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EP-4736704-A1 - HANDS-FREE UMBRELLA EQUIPMENT

EP4736704A1EP 4736704 A1EP4736704 A1EP 4736704A1EP-4736704-A1

Abstract

A harness for hands-free use of personal umbrellas uses a cross-body strap circling a user from one shoulder to the opposite waist and a top clip to hold the umbrella at the shoulder. The harness can have one or more side straps passing around the torso under the shoulder, a base clip holding the umbrella at a waist level, and/or a bag for holding the umbrella, the straps, the clips, and/or personal items of the user. The top clip and/or base clip can be on mounts and/or booms. The clips can be adjustable in angle relative to the torso. Booms can be adjustable in length. A mount can include an adjustable truss assembly for positioning the umbrella. The bag can have compartments made with varied materials for different moisture performance. The harness can be adapted for use with full-size umbrellas and/or compact umbrellas with collapsible shafts.

Inventors

  • SINGLETON, ANGELA
  • VERZI, Samantha Louise
  • GRZANKA, Andrew Devin
  • KEELE, Sophie Elizabeth
  • ROCKS, Laura Kathleen
  • Belsinger, Harry Edward
  • GUTIERREZ, Amie Jene
  • KUDERNATSCH, SIMON

Assignees

  • Reynbo, LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20251023

Claims (15)

  1. A harness for hands-free use of a personal umbrella, the harness comprising: a cross-body strap circling a torso of a user, the cross-body strap passing from a shoulder of the user to a waist of the user, the waist of the user being at a waist level of the user on a side of the torso opposite from the shoulder; a top clip connected directly or indirectly to the cross-body strap at a shoulder level of the user, the top clip being adapted to detachably connect to a shaft of the umbrella at a top mount point, the top mount point being located along the shaft of the umbrella between a base of the umbrella and a canopy extension hub of the umbrella, wherein the extension hub, via motion along the shaft, folds and unfolds a canopy of the umbrella; a lower side strap connecting a first strap point of the cross-body strap on the front of the torso to a second strap point of the cross-body strap on the back of the torso, the lower side strap passing along the torso under the shoulder of the user; a base clip connected to the lower side strap at a waist level of the user, the base clip being adapted to detachably connect to a base point that is along the shaft of the personal umbrella at or adjacent to the base of the umbrella; and an upper side strap connected to a third strap point of the cross-body strap, the upper side strap passing around the torso along a line that is under the shoulder and above the lower side strap.
  2. The harness of claim 1, wherein: the third strap point of the cross-body strap is on the front of the torso; and the upper side strap connected between the third strap point and a fourth strap point of the cross-body strap located on the back of the torso.
  3. The harness of claim 1, wherein: the third strap point of the cross-body strap is at a top of the shoulder and toward the front of the torso; and the upper side strap connected between the third strap point and a fourth strap point of the cross-body strap located at the top of the shoulder toward the back of the torso.
  4. The harness of any preceding claim, wherein: the third strap point of the cross-body strap is at the top of the shoulder; and the upper side strap is a loop.
  5. The harness of any preceding claim, wherein the top clip is affixed directly to the cross-body strap.
  6. The harness of claims 1 to 4, wherein the top clip is affixed directly to the upper side strap.
  7. The harness of any preceding claim , wherein the top clip is adjacent to an armpit beneath the shoulder, such that the top clip lies on the front or top of the shoulder and along a vertical circumference of the shoulder.
  8. The harness of claim 7, wherein the base clip is located on a line angling from the armpit to a base location at an intersection of the lower side strap and a side of the torso beneath the armpit.
  9. The harness of any preceding claim, wherein the base clip is located at or above a waistline of the user, the waistline being below and immediately adjacent to a ribcage of the user.
  10. The harness of claim 9, wherein the base clip is located approximately 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 ribs above the waistline.
  11. The harness of any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the base clip is located at or below a waistline of the user, the waistline being below and immediately adjacent to a ribcage of the user.
  12. The harness of any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the lower side strap is detachable from the first strap point and/or the second strap point.
  13. The harness of any of claims 1 to 12, wherein the upper side strap is detachable from the first strap point and/or the second strap point.
  14. The harness of any of claims 1 to 12, wherein the upper side strap is detachable from the third point.
  15. The harness of any of claims 1 to 14, wherein the top clip is vertically located between 5 cm and 8 cm above the armpit.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application S/N 63/711,882, filed October 25, 2024, titled "Hands-free umbrella equipment" and U.S. Provisional Patent Application S/N 63/884,806, filed September 19, 2025, titled "Hands-free umbrella equipment." TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates to techniques for hands-free use of personal umbrellas, including adaptations to straps, fittings, cases, and umbrellas. BACKGROUND Umbrellas for personal use against sun and rain come in a variety of forms and are available with a variety of accessories. Compact umbrellas, also referred to as folding, travel, or mini umbrellas generally have a folding frame which supports a fabric canopy, and a collapsing/telescoping shaft capable of folding down to a compact size. Compact umbrellas come in a wide range of sizes, varying generally when folded for storage to have a length from roughly 5 inches (13 cm) to over 18 inches (46 cm) and a width between 1.5 inches (4 cm) and 3 inches (8 cm). Stick umbrellas tend to be larger. Also called walking or golf umbrellas, these full-sized umbrellas generally have a folding frame and continuous, non-collapsing shaft. Stick umbrellas usually have a length between 30 inches (76 cm) to over 42 inches (107 cm) and a width of around 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) in the closed position. A key advantage of a compact umbrella is portability. Compared to a stick umbrella, a compact umbrella can be more easily carried, e.g., in a bag, tote, handbag, backpack, briefcase, or luggage. Compact umbrellas are more popular than stick umbrellas due to their comparatively small size and light weight. SUMMARY A harness for hands-free use of a personal umbrella uses a cross-body strap circling the torso of a user from one shoulder of the user to the opposite waist. The harness has a top mount connected to the cross-body strap at a level at or near the shoulder. The top mount detachably grips the umbrella shaft, e.g., via a clip. The terms "top mount" and "top clip" are generally used interchangeably herein, with the understanding that a clip is one of many ways of achieving this functionality. The harness can be stabilized by one or more side straps running under the shoulder to connect points on the cross-body strap on the back and front of the torso. The harness can be fitted with a base mount at a level at or near the waist of the user. The umbrella can be attached, permanently or detachably, to the base mount, e.g., via a clip. Herein the terms "base mount" and "base clip" are often used interchangeably with the understanding that there are many ways to implement the base mount attachment functionality. The base clip clasps an umbrella at its base, e.g., at a handle of the umbrella or at a point on the shaft near the bottom of the umbrella. The base clip can be adapted for rapid connection to the umbrella. Additionally or alternatively, the base clip can be rotatable, e.g., via use of one or more of a hinge, universal joint, gooseneck, or other flexible connector. The top clip can be similarly rotatable. The base clip can be connected to the cross-body strap directly or indirectly via, e.g., a bag, a mount, and/or a side strap. A mount for the base clip can be a truss assembly. For example, the mount can be an adjustable three-bar truss assembly. The harness can include a bag at a fixed or moveable location on the harness. For example, where the umbrella is a compact umbrella with a collapsible shaft, the bag can have a compartment for storing the umbrella when not in use. The bag can be arranged such that the base clip remains attached to the umbrella both when the umbrella is stored in the bag and when the umbrella is taken out and raised, without adjustment of the base clip. The bag can include a number of specialized compartments. For example, the bag can have a front compartment with a closure facing away from the torso to permit removal of the umbrella via a motion away from the body of the user. The bag can also include additional compartments, such as e.g., middle, inner, and/or rear compartments. For example, a middle compartment can have a closure on the top of the bag to permit removal of items stored in the other compartment via a motion substantially parallel to a surface of the torso. Various compartments of the bag can be made of varied materials which react differently to moisture. For example, the middle and/or rear compartment can be made of a water-proof material to prevent moisture for a wet umbrella entering those compartments. The umbrella storage compartment can be waterproof. Alternatively, the umbrella compartment can use a water-resistant material that prevents dripping of water from the bag but is gas-permeable to allow evaporation of moisture from the compartment. The drip-resistant material can promote wicking of moisture along its fibers to promote evaporative drying. The harness can include a top boom to h