Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6626197
-
Patent Number
6,626,197
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, April 18, 200123 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, September 30, 200321 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 135 22
- 135 23
- 135 24
- 135 251
- 135 253
- 135 2531
- 135 2532
- 135 2534
- 135 37
- 135 28
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A multiple-fold automatic umbrella includes: a central shaft; a rib assembly pivotally secured to an upper notch and a lower runner on the central shaft; an opening spring and a plurality of closing springs for opening or closing the umbrella; and a control device including a push button, an opening controller having an upper latch for controlling the opening of the umbrella, a closing controller including a lower latch for controlling the closing of the umbrella, and a multiple-fold rope respectively sinuously wound on a plurality of rollers which are respectively mounted on an upper holder formed on an upper portion of the central shaft adjacent to the upper notch and on a lower holder formed on the lower runner for smoothly winding the rope on the rollers for enhancing a smooth opening or closing operation of the umbrella.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A conventional multiple-fold automatic umbrella includes a rope wound on a plurality of rollers respectively mounted in an upper portion of a central shaft and a lower runner of the umbrella for providing an extending or retraction stroke of the rope of a controller for opening or closing the umbrella. Since the upper portion of the central shaft and the runner should be formed with channels therein to allow the rope passing through the channels when wound on the related rollers, it is very inconvenient to install the rope on the umbrella by passing the rope through the channels, increasing the production complexity of the umbrella. Meanwhile, the conventional umbrella is not provided with any guiding device or fastening device for well guiding the rope among the rollers or for well fastening a holder of the roller, thereby easily causing disorder or damage of the roller or rope system and influencing a smooth operation for opening or closing the umbrella.
The present inventor has found the drawbacks of the conventional automatic umbrella and invented the present invention with smoothly wound multiple-fold rope.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a multiple-fold automatic umbrella including: a central shaft; a rib assembly pivotally secured to an upper notch and a lower runner on the central shaft; an opening spring and a plurality of closing springs for opening or closing the umbrella; and a control device including a push button, an opening controller having an upper latch for controlling the opening of the umbrella, a closing controller including a lower latch for controlling the closing of the umbrella, and a multiple-fold rope respectively sinuously wound on a plurality of rollers which are respectively mounted on an upper holder formed on an upper portion of the central shaft adjacent to the upper notch and on a lower holder formed on the lower runner for smoothly winding the rope on the rollers for enhancing a smooth opening or closing operation of the umbrella.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is an illustration when closing the umbrella of the present invention.
FIG. 2
is an exploded view showing the elements of the rope and rollers of the present invention.
FIG. 3
shows the winding of the rope on the rollers of the present invention.
FIG. 4
is a sectional drawing of the runner of the present invention.
FIG. 5
is an illustration as viewed from
5
—
5
direction of FIG.
4
.
FIG. 6
is an illustration of another preferred embodiment of the present invention when closed.
FIG. 7
is an exploded view of the rope, rollers, and roller holders of the embodiment of FIG.
6
.
FIG. 8
is an illustration when opening the umbrella of FIG.
6
.
FIG. 9
is a sectional drawing when releasing the depression of push button from FIG.
8
.
FIG. 10
shows the depression of the push button for closing the umbrella from its opening state.
FIG. 11
is a perspective view of an intermediate rib of the present invention of FIG.
6
.
FIG. 12
shows the intermediate rib from
12
—
12
direction of FIG.
11
.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As shown in FIGS.
1
˜
5
, the present invention comprises: a central shaft
1
, a rib assembly
2
, an opening spring
3
formed in the central shaft
1
, a plurality of closing springs
4
formed on the rib assembly
2
, a control means
5
, an upper roller holder
6
and a lower roller holder
7
.
The central shaft
1
includes: a lower tube
11
, a grip
12
secured to a lower portion
111
of the lower tube
11
, a first middle tube
13
telescopically engageable with the lower tube
11
, a second middle tube
13
a
telescopically engageable with the first middle tube
13
, an upper tube
14
telescopically engageable with the second middle tube
13
a
, an upper notch
15
formed on a top end of the shaft
1
, and a central sleeve
17
a
secured to the upper roller holder
6
formed in a top portion of the shaft
1
, thereby forming a quadruple-fold central shaft
1
consisting of four tubes
11
,
13
,
13
a
and
14
.
The rib assembly
2
includes: a top rib
21
pivotally secured to the upper notch
15
, a stretcher rib
22
pivotally secured to the top rib
21
and a lower runner
23
slidably held on the shaft
1
, an intermediate rib
24
made of plastic materials and pivotally secured to the stretcher rib
22
and also pivotally secured to the top rib
21
by means of an inner connecting rib
25
, a tail rib
26
pivotally secured to the intermediate rib
24
respectively through an outer connecting rib
28
and an outer spring rib
27
, and an inner spring rib
27
a
pivotally secured between the stretcher rib
22
and the outer connecting rib
28
with the inner spring rib
27
a
slidably held to the intermediate rib
24
by a ring
240
secured on the rib
24
, thereby forming a quadruple-fold rib assembly. Naturally, the present invention is not limited to merely quadruple-fold and may be any multiple folds.
The control means
5
includes: a push button
51
slidably held in a button hole
12
h
adjacent to a front side A of the grip
12
; an upper latch
52
having a sloping latch portion
522
and made of metal including steel and other strong materials secured (by a pin
521
) on a rear portion of a sliding ring member
511
which is slidably held in a sliding groove
120
a
formed in a bottom plug
120
fixed in the grip
12
; a tension spring
50
a
secured in the bottom plug
120
adjacent to a rear side B of the grip
12
for resiliently urging the sliding ring member
511
and the push button
51
forwardly ready for a depression of the push button
51
, with the tension spring
50
a
resiliently urging the upper latch
52
for engaging an engaging hole
100
formed in the middle tube
13
a
,
13
and in the upper tube
14
for “locking” the tubes of the shaft
1
when lowered through a central ring hole
511
a
formed in the ring member
511
for closing the umbrella as shown in
FIG. 1
; a closing controller
53
having a lower latch
54
resiliently secured to an elongate cylinder
571
of an anti-false operation safety means
57
resiliently slidably held in the bottom plug
120
as upwardly urged by a tension spring
573
, whereby upon inward depression on the push button
51
when opening the umbrella, the ring member
511
will be pushed rearwardly to disengage the upper catch
52
from the engaging hole
100
formed in the tubes
14
,
13
a,
13
for opening the umbrella and to allow a latch slot
511
b
formed in a front bottom portion of the ring member
511
for receiving the lower latch
54
, an upward rising of the lower latch
54
will be retarded by the ring member
511
to prevent a false operation as accidentally depressing the lower latch
54
during the operation for opening the umbrella; and a penta-fold rope
56
having five rope sections S
1
˜S
5
with an inner rope end
561
and an outer rope end
562
respectively secured between a locking head
551
of the control means
5
and an upper notch
15
when the locking head
551
is locked in the grip
12
when closing the umbrella.
The bottom plug
120
includes: a central hole
120
b
for a sliding movement of the elongate cylinder
571
within the central hole
120
b
and allowing a downward movement of the tubes of the shaft
1
to depress the elongate cylinder
571
downwardly and to engage the locking head
551
with an engaging hole
111
b
formed in a bottom sleeve
11
a
jacketed in the lower tube
11
secured in a bottom portion of the plug
120
when closing the umbrella; with a spring plate
58
secured on the bottom sleeve
11
a
for resiliently guiding the locking head
551
to be engaged with the engaging hole
111
b
in the bottom sleeve when closing the umbrella. The opening spring
3
has its lower end
31
retained in a lower portion of the shaft
1
.
For closing the umbrella, the push button
51
is depressed to inwardly thrust the ring member
511
and the lower latch
54
through a hole formed in the lower tube
11
to disengage the locking head
551
from the engaging hole
111
b
to release the tension force on the rope
56
and the opening spring
3
, the closing springs
4
will restore to retract the rib assembly
2
for closing the umbrella. For opening the umbrella, the push button
51
is depressed to disengage the upper latch
52
from the engaging hole
100
in the tubes, the opening spring
3
will extend the tubes of the shaft
1
and the rib assembly
2
for opening the umbrella.
When closing the umbrella (FIG.
1
), the inner rope end
561
of the rope
56
is secured to the locking head
551
(as downwardly pushed by the central sleeve
17
a
to be locked at the engaging hole
111
b
) and the rope
56
is then directed upwardly to be wound on a first guiding roller R
1
pivotally mounted on a top portion of the central shaft
1
adjacent the upper notch
15
to form a first “rope section” S
1
(between inner rope end
561
and the first guiding roller R
1
); with the rope
56
downwardly directed from the first guiding roller R
1
to be wound about a second guiding roller R
2
pivotally mounted in the lower runner
23
to form a second rope section S
2
; with the rope then directed upwardly from the second guiding roller R
2
to be wound on a third guiding roller R
3
pivotally mounted on the top portion of the shaft
1
adjacent the upper notch
15
to form a third rope section S
3
; with the rope led downwardly from the third guiding roller R
3
to be wound about a fourth guiding roller R
4
pivotally mounted on the lower runner
23
to form a fourth rope section S
4
; and finally with the rope directed from the fourth guiding roller R
4
upwardly to the upper notch
15
to form the fifth rope section S
5
, thereby forming a rope
56
of penta-fold rope provided for multiple-fold automatic umbrella including quadruple-fold umbrella.
The first and third guiding rollers R
1
, R
3
are respectively pivotally (or rotatably) mounted (or secured) in a top portion of the shaft
1
or in an upper notch
15
. Preferably the first and third guiding rollers R
1
, R
3
are pivotally mounted in an upper roller holder
6
which is embedded or formed in a top portion (or upper notch
15
) of the central shaft
1
.
The second and fourth guiding rollers R
2
, R
4
are respectively pivotally mounted in the lower runner
23
; and preferably pivotally secured in a lower roller holder
7
which is then embedded or formed in the lower runner
23
.
The upper roller holder
6
includes: a pair of lugs
61
,
62
diametrically or oppositely formed on an upper portion of the upper roller holder
6
to be engaged with a pair of notches
141
,
142
diametrically recessed in a top portion of the upper tube
14
; a first roller cavity
63
recessed in the upper roller holder
6
for pivotally securing the first guiding roller R
1
therein; and a third roller cavity
64
recessed in the upper roller holder
6
for pivotally securing the third guiding roller R
3
therein; with a rope hole formed through the roller holder
6
for passing the rope
56
therethrough; and having a rope guide
630
formed on a lower portion of the first roller cavity
63
for guiding the rope
56
from the first guiding roller R
1
downwardly towards the second guiding roller R
2
.
The first and third guiding rollers R
1
, R
3
may be coaxially pivotally secured on a pivot P having opposite pivot end portions P′ embedded and fixed in a pair of pivot holes
631
,
641
respectively formed aside the first and third roller cavities
63
,
64
.
Each pivot end portion P′ may be formed as a square or rectangular shape to be firmly secured into the square or rectangular pivot holes
631
or
641
. Other fixing methods such as by adhesive bonding may be applied to further firmly fix the pivot P in the pivot holes
631
,
641
.
The lower roller holder
7
includes: a holding block
71
having a pair of lugs
74
oppositely formed on the holding block
71
to be respectively engaged with two lug holes
234
respectively formed on a pair of side plates
233
juxtapositionally formed on the lower runner
23
; a second roller cavity
72
recessed in the holding block
71
for pivotally securing the second guiding roller R
2
in the second roller cavity
72
; a fourth roller cavity
77
recessed in the holding block
71
for pivotally securing the fourth guiding roller R
4
in the fourth roller cavity
77
; a pivot
73
secured in the holding block
71
for pivotally mounting the second and fourth guiding rollers R
2
, R
4
on the pivot
73
, with the holding block
71
snugly rested on a base
235
formed in the lower runner
23
between the two side plates
233
; an extending arm
75
protruding downwardly from the holding block
71
to be engaged with a recess
231
a
formed in the lower runner
23
under the base
235
having a groove
76
arcuately recessed in the extending arm
75
to be engaged with a fastening wire
232
provided for fastening a ferrule
231
of the lower runner
23
, thereby fastening the extending arm
75
and the lower roller holder
7
stably on the lower runner
23
for well protecting the guiding rollers R
2
, R
4
in the lower holder
7
.
The pivot
73
has its opposite ends
731
formed as square or rectangular shape to be firmly fixed into two pivot holes
720
,
770
formed in the holding block
71
of the lower holder
7
. The holding block
71
is also formed with rope holes
711
,
712
therein to smoothly pass the rope
56
through the rope holes.
The mounting locations, orientations, and methods of the guiding rollers R
1
˜R
4
respectively in the upper notch
15
or in the lower runner
23
are not limited in the present invention and may be modified by those skilled in the art. For example, the second and fourth rollers R
2
, R
4
may also be respectively pivotally secured in the lower runners by two pivots differently positioned on the runner
23
.
The rope sections S
1
˜S
5
of the rope
56
of the present invention are symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of the guiding rollers R
1
˜R
4
to provide a smooth strokes of the rope when extending or retraction of the rib assembly
2
for opening or closing the umbrella, thereby enhancing a smooth ergonomic dynamic-balance operation of the automatic umbrella. The roller holders
6
,
7
can be detachably secured on the umbrella for easy assembly and maintenance of the umbrella. The rope
56
can be conveniently wound on the rollers for facilitating the production of the umbrella.
Another preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS.
6
˜
12
in which the rope
56
is modified to include the following rope sections:
S
1
. . . the first rope section from the inner rope end
561
secured to the locking head
551
to the first guiding roller R
1
pivotally mounted in the upper roller holder
6
formed in the upper portion of the shaft
1
adjacent to the upper notch
15
;
S
2
. . . the second rope section from the first guiding roller R
1
to the second guiding roller R
2
pivotally mounted in the lower roller holder
7
formed in the lower runner
23
;
S
3
. . . the third rope section from the second guiding roller R
2
to be wound on the third and fourth guiding rollers R
3
, R
4
respectively pivotally mounted in the upper roller holder
6
; and
S
4
. . . the fourth rope section from the third and fourth rollers R
3
, R
4
to pass across the diameter of the upper tube
14
of the shaft
1
to an outer rope end
562
downwardly fixed to the lower runner
23
opposite to the second guiding roller R
2
.
If the fourth rope section S
4
is then continuously wound from the lower runner
23
about a further roller (not shown) to be upwardly secured to the upper notch
15
, a fifth rope section will be formed to be a penta-fold rope, which may be modified by those skilled in the art. The roller holders
6
,
7
may be further modified, not limited to the embodiments as shown in the drawing figures.
Accordingly, the rope sections S
1
˜S
5
of the rope
56
are also symmetrically disposed about the central shaft
1
for dynamically balancing strokes of the rope for well guiding the rope and for smoothly operating the umbrella of the present invention.
The rollers R
1
˜R
4
are respectively mounted in upper and lower roller holders
6
,
7
which can be easily conveniently mounted in (or detached from) the shaft
1
and runner
23
for facilitating the production and maintenance of the umbrella.
The upper roller holder
6
includes: a pair of lugs
61
,
62
diametrically formed on an upper portion of the upper roller holder
6
to be engaged with a pair of notches
141
,
142
diametrically recessed in a top portion of the upper tube
14
; a first roller cavity
63
recessed in the upper roller holder
6
for pivotally securing the first guiding roller R
1
therein; a third and fourth roller cavities
64
,
65
respectively recessed in the upper roller holder
6
for pivotally securing the third and fourth guiding roller R
3
, R
4
therein; with a rope hole
60
formed through the roller holder
6
for passing the rope
56
therethrough; and having a rope guide
634
formed on a lower portion of the first roller cavity
63
for guiding the rope
56
from the first guiding roller R
1
downwardly towards the second guiding roller R
2
.
The third and fourth guiding rollers R
3
, R
4
may be respectively pivotally secured on two pivots
642
,
652
each pivot
642
or
652
having opposite pivot end portions
643
or
653
embedded and fixed in two pivot holes
641
or
651
respectively formed in the third and fourth roller cavities
64
,
65
. Each pivot end portion
643
or
653
may be formed as square or rectangular shape to be firmly fixed into each pivot hole
641
or
651
.
The two lugs
61
,
62
are further formed with two side rope guide grooves
611
,
621
therein and an upper rope guide groove
66
recessed in the upper portion of the upper roller holder
6
for smoothly guiding the rope
56
across the third and fourth rollers R
3
, R
4
from the third rope section S
3
to the fourth rope section S
4
disposed on opposite sides of the third and fourth guiding rollers R
3
, R
4
.
The lower roller holder
7
includes: a holding block
71
having a pair of lugs
74
oppositely formed on the holding block
71
to be respectively engaged with two lug holes
234
respectively formed on a pair of side plates
233
juxtapositionally formed on the lower runner
23
; a second roller cavity
72
recessed in the holding block
71
for pivotally securing the second guiding roller R
2
in the second roller cavity
72
; a pivot
73
secured in the holding block
71
for pivotally mounting the second guiding rollers R
2
on the pivot
73
, with the holding block
71
snugly rested on a base
235
formed in the lower runner
23
between the two side plates
233
; an extending arm
75
protruding downwardly from the holding block
71
to be engaged with a recess
231
a
formed in the lower runner
23
under the base
235
having a groove
76
arcuately recessed in the extending arm
75
to be engaged with a fastening wire
232
provided for fastening a ferrule
231
of the lower runner
23
, thereby fastening the extending arm
75
and the lower roller holder
7
stably on the lower runner
23
for well protecting the guiding rollers R
2
in the lower holder
7
. The roller R
2
may be detachably mounted into the block
71
through a pair of side holes
721
of the cavity
72
.
For opening the umbrella, the push button
51
is depressed to disengage the upper latch
52
from the tubes of the shaft
1
and the opening spring
3
will extend the tubes and rib assembly
2
to open the umbrella from
FIG. 6
to FIG.
8
.
For closing the umbrella, the push button
51
is depressed to disengage the locking head
551
from the hole
111
b
to release the tension of the rope
56
and the opening spring
3
to allow the closing springs
4
to close the umbrella. After opening the umbrella (FIG.
8
), the lower latch
54
will be raised by the spring
573
(
FIG. 9
) to align the lower latch
54
with the push button
51
through the sliding ring member
511
, thereby allowing a depression of the lower latch
54
by the push button
51
for closing the umbrella (from
FIG. 9
to FIG.
10
).
The central shaft
1
, the rib assembly
2
, the springs
3
,
4
and the control means
5
may be referred to that as shown in FIGS.
1
˜
5
. The shapes of the cross section of the tubes are not limited in the present invention. For instance, the lower tube
11
may have a cross section of circular shape; the first middle tube
13
having hexagonal shape; the second middle tube
13
a
having circular shape; and the upper tube
14
having hexagonal shape. The cross section of the outer connecting rib
28
has a convex upper surface and a concave bottom surface and may be made of fiber-reinforced plastic materials.
As shown in
FIGS. 11
,
12
, the rib assembly
2
of the present invention includes: an intermediate rib
24
pivotally connected between inner ribs (including ribs
22
,
25
,
21
) and outer ribs (including ribs
28
,
27
,
26
) of the rib assembly
2
, with the intermediate rib
24
made of plastic materials having a cross section of H shape and including a first elongate groove
24
a
for slidably holding an inner spring rib
27
a
pivotally connected between the inner and outer ribs and juxtpositioned to the intermediate rib
24
by a ring
240
secured on a middle portion of the intermediate rib
24
, and a second elongate groove
24
b
opposite to the first elongate groove
24
a
having a middle extension formed with two recesses
24
r
therein to be engaged with two protrusions
240
p
formed on the ring
240
for engaging the ring
240
on the middle extension of the intermediate rib
24
(FIG.
12
).
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 consisting of a plurality of tubes telescopically engagable with one another, having an upper notch formed on a top portion of the shaft and a lower runner slidably held on the shaft; a rib assembly pivotally connected between the upper notch and the lower runner; an opening spring retained in the shaft for opening the umbrella; a plurality of closing springs retained on the rib assembly for closing the umbrella; and a control means including a push button slidably held in a grip, an opening controller including an upper latch formed in the grip and operatively depressed by said push button for extending said tubes of said shaft and said rib assembly for opening the umbrella, and a closing controller including a lower latch formed in the grip and operatively depressed by said push button for unlocking a locking head for closing the umbrella from an opened umbrella, and said locking head secured with a multiple-fold rope including a first rope section from an inner rope end, secured to said locking head locked in a lower portion of said shaft when closing the umbrella, to a first guiding roller pivotally mounted in the top portion of the first guiding roller to a second guiding roller pivotally mounted on the lower runner; a third rope section from the second guiding roller to a third guiding roller pivotally mounted in the top portion of the shaft; a fourth rope section from the third guiding roller to a fourth guiding roller pivotally mounted on the lower runner; and a fifth rope section from the fourth guiding roller to an outer rope end secured in the upper notch; said first and third guiding rollers pivotally mounted in an upper roller holder formed in the top portion of the shaft; and said second and fourth guiding rollers pivotally mounted in a lower roller holder formed in the lower runner; said upper roller holder including a pair of lugs diametrically or oppositely formed on an upper portion of the upper roller holder to be engaged with a pair of notches diametrically recessed in a top portion of the upper tube; a first roller cavity recessed in the upper roller holder for pivotally securing the first guiding roller therein; and a third roller cavity recessed in the upper roller holder for pivotally securing the third guiding roller therein; having at least a rope hole formed through the roller holder for passing the rope therethrough; said first and third guiding rollers coaxially pivotally secured on a pivot having opposite pivot end portions embedded and fixed in a pair of pivot holes formed in the upper roller holder; and said lower roller holder including: a holding block having a pair of lower lugs oppositely formed on the holding block to be respectively engaged with two lug holes respectively formed in a pair of side plates juxtapositionally formed on the lower runner; a second roller cavity recessed in the holding block for pivotally securing the second guiding roller in the second roller cavity; a fourth roller cavity recessed in the holding block for pivotally securing the fourth guiding roller in the fourth roller cavity; a lower pivot secured in the holding block for pivotally mounting the second and fourth guiding rollers on the lower pivot, with the holding block snugly rested on a base formed in the lower runner between the two side plates; an extending arm protruding downwardly from the holding block to be engaged with a recess formed in the lower runner under the base having a groove arcuately recessed in the extending arm to be engaged with a fastening wire provided for fastening a ferrule of the lower runner for fastening the extending arm and the lower roller holder stably on the lower runner for well protecting the second and fourth guiding rollers in the lower holder.
US Referenced Citations (6)