support ribs of shade structures to enable the support ribs to extend from the hubs at various angles to accommodate different shaped canopies. The connectors include an adjustable portion that enables the support ribs to extend to desired points on the periphery of the canopy at an angle that deviates from the angle of the hub channels, which are disposed around the periphery of the hubs.
Claims30
An umbrella having an open, in use, position and a closed, stowed, position, the umbrella comprising:
- a pole;
- a hub having a periphery extending around the pole, the hub periphery having formed therein a plurality of channels that are spaced at the same angle from one another around the hub periphery;
- a canopy having a periphery that includes at least some points located at different distances from the pole in the open position;
- a plurality of ribs, each being mounted in a respective hub channel and extending from the hub channels to the periphery of the canopy, said ribs comprising a first group extending from the hub at said angle and a second group being configured to deviate from the angle of the hub channels, so that they can extend toward said points on the periphery of the canopy.
A connector capable of connecting a structural rib of an umbrella to a hub or other rib of the umbrella, the connector comprising:
- a first portion configured to couple with an umbrella rib, a first longitudinal axis extending normal to an end of the first portion;
- and
- a second portion opposite the first portion configured to couple with the hub or runner, a second longitudinal axis extending normal to an end of the second portion;
- and
- a flexible portion disposed between the first and second portions comprising at least one channel disposed transversely across a width of one side of the connector and having a depth extending transversely from an opening of the channel to a base end opposite the opening;
- wherein the connector permits the first longitudinal axis to be disposed at an angle relative to the second longitudinal axis.
An umbrella rib angle adjusting device comprising:
- a first portion configured to couple with an umbrella rib;
- and
- a second portion configured to couple with an umbrella hub;
- wherein the main body is configured to permit the umbrella rib to attach to a hub channel and extend from the hub channel at an angle that deviates from a hub channel angle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.