Patent Application
20070163632
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an anti-slip opening and closing device for a sun umbrella, which has the function of anti-slipping and also provides a simple operating manner. That is, the umbrella is opened or closed merely by rotating a handle thereof.
2. Background of the Invention
Conventionally, the sunshade umbrella is opened and closed by means of the control device of the pole, which has been described in U.S. patents like U.S. Pat. No. 2,595,697, U.S. Pat. No. 4,386,621, U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,333, U.S. Pat. No. 6,722,381, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,732,753. These patents of U.S. Pat. No. 2,595,697, U.S. Pat. No. 4,386,621 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,333 disclose that a tape is rolled or released by rotating a reel with a handle, and the rib structure is expanded and fixed by means of a ratchet wheel and a pawl. Otherwise, the rib structure is folded by releasing the tape through the handle when the pawl is withdrawn from the ratchet wheel.
Such manner can prevent the opened umbrella from collapsing suddenly. However, the user must hold the handle and release the tape slowly to close the umbrella because the weight of rib structure results in the reversion of the ratchet wheel. If the hand of the user slips off the handle, the umbrella may collapse suddenly.
The patents of U.S. Pat. No. 6,722,381 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,732,753 disclose similar ways to control the umbrella. Still, there is concern about the sudden collapse of the umbrella.
Accordingly, an embodiment of the invention comprises a rope reeled on a roller positioned on a pole of the umbrella. The roller is screwed with a reel having a handle. A friction disc is set inside a notch of a ratchet wheel near the reel. The ratchet wheel is obstructed by an extended block part. An elastic accessory is positioned between the roller and the ratchet wheel for pushing the friction disc to lean against the ratchet wheel. A bearing positioned at a side of the reel leans against beads of a cap positioned on the reel. As a result, the rope is rolled or released by rotating the roller clockwise or counterclockwise with the handle.
When the reel is rotated clockwise, the roller and the reel are screwed together, and the rope is reeled by the roller. Hence, the umbrella is opened due to the pull of the rope, and the roller is not reversed by the obstruction of the block part.
On the other hand, when the reel is backed from the roller by rotating counterclockwise, the elastic accessory keeps pushing the ratchet wheel, in order to induce friction between the ratchet wheel and the friction disc. Consequently, the rope is released only when the handle is rotated. If the handle stops rotating, the roller also stops rotating because of the friction produced between the friction disc and the ratchet wheel. The problem of sudden collapse of the umbrella is thus solved.
As described above, the umbrella is opened or closed merely by rotating the handle clockwise or counterclockwise. It is not essential to operate the clutch as described in prior arts for preventing the umbrella from collapsing suddenly.
The foregoing aspects, as well as many of the attendant advantages and features of this invention will become more apparent by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Referring to
The support member 1 includes a pole 10 standing on the ground, a slide 11 upward and downward sliding along the pole 10, a boom 12 connected to the slide 11, and a connecting link 13 with one end pivotally connected to the upper end of the pole 10 and the other end connected to the middle of the boom 12. Another end of the boom 12 is connected to the umbrella frame 2.
The umbrella frame 2 includes a shaft 20 with an upper end connected to the terminal of the boom 12, an upper hub 21 fastened in the middle of the shaft 20, a plurality of ribs 23 connected to the upper hub 21 and covered by cloth 25, and a lower hub 22 with struts 24 positioned around itself and suspended by a rope 30. Each strut 24 is connected to the corresponding rib 23. As the lower hub 22 is moved upwards or downwards by pulling or releasing the rope 30, the ribs 23 are spread or collapsed by means of the struts 24. The lower hub 22 is fixed when upwardly shifted to the end of the shaft 20.
The anti-slip opening and closing device 3 includes a wheel base 31 having space 311 therein for a roller 33. A flange 314 is bulged on the bottom of the space 311, and an opening 312 is deployed on the wheel base 31. The inner side of the roller 33 is pivotally disposed on the flange 314. One end of the rope 30 is infixed in the groove 332 of the roller 33 for reeling the same around the spool 331 of the roller 33. Further, the screw 361 of a reel 36 screws in a hole 333 positioned in the center of the roller 33. An elastic accessory 34 and a ratchet wheel 35 are disposed between the roller 33 and a friction disc 362 of the reel 36. The friction disc 362 is set inside the notch 352 of the ratchet wheel 35, so as to rub against the ratchet wheel 35. The friction disc 362 also leans against the ratchet wheel 35 compactly through the elastic accessory 34. Additionally, a spring 316 and a block part 315 are set within an aperture 313 of the wheel base 31 in sequence to resist the ratchets 351 of the ratchet wheel 35. A cap 38 is fastened at one side of the space 311 of the wheel base 31, and the reel 36 passes through the cap 38. A bearing portion 381 of the cap 38 is against a bearing 364 of the reel 36 through beads 37 positioned thereon. A fixed board 32 is positioned at another side of the wheel base 31, and is fastened onto the pole 10 by putting the wheel base 31 into an opening 101 of the pole 10. A combination portion 363 of the reel 36 passes through a through hole 102 of the pole 10, and is fixed with a handle 39 such that the handle 39 can rotate the reel 36. Moreover, the rope 30 reeling on the roller 33 extends upwards along the pole 10, skirts a pulley 41 positioned on the top of the pole 10, a pulley 42 positioned on the boom 12 and a pulley 43 positioned on the top of the shaft 20, and reaches out to the lower hub 22 through the inner of the shaft 20.
As shown in
Referring to
Therefore, the umbrella is opened or closed merely by rotating the handle clockwise or counterclockwise. It is not essential to operate the clutch as described in prior arts for preventing the umbrella from collapsing suddenly.
The aforesaid anti-slip opening and closing device 3 may be assembled onto a sunshade umbrella 5 as illustrated in
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, these are, of course, merely examples to help clarify the invention and are not intended to limit the invention. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, and alterations in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.
