EP1834880A1

EP1834880A1 - Umbrella bag storage device

Info

Publication number: EP1834880A1
Application number: EP05710760A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Motonari Niikura Scales Co. Ltd. NIIKURA; Toshiyuki Murakami
Original assignee: Muraharu Seisakusho KK; Niikura Scales Co Ltd
Current assignee: Muraharu Seisakusho KK; Niikura Scales Co Ltd
Priority date: 2004-11-25
Filing date: 2005-02-22
Publication date: 2007-09-19
Also published as: EP1834880A4; JP2006151401A; AU2005202326A1; US20080093512A1; WO2006057076A1

Abstract

An umbrella bag storage device includes a device body 1 in which an umbrella bag 30 is loaded. A tongue member 19, which opens an opening 31 of the umbrella bag 30, and a tip contacting member 17 are attached to a rotating plate 15 in a turnable manner. When a tip of a folding umbrella 40 is brought into contact with the tip contacting member 17 , whereby the tip contacting member 17 turns to cause the tongue member 19 to open the opening 31 of the umbrella bag 30. A long hole 17c and a protruding section of a first spindle 14 are engaged such that the tip contacting member 17 and the tongue piece 19 are capable of advancing/retracting. In addition, a torsion spring 21 urges the tip contacting member 17 and the tongue member 19 to the front toward the umbrella bag 30. When a folding umbrella is stored in an umbrella bag, the user's hand, which has been inserted inside of the device, is prevented from being trapped and pinched by the bag opening member.

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an umbrella bag storage device for storing an umbrella that is wet due to rain within an umbrella bag. The umbrella bag storage device may be installed, for example, in the entrance of a hotel or a shop.

Background Art

Devices for storing an umbrella that is wet due to rain within an umbrella bag are known such as that disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1 (refer to JP-A-9-272519 ). This device has a generally box-shaped device body that stores a number of umbrella bags. An insertion hole is provided in an upper section of the device body with a guide member that guides umbrellas when they are inserted. A bag opening member that enters into an opening of an umbrella bag and holds open the opening is provided at a lower side of the insertion hole. The bag opening member operates in association with the insertion of the umbrella into the insertion hole.

Disclosure of the Invention

When an umbrella is inserted into the umbrella bag storage device, in the case of a normal umbrella, the handle is held to insert the umbrella into the insertion hole, and thus the user's hand does not enter inside the device. However, when a folding umbrella is inserted into the umbrella bag storage device and stored inside an umbrella bag, because the handle of a folding umbrella is short, the user's hand enters into the insertion hole, and there is a danger that the hand will be trapped and pinched by the bag opening member. As a result, an umbrella bag storage device is required that prevents a user's hand that has been inserted inside the device from being trapped and pinched by the bag opening member when a folding umbrella is stored in an umbrella bag.
The invention has been devised in light of the above-described problems, and it is an object thereof to provide an umbrella bag storage device that prevents a user's hand that has been inserted inside the device from being trapped and pinched by a bag opening member when a folding umbrella is stored in an umbrella bag.
An umbrella bag storage device of the invention includes: a device body that is loaded with an umbrella bag; and a bag opening member that opens up an opening of the umbrella bag and that is turnably provided inside of the device body. A tip end of an umbrella is brought into contact with the bag opening member to turn the bag opening member such that the opening of the umbrella bag is opened. In this umbrella bag storage device, the bag opening member can advance and retract, and is urged in a forward direction.
Moreover, the umbrella bag storage device of the invention may be structured such that a long hole that extends in an advance-retract direction is formed in one of the bag opening member and a rotating plate that is engaged with the bag opening member, and a protrusion is formed in the other one of the bag opening member and the rotating plate. The protrusion is moveably engaged in the long hole such that the bag opening member can advance and retract with respect to the rotating plate. In addition, the bag opening member may be normally urged in the forward direction by a spring.
The umbrella bag storage device of the invention has a structure in which the bag opening member is urged to the front toward the umbrella bag such that the opening of the umbrella bag is reliably held open. In addition, the bag opening member is capable of advancing/retracting. As a result, when a folding umbrella is being stored in the umbrella bag, the user's hand that has been inserted inside the device can be prevented from being trapped and pinched by the bag opening member. Furthermore, the umbrella bag storage device adopts a structure in which the bag opening member is caused to advance/retract as a result of engagement of the long hole and the protruding member, and the bag opening member is normally urged to the front by the spring. Accordingly, a simple and inexpensive structure can be used to achieve the advance/retract operation of the bag opening member and urge the bag opening member to the front.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is a front view of an umbrella bag storage device of an embodiment;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of an upper end of the umbrella bag storage device shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an expanded plan view of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section side view of a section of the umbrella bag storage device shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a side view showing an attachment location of a bag opening member in the umbrella bag storage device shown in FIG. 1;
FIGS. 6(a) to 6(c) are explanatory figures that illustrate a storage operation that is performed when a folding umbrella is stored in an umbrella bag in the umbrella bag storage device of the embodiment;
FIGS. 7(a) to 7(d) are explanatory figures that illustrate the movements of the bag opening member and a hand when the folding umbrella is stored in the umbrella bag in the umbrella bag storage device of the embodiment; and
FIGS. 8(a) to 8(c) are explanatory figures that illustrate the movements of a hand and a bag opening member when a folding umbrella is stored in an umbrella bag in an umbrella bag storage device that does not include a slide mechanism.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the invention

An umbrella bag storage device of the invention will be explained with reference to an embodiment illustrated in the drawings.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the umbrella bag storage device of the invention includes a generally box shaped device body 1 that extends vertically. The device body 1 is provided on top of a bottom panel 2. The device body 1 has side panels 3 on all four sides, and the side panel 3 on the front surface extends as far as a point slightly below the middle of the device body 1. A front cover 4, that has a rectangular shape when viewed from the front, is attached in the vicinity of an upper edge of the front surface. A removal hole 5 is formed between the side panel 3 on the front surface and the front cover 4. A folding umbrella 40, which has been stored in an umbrella bag 30, can be removed from the removal hole 5. In addition, a rear cover 6 is attached to a rear section of an upper surface of the device body 1, and an inclining surface 6a is formed in a front section of the rear cover 6 and inclines diagonally downward toward the front.
An upper edge of the front cover 4, as shown in Fig. 4, forms an inclining surface 4a that curves toward the inside with its front end extending diagonally downward to the right. A gate plate 7 that has an angle of inclination that is roughly the same as that of the inclining surface 4a is disposed beneath the inclining surface 4a. The gate plate 7 and the facing rear cover inclining surface 6a form a taper. Moreover, a pair of taper plates 8, 8 are attached at either side of the region between the facing gate plate 7 and the rear cover inclining surface 6a. The front cover inclining surface 4a, the gate plate 7, the rear cover inclining surface 6a and the pair of taper plates 8, 8 together structure a guide member. The opening surrounded by these members forms an insertion hole 9.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a pair of pole- like hangers 10, 10 that suspend and hold the umbrella bag 30 are provided to the front and rear sides of the upper section of the device body 1. A fixed support plate 11 is attached to one end of each pole- like hanger 10, 10, and the other end of each pole- like hanger 10, 10 is attached to fixed members in the vicinity of the side panel 3 on the rear surface, not shown in the figures. Pairs of small holes of the umbrella bags 30, not shown in the figures, are inserted on the hangers 10, 10, whereby a plurality of the umbrella bags 30, which are made of synthetic resin or the like, are suspended from and held by the hangers 10, 10. The umbrella bags 30 are normally urged to move toward the front by a tabular urging spring 12.
Moreover, a lower surface 4b formed to curve inward and an inner surface 4c formed to curve upward from the lower surface 4b are provided at the lower end of the front cover 4. A bearing 13 is fixed above the lower surface 4b. The bearing 13 protrudes inward at each side, forming protrusions 13a. The protrusions 13a turnably support a first spindle 14 in the vicinity of either end of the first spindle 14. A rotating plate 15 that has a generally sideways U-shape when seen in cross section covers the protrusions 13a from above. The first spindle 14 is inserted into respective side plates 15a at each side of the rotating plate 15, such that the rotating plate 15 is able to rotate centering on the first spindle 14. In addition, a coil spring 16 is wound around the first spindle 14, and one end thereof is inserted in and held by an insertion hole of the front cover inner side surface 4c. The other end of the coil spring 16 normally urges the rotating plate 15 to turn upward at a position further forward than the first spindle 14. The lower end of the side plate 15a abuts against the lower surface 4b such that the rotating plate 15 is horizontal.
A tip contacting member 17 that that has a generally sideways U-shape when seen in cross section is engaged with and mounted on the rotating plate 15. The tip contacting member 17 and the rotating plate 15 are engaged such that respective side plates 17a at either side of the tip contacting member 17 and curved tabs 17b that curve to the inside hold the side plates 15a of the rotating plate 15. Long holes 17c are respectively formed in the side plates 17a of the tip contacting member 17, and extend in the longitudinal direction of the side plates 17a. Both ends of the first spindle 14 are protrude into and are inserted within the long holes 17c, and stopper clips 14a at either end of the first spindle 14 prevent the first spindle 14 from detaching. The tip contacting member 17 can advance and retract within a range defined by the position of the end sections of the first spindle 14 when the first spindle 14 moves from the front end to the rear end of the long holes 17c.
A second spindle 18 is turnably supported in the vicinity of a front end of the tip contacting member 17, and the ends of the second spindle 18 are prevented from detaching by stopper clips 18a. A rear end side section 19a of a tongue member 19 is inserted on the second spindle 18 at the inside of the tip contacting member 17. The tongue member 19 is coupled to the second spindle 18 so as to be rotatable. In addition, a coil spring 20 is wound around the second spindle 18, and one end thereof is supported by a lower surface of the tip contacting member 17, and the other end thereof is attached at a generally central position of the tongue member 19. The tongue member 19 is urged by the coil spring 20 to turn in the direction that causes the tongue member 19 to abut against a bent member 17d at the front end of the tip contacting member 17. Accordingly, the tongue member 19 is capable of swinging centering on the second spindle 18. Note that, a bag opening member of the embodiment is structured by the tip contacting member 17 and the tongue member 19.
Moreover, respective ends of a torsion spring 21 are wound around the first spindle 14 and the second spindle 18. The second spindle 18, and the tip contacting member 17 and the tongue member 19 connected to the second spindle 18 are normally urged by extension of the torsion spring 21 to move in the direction away from the first spindle 14 such that the rear end of the long hole 17c is positioned at the protruding sections of the first spindle 14. A tip end of the tongue member 19 that is urged to move as described above is in contact with the first umbrella bag 30 in the row, and is disposed at a position slightly above an opening 31 of the umbrella bag 30.
When a folding umbrella 40 is stored in an umbrella bag in the umbrella bag storage device of the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the folding umbrella 40 in a folded state is inserted through the insertion hole 9, then the tip of the folding umbrella 40 is brought into contact with the tip contacting member 17, and the folding umbrella 40 is pushed downward. As the folding umbrella 40 is pushed downward, the rotating plate 15 and the tip contacting member 17 turn downward, and the tip end of the tongue member 18 moves so as to slide along a front surface 32 of the first umbrella bag 30 in the row that is in contact with the tongue member 18, and enters into the opening 31 of the first umbrella bag 30 in the row. As the folding umbrella 40 is lowered down still further, the rotating plate 15 and the tip contacting plate 17 are turned, and the tongue member 19 is inserted deep into the opening 31, and separates away from the umbrella bag front surface 32. Accordingly, the opening 31 is opened wide, and the folding umbrella 40 enters into the umbrella bag 30 and is stored therein. The folding umbrella 40 stored in the umbrella bag 30 is then removed from the removal hole 5.
Following storage of the folding umbrella 40 in the umbrella bag 30 and removal of the folding umbrella 40, the urging force of the urging spring 12 causes the next umbrella bag 30 to move to the front of the row, and the rotating plate 15, the tip contacting plate 17, and the tongue member 19 return due to being turned by urging force of the coil spring 16. In addition, the tongue member 19 is placed in contact with the front surface 32 of the umbrella bag 30 that is at the front of the row, and is turned in resistance to the urging force of the coil spring 19. The operation can be repeated to store successive folding umbrellas 40 in the umbrella bags 30.
When the folding umbrella 40 is lowered downward to be stored in the umbrella bag 30 in the storage operation, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the hand of the user is inserted into the insertion hole 9 and the finger tips of the user are inserted as far as a position beneath the tip end of the tip contacting plate 17, which turns to an almost vertical position. In the case of using an umbrella bag storage device like that shown in FIG. 8 in which the tip contacting plate 16 does not have a slide mechanism, when the user removes his/her hand from the insertion hole 9, the tip contacting plate 17 turns in the direction that returns the tip contacting plate 17 back to its horizontal position. As a result, there are occasions when the finger tips of the user become trapped between the tip end of the tip contacting plate 17 and a front surface 6b of the rear cover 6 (refer to FIG. 8(c)).
In contrast to the above structure, in the case of using the umbrella bag storage device of the embodiment in which the tip contacting plate 17 is provided with the slide mechanism, when the user removes his/her hand from the insertion hole 9 in a similar manner to described above, the tip contacting plate 17 turns in the direction that returns the tip contacting plate 17 back to its horizontal position. However, if the tip end of the tip contacting plate 17 comes into contact with the finger tips of the user, the tip contacting plate 17 moves rearward in resistance to the urging force of the torsion spring 21 as far as a position where the end sections of the second spindle 18 are positioned generally at the front end of the long hole 17c (FIG. 7(c)). Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the tip end of the tip contacting plate 17 and the front surface 6b of the rear cover 6 from trapping and pinching the finger tips of the user.
In addition, when the tip contacting plate 17 is positioned horizontally and the hand of the user has separated away from the tip end of the tip contacting plate 17, the urging force of the torsion spring 21 moves the tip contacting plate 17 to the front such that the end sections of the second spindle 18 are positioned at generally the rear end of the long hole 17c (FIG. 7(d)).
The above-described umbrella bag storage device has a structure in which the turnable tip contacting plate 17 and the tongue member 19 are urged toward the umbrella bag 30 such that the tongue member 19 enters into the umbrella bag 30 to reliably hold open the opening 31 of the umbrella bag 30. In addition, the tip contacting plate 17 is capable of advancing/retracting with respect to the rotating plate 15, whereby the tip contacting plate 17 that comes into contact with the hand of a user is able to slide backward. As a result, the user's hand that has been inserted into the insertion hole 9 can be prevented from being trapped and pinched by the tip contacting plate 17 and the like. Furthermore, the umbrella bag storage device adopts a structure in which the tip contacting plate 17 is urged to move by the torsion spring 21, and the long hole 17c and the first spindle 14 that protrudes from the long hole 17c are engaged such that the tip contacting plate 17 is caused to advance/retract. Accordingly, the advance/retract operation of the tip contacting plate 17 and the tongue member 19 can be achieved using a simple and inexpensive structure. Moreover, the tip contacting plate 17 and the tongue member 19 can be extended by the torsion spring 21 attached to the first spindle 14 and the second spindle 18, whereby the tip contacting plate 17 and the tongue member 19 can be urged to the front using a simple and inexpensive structure.

Industrial Applicability

The invention can be used as an umbrella bag storage device that stores an umbrella that is wet due to rain within an umbrella bag. The umbrella bag storage device may be installed, for example, in the entrance of a hotel or a shop.

Claims

An umbrella bag storage device comprising a device body that is loaded with an umbrella bag, and a bag opening member that opens up an opening of the umbrella bag and that is turnably provided inside of the device body, wherein a tip end of an umbrella is brought into contact with the bag opening member to turn the bag opening member such that the opening of the umbrella bag is opened,
characterized in that the bag opening member can advance and retract, and is urged in a forward direction.
The umbrella bag storage device according to claim 1, wherein a long hole that extends in an advance-retract direction is formed in one of the bag opening member and a rotating plate that is engaged with the bag opening member, and a protrusion is formed in the other one of the bag opening member and the rotating plate, the protrusion being moveably engaged in the long hole such that the bag opening member can advance and retract with respect to the rotating plate.
The umbrella bag storage device according to either one of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the bag opening member is normally urged in the forward direction by a spring.