1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control mechanism of a full-automatic multi-folded umbrella which can be controlled to open/close automatically.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In these days, the climate is constantly changing so people are used to take an umbrella along to prevent a heavy rain unexpectedly. But, the frame of a conventional umbrella has to be pushed to a specific position to unfold the umbrella. Once there is a sudden downpour, the user may be wet because he/she cannot unfold the umbrella quickly. Therefore, an improved umbrella is developed. The umbrella handle is provided with a button. The user just presses the button to unfold the umbrella automatically. But, this kind of umbrella doesn't have the function to fold the umbrella automatically. When the user gets in the car, he/she has to fold the umbrella with both hands. In such a short time, the user is always wet. This umbrella is inconvenient for use.
Chinese Utility Model Publication No. CN2476208Y published on Feb. 13, 2002 discloses a control device for an automatic umbrella. The working principle of this umbrella is that when the umbrella is unfolded, the button is pressed and the control device releases the middle rod of the umbrella. The middle rod is biased by the springs inside the middle rod to extend upward so as to unfold the umbrella. When the user wants to fold the umbrella, the button is pressed again for the control device to release the buckle inside the middle rod. The springs on the frame urges the umbrella to be folded. The buckle is pulled by the pull rope to the top of the middle rod. At this moment, the umbrella is not fully folded. The user has to push a portion of the umbrella toward the handle to shorten the middle rod. The springs are restored to energize, and the middle rod and the buckle are controlled by the control device in the handle again. Thus, the umbrella is folded completely.
The operation principle of the existing full-automatic umbrella is substantially identical to that of the aforesaid patent, such as Chinese Utility Model Application numbers 01217730.X, 01237609.4, 01262761.5, 03267824.X. The difference between them is the control device inside the handle to control the middle rod and the buckle.
Thus, the existing automatic umbrella can be unfolded automatically and folded semi-automatically. It cannot be completely folded to its original state to achieve a full automatic function. The umbrella is completely folded by applying a force. The present invention is to solve the problem how to fold/unfold the umbrella automatically by controlling the handle. Accordingly, the inventor of the present invention has devoted himself based on his many years of practical experiences to solve these problems.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a control mechanism of a full-automatic multi-folded umbrella to open/close the umbrella completely.
In order to achieve the aforesaid object, the control mechanism of the present invention is disposed between an umbrella handle and a middle rod set for controlling an umbrella opening/closing transformation ratio mechanism. The middle rod set comprises at least three sleeves, an outer sleeve, a middle sleeve and an inner sleeve. The top end of the middle rod set is connected with an upper nest. A lower nest is fitted on the middle rod set. The control mechanism comprises a bolt, a nut and a push rod disposed on the bolt and cooperating with the bolt. The push rod is connected with the nut and the top end of the middle sleeve. The lower end of the bolt is driven by a power source in the umbrella handle to turn clockwise or counterclockwise for the nut to be moved up and down along the bolt. The power source is controlled by a button on the umbrella handle.
Preferably, the upper end of the outer sleeve of the middle rod set is provided with an outer sleeve pulley. An outer sleeve fixing ring is fixed to the lower end of the outer sleeve to cooperate with the outer sleeve. The outer sleeve plug has a central through hole. A middle sleeve plug having a middle sleeve pulley is fixed to the top end of the middle sleeve. A middle sleeve fixing ring is fixed to the lower end of the middle sleeve. An outer side of the middle sleeve fixing ring is provided with a middle sleeve fixing ring pulley. The lower end of the inner sleeve is fixed to the umbrella handle.
Preferably, the middle sleeve plug is made of a plastic material. The middle sleeve plug has a hanging hole to cooperate with the push rod. The hanging hole is provided with a metallic ring therein. The middle sleeve plug further has a fixing hole to fix a full rope and cooperate with a metallic pipe. The metallic pipe has a guide curved edge at one end surface thereof.
Preferably, an outer sleeve plug is fixed inside the upper end of the outer sleeve. The outer sleeve plug has a central through hole. An outer sleeve pulley is provided at the upper portion of the outer sleeve plug. The outer sleeve is formed with a notch corresponding in position to the outer sleeve pulley.
Preferably, an inner sleeve plug is fixed to the top portion of the inner sleeve. The inner sleeve plug is made of a plastic material. The inner sleeve plug has a fixing hole for insertion of a pull rope and cooperating with a metallic pipe having a guide curved edge at one end surface thereof.
Preferably, one side wall of the inner sleeve plug is directly formed with a trough to cooperate with the upper end of the inner sleeve so as to form a receiving space for a concave point of the inner sleeve.
Preferably, the lower end of the bolt is provided with a soft cushion located above the power source.
Preferably, the upper nest is secured to the top end of the outer sleeve. The lower portion of the upper nest is fitted on the outer sleeve and formed with a lid groove corresponding in position to a notch of the outer sleeve.
Preferably, the lower end of the upper nest is connected with an auxiliary spring fitted on the outer sleeve.
Preferably, the push rod is a pair of symmetrical hard rod members, and two sides of the inner sleeve plug are formed with guide grooves.
Preferably, the push rod is a hard pipe.
Preferably, the power source is a motor.
Preferably, the umbrella opening/closing transformation ratio mechanism comprises a lower nest pull rope, a transformation ratio pull rope, and an inner sleeve pull rope. One end of the lower nest pull rope is fixed to the middle sleeve plug. The other end of the lower nest pull rope passes through the outer sleeve and winds though the outer sleeve pulley to be fixed to the lower nest. One end of the transformation ratio pull rope is fixed to the upper end of the inner sleeve. The other end of the transformation ratio pull rope passes through the bottom of the middle sleeve, winds through the middle sleeve fixing ring pulley of the middle sleeve fixing ring, enters the middle sleeve to extend out of the upper end of the middle sleeve, and enters the outer sleeve to extend out of the upper end of the outer sleeve to be fixed to the top of the outer sleeve. One end of the inner sleeve pull rope is fixed to the upper end of the inner sleeve. The other end of the inner sleeve pull rope passes through the middle sleeve, winds through the middle sleeve pulley of the middle sleeve plug, and enters the position between the middle sleeve and the outer sleeve to be fixed to the lower end of the outer sleeve.
Preferably, the transformation ratio rope and the inner sleeve pull rope are the same rope.
Preferably, the umbrella opening/closing transformation ratio mechanism comprises a lower nest pull rope and a middle sleeve pull rope. One end of the lower nest pull rope is connected to the middle sleeve plug. The other end of the lower nest pull rope passes through the outer sleeve pulley and extends out of the outer sleeve to be fixed to the lower nest. One end of the middle sleeve pull rope is connected to the inner sleeve plug. The other end of the middle sleeve pull rope passes through the middle sleeve pulley of the middle sleeve plug to be fixed to the lower end of the outer sleeve.
Through the umbrella opening/closing transformation ratio mechanism, the control mechanism of the present invention can fold or unfold the umbrella automatically.
To unfold the umbrella, the button of the umbrella handle is pressed to start the power source to output a power to turn clockwise. The nut is moved upward along the bolt. When the nut is moved upward, thee push rod is moved to bring the middle sleeve to move upward relative to the middle sleeve. The distance between the middle sleeve plug and the upper end of the inner sleeve is lengthened. The inner sleeve pull rope will pull the outer sleeve fixing ring to move upward relative to the middle sleeve to supplement the change of the distance, namely, the outer sleeve is pushed to unfold relative to the middle sleeve. At this moment, the distance between the outer sleeve plug and the middle sleeve plug is lengthened. The lower nest pull rope will pull the lower nest to move upward relative to the outer sleeve to supplement the change of the distance. The lower nest is moved upward to unfold the frame. In this way, the umbrella is unfolded completely. To fold the umbrella, the button of the umbrella handle is pressed again to start the power source to output a power to turn reversely. The nut will be moved downward along the bolt. When the nut is moved downward, the push rod is pushed to bring the middle sleeve to move downward relative to the inner sleeve. At the same time, the lower nest pull rope connected on the middle sleeve plug will pull the lower nest to move upward relative to the outer sleeve. The umbrella frame is folded by the function of the springs and the umbrella cloth.
Alternatively, to unfold the umbrella, the button of the umbrella handle is pressed to start the power source to output a power to turn clockwise. The power source will drive the bolt to turn, and the nut will be moved upward along the bolt. When the nut is moved upward, the bolt will use the push rod to push the middle sleeve plug to move the middle sleeve upward. The middle sleeve is pushed to unfold upward relative to the inner sleeve. The other end of the middle sleeve pull rope will pull the outer sleeve to move upward relative to the middle sleeve to supplement the change of the distance, namely, the outer sleeve is pushed to unfold relative to the middle sleeve. At this moment, the distance between the outer sleeve plug and the middle sleeve plug is lengthened. The lower nest pull rope will pull the lower nest to move upward relative to the outer sleeve to supplement the change of the distance. The lower nest is moved upward to unfold the umbrella frame completely. To fold the umbrella, the button of the umbrella handle is pressed again to start the power source to output a power to turn reversely. The power source will drive the bolt to turn reversely, and the nut will be moved downward along the bolt. When the nut is moved downward, the bolt will use the push rod to bring the middle sleeve plug and the middle sleeve to move downward. The middle sleeve is moved downward relative to the inner sleeve. The middle sleeve pull rope will bring the outer sleeve to move downward relative to the middle sleeve. The umbrella frame is folded by the function of the springs and the umbrella cloth completely.
Accordingly, the middle rod set of the present invention is provided with the umbrella opening/closing transformation ratio mechanism composed of two or three pull ropes. The two or three pull ropes are connected with the sleeves of the middle rod set as well as the upper nest and the lower nest respectively, and cooperate with the power source in the umbrella handle to drive the bolt to turn. When the nut on the bolt is moved up and down, the push rod is pushed to bring the middle sleeve to move up and down relative to the inner sleeve to open/close the sleeves of the middle rod set and the umbrella cloth. The multi-folded umbrella can be folded or unfolded completely for people to use the umbrella conveniently and quickly.
a is a sectional view taken along line a-a of
b is a sectional view taken along line b-b of
a is a sectional view taken along line a-a of
b is a sectional view taken along line b-b of
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As shown in
The present invention is applied to an umbrella. The umbrella comprises an umbrella frame A, an umbrella cloth (not shown in the drawings) secured on the umbrella frame A, an upper nest C, a lower nest D, and an umbrella opening/closing transformation ratio mechanism E.
Umbrella ribs A1 of the frame A cooperate with the corresponding upper nest C and the lower nest D, and each umbrella rib A1 is provided with a spring A2 for folding umbrella.
Referring to
An outer sleeve plug 1 is fixed inside the upper end of the outer sleeve B1, and an outer sleeve fixing ring 2 is fixed to the lower end of the outer sleeve B1. The outer sleeve plug 1 has a central through hole 11. An outer sleeve pulley 12 is provided at the upper portion of the outer sleeve plug 1. The outer sleeve B1 is formed with a notch B11 corresponding in position to the outer sleeve pulley 12 for passing of a lower nest pull rope E1. The outer sleeve fixing ring 2 is an annular member. The upper portion of the outer sleeve fixing ring 2 is inserted into the outer sleeve B1, and the lower end of the outer sleeve fixing ring 2 is formed with a flange 21 protruding out of the outer sleeve B1.
A middle sleeve plug 3 is fixed to the upper end of the middle sleeve B2, and a middle sleeve fixing ring 4 is fixed to the lower end of the middle sleeve B2. The lower portion of the middle sleeve plug 3 is inserted into the middle sleeve B2. The middle portion of the middle sleeve plug 3 is provided with a middle sleeve pulley 31. The number of the middle sleeve pulley 31 may be one or more. This embodiment has one pulley. The middle sleeve fixing ring 4 is an annular member. The upper portion of the middle sleeve fixing ring 4 is inserted into the middle sleeve B2, and the lower end of the middle sleeve fixing ring 4 is formed with a flange 41 protruding out of the middle sleeve B2. One side of the flange 41 is provided with a middle sleeve fixing ring pulley 42. The middle sleeve B2 is formed with a notch corresponding in position to the middle sleeve fixing ring pulley 42 for passing of a transformation ratio pull rope E2.
An inner sleeve plug 5 is fixed to the top end of the inner sleeve B3, and the lower end of the inner sleeve B3 is fixed to the umbrella handle G.
The aforesaid three sleeves uses their respective plugs, the middle sleeve plug 3 and the inner sleeve plug 5, to cooperate with their respective fixing rings, the outer sleeve fixing ring 2 and the middle sleeve fixing ring 4, to connect with each other, such that the middle rod set B is constituted to be folded and unfolded.
The upper nest C is secured to the top end of the outer sleeve B1. The lower portion of the upper nest C is fitted on the outer sleeve B1 and formed with a lid groove C1 corresponding in position to the notch B11 of the outer sleeve B1 for passing of the lower nest pull rope E1. The lower end of the upper nest C is connected with an auxiliary spring I. When the umbrella is unfolded, the auxiliary spring I compressed by the lower nest D is in a compressed energized state.
The lower nest D is slidably fitted on the outer sleeve B1.
The umbrella handle G is a cover to accommodate the power source 9. The umbrella handle G is provided with the button G1 to switch on the clockwise/counterclockwise turning power of the power source 9.
As shown in
One end of the lower nest pull rope E1 is fixed to the top of the middle sleeve plug 3, and the other end of the lower nest pull rope E1 passes through the outer sleeve B1 and winds though the outer sleeve pulley 12 of the outer sleeve plug 1 to be fixed to the lower nest D.
One end of the transformation ratio pull rope E2 is fixed to the upper end of the inner sleeve B1. In this embodiment, it is fixed on the inner sleeve plug 5. The other end of the transformation ratio pull rope E2 passes through the notch B21 at the bottom of the middle sleeve B2, and winds through the middle sleeve fixing ring pulley 42 of the middle sleeve fixing ring 4, and enters the middle sleeve B2 to extend out of the upper end of the middle sleeve B2, and enters the outer sleeve B1 to extend out of the upper end of the outer sleeve B1 to be fixed on the outer sleeve plug 1.
One end of the inner sleeve pull rope E3 is fixed to the upper end of the inner sleeve B3. In this embodiment, it is fixed on the inner sleeve plug 5. The other end of the inner sleeve pull rope E3 passes through the middle sleeve B2, and winds through the middle sleeve pulley 31 of the middle sleeve plug 3, and enters the position between the middle sleeve B2 and the outer sleeve B1 and fixed to the lower end of the outer sleeve B1. In this embodiment, it is fixed to the flange 21 of the outer sleeve fixing ring 2.
Because one end of the middle sleeve pull rope E2 and one end of the inner sleeve pull rope E3 are fixed to the upper end of the inner sleeve B3, the transformation ratio rope E2 and the inner sleeve pull rope E3 can be the same rope.
The lower end of the push rod 8 cooperates with the nut 7. The upper end of the push rod 8 passes through the inner sleeve plug 5 and is connected on the middle sleeve plug 3. In this embodiment, the push rod 8 is a pair of symmetrical hard rod members, such as steel wires. Alternatively, the push rod 8 can be a hard pipe. Through the push rod 8, the nut 7 can bring the middle plug 3 to move up and down.
The upper end of the bolt 6 cooperates with the inner sleeve plug 5. The inner sleeve plug 5 is formed with a guide groove 51 for passing of the push rod 8. In this embodiment, two sides of the inner sleeve plug 5 are formed with guide grooves 8 to accommodate the push rod 8.
As shown in
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Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Accordingly, the middle rod set B of the present invention is provided with the umbrella opening/closing transformation ratio mechanism E, F composed of two or three pull ropes. The two or three pull ropes are connected with the sleeves of the middle rod set B as well as the upper nest C and the lower nest D, respectively, and cooperate with the power source 9 in the umbrella handle G to drive the bolt 6 to turn. When the nut 7 on the bolt 6 is moved up and down, the push rod 8 is pushed to bring the middle sleeve B2 to move up and down relative to the inner sleeve B3 to open/close the sleeves of the middle rod set B and the umbrella cloth. The multi-folded umbrella can be folded or unfolded completely for people to use the umbrella conveniently and quickly.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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4424824 | Becher | Jan 1984 | A |
6006477 | Ko | Dec 1999 | A |
6170498 | Wu | Jan 2001 | B1 |
6543464 | Grady, II | Apr 2003 | B1 |
7735498 | You | Jun 2010 | B2 |
7909049 | Yang | Mar 2011 | B2 |
8276606 | Chen | Oct 2012 | B2 |
8757183 | Volin | Jun 2014 | B2 |
8757184 | Chen | Jun 2014 | B1 |
8857453 | Souma | Oct 2014 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country |
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EP 0518814 | Dec 1992 | TW |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20160029752 A1 | Feb 2016 | US |