Louis Sammarco, founder of Sammarco Electric Co. and Samm's Umbrellas, created a flat-top umbrella shaped like a bottle cap. Its design prevents wind from getting trapped underneath and turning the umbrella inside out, he said.

"Umbrellas haven't changed much in their 3,000-year history, but this is going to be a very novel thing,'' said Sammarco of Germantown. "The good Lord showed me this, and if He showed it to me there has to be a market for it.''

Sammarco said he was watching golf on television when the flat top design came to him in a vision. A few days later he saw a bottle cap on the ground and "eureka!'' an idea was born. It happened at a time when Sammarco was having financial difficulties as a result of a legal dispute with the electrical workers union. "I think God gave him this vision to take his mind off his troubles,'' said Sammarco's wife of 46 years, Fannie. "This gave him something positive to focus on in a very dark period.''

Ten years and about $30,000 later, the vision is now reality.

Although the Bocap Brella is not yet on the market, the world's largest maker of umbrellas, a Taiwanese company called Futai Group, has agreed to make the Bocap Brella and co-owns the patent with Sammarco.

"They make a million umbrellas a month,'' Sammarco said. "They wouldn't waste their time with a little guy like me if they didn't think I was on to something.

"Ming Tsey, CEO of the Futai Umbrella Group, has been very helpful with the prototype development,'' Sammarco said. "I have met many interesting people during the development of this product, and for that I am thankful.''

The Bocap Brella is expected to be on the market in three to six months. Initially, it will be available only through Samm's Umbrellas, but Sammarco plans to eventually have it sold in retail stores.

The umbrella has 21 tips, like bottle caps. Handles are shaped like beverage bottles and come with a medallion on the bottom. It has a polished wood shaft and aluminum and steel ribs.

"It's different from and stronger than anything on the market,'' Sammarco said.

But he hasn't had the product scientifically tested in a wind tunnel or otherwise.

"I've tested it myself in 30 to 40 mph winds, and it worked fine,'' Sammarco said.

A mechanical engineer in North Carolina designed it for optimum strength and durability, "and I stake my reputation on it,'' Sammarco said.

Michelle Marshall, a 9-year-old from Trenton, N.J., is among the few people who currently own a Bocap Brella. Her grandfather and Sammarco grew up together in New Jersey, and Sammarco sent her one as a gift.

"My friends ask where I got it,'' Michelle said. "They think it's really neat. I used it once when the wind was blowing really hard, and it didn't turn inside out,'' Michelle said.

"It's pretty strong,'' her mother, Joy Marshall, agreed. "I really like it. With all the prongs on it, it's really sturdy. The handle, everything seems to be very well-made.

"But there's no way to hang it from a hook. You have to lay it down or put it in an umbrella stand, which we don't have,'' Marshall said. "That's the only thing missing.''

Michelle's umbrella is a bright orange with no screen printing.

"I would like to see one with dogs and cats on it, (you know, raining cats and dogs) or other animals that like water, like frogs,'' Michelle said.

The umbrella is made from a single piece of material, which allows for screen printing on the entire top surface. The manufacturer can also weave graphics into various kinds of fabrics from which the umbrella can be made.

While the umbrella's strength and ease of use are its main selling points, the ability to print company logos and other advertising and promotional messages on top opens up a whole new market. Particularly among beverage companies and sports teams, said David Waltz, president of Haas-Jordan, a 100-year-old, privately held umbrella company based in Toledo, Ohio.

"Louis envisions pursuing marketing mainly to beverage companies. That is the only avenue for marketing it in my opinion,'' said Waltz, who has been a mentor to Sammarco in his efforts to bring the Bocap umbrella to market. "From the prototypes I've seen, it just doesn't have enhancements that will induce consumers to spend four to six times the cost of conventional products.''

The introductory price of the Bocap umbrella will be from $26 to $28 depending on whether it has printing.

If Sammarco could sell the umbrellas on his sincerity and Italian charm alone, he'd do well, Waltz said.

"His enthusiasm for the product is infectious, and his dedication to seeing the project through to fruition is admirable,'' Waltz said. "You've got a real winner in your community.''

Sammarco said he knows his wit and charm alone aren't enough to make all the time and effort he has put into the project pay off.

`'We're going to have to get the price down, but we first have to create a market for it,'' Sammarco said. "Until we can sell large quantities and get production costs down, we won't be able to sell it for much less than that.''

Sammarco has agreements with several companies including Pepsi and Budweiser to print their logos on the bottle cap umbrellas.

He is currently negotiating with other beverage companies, NASA and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for rights to put their logos on the Bocap umbrella.

"I envision a stadium full of Bocap umbrellas with Pepsi, Coke, Budweiser and sports team logos visible everywhere,'' Sammarco said.

"This is just the beginning,'' Sammarco said. " I'd like to do golf, beach and patio umbrellas. We're trying to get on the Internet, and we're talking to a marketing firm in Arizona that just does umbrella companies to help us promote the product.''

Because the idea was divinely inspired, Sammarco said, he decided to use the product as a vehicle to deliver a message of hope in a world drenched with sin and shame.

To each umbrella a card is attached with the following message:

"Man has always sought protection. The umbrella has provided protection from the elements. God has provided the protection for his soul.

"Waste not your life with immoral living and wrongful emotions.

"Live honorably! In so doing you will please God, have few regrets, and enjoy a life of real value.''