Umbrella hub with cord lock feature
AssigneeOliver Joen-an Ma
InventorOliver Joen-an Ma
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An umbrella hub is provided that is operative to engage an umbrella cord for maintaining an umbrella in an open position. The hub can comprise a cord retention mechanism. For example, the hub can comprise upper and lower hub portions that form a hub body and a cord retention mechanism comprising an aperture extending through the hub body, a recess disposed within the upper or lower hub portion, and a pair of engagement members disposed in the recess. The cord lock mechanism can be configured to allow the cord to pass freely in a first direction while preventing movement of the cord therethrough in a second direction that is opposite the first direction or to pass freely in both the first and second directions.
Claims24
An umbrella hub comprising:
- a hub body comprising an upper hub portion and a lower hub portion coupled to the upper portion, the hub body having a series of projections extending outwardly from a central portion thereof;
- an aperture extending through the upper and lower hub portions of the hub body, the aperture being configured to allow a cord to pass therethrough;
- an engagement device configured for engaging with or disengaging the cord, the engagement device being aligned with the aperture of the hub body such that the cord can be disposed through the aperture to be engaged with or disengaged from the engagement device, the engagement device allowing the cord to pass freely in a first direction through the aperture while preventing movement of the cord in a second direction opposite the first direction;
- and
- a recess enclosed within the hub body and formed in the lower hub portion, the recess being configured to at least partially receive the engagement device therein and to allow the engagement device to move between the engaged position and the disengaged position;
- wherein the upper hub portion comprises at least one insertion member configured to be inserted into the recess of the lower hub portion.
An umbrella comprising:
- an umbrella pole;
- a first umbrella hub coupled with the umbrella pole;
- a cord coupled with the first umbrella hub;
- and
- a second umbrella hub comprising a first hub portion having a recess formed therein, a second hub portion being coupled with the first hub portion, a channel extending through the first and second hub portions of the hub body, the channel being configured to allow a cord to pass therethrough, and at least one engagement member disposed in the recess of the first hub portion and being at least partially enclosed between the first and second hub portions, the engagement member being configured for engaging with or disengaging from the cord, the engagement member being aligned with the channel of the hub body such that the cord can be disposed through the channel to be engaged with the engagement member, the engagement member allowing the cord to pass freely in a first direction through the channel while preventing movement of the cord in a second direction opposite the first direction;
- and
- wherein a structure disposed downwardly from the second hub portion abuts and holds the engagement member against the first hub portion.
An umbrella comprising:
- an umbrella pole;
- a cord coupled with the umbrella pole;
- and
- an umbrella hub comprising a cord channel, a lower surface and an upper surface, the hub further comprising a plurality of connection cavities that extend from the lower surface to the upper surface, the connection cavities configured to receive ribs of the umbrella, the channel being disposed at least partially between the upper and lower surfaces of the hub and being configured to allow the cord to pass therethrough, a recess formed between the upper and lower surfaces of the hub, and at least one engagement member disposed in the recess of the hub, the engagement member being configured to rotate about an axis fixed relative to the umbrella hub and to engage with or disengage from the cord, the engagement member being aligned with the channel of the hub such that the cord can be disposed through the channel to be engaged with the engagement member, the engagement member allowing the cord to pass freely in a first direction through the channel while preventing movement of the cord in a second direction opposite the first direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.