Patent attributes
A novel umbrella includes a support post, a housing supported thereby, spokes pivotally disposed about the housing, a canopy, and an actuator. The housing has a top hub and a bottom hub. The actuator slides the hubs together to pivot the spokes away from the housing, whereby the umbrella moves from a closed position to an open position. Rollers are retained within the top hub, and each spoke has a spoke cam attached to one end. The spokes pivot away from the housing by having a roller surface of each spoke cam slide along each respective roller. The actuator may include a beam pivotally disposed about the support post, a strut pivotally disposed about the support post and coupled to the beam, a car slide slideably disposed within the beam, and a cable coupled to the strut and the housing.