After every windy rainstorm the streets are frequently littered with umbrellas with broken ribs. If, instead of metal ribs the canopy of the umbrella was supported by a network of tubing with air under pressure to make the tubes firm, a wind would bend but not break the supporting structure. The network could be formed by heat sealing the pattern into a double sheet of vinyl plastic and the handle of the umbrella could form a pump like a bicycle pump for inflating the structure. The umbrella would be therefore much simpler to manufacture at a much lower cost. After the rain the umbrella could easily be deflated and folded.
I agree
No opinion
I disagree
Add your comment
Better than a bicycle pump, have a squeezable handle, or even a socket for a hobbyist CO2 cartridge.
Another interesting aspect of the current construction of an umbrella:
It just seems so odd to me that the handle is right in the center of the umbrella. When holding it, depending on which hand you're holding it with, the other side of your body 9x out of 10, tends to get wet.
It would be nice if an umbrella was invented that, without being gigantic, could actually cover a person's entire body, so that (one's feet especially) would not get wet.
"It would be nice if an umbrella was invented that, without being gigantic, could actually cover a person's entire body, so that (one's feet especially) would not get wet..."
Such an "umbrella" exists, it's called a "rain coat" or a "rain suit." They usually don't have metal ribs, either. When used with the appropriate footwear (sometimes called "galoshes" or "overshoes") the feet are also protected from the rain.