Umbrella covers and umbrellas

Abstract

To provide an umbrella cover capable of preventing the umbrella from getting wet due to sideways rain or the like without requiring modification of the umbrella frame structure, and an umbrella equipped with the umbrella cover. The umbrella 2 includes a center pole 8, ribs 4, ribs 10, and umbrella cloth 6 such as a vinyl sheet, as well as a cylindrical umbrella cover 14 that hangs down to surround the person P holding the umbrella 2. The umbrella cover 14 includes a cover body 20 made of a transparent vinyl sheet, and a plurality of fastening members 24a that are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction at the upper end of the cover body 20 and are attached to the ribs 4 on the inside of the umbrella 2 between the intersection C1 of the ribs 4 and the ribs 10 and the tip 16. The fastening members 24a, which are elongated in the vertical direction, form a gap between the inside of the umbrella 2 (the inner surface of the umbrella cloth 6) and the upper end of the cover body 20, thereby preventing the inside of the cover body 20 from becoming stuffy or foggy.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an umbrella cover that is attached to the inside of an umbrella to protect it from rain and shade, and an umbrella equipped with the umbrella cover. [Background technology]

[0002] In general, when an umbrella is opened, the umbrella cloth, such as a vinyl sheet supported by the ribs, spreads out in a polygonal shape close to a circle around the center pole, widely covering the upper surface of the person holding the umbrella. For example, it is difficult to get wet when rain falls vertically to the ground, but it is easy to get wet when the wind is strong and the rain falls sideways. To address this problem, Patent Document 1 discloses a hat-type umbrella with a brim connected to the tip of the umbrella cloth. Figure 6 of Patent Document 1 shows a situation in which, when rain blows sideways from behind, if the umbrella is tilted so that the brim is positioned at the back and faces the sideways rain, the rain protection area at the back is expanded, and the feet are less likely to get wet. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 63-25018 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The hat-type umbrella described in Patent Document 1 has a unique shape, which means that the rib structure is complex, raising concerns about increased manufacturing costs, and it is difficult to use (popularize) in daily life. In addition, when the wind direction changes, the brim needs to be repositioned, which is troublesome.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned points, and its object is to provide an umbrella cover that can prevent the umbrella from getting wet from sideways rain, etc. without requiring modification of the umbrella's frame structure, and an umbrella equipped with the umbrella cover. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the umbrella cover (14) of the present invention comprises a cover body (20) forming at least a part of a cylinder that covers the circumference of a person (P) holding an umbrella (2), and a plurality of first fasteners (24) that are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction at the upper end of the cover body (20) and are attached to the inside of the umbrella (2) between the intersection (C1) with the rib (10) of the rib (4) and the tip (16), or to the rib (10), and the cover body (20) hangs down to cover at least a part of the circumference of the person (P) holding the umbrella (2) when the umbrella (2) is unfolded.

[0007] The umbrella cover according to the present invention has a compact, spread-out configuration and can protect against sideways rain and block sunlight.

[0008] In addition, in the above umbrella cover (14), the cover body (20) may have a second fastener (26) for expanding the cylindrical diameter by attaching it closer to the tip (16) of the rib (4) than the first fastener (24). This makes it easy to expand the area of ​​the cover body, which is particularly convenient when multiple people are using it to protect themselves from the rain or when carrying bulky baggage.

[0009] The umbrella cover (14) may also be configured to have a third fastener (28) for folding and fastening the cover body (20) inside the umbrella (2). This allows the umbrella, including the umbrella cover, to have a compact shape when not in use.

[0010] Furthermore, the umbrella cover (14) may be configured so that a zipper opening / closing section (36 or 38) extending vertically is provided in the portion of the cover body (20) that corresponds to the front of the person (P) holding the umbrella (2). By doing so, by opening the zipper opening / closing section, stuffiness and fogging inside the cover body can be prevented, and outside objects can be easily taken in and received.

[0011] The umbrella cover (14) may be configured such that two zipper opening / closing sections (36, 38) extending in the vertical direction and spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the cylinder are provided in the portion of the cover body (20) that corresponds to the front of the person (P) holding the umbrella (2), and a fourth fastener (40) is provided for folding and fastening the portion (20b) between the zippers upward when the two zipper opening / closing sections (36, 38) are open. This makes it possible to prevent stuffiness and fogging inside the cover body by opening it, and ensure good visibility.

[0012] In addition, in the above umbrella cover (14), the first fastener (24) may be configured to form a gap (g) between the inside of the umbrella (2) and the upper end of the cover body (20). This ensures ventilation through the gap, effectively preventing stuffiness and fogging inside the cover body.

[0013] Alternatively, the umbrella cover (14) may be configured so that ventilation holes (32) are formed on the upper end side of the cover body (20). In this way, ventilation through the ventilation holes can prevent the inside of the cover body from becoming stuffy or fogging.

[0014] In addition, in the above-mentioned umbrella cover (14), the cover body (20) may be configured to have a mesh portion (34) for ventilation, thereby making it possible to prevent the inside of the cover body from becoming stuffy or fogging. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to effectively prevent the umbrella from getting wet due to sideways rain, etc., without requiring any modification to the rib structure of the umbrella. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of an umbrella according to a first embodiment of the present invention in use. [Diagram 2] 2 is a perspective view of an umbrella cover that can be attached to the umbrella shown in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the umbrella shown in FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view showing a fastening structure for the umbrella shown in FIG. 1 using a fastener. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a front view of the umbrella shown in FIG. 1 with the umbrella cover unfolded. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a front view of the umbrella shown in FIG. 1 with the umbrella cover unfolded. [Figure 7] 6 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view showing a mounting configuration using a second fastener in the state shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 8] 13A and 13B are diagrams showing other examples of the first fastener. [Figure 9] 13A and 13B are diagrams showing still another example of the first fastener. [Figure 10] FIG. 6 is a front view for explaining the folded configuration in the state of FIG. 5. [Figure 11] 11 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which the cover body is folded from the state shown in FIG. 10. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a front view of an umbrella according to a second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a front view of an umbrella according to a third embodiment. [Figure 14] 14 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view showing the state in which the portion between the zippers of the umbrella shown in FIG. 13 is folded upward and fastened. [Figure 15] 13A and 13B are diagrams showing an umbrella according to a fourth embodiment, in which (a) is a front view showing a state of use, and (b) is a diagram showing a modified example thereof. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0018] [First embodiment] The first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 11. As shown in Figure 1, an umbrella 2 according to this embodiment includes eight ribs 4, an umbrella cloth 6 formed by joining eight divided pieces 6a to 6h, a center pole 8, ribs 10 extending radially from the upper end of the center pole 8 and having their tips rotatably connected to each rib 4, a ferrule 12, and an umbrella cover 14 for protection from rain or sun that is detachably attached to each rib 4 or rib 10 via fasteners such as a first fastener 24 described later.

[0019] In Fig. 1, reference numeral 16 denotes the tip of the umbrella, and 18 denotes the handle. Note that the top and bottom handles, bottom handles, and other parts have been omitted. For the same reason, the person P holding (wielding) the umbrella 2 and the center pole 8 are also shown in solid lines as appropriate. Furthermore, the ribs 4, ribs 10, and other parts on the back side of the umbrella 2 have been omitted for ease of viewing.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, the umbrella cover 14 includes a cover body 20 that forms at least a part (here, the whole) of a cylindrical shape that covers the circumference of a person P holding an umbrella 2 when in use, and a plurality of fasteners 24a that are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction at the upper end of the cover body 20 and form one of the first fasteners 24 (see FIG. 4) that are attached to the ribs 4 on the inside of the umbrella 2 between the intersection (connection) C1 of the ribs 4 and the ribs 10 and the tip 16, or to the ribs 10. The cover body 20 hangs down so as to cover at least a part (here, the whole) of the circumference of a person P holding the umbrella 2 when the umbrella 2 is opened. The cover body 20 is formed into an octagonal cylindrical shape from a transparent vinyl sheet in correspondence with the octagonal shape of the umbrella 2. Specifically, eight divided pieces corresponding to the divided pieces 6a to 6h of the umbrella cloth 6 are joined by sewing, heat sealing, or the like.

[0021] Each fastening member 24a has a flexible, narrow belt shape and is disposed at a position corresponding to each apex of the octagonal shape, with its lower end fixed to the cover body 20. An engagement hole 24a-1 with eyelet processing is formed at the tip of each fastening member 24a. A second fastener 26 is fixed to the cover body 20 below each fastening member 24a. The second fastener 26 includes a narrow flexible member 26a having one end fixed to the cover body 20, and a hook 26b attached to the tip (free end) of the flexible member 26a.

[0022] As shown in Fig. 3, the symbol C2 indicates the attachment position by the first fastener 24 (fastening member 24a), and C3 indicates the attachment position by the second fastener 26. That is, the fastening member 24a is attached to the rib 4 between the intersection C1 of the rib 4 and the rib 10 and the tip 16, in this case closer to the intersection C1 than the middle between the intersection C1 and the tip 16. When the umbrella cover 14 is attached at the attachment position C2 by the fastening member 24a, the cover body 20 is in a circumferentially loose state as shown by the dashed line. Fig. 1 shows this attached state. Also, the line L shows the cover body 20 in a state in which the second fastener 26 is fastened by C3.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 4, a hook 24b is fixed to the attachment position C2 of each rib 4, and the umbrella cover 14 can be easily hung inside the umbrella 2 by engaging the hook 24b with the engagement hole 24a-1 of each fastening member 24a. The fastening member 24a and the hook 24b form a first fastener 24. The first fastener 24 has a detachable structure that connects two members, and one member (hook 24b) is provided on the umbrella 2 side. The vertically elongated fastening member 24a forms a gap g between the inside of the umbrella 2 (the inner surface of the umbrella cloth 6) and the upper end of the cover body 20, ensuring good ventilation (airflow movement) and preventing stuffiness and fogging of the cover body 20 due to stagnation of air inside the cover body 20. The fastening member 24a is not limited to the above structure, and may be a simple one with a loop formed at the end of a string.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, the periphery of the person P holding the umbrella 2 is covered by the cover body 20 on the inside of the tip 16, so that the person P is less likely to get wet even if it rains sideways. In this embodiment, the cover body 20 is a tubular structure that can accommodate 360°, so the person P is less likely to get wet even if the wind direction suddenly changes and the direction of the sideways rain changes. The cover body 20 is formed of a transparent vinyl sheet, so it does not obstruct the view of the person P holding the umbrella 2. The cover body 20 may be made completely transparent, or may be made partially transparent as long as it does not obstruct the view. The length (height) H extending downward from the tip 16 of the cover body 20 can be appropriately set based on the ease of handling of the umbrella cover 14 and the desired rain protection range. That is, the length is the length up to the chest of the person P holding the umbrella 2, the length up to the waist, the length up to the ankles, etc.

[0025] Also, although illustrations and detailed explanations are omitted, the umbrella 2 may have a stopper mechanism that can set the degree of opening to multiple stages, and when such an umbrella 2 is used, the cover body 20 shrinks further from the state shown in Fig. 1 depending on the degree to which the umbrella 2 is opened, so the umbrella 2 can be used in a narrow place such as a crowd by narrowing it. In other words, with the umbrella cover 14 attached to the inside of the umbrella 2, it is also possible to use the umbrella 2 by narrowing it by one or two stages from the fully open state (maximum open state).

[0026] The second fastener 26 is attached to the tip 16 side of the rib 4 from the fastener member 24a to expand the cylindrical diameter (diameter of the cover body 20). When the second fastener 26 is attached to the attachment position C3 from the state shown in FIG. 1, the length H of the cover body 20 is shortened accordingly, but the storage area (effective rain protection area) inside the cover body 20 is increased, and it is possible for two or three people to protect themselves from the rain, as shown in FIG. 5. This is also effective when you want to increase the rain protection area, such as when you are carrying a large bag or have bulky luggage. Also, FIG. 6 shows an example in which the attachment position C3 is the same position as the tip 16. In the embodiment shown in the figure, the cylindrical diameter of the cover body 20 (diameter of the cover body 20) is maximized.

[0027] In this embodiment, the second fastener 26 is attached by simply hooking the hook 26b on the ribs 4, as shown in FIG. 7. When the umbrella 2 is open, the umbrella cloth 6 is strongly abutted against the ribs 4, so the hook 26b does not slip due to friction when it is passed through the gap. In this way, there is no need to provide a fastener on the umbrella 2 side, and the configuration is simple. The same configuration may be used at the attachment position C2. The fastener member 24a of the first fastener 24 may be provided on the ribs 4 side, and the hook 24b may be provided on the cover body 20 side. The same fastener configuration as the first fastener 24 may also be used at the attachment position C3. The first fastener 24 and the second fastener 26 may be configured as snap buttons, hook-and-loop fasteners, or buttons and holes, without being limited to the above. In particular, if the second fastener 26 is a hook-and-loop fastener, the diameter of the cover body 20 can be easily changed by attaching and detaching only the second fastener 26 during use.

[0028] 8 and 9 are diagrams showing other examples of the first fastener 24. As shown in FIG. 8(a), the first fastener 24 in the example shown in FIG. 8 includes a thin belt-like fastening member 24a fixed to the upper end of the cover body 20 and a pair of snaps (snap buttons) 24c provided near the tip of the fastening member 24a. As shown in FIG. 8(b), the first fastener 24 fastens a pair of snaps 24c, 24c in a state where the fastening member 24a is passed around the rib 4 or the rib 10 inside the umbrella 2. This allows the cover body 20 to be attached in a suspended state to the rib 4 or the rib 10 via the fastening member 24a. In addition, as shown in FIG. 9, the first fastener 24 can also be configured to include a button 24d fixed by sewing or the like near the upper end of the cover body 20 and a buttonhole (buttonhole) 24e provided in the umbrella cloth 6 of the umbrella 2 for fastening the button 24d. As shown in FIG. 9(b), the first fastener 24 can be attached to the umbrella cloth 6 in a state in which the cover body 20 is suspended by fastening the button 24d in the button hole 24e. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, a pair of buttons 24d, 24d are attached by sewing to the front and back surfaces of the cover body 20 at the same position. This allows the button 24d to be firmly and securely attached to the cover body 20, preventing it from coming off easily and ensuring durability. In addition, by attaching the pair of buttons 24d, 24d to the front and back surfaces of the cover body 20, there is also the advantage that when fastening one of the buttons 24d in the button hole 24e, it is easy to pinch the button 24d with your fingertips and fasten it in the button hole 24e.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 10, when the cover body 20 is unfolded, the height H1 in the vertical direction of the cover body 20 is set to be approximately twice the width W from the attachment position C2 to the attachment position C3. A fold 20a is formed in the center of the height H1 of the cover body 20, and a fastening member 28a constituting one side of the third fastener 28 (see FIG. 11) is fixed to each area corresponding to each divided piece 6a to 6h of the cover body 20. Each fastening member 28a includes a narrow flexible member 28a-1 and a hook-and-loop fastener 28a-2 provided on the back side of the free end of the flexible member 28a-1. A hook-and-loop fastener 28b for fastening the fastening member 28a is fixed to the inner surface of each divided piece 6a to 6h of the umbrella cloth 6. The third fastener 28 has a detachable structure that connects two members, and one (here, the other) member (hook-and-loop fastener 28b) is provided on the umbrella 2 side.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 11, the cover body 20 can be folded compactly inside the umbrella 2 by folding the cover body 20 in three and engaging and fastening the hook-and-loop fastener 28a-2 of the fastening member 28a with the hook-and-loop fastener 28b on the umbrella 2 side. Of course, the umbrella cover 14 can be removed from the umbrella 2 after use, folded, and stored separately. In this way, when it is not raining, the umbrella 2 can be used normally with almost no extra accessories. The fold 20a, the fastening member 28a, and the hook-and-loop fastener 28b are omitted in FIG. 1 and the like. The length of the cover body 20 can be folded in two. It can also be folded into a roll shape.

[0031] Although not shown in the figures, the umbrella cover 14 (cover body 20) can also be folded back to the outside (upper surface side) of the umbrella 2. When the umbrella 2 and umbrella cover 14 are used in rainy weather, the outer surface of the cover body 20 becomes wet with rain. In this state, by folding the cover body 20 back to the outside of the umbrella 2, the cover body 20 is turned inside out, and the wet outer surface faces the upper surface of the umbrella 2 and is hidden inside. If the umbrella 2 is folded in this state, the outer surface of the folded umbrella 2 is not wet, so even if it is carried or placed in a car or indoors, there is no risk of the surroundings getting wet from water droplets adhering to the umbrella 2, which is very convenient. In this case, it is advisable to provide a fastening member for fastening the cover body 20 in the folded state to the outside of the umbrella 2. As an example, this fastening member can be composed of a pair of hook-and-loop fasteners provided on the outer surface of the cover body 20 and the outer surface of the umbrella 2 (umbrella cloth 6).

[0032] In this embodiment, the cover body 20 is shaped like an octagonal cylinder that surrounds the person P holding the umbrella 2, but it may be shaped so that there is no part corresponding to the segments 6a, 6h of the umbrella cloth 6 that is on the front side of the person P holding the umbrella 2, or no part corresponding to either of the segments 6a, 6h. In other words, the shape when in use may be configured to form at least a part of a cylinder that covers the person P holding the umbrella 2. The cover body 20 may also be cylindrical. The third fastener 28 may be a hook that is provided only on the cover body 20 side and hooked onto the rib 4.

[0033] [Second embodiment] The second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 12. Parts that are the same as or can be considered the same as those in the above embodiment are indicated by the same reference numerals, and the above-mentioned structural and functional explanations will be omitted as appropriate (the same applies to the other embodiments described below).

[0034] In this embodiment, the upper end of the cover body 20 is detachably attached to the ribs 4 with a fastener (not shown) without much gap, and instead, a plurality of ventilation holes 32 are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction on the upper part of the cover body 20. In addition, a ventilation mesh part 34 is formed in the part close to the face of the person P holding the umbrella 2, that is, in the area of ​​the cover body 20 corresponding to the divided pieces 6a and 6h. It is not necessary to form both the ventilation holes 32 and the mesh part 34, and only one of them may be formed. This ventilation configuration can prevent the inside of the cover body 20 from becoming stuffy or cloudy. In addition to the configuration of forming the gap g shown in FIG. 1, a configuration of forming the ventilation holes 32 and the mesh part 34 may be used.

[0035] [Third embodiment] The third embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 13 and 14. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 13, two fastener opening / closing parts 36, 38 extending in the vertical direction and spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the cylinder are provided in the part of the cover body 20 corresponding to the front of the person P holding the umbrella 2, i.e., the area corresponding to the divided piece 6a of the umbrella cloth 6, and have a fastening member 40a forming one side of the fourth fastener 40 (see Fig. 14) for folding and fastening the part 20b between the fasteners upward when the two fastener opening / closing parts 36, 38 are open. The fastening member 40a comprises a narrow flexible member 40a-1 and a hook-and-loop fastener 40a-2 provided on the back surface of the free end of the flexible member 40a-1. A hook-and-loop fastener 40b for fixing the fastening member 40a is fixed to the inner surface of the divided piece 6a of the umbrella cloth 6. Reference numerals 36a and 38a denote sliders. The fourth fastener 40 has a detachable structure for joining two members, and one (here, the other) member (the hook-and-loop fastener 40b) is provided on the umbrella 2 side.

[0036] The two fastener openings 36, 38 can be opened, the portion 20b between the fasteners can be folded upward while being rolled inward, and then fastened with the fourth fastener 40 as shown in FIG. 14 to open the portion 20b between the fasteners. Opening it when the rain starts to weaken can prevent stuffiness and fogging and improve visibility. There can be only one fastener opening, and opening at least a part of it can prevent stuffiness and fogging and is convenient for taking or receiving things from the outside. The fourth fastener 40 can be provided as a hook only on the cover body 20 side and hooked onto the rib 4.

[0037] [Fourth embodiment] The fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 15. As shown in FIG. 15(a), the umbrella cloth 6 of the parasol 44 as an umbrella according to this embodiment is UV-treated, and the umbrella cover 46 is detachably attached to the ribs 4 via the fasteners 24. The cover body 48 is mainly intended to shade the face, so its length (height) is shorter than that of the umbrella 2. The cover body 48 has regions 48a and 48h corresponding to the segments 6a and 6h located on the front side formed of a transparent material such as a vinyl sheet, and the other regions (regions corresponding to the segments 6b to 6g) formed of a non-transparent material and UV-treated. In this way, the sun can be shaded without obstructing the view. As shown in FIG. 15(b), the cover body 48 may have an open configuration in which there is no part of the cover body 48 in the regions corresponding to the segments 6a and 6h of the cover body 48. In FIG. 15(a) and (b), the transparent region and the open region may be configured to correspond to only one of the segments of the umbrella cloth 6. In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the diameter of the cover body 48 may be widened.

[0038] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims and the technical ideas described in the specification and drawings. For example, the above embodiments have been exemplified by octagonal umbrellas 2 and parasols 44, but the umbrella cloth 6 can be similarly embodied in a polygonal shape, such as 6, 7, 10, 16, etc. Also, the material of the umbrella cloth 6 may be a combination of transparent and non-transparent.

Claims

1. A cover body that forms at least a part of a cylindrical shape that covers the periphery of a person holding the umbrella; A plurality of first fasteners are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction at the upper end of the cover body, and are attached to the inside of the umbrella between the intersection of the rib with the rib and the tip of the umbrella or to the rib; A second fastener that enables the cover body to be attached and detached to the tip side of the rib relative to the first fastener, The cover body, when attached to the inside of the umbrella, hangs down so as to cover at least a part of the circumference of a person holding the umbrella when the umbrella is opened, An umbrella cover characterized in that the diameter of the cylindrical shape of the cover body is changed by fastening the first fastener and attaching and detaching the second fastener.

2. 2. The umbrella cover according to claim 1, further comprising a third fastener for fastening the cover body to the inside of the umbrella by folding it.

3. The umbrella cover described in claim 2, characterized in that two zipper opening and closing sections extending in the vertical direction and spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the tube are provided in the portion of the cover body corresponding to the front of the person holding the umbrella, and a fourth fastener is provided for folding and fastening the portion between the zippers upward when the two zipper opening and closing sections are open.

4. The umbrella cover according to claim 1, characterized in that the first fastener has a configuration that forms a gap between the inside of the umbrella and the upper end of the cover body, or a ventilation hole is formed on the upper end side of the cover body.

5. An umbrella comprising an umbrella cover according to any one of claims 1 to 4.