Multiple-fold automatic umbrella with simplified structure and shortened length

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6176246
  • Patent Number
    6,176,246
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, March 31, 1999
    26 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, January 23, 2001
    24 years ago
Abstract
A multiple-fold automatic umbrella includes: a central shaft consisting of plural tubes telescopically engageable with one another; a rib assembly including at least a top rib pivotally secured to an upper notch of the central shaft, a stretcher rib pivotally secured between the top rib and a lower runner slidably held on the central shaft, and other ribs pivotally connected with one another and pivotally secured to the top rib and the stretcher rib; an opening spring resiliently retained in the central shaft for opening the umbrella; a plurality of closing springs for closing the umbrella; and a control device including a drawer shaped push button slidably held in a grip of the central shaft having an upper latch integrally formed on the push button operatively disengaging the lower runner for opening the umbrella, and a lower latch for closing the umbrella when opened and perpendicularly secured under the lower latch with a safety spring member resiliently held in a front chamber formed in a front portion of the grip, not in a bottom portion of the grip, in order for shortening the length of the grip for miniaturizing the multiple-fold automatic umbrella.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,161 issued to the same inventors of this application disclosed an automatic umbrella having triple folds for folding the umbrella ribs and the tubes of the central shaft. While the U.S. patent application of Ser. No. 09/071,439 filed on May 1, 1998 by the same inventors of this application disclosed an automatic umbrella with quadruple folds. Both the two prior arts as above-mentioned disclosed an anti-false operation safety means


57


having an elongated cylinder (


571


) which is operatively lowered by the tubes of the central shaft (


1


) after closing the umbrella to lower the latch (


54


) integrally formed on the cylinder (


571


) to prevent a false depression of the push button (


51


) against the latch (


54


) of the closing controller (


53


) when opening the umbrella.




Since the elongate cylinder (


571


) of the anti-false operation safety means (


57


) should be provided in a lower portion of the grip (


12


) and the lower tube (


11


) of the central shaft (


1


), it will require an appreciable length of the grip and the shaft, thereby influencing a total length of the umbrella when folded and limiting the miniaturization of the multiple-fold automatic umbrella.




The present inventor has found the drawbacks of the conventional automatic umbrella and invented the present automatic umbrella with simplified structure and also with shortened length.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The object of the present invention is to provide a multiple-fold automatic umbrella including: a central shaft consisting of plural tubes telescopically engageable with one another; a rib assembly including at least a top rib pivotally secured to an upper notch of the central shaft, a stretcher rib pivotally secured between the top rib and a lower runner slidably held on the central shaft, and other ribs pivotally connected with one another and pivotally secured to the top rib and the stretcher rib; an opening spring resiliently retained in the central shaft for opening the umbrella; a plurality of closing springs for closing the umbrella; and a control device including a drawer shaped push button slidably held in a grip of the central shaft having an upper latch integrally formed on the push button operatively disengaging the lower runner for opening the umbrella, and a lower latch for closing the umbrella when opened and perpendicularly secured thereunder with a safety spring member resiliently held in a front chamber formed in a front portion of the grip, not in a bottom portion of the grip, in order for shortening the length of the grip for miniaturizing the multiple-fold automatic umbrella.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE BRIEF DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

illustration showing an opened umbrella of the present invention.





FIG. 2

shows an umbrella when closed from FIG.


1


.





FIG. 3

a sectional drawing of the grip portion of the present invention as partially enlarged from FIG.


1


.





FIG. 4

is a sectional drawing when depressing the push button from FIG.


3


.





FIG. 5

is a sectional drawing when restored from FIG.


4


.





FIG. 6

is a sectional drawing when compressing the opening spring in

FIG. 2

for resetting the present invention as folded.





FIG. 7

is a perspective view showing the lowering of the lower runner to depress the closing controller of this invention.





FIG. 8

is an exploded view showing the elements of the grip, the control means and the lower runner of the present invention.





FIG. 9

shows an installation relationship of an upper rope end with the lower runner of the present invention.





FIG. 10

shows a modification from FIG.


9


.





FIG. 11

shows a further modification of FIG.


9


.





FIG. 12

shows a relationship of the locking head means and the relevant elements of this invention.





FIG. 13

is an exploded view of the elements of FIG.


12


.





FIG. 14

shows another modification of FIG.


12


.





FIG. 15

is a perspective view of two uppermost guiding rollers and their engaging holder.





FIG. 16

is a sectional drawing showing another modification of the uppermost guiding roller.





FIG. 17

is a perspective view of the large uppermost guiding roller as shown in FIG.


16


.





FIG. 18

is an exploded view of the control means of another preferred embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 19

is a partial sectional drawing of a closed umbrella by using the elements of FIG.


18


.





FIG. 20

is a partial sectional drawing of the present invention when opened from FIG.


19


.





FIG. 21

shows a depression of the push button for closing the umbrella from FIG.


20


.





FIG. 22

shows a collar retained on a tube end of the central shaft for smoothly guiding the opening spring within the tube walls of the central shaft.





FIG. 23

shows another collar as modified from FIG.


22


.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION




As shown in FIGS.


1


-


17


, the present invention comprises: a central shaft


1


, a rib assembly


2


, an opening spring


3


, a plurality of closing springs


4


, and a control means


5


. The central shaft


1


includes: a lower tube


11


, a grip


12


secured to a lower tube portion


111


of the lower tube


11


, a first middle tube


13


slidably held on an outer and upper side of the lower tube


11


, a second middle tube


13




a


slidably held on an outer and upper side of the first middle tube


13


, an upper tube


14


slidably held on an outer and upper side of the second middle tube


13




a,


an upper notch


15


secured on a top portion of the upper tube


14


, and a central sleeve


17


secured to an inner block


15


fixed in the top portion of the upper tube


14


.




Collars C, C′ (

FIGS. 22

,


23


) are each retained on an upper tube end of the middle tubes


13


,


13




a


for smoothly guiding the opening spring


3


to be slidably held in the tubes of the central shaft


1


for a smooth and silent opening or closing operation of the umbrella.




The rib assembly


2


includes: a top rib


21


having an inner portion of the top rib


21


pivotally secured to the upper notch


15


of the central shaft


1


, a stretcher rib


22


having a middle rib portion connected with an outermost end of the top rib


21


and having an inner portion of the stretcher rib


22


pivotally secured to a lower runner


23


which is slidably held on the upper tube


14


and having an outermost rib end of the stretcher rib


22


pivotally connected with an inner portion of a middle rib


24


, the middle rib


24


having an innermost end of the middle rib


24


pivotally connected with an outer end of an inner connecting rib


25


, having an inner end of the inner connecting rib


25


connected with an outer portion of the top rib


21


, a tail rib


26


having an innermost end of the tail rib


26


pivotally connected with an outer end of an outer spring rib


27


with the outer spring rib


27


having an inner end thereof pivotally connected with an outer portion of the middle rib


24


, an inner spring rib


27




a


juxtapositionally held to the middle rib


24


and connected between an innermost end of an outer connecting rib


28


and an outer portion of the stretcher rib


22


, the outer connecting rib


28


juxtapositionally coupled with the outer spring rib


27


by a coupling


29


, having an inner portion of the outer connecting rib


28


pivotally connected with an outermost end of the middle rib


24


and having an outer end of the outer connecting rib


28


pivotally connected to an inner portion of the tail rib


26


.




Other mechanisms of the ribs can be modified. The lower runner


23


has a lower extension tube


230


protruding downwardly from the runner


23


having an engaging hole


231


cut in a rear side of the extension tube


230


, and having a depression portion


232


recessed in a bottom portion on the front side of the extension tube


230


.




The cross sectional shapes of the tubes of the central shaft


1


are not limited in the present invention.




Every two neighboring tubes may be formed with a coupling or limiting means therebetween for preventing separation or escape of the tubes when opening the umbrella and extending the tubes of the central shaft


1


. The number of folds of the present invention is not limited, which can be triple or quadruple folds or the like.




The opening spring


3


for opening an umbrella of this invention has a lower spring end


31


retained on a lower portion of the lower tube


11


, and an upper spring end


32


retained on a bottom portion of the inner block


151


inserted in an upper portion of the upper tube


14


, the opening spring


3


slidably disposed about the central sleeve


17


.




Each closing spring


4


of the plurality of the closing springs


4


has an inner spring end


41


of the closing spring


4


secured to an inner portion of the inner connecting rib


25


, and an outer spring end


42


of the closing spring


4


secured to an outer portion of the stretcher rib


22


. The closing spring


4


is provided for closing the umbrella from its opened state by an elastic energy stored when opening the umbrella. The closing spring


4


may also be installed on the other locations of the rib assembly


2


.




The control means


5


includes: a drawer-shaped push button


51


integrally formed with a ring portion


511


slidably held in a button hole


121


formed in the grip


12


having an upper latch


52


integrally formed on a rear portion of the ring portion


511


with the ring portion defining a central hole


511




a


for passing the extension tube


230


of the lower runner


23


when closing the umbrella and with the upper latch


52


tapered downwardly centripetally towards a center of the central hole


511




a


from a rear side B of the central shaft


1


towards a front side A of the shaft


1


, with the upper latch


52


resiliently urged, by a restoring spring


50


retained in the grip at the rear side B of the shaft


1


, towards the front side A of the shaft


1


for engaging the engaging hole


231


formed in the extension tube


230


of the runner when closing the umbrella, and upon depression of the push button to simultaneously retract the upper latch


52


to disengage the runner for opening the umbrella; a closing controller


53


having a lower latch


54


perpendicularly secured with a safety spring member


57


under the lower latch


54


, with the safety spring member


57


resiliently held in a front chamber


121




a


formed in a lower front portion of the grip


12


and the lower latch


54


resiliently urged upwardly between the push button


51


and the locking head


551


to be operatively depressed by the push button


51


for inwardly pushing the locking head


551


of a locking head means


55


, which is secured with a drag rope


56


repeatedly linked among an upper portion of the upper tube


14


, a plurality of guiding rollers and the lower runner


23


, for disengaging the locking head


551


from a detent protrusion


111




a


formed in a lower portion


111


of the lower tube


11


, thereby allowing each said closing spring


4


to be restored to release its pre-stored elastic energy for closing an opened umbrella; with the lower latch


54


and the safety spring member


57


operatively lowered by the lower extension tube


230


of runner


23


, after closing the umbrella and compressing the opening spring


3


, to be positioned under the button


51


to prevent a false depression of the closing controller


53


by the push button when opening the umbrella as shown in FIG.


6


. The push button


51


has a width larger than a diameter of the lower extension tube


230


of the runner


23


for an ergonomic depression of the button.




The detent protrusion


111




a


is directly punched inwardly from a lower portion of the lower tube


11


for engaging the locking head


551


when closing the umbrella and compressing the spring


3


as being sidewardly biased towards the first side A of the shaft


1


by a convex spring plate


58


formed in the grip


12


at the second side B of shaft


1


(FIG.


6


).




As shown in FIGS.


3


-


6


,


7


and


8


, the grip


12


is longitudinally formed with a central hole


12


therein having a button hole


121


transversely formed in the grip


12


for slidably holding the push button


51


in the button hole


121


; and a base


12




a


having a bottom sleeve


59


protruding upwardly from a central portion of the base


12




a


to be engaged with a lower tube portion of the lower tube


11


, with the base


12




a


embedded and engaged with a bottom portion of the grip


12


, whereby upon an insertion of a screw


122


through the grip


12


, the base


12




a


and the lower tube


11


, a combination thereof will be formed. The “front chamber” (


121




a


) is defined in a front portion of the base


12




a


and the grip


12


(before the lower portion of the lower tube


11


) for storing the safety spring member


57


within the front chamber


121




a.






The lower latch


54


includes an outer depressing end


541


contacted with the push button


51


when the umbrella is opened and an inner thrusting end


542


facing the locking head


551


engaged on the detent protrusion


111




a


of the lower tube


11


; having the safety spring member


57


perpendicularly secured to a central bottom portion of the lower latch


54


, and resiliently urged upwardly by a tension spring


572


retained in the front chamber


121




a


in the grip


12


to normally position the lower latch


54


between the push button


51


and the locking head


551


as shown in

FIGS. 1

,


3


, whereby upon a depression of the push button


51


to inwardly depress the lower latch


54


and the locking head


551


, the locking head


551


will be disengaged from the protrusion


11




a


to close the umbrella from

FIG. 1

to FIG.


2


. While upon a lowering of the lower runner


23


, when compressing the opening spring


3


for resetting the closed umbrella as shown in

FIG. 6

, the lower extension tube


230


of the runner


23


will depress the lower latch


54


downwardly to leave from the button


51


and locking head


551


. The depression portion


232


recessed in a bottom of the extension tube


230


will depress the lower latch


54


and will be engaged with a side wall of the front chamber


121




a


(

FIG. 7

) for preventing a rightward or leftward vibration of the runner


23


and for stabilizing of the runner


23


when closing the umbrella.




The safety spring member


57


is slidably engageable in a guiding sleeve


571


erected in the front chamber


121




a


in the grip


12


, having an elongate slot


570


longitudinally formed through the spring member


57


and slidably engageable with a stopper or stopping pin


573


fixed on the guiding sleeve


571


and the tension spring


572


disposed around the safety spring member


57


and the guiding sleeve


571


to allow an upper spring end of the tension spring


572


to urge the lower latch


57


secured to an upper end of the safety spring member


57


to be positioned in between the push button


51


and the locking head


551


, with the spring member


57


upwardly limited by the stopper


573


(

FIGS. 3

,


5


), ready for a depression by the push button


51


to disengage the locking head


551


when closing the umbrella; and upon releasing of the button


51


after closing the umbrella, the safety spring member


57


will be automatically restored as shown from

FIG. 4

to FIG.


5


.




As shown in FIGS.


18


-


21


, the closing controller


53


may be further modified, in which the safety spring member


57


, as perpendicularly secured to the lower latch


54


, includes a guiding plunger


571




a


formed on a lower portion of the safety spring member


57


, having a cavity recessed in a bottom of the plunger


571




a


for retaining the tension spring


572


in the cavity of the plunger


571




a


, with the tension spring


572


held in the front chamber


121




a


defined in a front portion of the grip before (not “under”) the lower portion of the lower tube


11


to normally urge the spring member


57


and lower latch


54


upwardly, whereby upon depression of the push button


51


to inwardly depress the lower latch


54


as urged by the spring member


57


(

FIG. 20

) and the locking head


551


through a lower hole in the lower tube


11


, the locking head


551


will be disengaged from the protrusion


111




a


for closing the umbrella (

FIG. 20

to FIG.


21


), with the plunger


571




a


upwardly limited by the stopper or diaphragm stopper


573


formed on an upper portion of the front chamber


121




a


in the grip


12


.




After releasing the depression of the push button


51


, the safety spring member


57


will be automatically restored to be vertically straightened. The guiding punger


571




a


is slidably engageable in the front chamber


121




a


in the grip


12


for a stable upward or downward movement within the chamber


121




a


like a piston or plunger sliding in a piston cylinder, thereby stabilizing the sliding movement of the plunger


571




a


and the safety spring member


57


in the front chamber


121




a


. Upon lowering of the lower runner


23


when closing the umbrella (FIG.


19


), the depression portion


232


as recessed in a bottom of the runner


23


will depress the lower latch


54


secured on the safety spring member


57


downwardly and the depression portion


232


will be engaged with the diaphragm


573


(

FIG. 18

) on an upper portion of the front chamber


121




a


for preventing a twisting of the lower runner


23


when the umbrella is closed.




The locking head means


55


as shown in

FIGS. 12

,


13


includes: the locking head


551


formed on a lower end of a hollow stem


550


of the locking head means


55


for storing a lower rope end


561


of the rope


56


which is tied to be a knot in the locking head


551


, a spherical or arcuate cover


551




a


capped on a bottom end of the locking head


551


, an upper spherical portion


552


formed on an upper end of the hollow stem


550


, and a spherical or arcuate bottom plug


553


embedded in a bottom end of the central sleeve


17


to be universally engageable with the upper spherical portion


552


of the hollow stem


550


when closing the umbrella by engaging the locking head


551


on the protrusion


111




a


of the lower tube


11


(FIG.


6


). As shown in

FIG. 14

, the cover


551




a


of

FIG. 13

is omitted, and the locking head


551


should still be formed with a spherical bottom portion on the bottom of the head


551


.




The drag rope


56


includes: a lower rope end


561


secured to the locking head


551


of the locking head means


55


, an upper rope end


562


fixed to the lower runner


23


, an upper guiding roller


563


rotatably mounted by an upper pivot


16


in the inner block


151


secured in an upper portion of the upper tube


14


for slidably guiding the drag rope


56


from inside the upper tube


14


and the central sleeve


17


for winding the rope on the upper guiding roller


563


with the rope then directed downwardly towards the lower runner


23


to be wound on a lower guiding roller


564


rotatably mounted on the lower runner


23


by a lower pivot


564




a


, an uppermost guiding roller means rotatably mounted on a top portion of the upper tube


14


and positioned above the upper roller


563


for further winding the rope


56


on the uppermost guiding roller means from the lower guiding roller


564


, with the upper rope end


562


downwardly directed to be fixed to the lower runner


23


opposite to the lower guiding roller


564


. So, the rope


56


is first wound on the upper roller


563


from the inside of the shaft


1


and guided to the lower roller


564


on the runner


23


by winding the rope on the lower guiding roller


564


and then defectively extended upwardly to be wound on the uppermost roller means and finally deflected downwardly to be fixed to the lower runner


23


, thereby providing an enough stroke for the rope for quadruple or multiple folds of an automatic umbrella.




The uppermost guiding roller means as shown in

FIGS. 6

,


15


,


16


includes: a pair of uppermost guiding rollers


565


,


565


′ respectively rotatably mounted in opposite portions of an upper portion of the inner block


151


by two uppermost pivots


161


above the upper guiding roller


563


for winding the rope


56


on the two uppermost guiding rollers


565


,


565


′ for disposing the rope


56


on opposite outer surfaces of the upper tube


14


for dynamically balancing the rope stroke when operating the umbrella.




The uppermost guiding roller means may be modified to be an uppermost guiding wheel


565




a


as shown in

FIGS. 16

,


17


in which the uppermost guiding wheel


565




a


has a diameter generally equal to a diameter of the upper tube


14


and rotatably mounted on the top of the upper tube


14


by an uppermost pivot


161


transversely secured on the top of the upper tube


14


and generally perpendicularly intersecting a longitudinal axis


10


of the shaft


1


for symmetrically disposing an outer rope section of the rope


56


on opposite sides of the pivot


161


and disposed on opposite outer surfaces of the upper tube


14


for dynamic balancing of the rope stroke when folding and unfolding the umbrella.




As shown in

FIG. 15

, the two uppermost guiding rollers


565


,


565


′ are respectively rotatably mounted on a U-shaped roller holder


565




h


embedded in a top portion of the upper tube


14


.




As show in FIGS.


9


-


11


, the upper rope end


562


of the drag rope


56


is secured in a rope holder


562




h


which is formed as T shape or D shape and embedded in a cavity


233


recessed in a ferrule of the lower runner


23


.




When opening the umbrella of the present invention from

FIG. 6

to

FIG. 1

, the push button


51


is depressed to retract the upper latch


52


to disengage the latch


52


from the hole


231


of the lower runner


23


, the opening spring


3


will urge the lower runner


23


and the tubes of the central shaft


1


upwardly and extend the ribs of the rib assembly


2


for opening the umbrella.




When closing the umbrella, the push button


51


is depressed to inwardly thrust the lower latch


54


and the locking head


551


to disengage the head


551


from the protrusion


111




a


on the tube


11


, the closing springs


4


will retract the ribs, lower the runner


23


and fold the tubes of the central shaft


1


from

FIG. 1

to

FIG. 2

for closing the umbrella. Then, the opening spring


3


is compressed for resetting the closed umbrella as shown in

FIG. 6

for storing the elastic energy of the spring


3


for next opening use.




When closing the umbrella as shown in

FIG. 6

, the lower latch


54


and the safety spring member


57


are depressed and lowered downwardly without contacting with the push button


51


and the locking head


551


in order for preventing a depression of the push button for unlocking the head


551


from the protrusion


111




a


since the latch


54


has been lowered to be under the button


51


, thereby preventing a false operation for actuation of the closing controller


53


when opening the umbrella.




The present invention is superior to the conventional multiple-fold automatic umbrella with the following advantages:




1. The safety spring member


57


is resiliently held in a front chamber


121




a


in the front portion of the grip


12


before (not “under”) the lower tube portion of the lower tube


11


, thereby shortening the length of the umbrella for a better miniaturization of a foldable umbrella.




2. The lower latch


54


has an outer contacting end


541


normally contacting the push button


51


, and an inner thrusting end


542


facing or corresponding to the locking head


551


, thereby gravitationally balanced on and disposed on opposite sides of the safety spring member


57


for a stable positioning and smooth operation of the latch


54


and the safety spring member


57


.




3. The push button


51


is integrally formed with the upper latch


52


and is formed as a “drawer” smoothly slidable in the grip


12


for a convenient opening operation of the umbrella.




4. The elements of the grip


12


and control means


5


are made to be module units for an easier assembly, operation and maintenance. For instance, the base


12




a


is embedded in a bottom of the grip


12


for quicker assembly of the relevant elements within the grip.




5. The structure of the umbrella has been greatly simplified for decreasing the production cost and the length has also been shortened for a convenient handling and storage.




The present invention may be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.



Claims
  • 1. A multiple-fold automatic umbrella comprising:a central shaft including: a lower tube having a grip secured therewith, at least a middle tube slidably held on said lower tube, and an upper tube slidably held on the middle tube having an upper notch fixed on a top of the upper tube; a rib assembly including at least a top rib pivotally secured to the upper notch, a stretcher rib pivotally connected to the top rib and a lower runner slidably held on the upper tube, a middle rib pivotally connectable to said stretcher rib and said top rib, and a tail rib pivotally connected to the middle rib; with the lower runner having a lower extension tube protruding downwardly from said runner; an opening spring resiliently retained in said central shaft for opening the umbrella; a plurality of closing springs resiliently retained on said rib assembly for closing the umbrella; and a control means including a push button formed as a drawer shape slidably held in said grip and integrally formed with a ring portion having an upper latch integrally formed on a rear portion of the ring portion tapered downwardly and centripetally towards a enter of the ring portion defining a central hole in the ring portion for passing the lower extension tube of the lower runner when closing the umbrella to engage the upper latch with an engaging hole formed in the lower extension tube of said runner, whereby upon depression of said push button to disengage said upper latch from said lower runner, the umbrella will be opened; a closing controller including a lower latch having a safety spring member perpendicularly secured to said lower latch and resiliently held in a front chamber defined in a front portion of said grip before a lower tube portion of the lower tube of the central shaft; a locking head means secured with a drag rope continuously defectively wound on a plurality of guiding rollers respectively rotatably mounted on the shaft and on said runner; with said lower latch resiliently urged to be positioned between said push button and a locking head of said locking head means when opening the umbrella, whereby upon depression of the push button to thrust the lower latch to disengage the locking head from a detent protrusion on said lower tube, the umbrella will be closed from an opened state; and upon compression of said opening spring and folding the tubes of the central shaft when closing the umbrella, the lower latch will be downwardly depressed by the lower runner to be positioned under the push button for preventing a false operation of said lower latch.
  • 2. An automatic umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said grip is transversely formed with a button hole in the grip for slidably holding said push button in said button hole; and formed with a central hole longitudinally through the grip for combinably embedding a base in a bottom portion of the central hole of the grip having a bottom sleeve protruding upwardly from said base to engage a lower tube portion of the lower tube of the central shaft; said front chamber defined in a front portion of said base and said grip for storing said safety spring member in said front chamber; either a width of said push button or an inside diameter of said central hole in said ring portion of said button being larger than a diameter of said lower extension tube.
  • 3. An automatic umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said lower latch includes an outer depressing end contacting with said push button and an inner thrusting end facing said locking head engaged on said protrusion formed on said lower tube; said lower latch having a central bottom portion thereof perpendicularly secured to an upper end of said safety spring member; whereby upon an inward depression of said push button and said lower latch, said locking head will be thrusted to disengage from the protrusion for closing an opened umbrella.
  • 4. An automatic umbrella according to claim 3, wherein said safety spring member is slidably held in a guiding sleeve formed in saidfront chamber in said grip, having a tension spring disposed around said guiding sleeve and said safety spring member for resiliently urging said lower latch upwardly to be positioned between said push button and said locking head ready for a depression of said push button for closing an opened umbrella; said safety spring member having an elongate slot longitudinally formed through said safety spring member and slidably engageable with a stopper or limiting pin fixed on said guiding sleeve, with said stopper limiting an upward movement of said safety spring member.
  • 5. An automatic umbrella according to claim 3, wherein said safety spring member has a guiding plunger formed on a lower end of said safety spring member, said guiding plunger slidably engageable with said front chamber in said grip having a tension spring retained in said front chamber and retained into a cavity recessed in a bottom of said guiding plunger for resiliently urging said safety spring member and said lower latch upwardly to be depressible by the push button when the umbrella is opened; with said guiding plunger upwardly limited by a stopper or diaphragm formed on an upper portion of said front chamber; and upon closing of the umbrella for lowering said lower extension tube of said runner, a depression portion recessed in a bottom of said lower extension tube of said runner will depress the lower latch downwardly and will be operatively engageable with said diaphragm of said front chamber for preventing twisting of said runner when closing the umbrella.
  • 6. An automatic umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said locking head means includes a hollow stem having its lower end formed with said locking head for storing a lower rope end of said drag rope therein, said locking head having a bottom portion selected from a spherical bottom portion and a bottom portion capped with a spherical bottom cover on said bottom portion of said locking head; said hollow stem having its upper end formed as a spherical portion to be universally engageable with a spherical plug inserted in a bottom portion of a central sleeve secured in said upper tube of said central shaft; and said drag rope upwardly extendible from said locking head for passing through said hollow stem and said central sleeve.
  • 7. An automatic umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said drag rope includes: a lower rope end secured to the locking head means, an upper rope end fixed to the lower runner, an upper guiding roller rotatably mounted in an upper portion of the upper tube for slidably guiding the drag rope from inside the upper tube and a central sleeve for winding the rope on the upper guiding roller, a lower guiding roller rotatably mounted on the lower runner for winding the rope as guided from said upper guiding roller, an uppermost guiding roller means rotatably mounted on a top portion of the upper tube and positioned above the upper roller for further winding the rope on the uppermost guiding roller means from the lower guiding roller, with the upper rope end downwardly directed to be fixed to the lower runner opposite to said lower guiding roller.
  • 8. An automatic umbrella according to claim 7, wherein said uppermost guiding means includes a pair of uppermost guiding rollers respectively rotatably mounted in opposite portions of an inner block by two uppermost pivots and positioned above the upper guiding roller for winding the rope on the two uppermost guiding rollers for disposing the rope on opposite outer surfaces of the central shaft for dynamically balancing the rope when operating the umbrella.
  • 9. An automatic umbrella according to claim 7, wherein said uppermost guiding means is an uppermost guiding wheel having a diameter generally equal to a diameter of the central shaft and rotatably mounted on a top of the shaft by an uppermost pivot transversely secured on the top of the shaft means and generally perpendicularly intersecting a longitudinal axis of the shaft for symmetrically disposing an outer rope section of the drag rope on opposite sides of the uppermost guiding wheel and disposed on opposite outer surfaces of the shaft for dynamic balancing of a rope when folding and unfolding the umbrella.
  • 10. An automatic umbrella according to claim 8, wherein said two uppermost guiding rollers are rotatably mounted in a roller holder embedded in a top of said upper tube.
  • 11. An automatic umbrella according to claim 7, wherein said upper rope end of said drag rope is fixed in a rope holder embedded in a cavity recessed in a ferrule of said lower runner.
  • 12. An automatic umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said middle tube includes a collar retained on an upper tube end for smoothly guiding said opening spring within said central shaft.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Number Name Date Kind
5868151 Kuo Feb 1999
5992433 Chung-Kuang et al. Feb 1999
6016822 Lin et al. Jan 2000