EP0803209A2 - Frame for over-sized sunshade - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an umbrella frame for a large umbrella. A large umbrella designed as a side mast umbrella comprises a mast structure 2, to which a lateral, adjustable arm 24 is articulated, at the free end of which the umbrella is attached. A linear guide device 5 with a sliding part 7 is provided along the mast 2. Between the sliding part 7 and the mast 2, a toggle lever arrangement comprising a push rod 11 and an opening bracket 13 is attached with an extension of the opening bracket, on which a handle 17 is arranged. According to the invention, a connecting rod 23 is provided, which is articulated both on the opening bracket 13 and on the boom 24 coupled to the sliding part 7, so that the boom 24 is brought into a laterally projecting position when the screen is opened. This provides a simply constructed, functional and maintenance-free umbrella frame for side mast umbrellas, with which a quick and energy-saving umbrella actuation is possible.

Description

The invention relates to an umbrella frame for a large umbrella according to the preamble of claim 1.

Large umbrellas are generally known in a variety of embodiments. Large umbrellas in particular are manufactured in the traditional way with a central central mast. In many known umbrella constructions, an opening or adjustment of an umbrella is effected in that a sliding part on the mast is moved from a lower basic position to an upper position, which usually corresponds to the open position of the umbrella, using an actuating force.

Such a sliding part on a central mast of a large umbrella can be implemented in a manner similar to that of small hand-held umbrellas by means of a sliding sleeve that surrounds the mast, struts of the umbrella rod being connected in a known manner to the sliding sleeve.

The considerable dimensions of a large umbrella, however, mean that the movable umbrella parts with long leverage are very heavy. This means that a clamping and adjusting a large screen and thus a displacement of a sliding part from the bottom to the top of the mast is associated with considerable effort. An immediate shift by hand is tedious and practically only to a limited extent Umbrella size possible. It is therefore known for larger umbrellas power-boosting devices, such as in a generic umbrella frame according to DE-PS 500 631. There is described a central mast umbrella with a toggle lever arrangement, which comprises a sliding part which by means of the toggle lever arrangement along a mast from a lower basic position in an upper open position is movable, means for opening and / or adjusting a screen being connected to the sliding part. The toggle lever arrangement is formed by a push rod and an opening bracket. In particular, a first push rod end is pivotally connected to the sliding part about a horizontal axis and the opening bracket is pivotally mounted in a central region on the mast about a horizontal axis. Furthermore, one opening bracket end is pivotally connected to the second push rod end and the other opening bracket end is designed as a handle. In the lower basic position of the sliding part, the position of the push rod is directed downwards by a closed toggle lever, while in the upper open position of the sliding part an essentially extended position between the push rod and opening bracket is set by an extended toggle lever.

From DE-PS 517 853 a center mast umbrella with a one-sided toggle lever arrangement is also described. Furthermore, from AT 338 452 a center mast umbrella is known, in which the roof is opened by means of a lever hinged to the umbrella stick via a rope. One end of the rope is guided over a roller mounted on the lever and the other end of the rope is attached to the umbrella stick.

The central mast, which corresponds to the traditional construction, limits the available space under a large umbrella. In order to obtain the largest possible free area under a large umbrella that is not hampered by a central mast Therefore, side mast screens are used in which a side, adjustable boom is articulated on a mast structure, at the free end of which the screen is attached.

In large umbrellas with a side mast it is known [EP 0 091 433 B1, FIGS. 59 and 60] to move a strut end of a boom guided on the mast to open the umbrella from a lower position to an upper position on the mast.

Arrangements made of ropes and winches are mainly used on large umbrellas with side masts for the umbrella actuation. Such an arrangement is known from EP 03 87 965 A1. In this case, a rope is guided over deflection pulleys inside a mast, a sliding element firmly connected to a boom being fixedly arranged in a rope area. By actuating a hand crank that drives a rope deflection roller, the sliding element is moved from a lower position to an upper position, as a result of which the boom is extended. Such constructions with ropes and winches are relatively complex in terms of the required rope guides. In addition, large umbrellas are regularly used outdoors, so that both the rope material and the winches are corrosion-resistant, high quality and therefore relatively expensive. Furthermore, such a complicated cable arrangement is prone to failure. Due to the power conversion in the cable winch, long cable paths and thus many revolutions of the cable winch are required for adjustment. As a result, actuation is no longer energy-intensive but only possible with a greater expenditure of time. In the commercial sector, for example when a person has to open a large number of large screens, this is a noticeable cost factor. The operating cranks can be partially removed from the cable winches and have to be stowed away separately and kept ready.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a simply constructed and inexpensive umbrella frame for a large umbrella designed as a side mast umbrella, so that the opening and adjustment of a screen is possible quickly and with little effort and good function.

This object is achieved with the features of claim 1.

According to claim 1, a first end of a connecting rod is pivotally connected to the opening bracket about a horizontal axis. A second end of the connecting rod is also connected to a boom so as to be pivotable about a horizontal axis. Furthermore, the lower end of the boom is pivotally connected to a sliding part about a horizontal axis. The lower basic position of the sliding part is determined by a closed toggle lever with a downward position of the push rod and the connecting rod running essentially parallel to the mast axis. When the umbrella frame is opened, the boom can be pivoted about the horizontal axis by means of the connecting rod due to the positive guidance of the lower end in the linear guide device. As a result, the upper open position of the sliding part is determined by an extended toggle lever with an essentially extended position between the push rod and the opening bracket and by the connecting rod which projects laterally from the opening bracket and does not run parallel to the mast axis and supports the boom.

In this toggle lever arrangement according to the invention, a connecting rod is therefore additionally provided, which is articulated both on the opening bracket and on a boom coupled to the guide part. The connecting rod, which is preferably made of a light metal, is deflected in particular with its upper end both upwards and to the side when the screen is opened, as a result of which the boom is pivoted into a projecting position. The toggle lever arrangement used is largely matched to the conditions of the screen actuation in its force-transmitting effect. Obviously, a very high amount of force is required when the screen is actuated when the boom has already been swung far out in the direction of the open position and its weight must therefore be fully supported. Another force peak occurs immediately in the open position when the fabric covering the screen has to be stretched. Accordingly, this effort occurs in the last upper sliding area of the sliding part. Due to the toggle lever function according to the invention, however, this high actuation force can be applied by a person without great effort, even with side masts, by stretching the toggle lever. The proposed toggle lever arrangement thus interacts optimally with the force requirements that change over the adjustment path for a quick, comfortable and energy-saving manual operation of a side mast screen.

This toggle lever arrangement connected with a connecting rod can also be inexpensively manufactured with a few components which can be produced inexpensively. The simple construction therefore ensures a high level of functional reliability with a long service life. Maintenance and care is not necessary.

According to claim 2, the opening bracket is designed as a two-sided lever, resulting in a particularly advantageous embodiment of an opening bracket provided with an additional connecting rod. In this case, the handle is preferably pivoted upward toward the mast in the lower basic position of the sliding part, so that a side mast screen, when the handle is moved downward using the body weight, can be opened and / or adjusted in a force-saving and simple manner. To do this, it is only necessary to follow the handle in a circular arc from its upper starting position pivoted towards the mast to bring it down into a position that is also folded towards the mast. This only required movement can be carried out very quickly. In an alternative embodiment, the opening bracket can also be designed as a one-sided lever and / or the handle can be pivoted downwards towards the mast in the lower basic position of the sliding part.

Appropriately, the arrangement is selected according to claim 3 so that there is a sufficient adjustment path and the handle is easily accessible both in the upper and lower positions.

The toggle lever arrangement according to the invention can be attached to a conventional sliding sleeve of the mast according to claim 4. In a preferred embodiment according to claim 5, however, the linear guide device comprises a guide rail and / or guide groove on the side of the mast, into which a guide part engages. The guide device can thus be of small dimensions, particularly lightweight and smooth. The guide part can engage on the guide rail or guide groove over a certain longitudinal extent, a slide design being expedient.

A useful construction results with the features of claim 6 in that the opening bracket is designed as a U-shaped bracket, the bracket is bent in the region of the U-base and the transverse web forms a handle. The two long U-legs run to the push rod on both sides of the mast. This enables the opening bracket to be stably supported over both U-legs on the mast.

Particularly advantageous results in a self-locking of the toggle lever arrangement in the extended position against the restoring forces of the screen, especially when the knee joint is supported somewhat beyond the extended position on the mast in the open position.

To close the umbrella, this self-locking is released by moving the handle from the lower position upwards, this movement being supported by the restoring forces of the umbrella.

Despite the self-locking, it is expedient to attach a safety device for this position. This security can be locked, for example, in the commercial sector and prevents unauthorized or unintentional closing of the screen.

With the adjustment of the sliding part, an actuation path for a swiveling umbrella boom according to claim 9 is made available. A connection to this sliding part can be made directly or indirectly, for example by a cable connection.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention with further details, features and advantages is explained in more detail with reference to a drawing.

Fig. 1

eine Seitenansicht eines Schirmgestells mit einem schematisch angedeuteten Schirm in dessen Geschlossenstellung, und

Fig. 2

das Schirmgestell nach Fig. 1 in der Offenstellung des Schirms

Show it:

Fig. 1

a side view of an umbrella frame with a schematically indicated umbrella in its closed position, and

Fig. 2

1 in the open position of the screen

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2, an umbrella frame 1 is shown, which has a vertical mast 2 held in a support leg 3 and a screen 4 indicated by broken lines, which is closed in FIG. 1 and opened in FIG. 2.

As a linear guide device 5, the umbrella frame 1 comprises a guide rail 6 with a slide-shaped sliding part 7, which is in a lower basic position 8 [FIG. 1] and in an upper open position 9 [Fig. 2] is displaceable.

With the sliding part 7, a push rod 11 is pivotally connected to a first push rod end 12 via a horizontal axis 10.

Likewise, a lower end 29 of a bracket 24, which is only partially shown in the illustration of FIGS. 1 and 2, is pivotally connected to the sliding part 7 via the horizontal axis 10.

A second push rod end 18 is pivotally connected to an opening bracket end 19 opposite the handle 17 via a horizontal axis 20, the push rod being somewhat longer than a first lever side 14 of the opening bracket 13.

The opening bracket 13 is offset as a two-sided lever with a first lever side 14 and a second lever side 15 in its central region via a horizontal axis 16 to the guide rail 6, pivotally mounted off-center on the mast 2. The opening bracket 13 is designed as a U-shaped bracket that runs with two long U-legs as lever parts on both sides of the mast 2. At the free end of the second lever side 15, a handle 17 is formed as a crosspiece of the U-shaped opening bracket 13.

Furthermore, the opening bracket 13 is pivotally connected in the region between the horizontal axis 16 and the horizontal axis 20 via a horizontal axis 25 to a first end 27 of a connecting rod 23.

A second end 28 of the connecting rod 23 is pivotally connected to the boom 24 via a horizontal axis 26, the horizontal axis 26 being arranged above the horizontal axis 10 in the position of FIG. 1.

The arrangement shown has the following function:

In Fig. 1, the screen 4 is closed, the sliding part 7 is in the lower basic position 8. The push rod 11 points downwards and the opening bracket 13 with the second lever side 15 obliquely upwards. The handle 17 is pivoted to the mast 2 in an upper position.

To open the screen, the handle 17 is pivoted in a semicircular movement [arrow 21 in FIG. 1] down to the mast 2. The sliding part 7 is moved by the toggle lever arrangement of the opening bracket 13 and push rod 11 in the direction of its upper position 9. The horizontal axis 25, which pivotably connects the connecting rod 23 and the opening bracket 13, describes a circular path and thus does not cause a pure displacement of the connecting rod 23 in the X direction, but at the same time also a lateral displacement of the upper end 28 of the connecting rod 23 in the Y- Direction [cf. the Cartesian coordinate system in FIGS. 1 and 2]. As a result of this displacement of the upper end 28 of the connecting rod 23, which is pivotably connected to the boom 24 via the horizontal axis 26, in both the X and Y directions, the boom 24, which is positively guided with its lower end 29 in the linear guide device 5, is out the position aligned in the lower basic position essentially parallel to the mast axis is pivoted about the horizontal axis 10 into the projecting position shown in the upper open position of FIG. 2. The opening angle between the mast 2 and the boom 24 is in the upper open position fixed by the substantially vertical distance between the horizontal axis 20 and the horizontal axis 25.

In this upper open position, the toggle lever arrangement consisting of the opening bracket 13 and the push rod 11 is essentially stretched, which results in self-locking, the arrangement being additionally supported by the connecting rod 23 acting as a support strut. This arrangement can also be supplemented with a detachable safety device [not shown].

To close the screen 4, the opening bracket 13 is finally returned to the starting position corresponding to FIG. 1 in a semicircular manner via the handle 17 [arrow 22 in FIG. 2].

Claims (9)

Umbrella frame for a large umbrella, with a vertical mast when in use [2], with a linear guide device [5] along the mast [2], a sliding part [7] being movable from a lower basic position [8] along the mast [2] to an upper open position [9] and with the sliding part [7] means are connected to open and / or adjust a screen [4],
a push rod [11] having its first push rod end [12] pivotably connected to a sliding axis [10] about a horizontal axis [10], an opening bracket [13] is mounted as a lever on the mast [2] pivotable about a horizontal axis [16], the opening bracket [13] is pivotally connected to the second push rod end [18] and one end of the opening bracket [13] is designed as a handle [17], and the push rod [11] and the opening bracket [13] form a toggle lever arrangement, the lower basic position of the sliding part [7] being determined by a closed toggle lever with a downward position of the push rod [11], and the upper open position the sliding part [7] is determined by an extended toggle lever with an essentially extended position between the push rod [11] and the opening bracket [13],
characterized, that a first end [27] of a connecting rod [23] is pivotally connected to the opening bracket [13] about a horizontal axis [25], that a second end [28] of the connecting rod [23] is pivotally connected to a bracket [24] about a horizontal axis [26], that with the sliding part [7] the lower end [29] of the boom [24] is pivotally connected about the horizontal axis [10], and that the lower basic position of the sliding part [7] is determined by a closed toggle lever with a downward position of the push rod [11] and the connecting rod [23] running essentially parallel to the mast axis, and the opening of the umbrella frame [1] being the Boom [24] can be pivoted about the horizontal axis [10] by means of the connecting rod [23] due to the positive guidance of the lower end [29] in the linear guide device [5], so that the upper open position of the sliding part [7] is extended by an extended toggle lever with an essentially extended position between the push rod [11] and the opening bracket [13] and by the connecting rod [23] which projects laterally from the opening bracket [13] and does not run parallel to the mast axis and supports the bracket [24]. Umbrella frame for a large umbrella according to claim 1, characterized in that the opening bracket [13] is mounted as a two-sided lever in its central area on the mast [2], and that with the sliding part [7] the lower end [29] of the boom [24] is pivotally connected about the horizontal axis [10], the horizontal axis [26] being arranged in the lower basic position above the horizontal axis [10] and the opening angle between the mast [2] and the boom [24] in the upper open position is determined by the substantially perpendicular distance between the horizontal axis [20] and the horizontal axis [25]. Umbrella frame for a large umbrella according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the lower basic position [8] of the sliding part [7] lies approximately in the longitudinal center of the mast [2] and the upper open position [9] in the upper mast area. Umbrella frame for a large umbrella according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the linear guide device [5] consists of the mast [2] itself and a sliding sleeve as a sliding part [7]. Umbrella frame for a large umbrella according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the linear guide device [5] comprises a guide rail [6] and / or guide groove on the side of the mast [2], into which a guide part [7] engages. Umbrella frame for a large umbrella according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the opening bracket [13] is designed as a U-shaped bracket, the U-base being bent and the handle [17] forms and two U-legs run on both sides of the mast [2] and to the push rod [11]. Umbrella frame for a large umbrella according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the toggle lever arrangement is selected such that the knee joint on the pivot connection [20] between the push rod [11] and the opening bracket [13] in the upper open position of the sliding part [7] is extended beyond the extended position and the knee joint is supported on the mast when the sliding part [7] is under load, so that there is self-locking against the sliding part [7] moving back. Umbrella frame for a large umbrella according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a releasable securing device is attached between the mast [2] and part of the toggle lever arrangement and / or the toggle lever arrangement in its extended position. Umbrella frame for a large umbrella according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a pivotable umbrella arm is connected to the sliding part [7] directly or indirectly via intermediate members.

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