US20020121295A1

US20020121295A1 - Umbrella structure with lighting device

Info

Publication number: US20020121295A1
Application number: US09/796,517
Authority: US
Inventors: Tsung-Tai Chen; Sheng Huang; Tsung-Cheng Chen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-03-02
Filing date: 2001-03-02
Publication date: 2002-09-05

Abstract

An umbrella structure with lighting device comprising a hollow shaft, a plurality of radial arranged stretchers mounted to the hollow shaft, a layer of fabric covered onto the stretchers, a light-emission device mounted at the tip of the hollow shaft, a handle connected at the bottom end of the hollow shaft, and a power supply device mounted with the handle, characterized in that the light-emission device comprises a light transmissive tube cover screwed at the tip of the hollow shaft, a light-emission body mounted within the tube cover, a fluorescent plate positioned between the light-emission body and the tube cover, and a stopper mounted at the top cover of the tube cover, the light emission body is lighted to flicker and the intensity of the emitted light is increased as a result of reflection and refraction by fluorescent body positioned within the fluorescent plate, the fluorescent light is emitted through the transparent tube cover to provide an alarming effect in the night.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an umbrella structure, and in particular, an umbrella having lighting device for use in a raining day and, at the same time in the night, providing walking safely at night.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

In raining days, and in particular, in a raining night, the visibility of road is poor and walking by the roadside at night is rather unsafe. If the person is provided with a light source, walking along the road may be safer as drivers can see clearly a lighted moving object. Taiwan Patent Publication No. 382924 relates to an umbrella structure having light illumination being constituted a

hollow shaft

12, a plurality of stretchers, water-resistant fabric 10, and a handle 14. The top end of the umbrella is provided with a light-emission structure comprising a hollow fixing seat 16, a light transmissive hollow hood 18 mounted on the fixing seat 16, and a light bulb 20 located within an external hood, and a light-focusing hood 22, and a plurality of alerting light bulbs.

The drawbacks of the conventional umbrella structure are as follows:

(1) The light-focusing bulbs 20 utilize power rapidly and the utilization time of this umbrella with illumination is restricted.

(2) The light-focusing bulb 20 has light ray facing upward, and drivers cannot see the light ray easily.

(3) If the light-focusing bulb 20 is used as an illumination, then the umbrella has to be placed horizontally, but the length of the umbrella is 75-90 cm, and therefore holding the umbrella in a horizontal position is not convenient.

(4) The alerting device of the umbrella causes an increase of weight of the umbrella. Therefore, holding of the umbrella is rather laborious.

(5) A plurality of bulbs have to be used in order to provide sufficient brightness. Thus, power consumption is increased.

(6) As a light bulb, focusing hood, an altering light bulb are to be mounted onto the umbrella, the volume of the

fixing seat

16 and the external hood 18 on the umbrella is large. Therefore, the appearance of the umbrella is unpleasing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an umbrella structure with lighting device, wherein a light-emission device is located at the top end of the hollow shaft of the umbrella, and the light-emission device comprises a light transmissive tube cover screwed at the top of the hollow shaft, a light-emission body mounted within the tube cover, a fluorescent plate positioned between the light-emission body and the tube cover, and the inner wall of the hollow tube cover has a plurality of zigzag threads.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an umbrella structure with lighting device, wherein the bottom end of the hollow shaft is positioned with a power supply device having a battery slot within the handle of the umbrella, batteries within the battery slot being connected in series, a spring, a leading plate, a control switch connected in series with the batteries and two power source wires within the hollow shaft.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an umbrella structure with lighting device, wherein the two power source wires are respectively connected to two terminals of the light-emission body, and the control switch is located within the center section of the handle.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an umbrella structure with light device, wherein, when the light-emission body is lighted to flicker and the intensity of the emitted light is increased as a result of reflection and refraction by fluorescent body positioned within the fluorescent plate, and the fluorescent light is emitted through the transparent tube cover to provide an alarming effect during the night.

The foregoing objects and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of the present invention. [0018]
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention. [0019]
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the present invention. [0020]
FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating the connection of circuit of the present invention. [0021]
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the light emission device of the present invention. [0022]
FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the fluorescent plate of the present invention. [0023]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings. Specific language will be used to describe same. It will, nevertheless, be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. [0024]
The present invention is directed to an umbrella structure with lighting device. [0025]
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective exploded view of the [0026] umbrella 10 comprising a hollow shaft 1, a plurality of radial stretchers 11, a water proof fabric 12, a light-emission device 2, a handle 3 and a power supply device 4. The perspective view of the umbrella of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2.
The interior of the hollow shaft is a [0027] hollow slot 13. The top end of the shaft 1 has a stretcher seat 14 being connected with a plurality of stretchers 11 arranged in a radial manner. The surface of the stretchers 11 is covered with a layer of the waterproof fabric 12, and the top of the stretcher seat 14 is a screw seat 15 having a screw rod 151 and has two vertical leading holes 152 for conduction wire. The bottom end of the hollow shaft 1 is connected to a screw cover 16 having screw hole 161 therein, and having screw hole 162 for two power source wires.
In accordance with the present invention, the light-[0028] emission device 2 comprises a light transmissive tube cover 21, light-emission body 22, a fluorescent plate 23, and a top cover 24. The light transmissive tube cover 21 is a cylindrical structure and the bottom and thereof is a screw hole 211. The inner wall of the tube cover is provided with vertically arranged zig-zag threads 212. The fluorescent plate 2 can be inserted into the tube cover 21 and the opening of the tube cover 21 can be sealed with the top cover 24 to prevent water from entry.
The [0029] handle 3 of the umbrella 10 is “J”-shaped, and the top end is provided with a screw tube 31 can be inserted into the screw cover 16 located at the bottom of the hollow shaft 1, and is screwed to the screw hole 161. In order to prevent water to enter the handle, a water-resistant seal 34 is mounted at the point of screw-connection. The interior of the handle 3 is extended from the top to the bottom a hollow battery slot 32. The center section of the handle is provided with a notch 33 to adapt a control switch 48.
In accordance with the present invention, the [0030] power supply device 4 comprises a plurality of batteries 41, a spring 42, conductive plates 43, 44, 45, power source wires 46, 47, and a control switch 8. The spring 42 is located at the bottom section of the battery slot 161 and are connected in series, from the top to the bottom thereof, with the conductive plate 43, the control switch 48, the conductive plate 44 and the power source wire 46. The conductive plate 45 is located within the screw cover 16 and is connected in series with the wire 47.
FIG. 3 shows the sectional view of an umbrella structure with lighting device. The top end of the [0031] shaft 1 is connected to the screw hole 211 of the light transmissive tube cover 21 by means of the screw rod 151 of the screw seat 15. The light-emission body 22 is positioned at the center region of the tube cover 21, located at the top of the screw seat 15. The fluorescent plate 23 is located between the tube cover 21 and the light-emission body 22. In addition, the screw cover 16 at the bottom end of the shaft 1 and the handle 3 are combined as a unit. The battery slot 32 of the handle contains batteries 4 connected in series, and the spring 42 urges the negative terminal of the batteries 4. The push button 481 of the control switch 48 is positioned outside the notch 33. The positive terminal of the top end of the battery 41 is in contact with the conductive plate 45, and then passes through the hollow slot 13 of the shaft 1, and finally passes through the screw hole 152 of the screw seat 15, and is connected to the two terminals of the light-emission body 22. A complete power circuit is shown in FIG. 4.
The user pushes the [0032] push button 481, and the control switch 48 is connected to the two conductive plates 43, 44. Thus, the light-emission body 22 (for instance, Christmas Light, etc.) is thus provided with current supply and is lighted (flickering). Referring to FIG. 5, when the light is transmitted through the fluorescent plate 23, due to the fact that one surface of the fluorescent plate 23 is flat surface and the other surface is a plurality of conic-shaped bodies (FIG. 6), the fluorescent body within the fluorescent plate increases light intensity, and the fluorescent light is refracted through the zigzag threads 212 of the light transmissive tube cover 21, a bright refracted effect of light is obtained. If the fluorescent plate 23 is yellow, the emitted light is yellow. If the fluorescent plate is red, the emitted light is red.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above. [0033]
While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. [0034]

Claims

I claim:

1. An umbrella structure with lighting device comprising a hollow shaft, a plurality of radial arranged stretchers mounted to the hollow shaft, a layer of waterproof fabric covered onto the stretchers, a light-emission device mounted at the tip of the hollow shaft, a handle connected at the bottom end of the hollow shaft, and a power supply device mounted within the handle, characterized in that the light-emission device comprises a light transmissive tube cover screwed at the top of the hollow shaft, a light-emission body mounted within the tube cover, a fluorescent plate positioned between the light-emission body and the tube cover, and a stopper mounted at the top cover of the tube cover, the light emission body is lighted to flicker and the intensity of the emitted light is increased as a result of reflection and refraction by fluorescent body positioned within the fluorescent plate, the fluorescent light is emitted through the transparent tube cover to provide an alarming effect in the night.

2. An umbrella structure with lighting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the inner wall of the light-transmissive tube cover is provided with zigzag threads so that bright refracted effect of light is obtained.

3. An umbrella structure with lighting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the bottom end of the tube cover is provided with a screw hole and the top end of the hollow shaft is mounted with a screw seat having a screw rod to combine with the screw hole so that the tube cover is secured to the screw seat.

4. An umbrella structure with lighting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the surface of the fluorescent plate is a smooth surface, and the other surface is provided with a plurality of conic shaped bodies to enhance the effect of refractions and reflections.