Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6752509
-
Patent Number
6,752,509
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, December 3, 200221 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, June 22, 200420 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- O'Shea; Sandra
- Lee; Guiyoung
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 362 102
- 362 109
- 362 800
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
An illuminating umbrella grip includes a cassette LED illuminating unit detachably mounted in a holder formed on the umbrella grip, with the LED illuminating unit operatively depressed for a constant or flashing illumination; and upon withdrawal of the LED illuminating unit from the umbrella grip, it may be operated to produce illuminating warning signal for safety purpose, or it may be replaced with a fresh LED unit as fully powered.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,291 granted to the same inventors of this application disclosed an umbrella having detachable illuminative grip (
100
), which however has the following drawbacks:
1. When the illuminative grip (
100
) is removed from the inner grip portion (
202
) of the shaft (
201
), the inner grip portion (
202
) will become a “slim bar” and will be inconveniently held or grasped by the umbrella user.
2. The lamp means includes a bulb (
41
) mounted in the grip (
100
), with the bulb consuming much electric energy for illumination, requiring larger volume and also being vulnerable and easily damaged.
3. No flashing mechanism is provided in the lamp means (
4
) to thereby reduce its safety warning effect.
The present inventor has found the drawbacks of the conventional illuminating umbrella, and invented the present umbrella grip having cassette LED illuminating unit detachably mounted therein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide an illuminating umbrella grip including a cassette LED illuminating unit detachably mounted in a holder formed on the umbrella grip, with the LED illuminating unit operatively depressed for a constant or flashing illumination; and upon withdrawal of the LED illuminating unit from the umbrella grip, it may be operated to produce illuminating warning signal for safety purpose, or it may be replaced with a fresh LED unit as fully powered.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is an illustration showing an opened umbrella of the present invention, which can be automatically opened or closed.
FIG. 2
is a sectional drawing of the cassette LED illuminating unit of the present invention.
FIG. 3
is a bottom view of the cassette LED illuminating unit.
FIG. 4
is a sectional drawing of the holder adapted for engaging the LED illuminating unit.
FIG. 5
shows the LED illuminating unit of the present invention when normally turned off.
FIG. 6
shows the LED illuminating unit of the present invention when turned on.
FIG. 7
shows the circuit diagram of the LED illuminating unit driven with a flasher in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 8
shows an opened umbrella of the present invention as held in a manually operated umbrella.
FIG. 9
is sectional drawing of the present invention having the parts enlarged from the umbrella of FIG.
8
.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As shown in FIGS.
1
˜
6
, the present invention discloses an illuminating umbrella grip
210
comprising a cassette LED (Light-Emitting Diode) illuminating unit
100
detachably mounted in a holder
200
formed on the umbrella grip
210
, especially formed on a lower portion of the umbrella grip
210
.
The umbrella of the present invention includes a central shaft
220
consisting of a plurality of tubes telescopically engageable with one another and a rib assembly
300
for securing an umbrella cloth on the rib assembly
300
pivotally secured to the shaft
220
.
The umbrella as shown in
FIG. 1
is an automatically opened or closed umbrella with multiple folds, but it may also be modified to be a manually operated umbrella as shown in
FIG. 8
or a single-fold umbrella, not limited in the present invention.
The holder
200
may be formed on or fixed to the grip
210
by screws or by adhesive bonding, integral forming, or by any other joining methods, not limited in the present invention.
The holder
200
is preferably formed on or secured to a bottom portion of the umbrella grip
210
to allow the LED illuminating unit
100
to be easily switched on or off through a bottom opening of the grip.
The cassette LED illuminating unit
100
includes: a housing
1
, a LED (light emitting diode)
2
mounted in the housing
1
for projecting light forwardly through a front opening
14
formed in the housing
1
, at least a battery (including button cells)
3
stored in the housing
1
and electrically connected to the LED
2
through a switch
4
slidably or movably formed on or in the housing
1
for switching on the LED
2
for illumination or for turning off the LED
2
.
The housing
1
includes a bottom cover
1
a
combined with an upper cover
1
b
by screws or by other joining methods to define a battery chamber
10
in between the upper and bottom covers
1
b,
1
a
for storing the battery
3
(e.g. one or two button cells) in the battery chamber
10
.
The housing
1
further includes a ring portion
15
formed on a rear portion of the housing
1
to be fastened by a string
16
for a convenient pulling of the housing
1
to be snugly engaged with a cavity
201
formed in the holder
200
as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 4
for smoothly mounting the LED illuminating unit
100
in the holder
200
of the umbrella grip
210
. The string
16
is also provided for carrying the umbrella of the present invention.
The housing
1
is preferably made of transparent materials, and is preferably formed as thin disk shape to be slidably inserted into or withdrawn from the holder
200
formed or fixed in the umbrella grip
210
.
The LED
2
includes a first pin
21
adjacent to the upper cover
1
b
of the housing and contacting a first electrode or the positive electrode
31
of the battery
3
, and a second pin
22
adjacent to the bottom cover
1
a
of the housing
1
and electrically connected with a second electrode or the negative electrode
32
of the battery
3
through the switch
4
slidably or movably formed on the bottom cover
1
a.
The switch
4
includes: a sliding plate
41
slidably held in a shallow chamber
11
formed in the bottom cover
1
a
; a collar
42
protruding inwardly from the sliding plate
41
and slidably engaging with the second pin
22
of the LED
2
, with the collar
42
made of electrically insulative material and being normally resiliently biased by the second pin
22
of LED to be separated from the second electrode
32
of the battery to normally switch off the power supply from the battery
3
to the LED
2
through the second pin
22
(FIG.
5
); and a push button
43
protruding outwardly or downwardly from the sliding plate
41
to be slidably guided by a slot
12
longitudinally notched through the bottom cover
1
a
allowing a sliding or depression movement of the push button
43
of the switch
4
; whereby upon contacting of the second pin
22
of LED
2
, as driven by the push button
43
moving in the bottom cover
1
a,
with the second electrode
32
of the battery
3
, the LED
2
will be powered by the battery
3
for its illumination.
The switch
4
has the collar
42
resiliently biased downwardly or outwardly by the second pin
22
of LED
2
to be normally separated from the second electrode
32
of the battery
3
to normally switch off the power supply from the battery
3
to the LED
2
; whereby upon an inward or upward depression (D) of the push button
43
, the second pin
22
of LED
2
will be urged inwardly or upwardly to contact the second electrode
32
of the battery
3
to close a power supply circuit between the battery
3
and the LED
2
to illuminate the LED
2
as dotted line shown in
FIG. 5
; while releasing the depression of the push button
43
, the second pin
22
will resiliently restore the collar
42
and the switch
4
downwardly to switch off the LED
2
; whereby upon alternative depression or releasing of the push button, the LED will be switched on or off alternatively for a manual flashing operation.
The switch
4
has the sliding plate
42
slidably held in the shallow chamber
11
recessed in the bottom cover
1
a
having at least a protuberance
13
protruding inwardly or upwardly towards the battery
3
; whereby upon a rearward sliding movement of the switch
4
by pushing the button
43
rearwardly, the sliding plate
42
will be simultaneously thrusted rearwardly to be gradually biased by the protuberance
13
as shown in
FIG. 6
to inwardly or upwardly bend the second pin
22
, as held on the collar
42
formed on the sliding plate
41
, to be contacted with the second electrode
32
of the battery
3
to power and illuminate the LED
2
.
As shown in
FIG. 4
, the holder
200
includes: a cavity
201
formed in a hollow portion in the holder
200
for embedding the cassette LED illuminating unit
100
in the cavity
201
, a front hole
202
having a width generally equal to a width of the LED illuminating unit
100
for inserting the LED illuminating unit
100
therethrough, a rear hole
203
formed in a rear portion of the holder
200
for passing the string
16
of the housing
1
of the LED illuminating unit through the rear hole
203
, a bottom hole
204
formed in a bottom portion of the holder
200
to reveal the push button
43
of the switch
4
of the LED illuminating unit
100
for an operation of the push button
43
through the bottom hole
204
, a resilient hook member
205
resiliently formed on an upper portion of the holder
200
for resiliently urging the LED illuminating unit
100
downwardly to engage a protrusion
17
formed on a bottom portion of the LED illuminating unit
100
with a stopping portion
206
formed on a front portion of the holder
200
for stopping a forward releasing of the LED illuminating unit
100
from the holder
200
(FIG.
4
and FIG.
9
); whereby upon inward or upward depression of the protrusion
17
to disengage from the stopping portion
206
, the LED illuminating unit
100
will be removed from the holder.
As shown in
FIG. 7
, a flasher (Fl.)
5
is connected in series in an illumination circuit including the LED
2
, the switch
4
and the battery
3
, whereby upon actuation of the switch
4
to start the flasher
5
, the LED
2
will be blinked automatically as driven by the flasher
5
.
For embedding or inserting the LED illuminating unit
100
in the holder
200
integrally formed on the umbrella grip
210
as shown in
FIGS. 8
,
9
, a manually-operated umbrella will be implemented with the illuminating device, i.e., the LED
2
, for a safe illumination purpose.
The present invention is superior to a conventional illuminating umbrella with the following advantages:
1. The illuminating device is a LED with miniature volume, light weight, and convenient operation and maintenance.
2. The LED illuminating unit
100
can be conveniently detachably withdrawn from the holder
200
on the umbrella grip
210
for a convenient maintenance, e.g., for replacing a new unit
100
and for serving as a miniature portable device for a convenient lighting or optical safety warning or signaling purpose.
3. Since the LED unit
100
is a small unit and even after being removed from the grip
210
, the umbrella grip
210
can still be ergonomically grasped.
4. Either manual or automatic flashing mechanism is provided for a flashing illumination for better warning effect.
The present invention may be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.
Claims
- 1. An illuminating umbrella grip comprising:a holder formed on an umbrella grip secured to a central shaft of an umbrella; and a cassette LED (light-emitting diode) illuminating unit detachably mounted in said holder on said umbrella grip; said cassette LED illuminating unit including: a housing, a LED (light-emitting-diode) mounted in the housing projecting light forwardly through an opening formed in the housing, at least a battery stored in the housing and electrically connected to the LED through a switch movably formed in the housing for switching on the LED for illuminating or for turning off the LED; said housing including a ring portion formed on a rear portion of the housing fastened by a string for convenient pulling of the housing to be snugly engaged with a cavity formed in said holder for smoothly mounting the LED illuminating unit in the holder on the umbrella grip; said housing made of transparent material, and formed as a thin disk slidably inserted into or withdrawn from the holder formed in the umbrella grip; whereby upon actuation of said cassette LED illuminating unit on said umbrella grip, said light-emitting diode of said LED illuminating unit is lit for illumination; and upon withdrawal of said cassette LED illuminating unit from said umbrella grip, said cassette LED illuminating unit will serve as a portable miniature lighting or signaling device.
- 2. An illuminating umbrella grip according to claim 1, wherein said switch operatively switches the LED having a first pin of said LED contacting a first electrode of the battery, and said switch includes: a sliding plate slidably held in a shallow chamber formed in a bottom cover of said housing; a collar protruding inwardly from the sliding plate and slidably engaging with a second pin of the LED, with the collar made of electrically insulative material and normally holding the second pin of LED to be separated from a second electrode of the battery to normally switch off the power supply from the battery to the LED through the second pin; and a push button protruding outwardly or downwardly from the sliding plate to be slidably guided by a slot longitudinally notched through the bottom cover allowing a sliding or depression movement of the push button of the switch; whereby upon contacting of the second pin of LED, as driven by the push button moving in the bottom cover, with the second electrode of the battery, the LED will be powered by the battery for the illumination of the LED.
- 3. An illuminating umbrella grip according to claim 2, wherein said switch has the collar normally resiliently biased downwardly or outwardly bey the second pin of LED to be separated from the second electrode of the battery to normally switch off the power supply from the battery to the LED; whereby upon an inward or upward depression of the push button, the second pin of LED will be urged inwardly or upwardly to contact the second electrode of the battery to close a power supply circuit between the battery and the LED to illuminate the LED; while releasing the depression of the push button, the second pin will resiliently restore the collar an the switch downwardly to switch off the LED; and whereby upon alternative depression or releasing of the push button, the LED will be switched on or off alternatively for a manual flashing operation.
- 4. An illuminating umbrella grip according to claim 2, wherein said switch has the sliding plage slidably held in the bottom cover having at least a protuberance protruding inwardly or upwardly towards the battery; whereby upon a rearward sliding movement of the switch by pushing the button rearwardly, the sliding plate will be simultaneously thrusted rearwardly to be gradually biased by the protuberance to inwardly or upwardly bend the second pin, as held on the collar formed on the sliding plate, to be contacted with the second electrode of the battery to power and illuminate the LED.
- 5. An illuminating umbrella grip according to claim 1, wherein said holder includes: a cavity formed in a hollow portion in the holder for embedding the cassette LED illuminating unit in the cavity, a front hole having a width generally equal to a width of the LED illuminating unit for inserting the LED illuminating unit therethrough, a rear hole formed in a rear portion of the holder for passing said string of the holder of the LED illuminating unit through the rear hole, a bottom hole formed in a bottom portion of the holder to reveal a push button of said switch of the LED illuminating unit for operating the push button through the bottom hole, a resilient hook member resiliently formed in the holder for resiliently urging the LED illuminating unit downwardly to engage a protrusion formed on a bottom portion of the LED illuminating unit with a stopping portion formed on a front portion of the holder for stopping a forward releasing of the LED illuminating unit from the holder; whereby upon inward or upward depression of the protrusion to disengage from the stopping portion, the LED illuminating unit will be removed from the holder.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
3281586 |
Gonzalez |
Oct 1966 |
A |
4860179 |
Mui et al. |
Aug 1989 |
A |
5848831 |
Tatsumi |
Dec 1998 |
A |