GB2228674A - Manual/motorized double-mode umbrella - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention is related to a dual-mode umbrella alternatively operated, using one hand, through motorized driving gear and manually. The umbrella includes in the umbrella handle 4 a battery power 11, a motor 12, a speed change gear 13, an automatic power coupling mechanism 15, and also includes a flexible driving mechanism 14 mounted on the main frame. It is simply operated through a three-step control switch, the flexible driving mechanism driving the movable nest plate 6 to move upward or downward to automatically stretch open the umbrella or let the umbrella be collapsed. In some embodiments, the automatic power coupling mechanism is not present, while in another version a lamp 90 is included in the handle. <IMAGE>

Description

MANUAL/MOTORIZED DOUBLE-MODE UMBRELLA This invention relates to a manual/motorized double-mode umbrella.

During raining days, when to get on a bus or car or to get off therefrom or to go indoors or outdoors, one may have an umbrella to protect against the rain. However, it is not very inconvenient to stretch open or close an umbrella with both hands. More particularly when you have somethings or a baby in one of your hands, it is more than embarrassing to prop open or close an umbrella. In order to prop open an umbrella more easier, various kinds of automatic umbrellas -are supplied to meet the demand. Although the existing automatic umbrellas can be prop open automatically, the major part of conventional automatic umbrellas are operated to close by both hands. There is also another design to prop open or close an umbrella by single hand.

The umbrella according to this design it to be operated by means of a driving force from fingers or hand. Because the movable nest plate of an umbrella requires a long stroke, and the effective range of the fingers or palm of a hand is limited, it is very exhausting to make use of a limited effective range to control a long stroke. An umbrella constructed according to this design may be unworkable against storm. This is the reason why this design has never been commercialized although it has been patented in some certain countries.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a full motorized umbrella which can be easily and conveniently operated to automatically open or close by a single hand.

The other object of the present invention is to provide a full motorized umbrella which is fitted with a flash light at the handle to provide illumination.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with references to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a partially perspective front side view of an embodiment of this invention, Figure 2 is a sectional view of the idle pulley of the flexible driving mechanism of this invention, Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 2-3 of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a sectional view of the movable nest plate and the releasing button of this invention, Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4, Figure 6 is a sectional view of the flexible driving mechanism and the automatic power coupling mechanism of this invention, Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Figure 6, Figure 8 is a plan view illustrating the contact point of the three-step control switch of this invention, Figure 9 is a front elevation and partly sectional view of another embodiment of this invention, Figure 10 is a front elevation and sectional view of the power control mechanism of another embodiment of this invention, Figure 11 is a sectional view taken on line 11-11 of Figure 10, Figure 12 is an enlarged plan view of the power control mechanism of Figure 11, Figure 13 is a schematic drawing illustrating the motion of the power control mechanism of this invention, Figure 14 illustrates a front elevation and sectional view of a further embodiment of the power control mechanism of this invention, Figure 15 is a front elevation and perspective view of another embodiment of this invention, Figure 16 is a sectional view of the flexible driving mechanism of the embodiment of Figure 15, Figure 17 is a sectional view taken on line 17-17 of Figure 16, Figure 18 is a sectional view of another embodiment of automatic power coupling mechanism of this invention, Figure 19 is a front elevation of another embodiment of driving wheel, and Figure 20 is a side elevation of the driving wheel of Figure 19.

Referring to Figures 1 through 8, a first embodiment of this invention includes a main frame 1, ribs 2, a cover 3, a handle 4, a fixed nest plate 5 and a movable nest plate 6, wherein said handle 4 includes thereinside a battery 11, a motor 12 connected to said battery 11, a three-step control switch 10 for controlling forward and backward rotation of said motor and its stopping, a speed change gear 13 driven by said motor 12, an automatic power coupling mechanism 15 to control the torque force resulted from said speed change gear 13 according to the range of load, a flexible driving mechanism 14 driven by said speed change gear 13, which said flexible driving mechanism 14 is mounted on said main frame 1 to drive said movable nest plate 6 to displace along said main frame 1 so as to stretch or pull said ribs to open or close the umbrella, and a shifting mechanism 16 to control for manual operation during power failure or when automatic control operation system fails to work.

The said flexible driving mechanism 14, as shown in Figures 2, 4 and 7, includes an idle pulley 20 pivotally mounted on the top end of said main frame 1, a driving wheel 21 pivotally set in said handle 4, and a flexible driving means 22 wind round said driving wheel 21 and said idle pulley 20. Referring to Figures 2 and 3, said idle pulley 20 is pivotally mounted on the top end of said main frame 1 by means of its axle 23 with one side disposed at the longitudinal scoop channel 24 on the side wall of said main frame 1. One side of said flexible driving means 22 is concealed in said main frame 1 to vertically slide therein, while the other side of said flexible driving means 22 is disposed outside to displace along said longitudinal scoop channel 24.Please refer to Figures 2 and 4, said flexible driving means 22 is downwardly arranged to penetrate through the inner side of said movable nest plate 6.

Further, said movable nest plate 6 comprises a transversely disposed and movable releasing button 25, which releasing button 25 comprises a piercing hole 26 at the end. When said flexible driving means 22 penetrates through said movable nest plate 6, it also penetrates through said piercing hole 26 of said releasing button 25. Therefore, through the spring force resulted from a spring 27 mounted on said releasing button 25 in said movable nest plate 6, said flexible driving means 22 is firmly retained in said movable nest plate 6 (referring to Figure 5) so as to let said movable nest plate 6 follow said flexible driving means 22 to slide along said main frame 1 to further let the umbrella be opened or closed.In case of power failure or the automatic operating system fails to work properly, the user can press down said releasing button 25 to let said flexible driving means 22 be released from said piercing hole 26 and to let said movable nest plate 6 be released from the constraint of said flexible driving means 22 so as to further push said movable nest plate 6 to move upward or downward.

Referring to Figures 6 and 7, after passing through said movable nest plate 6, said flexible driving means 22 is arranged to further penetrate downward. The said flexible driving means 22 in the side of said longitudinal scoop channel 24 of said main frame 1 penetrates into said handle 4 to pass through said automatic power coupling mechanism 15 at one side and turn around said driving wheel 21 for one or more rounds to further turn to pass through the other side of said automatic power coupling mechanism 15 and to further run upward along the inner side of said main frame 1 to connect to said idle pulley 20, such that said flexible driving means forms a circle.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the said speed change gear 13 includes a friction roller 29 driven by said motor 12, a friction disc 30 in contact with said friction roller 29, a pinion 31 coaxial to said friction disc 30, a large gear 32 engaged with said pinion 31, a screw rod 33 coaxial to said large gear 32, and a screw wheel 34 engaged with said screw rod 33 and coaxial to said driving wheel 21. The power from said motor 12 is transmitted through said friction roller 29, said friction disc 30, said pinion 31, said large gear 32, said screw rod 33, said screw wheel 34 to said driving wheel 21 to drive said flexible driving means 22 to displace so as to further drive said movable nest plate 6 to open or close the umbrella.

When to initially stretch an umbrella it requires a stronger driving power to start. When an umbrella is closely to be fully opened the resistance from the stretching of the umbrella cover becomes stronger. During the middle stroke from the start to the fully opening of an umbrella, the resistance is relatively smaller. Therefore, in the present invention, a non-step and variable speed change gear is provided to meet the requirement, that is, the present invention provides a higher torque at the beginning which is reducing along with the upward moving of the movable nest plate to let the umbrella stretching process be rapidly performed. When the umbrella is up to fully opened, the present invention will automatically increase the torque to complete the final process.

The automatic variation of torque and speed is controlled by said automatic power coupling mechanism 15, which, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, includes bilateral portions with one lateral portion to control the stroke for controlling the opening of the umbrella, and with the other lateral portion for controlling the closing of the umbrella.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7, said autom.atic power coupling mechanism 15 includes a first sliding member 35, which comprises two guidances 36 and 37 disposed at both lateral sides to slide along two guide ways 38 and 39 on said handle 4 by means of the spring force ( or pull force) of a spring 40 and also comprises a link rod 52 extended downward at the rear end to further pivotally connect to said friction roller 29; a second sliding member 41 and a third sliding member 42 mounted on two slide ways 43 and 44 of said first sliding member 35 to slide therealong respectively, said second sliding member 41 and said third sliding member 42 are respectively pulled by a spring 45 or 46 to stretch tight said flexible driving means 22; a first pulley wheel 47 and a second pulley wheel 48 pivotally mounted on said second sliding member 41 and said third sliding member 42 respectively; and a third pulley wheel 49 and a fourth pulley wheel 50 pivotally mounted on a fixed axle 51.

Said flexible driving means (22 at the side in said scoop channel 24 of said main frame 1 )runs to pass through said third pulley wheel 49, said first pulley wheel 47, to turn upward around said third pulley wheel 49 and downward through said first pulley wheel 47 again to further turn around.

said driving wheel 21 and upward through said fourth pulley wheel 50 to further turn back to said second pulley wheel 48 through said fourth pulley wheel again to finally run into said main frame 1.

When the resistance is reduced during stretching of the umbrella, the spring force from the spring 40 pulls the first sliding member 35 downward to a position equalizing the resistance. At the same time, the link rod 52 of the first sliding member 35 is simultaneously driven to move downward to push the friction roller 29 toward the central position of the friction disc 30 to let the friction disc 30 drive the driving wheel 21 more rapidly so as to further let the flexible driving means 22 drive the movable nest plate 6 to move upward at a more quick speed.

When the resistance is increased during stretching of the umbrella, the tensile force of the flexible driving means 22 is increasing at the right side. As soon as the tensile force of the flexible driving means 22 surpasses the spring force of the spring 46, the third sliding member 42 and the fourth pulley wheel 48 are stretched to displace upward. As soon as the third sliding member 42 is in contact with the first sliding member 35 and pushes the first sliding member 35 upward, the link rod 52 pulls the friction roller 29 upward to leave away from the central portion of the friction disc 30 so as to let the revolving speed of the friction disc be reduced and to let the torque be relatively increased to overcome the resistance resulted from the stretching of the umbrella.When the second pulley wheel 48 is pulled upward, the distance between the second pulley wheel 48 and the fourth pulley wheel 50 is reduced, the flexible driving means 22 becomes loosening at the right side. At this moment, the spring 45 pulls the first pulley wheel 47 downward to increase the distance between the first pulley wheel 47 and the third pulley wheel 49 so as to give a compensation.

When the resistance varies during collapsing of the umbrella, the position of the friction roller 29 against the friction disc is changed by means of the distance change between the first pulley wheel 47 and the third pulley wheel 49 in the same manner as above described.

As shown in Figure 6, the forward and backward rotation and the stopping of said motor 12 is controlled by said three-step control switch 10.

Said three-step control switch 10 is one kind of double pole double throw switch, of which the circuit is arranged as in Figure 8.

Referring to Figures 9 through 11, which illustrate another embodiment of this invention and the structure of the power control mechanism.

There are two parallel plates 210 and 210' disposed at both sides of the driving wheel 21 of the flexible driving mechanism 14 inside the umbrella handle 4. The driving wheel 21 is pivotally mounted on the said two parallel plates 210 and 210' and the umbrella handle 4 by means of its axle 211.

A guide wheel 220 is pivotally mounted on the axle 211 of the driving wheel 21 at the side of the parallel plate 210 to follow the axle 211 of the driving wheel 21 to make a synchronous rotation. The guide wheel 220 comprises an irregular shaped side plate 221 made on the outer disc surface, having an extension 222 with a raised push rod 223 made thereon. By means of the rotation of the guide wheel 220, the side plate 221 drives the rack 230 to control the three-step control switch 10 to automatically switching-off after position fixation of the driving mechanism is completed. The rack 230 is mounted on the side edge of the parallel plate 210 to match with the guide wheel 220, which rack 230 includes a plurality of toothed notches 231 and a plurality of concavely curved surfaces 232 among said toothed notches 231. The said guide wheel 220 is arranged to match with said rack 230 by means of its side plate 221 to constantly in contact with either one of said concavely curved surfaces 232. As soon as the guide wheel reaches the last toothed notch 231, the lower push block 234 pushes the three-step control switch 10 to the middle normal stop position to cut off the power. In the same manner, when the three-step control switch 10 is further pushed upward to the upper limit position, the motor 12 revolves backward to let the guide wheel 220 engage the rac 230 to displace downward.

As soon as the upper push block 235 pushes the three-step control switch 10 to the normal stop position to cut off the power, the spring force from the spring at the top end of the main frame is relatively reduced and the umbrella is collapsed accordingly.

Referring to Figure 14, it illustrates another embodiment of power control mechanism.

Two flexible driving means 220' and 220" are separately arranged to wind round the driving wheel 21 at one end. The other end of the two flexible driving means 220' and 220" is fixedly secured to the movable nest plate 6. Through the operation of the motor 12 to drive the driving wheel 21 and by means of the matching of the spring force from the spring at the top end of the main frame 1, the flexible driving means 220' and 220" are wound off to extend upward or wound up to pull the movable nest plate 6 downward to collapse the umbrella.

In this embodiment, the forward or backward rotation of the motor 12 is also controlled by the threestep control switch 10, and the effective range of the displacement of flexible driving means 220' matching with the three-step control switch 10 is arranged shorter than the working range of the movable nest plate 6. Two knots 223' and 223" are separately made on the flexible driving means 220' at two proper positions such that the two knots 223' and 223" follow the upward or downward displacement of the flexible driving means 220' to respectively push the three-step control switch 10 to the normal stop position to cut off the power. This arrangement of knots may be applied in the above described first embodiment on the single circulation of flexible driving means 22 to provide same control effect.

Referring to Figures 15 through 18, the present invention is also practically applied in a double-section telescopic umbrella. As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the telescopic umbrella includes an upper main frame 1' and a lower main frame 1" connected by sleeve joint arranged for axial movement and prohibited from radial rotation.

A flexible driving means 22 is set inside the upper main frame 1'. A screw rod 60 is set inside the lower main frame 1" to screw through a nut 62 to further pivotally connect to the bottom of a link block 61 by means of a bolt 63. The said nut 62 is fixedly set in the lower end of the upper main frame 1'. A bolt 64 pivotally set in the upper main frame 1' to stop a steel ball 65 against the spiral groove of the screw rod 60 to reduce the resistance during threading, such that the steel ball 65 acts as an inner thread to match with the screw rod 60. The flexible driving means 22 is tied up with a hanging ring 66 above the link block 61 at its lower end, with the other end upwardly passing through an idle pulley 20, the movable nest plate 6 of the umbrella, the longitudinal scoop channel 24 of the upper main frame 1' to further secure to the nut 62.

When the screw rod 60 is turned to collapse the umbrella, the nut 62 is driven to displace downward to pull the upper main frame 1' into the lower main frame 1". At the same time, the nut 62 also drives the left-sided flexible driving means 22 to displace downward to carry the movable nest plate 6 to move downward so as to collapse the main frames and close the umbrella. While in collapsing, the link block 61 is driven to move upward against the upper main frame 1' to equalize the shrinkage of the flexible driving means 22 inside the main frame 1' and the extension of the flexible driving means 22 outside the main frame 1'. When the screw rod 60 is turned reversely to open the umbrella, the upper main frame 1' is driven to extend outward from the lower main frame 1".At the same time, the part of the flexible driving means 22 inside the main frame 1' is extended while the part of the flexible driving means 22 outside the main frame 1' is shortened (the volume changed in both parts is equalized, such that the movable nest plate 6 is driven to move upward to stretch open the umbrella.

Referring to Figures 15 and 18, the umbrella handle 4 of the double-section telescopic umbrella of this invention, similar to the previously described embodiment, includes a battery 11, a motor 12, a speed change gear 13, an automatic power coupling mechanism 15. The speed change gear 13, same as the structure of Figure 7, includes a roller 29, a friction disc 30, a pinion, a large gear 32, a screw rod 33, and a screw wheel 34. The automatic power coupling mechanism 15 in Figure 18 is quite different from the one illustrated in Figure 7.In this embodiment, the automatic power coupling mechanism 15 includes a sliding member 70, which comprises a protruding strip 71 respectively made on both sides to slide along a corresponding guide way 72 on the umbrella handle 4, and also comprises an inner hole 81; a driving member 73 connected to the upper end of the screw wheel 34, which driving member 73 comprises a slope 74 at the top (the slope in the drawing is indicative and it may be made according to requirement or it may be arranged to provided corrugated teeth); a driven member 75 disposed at the upper side of the driving member 73, which driven member 75 comprises a slope 76 to lie nest to the slope 74 of the driving member 73 (if the slope 73 has a corrugated surface, the slope 76 shall be arranged in the same way), and also comprises a hole 77 for setting therein of a key 78, and a steel ball 80 set between the driven member 75 and the sliding member 70 at act as a bearing; and a spring 79 set between the sliding member 70 and the umbrella handle 4. There is provided a key way 67 at the bottom of the screw rod 60 to slidingly connect with the key 78 of the driven member 75.

The spring force from the spring 79 is transmitted through the sliding member 70 to the slope 76 of the driven member 75 to tightly push the slope 74 of the driving member 73 to prevent from sliding of the two slopes 74 and 76 against each other, that is, both two slopes 74 and 75 do not .make relatively a radial movement, and the driving member and the driven member 75 are kept in a balanced condition to make a synchronous rotation. When the resistance which is resulted from the opening or closing of the umbrella is transmitted to the driven member 75, the said balanced condition will be broken to let the driving member 73 rotate against the driven member 75.

The relative rotation of the driving member 73 will force the driven member 75 to move upward through the relative action of the two slopes 76 and 74 (because the driving member 73 is designed to rotate and prohibited from making axial movement, the driven member 75 is forced by the driving member 73 to move upward). Therefore, the sliding member 70 is pushed to move upward to further push the roller 29 to move away from the central portion of the friction disc 30 so as to reduce the revolving speed of the friction disc 30 and to relatively increase the torque to surpass the resistance resulted from opening or closing of the umbrella. The upward moving range of the driven member 75 is absolutely determined according to the amount of the resistance, the spring force of the spring 79 and the oblique angle of the two slopes 74 and 76.Because the oblique angle of the slopes and the spring force of the spring are pre-fabricated, therefore, the upward moving range of the driven member 75 is determined according to the amount of the resistance. In other words, the stronger the resistance, the higher the torque.

The final result is to equalize the resistance with the torque. When the resistance is reducing, the equilibrium state may be destroyed. At this moment, the spring force from the spring 79 will force both two slopes 74 and 76 to find a best balanced position, and will simultaneously change the position of the roller 29 to accelerate the revolving speed. All the mechanical changes are automatically made according to the variation of the resistance resulted during opening or closing of the umbrella so as to let the torque provided be automatically adjusted to match with the revolving speed. By means of this arrangement, the opening or closing of the umbrella is most effectively operated.

Further, the umbrella handle 4 is sealed by a rubber cap or synthetic resin to provide water-proof effect so as to well protect the inner circuit and three-step control switch. The borders around the seam lines are also tightly sealed with water-proof rubber band. The previously described automatic power coupling mechanism 15 may be eliminated to let the motor drive the flexible driving mechanism 14 or screw rod 60 via speed change gear.

As shown in Figures 1, 9 and 15, the umbrella handle 4 is equipped with a lamp bulb 90 and a control switch 91 to provide illumination while walking in the dark, without having the other hand to hold a flashlight.

As shown in Figures 19 and 20, it provides another arrangement of a driving wheel. Figure 20 illustrates a front elevation of Figure 19.

In the drawings, the driving wheel 21 comprises two reels 21' and 21". The both ends of the flexible driving means 22 are respectively secured to the said two reels 21' and 21" at opposite position such that one end of the flexible driving means 22 is wound up, the other end is wound off simultaneously.

This arrangement is suitable for the flexible driving means made of low friction material like steel cable to prevent from idle rotation of the driving wheel against the flexible driving means.

According to the above-described structures, the present invention provides various features as hereunder.

(1) The main feature of this invention is to provide such an umbrella which is efficiently operated to open and collapse with single hand so as to let the use of umbrella become easy.

While getting on or off a car or going indoors or outdoors during raining season, one can still easily open or close an umbrella with single hand while the other hand is not free. This object is not practically achieved in any other type of "so-called" single hand operated automatic umbrellas.

(2) Another feature of the present invention is that the umbrella may be "immediately" released from automatic operation and shifted to manual operation during battery power failure or mechanical breakdown.

(3) A yet further feature of this invention is the force and speed provided to stretch open or collapse the umbrella is automatically adjusted to match with the resistance resulted so as to provide maximum performance.

Claims (14)

CLAIMS:

1. A manual/motorized double-mode umbrella, including: a handle for holding the umbrella in the hand; a main frame mounted on said handle; umbrella ribs mounted on said main frame; umbrella cover mounted on said umbrella ribs; a movable nest plate arranged to slide upward and downward along said main frame so as to stretch said umbrella ribs and umbrella cover to open or close the umbrella; a flexible drive mechanism mounted on said main frame to drive said movable nest plate to display it along said main frame so as to stretch or pull said ribs to open or close the umbrella; a speed change gear connected with said flexible drive mechanism and set in said umbrella handle to drive said flexible drive mechanism; an automatic power coupling mechanism set between said flexible drive mechanism and said speed change gear to change the speed ratio of said speed change gear according to the resistance encountered by said flexible drive mechanism during operation thereof; a motor being connectable to a source of power being connected to said speed change gear to drive said speed change gear to provide the force required to stretch open or collapse the umbrella; and a control switch for controlling forward and backward rotation of said motor and its stopping.

2. An umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flexible drive mechanism includes an idle pulley pivotally mounted on the top end of said main frame, a drive wheel pivotally set in said handle, and a flexible drive means woud around said drive wheel and said idle pulley, said flexible drive means extending downwardly and being arranged to penetrate through the inner side of said movable nest plate and through a movable release button on said movable nest plate, said release button being arranged to control the coupling of said flexible drive means with said movable nest plate or the separation therefrom so as to let the umbrella be alternatively selected for manual or motorized operation.

3. A manual/motorized double-mode umbrella as claimed in calim 1, wherein said automatic power coupling mechanism includes a first slide member, a second slide member and a third slide member set in said first slide member to slide therein, said third slide member being connected with said speed change gear to change the rotation ratio output from said speed change gear, a first pulley wheel being pivotally mounted on said second slide member, a second pulley wheel being pivotally mounted on said third slide member, a third pulley wheel being mounted on said umbrella handle between said idle pulley and said first pulley wheel, a fourth pulley wheel being mounted on said umbrella handle between said idle pulley and said second pulley wheel, said flexible drive means being arranged to pass through said third pulley wheel and first pulley wheel, to turn upward around said third pulley wheel and downward through said first pulley wheel again to further turn around said drive wheel and upward through said fourth pulley wheel to further turn back to said second pulley wheel through said fourth pulley wheel again to finally run to said idle pulley so as to make use of the distance change between said first and third pulley wheels or second and fourth pulley wheels to adjust the speed ratio of said speed change gear.

4. An umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flexible drive mechanism is controlled by said speed change gear and said automatic power coupling mechanism is directly controlled by a power control mechanism set in said umbrella handle concentric to said drive wheel of said flexible drive mechanism to match with said control switch, said power control mechanism including two parallel plates disposed at both sides of said drive wheel of said flexible drive mechanism, a guide wheel pivotally mounted on the axle of said drive wheel to follow the axle of said drive wheel to make a synchronous rotation, said guide wheel comprising an irregularly shaped side plate made on the outer disc surface, having an extension with a raised push rod made thereon so as to control the upward and downward displacement of a rack said rack being mounted on the side edge of one of said two parallel plates to match with said guide wheel, said rack including a plurality of toothed notches and a plurality of concavely curved surfaces among said toothed notches, said guide wheel being arranged to match with said rack by means of said side plate to constantly be in contact with either one of said concavely curved surfaces, said push rod of said side plate of said guide wheel being turned into said toothed notches one after another during forward or backward rotation to push said rack to move upward or downward so as to drive said rack with its two push blocks to shift said control switch to cut off the power.

5. An umbrella as claimed in claim 1 or 4, wherein said power control mechanism includes two flexible drive means separately arranged to wind around said drive wheel at one end, the other end of said two flexible drive means being fixedly secured to said movable nest plate, two knots being separately made on one of said two flexible drive means, which penetrates through said central switch to define a range shorter than the moving range of said movable nest plate such that said two knots follow the upward or downward displacement of the associated flexible drive means to respectively push said control switch to the normal stop position to cut off the power.

6. An umbrella as claimed in claim 5, wherein said knots are made on the flexible drive means which provides a closed circulation, so as to control said control switch by means of displacement of said flexible drive means.

7. A manual/motorized doublemode umbrella, including: an umbrella handle for holding the umbrella in the hand; a main frame mounted on said umbrella handle, comprised of an upper main frame and a lower main frame, said upper main frame being set in said lower main frame to slide therein; umbrella ribs mounted on said main frame; an umbrella cover mounted on said umbrella ribs; a movable nest plate movably mounted on said main frame to slide therealong so as to stretch open or collapse the umbrella; a screw rod set inside said lower main frame to rotate relative to a nut to further pivotally connect with the bottom of a link block set in said upper main frame so as to slide in said upper main frame; a flexible drive mechanism being set in said main frame along its longitudinal axis, an idle pulley being pivotally mounted on the top end of said uper main frame, said flexible drive mechanism being connected to said link block at one end and with the other end of said flexible drive mechanism being turned around said idle pulley to connect to said nut; a speed change gear being connected to said screw rod to further connect to a motor set in said umbrella handle so as to make with a battery arranged to be located in said umbrella handle, to further provide a power source required for stretching open or collapsing the umbrella; an automatic power coupling mechanism being set between said screw rod and said speed change geat to change the speed ration of said speed change gear according to the resistance resulted during the operation; a three-step control switch being set in said umbrella handle to control forward and backward rotation and the stopping of said motor.

8. An umbrella as claimed in claim 7, wherein said automatic power coupling mechanism includes a slide member disposed in said umbrella handle to slide therein and to connect to said speed change gear, said slide member comprising an inner hole; a drive member and a drivable member being arranged to rotate in said inner hole of said slide member, said drive member being connected to said speed change bear and comprising a slope or a corrugated tooth surface, said drivable member being connected to said screw rod to a key joint, said drivable member being axially displacable against said screw rod and prohibited from radial movement, said drivable member also comprising a slope or a corrugated toothed surface; a spring being located between said slide member and said umbrella handle1 whereby via said component parts said drivable member and said drive member are rotatable one relative to the other by an amount determined according to the resistance resulting during the operation, so as to force said slide member to change the speed ratio of said speed change gear.

9. An umbrella as claimed in claim 7, wherein a lamp bulb and a further control switch are located in said umbrella handle to control the provision of illumination.

10. An umbrella as claimed in claim 7, wherein said automatic power coupling mechanism is eliminated to allow said speed change gear to directly transmit the drive power from said motor to said flexible drive mechanism.

11. An umbrella as claimed in claim 7, wherein said automatic power coupling mechanism is eliminated to allow said speed change gear to directly transmit the drive power from said motor to said screw rod.

12. An umbrella as claimed in claim 7, wherein said flexible drive mechanism comprises flexible drive means having both ends separately secured to said drive wheel at two opposite positions in the winding process such that as one end of the flexible drive means is would up, the other end is wound off simultaneously, so as to prevent idle rotation of said drive wheel against said flexible drive mechanism.

13. An umbrella as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control switch is a three step control switch.

14. A manual/motorized double mode umbrella substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 1 to 8; or Figures 9 to 13; or Figure 14; or Figures 15 to 17; or Figure 18; or Figures 19 and 20 of the accompanying drawings.