JP2007534426A - Electric umbrella and umbrella mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

  An umbrella body guide mechanism for a handheld umbrella is provided. The umbrella guide mechanism is particularly suitable for an electric umbrella, but can also be applied to a manual umbrella. The umbrella body guide mechanism guides the umbrella in an open state and a closed state with a short stroke, adopts a slide pin joint interposed between the umbrella rib and the umbrella body guide member, and has an umbrella body without struts ( That is, an umbrella body in which a stretcher does not extend between the umbrella shaft and the rib is realized. Umbrella ribs with flexible tips are also provided that are particularly useful for umbrellas without struts. There are also provided strutless electric umbrellas including ribs having the umbrella body guiding mechanism and a flexible tip, including embodiments of single-stage and multi-stage folding umbrella bodies.

Description

  The present invention relates to the field of handheld umbrellas.

  Umbrellas that are automatically opened by actuating a compression spring are well known in the market. Such a spring-type umbrella has an advantage that it can be easily opened, but has a problem associated with the spring mechanism. First, after being activated, the opening cannot be controlled, that is, once the spring is activated by pressing and releasing the lower repel, the opening cannot be stopped. For example, a person who is about to get out of a car cannot leave the umbrella halfway so that the umbrella can be taken out of the door to prevent rain and snow when leaving the car.

  Secondly, the opening operation is abrupt, and a person in the vicinity of the umbrella may be injured at the end. Furthermore, when the umbrella is folded, a large amount of arm force must be exercised when the spring is contracted so that it can be opened again to close the umbrella. In addition to having to use force, it is cumbersome because it is necessary to use both hands, such as holding an umbrella with one hand and pulling the runner with the other hand. If it is too close to the cover, it may be damaged by the movement of the closing umbrella.

The work of folding the umbrella is completed only after the lower repel is returned to its original position, but it is not an easy task to do this with the umbrella spring fully extended. If the lower repellant is not returned correctly, the umbrella will open unexpectedly and suddenly. Therefore, the widely used spring-type umbrella is not comfortable to use for adults, and very difficult to handle for children, the elderly, and the disabled.

  In the case of a manual umbrella, the user needs to use both hands to open and close, holding the umbrella with one hand and pushing the umbrella with the other hand to open or close it. . In addition, when closing a wet umbrella, the user must be careful to close it away from the body so that the clothes are not wet by rainwater. As is apparent from the above, the user must close both the spring-type umbrella and the manual-type umbrella away from the body using both hands.

  Accordingly, there is a need for an umbrella that can be automatically opened and closed by the operation of only one hand, and that the opening and closing operation can be interrupted, stopped, or canceled at any time, and that can be opened halfway when passing through a narrow passage, for example.

Several patents disclose automatic mechanisms for use in electric motor driven hand umbrellas. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,572,226, 5,213,122, 5,141,010, 5,213,122 and European Patent 0760609 show examples of recent efforts to develop a hand-held umbrella driven by an electric motor. It is. Despite that effort, there is no evidence that any type of electric umbrella has taken root in the market, and for the last few decades, the only available automatic umbrella in the world market is the semi-automatic that uses springs to open It is a type umbrella and relies on manual operation to close. According to a survey specifically requested by the inventor, electric umbrellas are not on the market. As will be described in detail later in this specification, it is considered that the basic concept adopted by the inventors of the present invention has hindered the development of an electric umbrella that can be sold in the market.

  U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,332 discloses an umbrella that is particularly suitable for patio and recreational use. Although this patent does not relate to an electric umbrella and is generally unrelated to a handheld umbrella, it can be regarded as related prior art as detailed in later chapters of this specification.

  Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a motor drive mechanism for a hand-held umbrella that overcomes the problems that hindered the achievement of the mechanism according to the prior art, and thus to satisfy the long-standing need for a reliable and comfortable handling umbrella. To meet.

  The present inventor has one basic concept in developing an electric umbrella that is accepted in the market. That is, the mechanism of the umbrella should be designed so that a member that is driven by a motor to guide the umbrella body into an open state and a closed state can be operated with a short stroke. In other patents, members driven by this motor to guide the umbrella body into the open state and the closed state are called “rider”, “collar”, “guide member”, etc., and are arranged inside the shaft of the umbrella. It can move along the shaft. In the present invention, this member is referred to as an “umbrella body guide member”, and is arranged from above so as to be movable outside the shaft. In the description of the present invention, “short stroke” refers to a distance not exceeding 20%, preferably not exceeding 14% of the length of the shaft, ideally less than 7%.

  For example, in the first embodiment, the length of the shaft is 80 cm, and the stroke of the member for guiding the umbrella body to the open state and the closed state (ie, the “guide member”) is 4 cm, that is, the total length of the shaft. About 5%. In order to fully deploy the umbrella body with such a short stroke, the ribs of the umbrella body are driven by a short lever arm located near the end of each rib (ie, the end of the rib on the shaft side). There is a need to. In order to satisfy the condition of shortening the stroke of the guide member, the inventor has devised an innovative short-distance guide mechanism for operating a short lever arm.

  Accordingly, the present invention relates to an umbrella guide mechanism for an umbrella, particularly useful for a hand-held umbrella and indispensable for a motor-driven hand-held umbrella, having a short stroke and a small number of parts. (B) a common center point with a shaft (a diameter that approximates the diameter of a traditional handheld umbrella shaft, does not exceed it in any case, and is much smaller than the diameter of a fixed umbrella shaft); Umbrella body guide members having a plurality of first parts (ie, pins or slides) of slide pin joints that are firmly connected and angularly spaced apart, (c) each of said slide pin joints A plurality of angularly spaced umbrella ribs with a short lever arm having a second part (a part engaging the first part), the lever being the short lever The rib can be pivoted about a pivot point located between the arm and the rib, and the lever arm is 120 to 165 degrees, preferably about 135 degrees relative to the rib with the pivot point as the center. And the rib is connected to a spacer for keeping the pivot point away from the hollow shaft so as to be pivotable at the pivot point, and (d) the umbrella body guide. Two points separated in the vertical direction above the upper end of the shaft, that is, the lower limit point where the first part of the slide pin joint is on the upper end side of the shaft and the umbrella is open, and the slide pin The first part of the joint is on the side farther from the upper end of the shaft and has a means for moving a short distance between the upper limit point at which the umbrella is closed, and an umbrella guide mechanism comprising: is there.

  US Pat. No. 5,711,332 is cited here. 2 and 3 disclose the open state and the closed state of the patio umbrella. The umbrella is opened and closed as the plunger (14) moves along the shaft (12). The plunger (14) is connected to the plurality of ribs (34) of the umbrella via the plurality of link connecting members (20), and the link connecting member (20) is connected to the ribs (34) by the first link connecting member (22). It is connected and connected to the plunger (14) by the second link connecting material (24). To open the umbrella (as shown in FIG. 2), the plunger (14) moves down in the shaft (12) and pulls the link coupling material (20) into the shaft, which causes the link coupling material (20) to be ribbed. (34) is pulled and rotated around the rib connecting portion (40) to be opened.

  To close the umbrella, the plunger (14) moves upward and pushes the link connection (20) out of the shaft to the position shown in FIG. The umbrella mechanism according to US Pat. No. 5,711,332 is unsuitable for handheld umbrella applications for several reasons. First, the shaft of the umbrella for this patio has a sufficient diameter that the link connecting material can move inside (see FIG. 2), and such a design is easy, but the handheld umbrella has a relatively small diameter. Since it has a shaft (if the same material is used, the shaft weight increases by 314% by doubling the shaft diameter), it is impossible to insert the link connecting material into the shaft. is there.

  Furthermore, each link has two rotation connecting portions (22) and (24) and is composed of a total of three parts (that is, one link main body and two connecting members), which are used in the umbrella manufacturing process. It must be assembled in, and after that it must withstand repeated use and operate until the lifetime of the umbrella is exhausted.

  In the case of a fixed patio umbrella, the connecting member can be made of a large and sturdy material, and usually the umbrella does not open and close more than once or twice a day. It will not be. However, in the case of a hand-held umbrella, on the other hand, since a small-diameter shaft and a compact umbrella size are required, the plunger (the plunger diameter is smaller than the shaft and at least 5 to 6 rotationally connected angularly spaced in the circumferential direction) It is not possible to use large parts for the link and its connecting material that must be housed, and on the other hand, handheld umbrellas are usually opened and closed several times a day, ie open and closed compared to patio umbrellas The number of times is much higher.

  Another problem with the mechanism according to US Pat. No. 5,711,332 is that the length of the link (20), i.e. the distance from the rib connection (40) to the shaft (12), is correlated with the stroke inside the plunger shaft. Is. For example, in the illustrated umbrella, the distance between the rib connection (40) and the shaft (12) is approximately equal to the diameter of the shaft. If the distance of the rib connection (40) is designed to be twice that of the current one, the length of the link will need to be extended accordingly, and the distance that the plunger should move to open and close the umbrella will increase as well. I have to do it. Furthermore, by enlarging the arc shape of the link, the shaft diameter must be increased so that the link can move freely within the shaft.

  Unlike US Pat. No. 5,711,332, the mechanism according to the present invention (a) has no link-type coupling material that moves and reorients within the shaft, so the shaft diameter is desired if the mechanism according to the present invention is approached. (B) in U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,332, two pivot joints that are connected to a guide member that moves inside the shaft and the other is connected to a rib. Therefore, the mechanism according to the present invention has only one movable connecting member composed of a large slide pin joint that is easy to assemble and has a small number of parts and few moving parts. Does not move within the shaft, its dimensions are not regulated by the diameter of the shaft, and (c) it is not necessary to correlate the sizes of the parts of the umbrella. Without changing the stroke of the slide pin joints accordance Invite guide member with and without changing the diameter of the shaft can be freely set the distance between the ribs of the pivot point and the shaft.

The umbrella guide mechanism having a short stroke and a small number of parts according to the present invention is particularly useful for manufacturing a motor-driven electric umbrella. The short stroke of the umbrella guide member brings the following advantages.
A) The umbrella can be opened and closed with a small number of rotations of the electric motor.
B) Since the umbrella can be manufactured with a small number of parts, a lightweight and durable umbrella can be obtained (for example, having a strut and a strut joint for supporting the umbrella rib, and the strut is driven by a collar for opening and closing the umbrella) Compared to other electric umbrella structures).
C) Due to the structure without struts, the umbrella body can be lowered to the immediate vicinity of the user's head, and the user can be protected to the maximum from rain, snow, and strong winds.
D) A novel and simple priority mechanism can be used (details will be described later).
E) The auxiliary handle can be attached to a position near the umbrella body of the shaft of the umbrella so that the user can efficiently hold the umbrella with both hands when preventing strong winds.
F) A more innovative and attractive design (ie without struts), resulting in higher manufacturing costs compared to non-automated umbrellas, but of course the price is higher than the competition You can maintain power.
G) A guide mechanism of one type can be mass-produced and used for umbrellas of different sizes (for example, the same guide mechanism can be used for a collection of umbrellas for children and adults). This is an advantage over a strut umbrella structure where the umbrella size, shaft length, strut length, and rider stroke are interrelated.

  Based on the above (G), the present invention is not only a guide mechanism incorporating a rib, but also an umbrella guide for hand-held umbrellas (can be designed for mass production because it is used for umbrella ribs of different types and sizes). In relation to the mechanism, (a) an umbrella guide member comprising a plurality of first parts of a slide pin joint, which are firmly connected around a common central hub and arranged angularly apart, and (b) A lower end of the center that can be connected to the shaft of the umbrella and a spacer having a plurality of pivotal connection points that are angularly spaced around the lower end of the center, and the mechanism has a shape, a length, Umbrella guides that can accept various types of ribs (see FIG. 10) with different lengths of the distal and flexible portions, and that can be connected to the pivotal connection point of the spacer. Provide mechanism.

  The present invention further provides a handheld driven by an electric motor having an umbrella that can be steered in any desired position between an open state and a closed state by a guide member movable between two points above the shaft of the umbrella. Regarding the umbrella, the umbrella has a limited range of threaded portions for driving the guide member between an open state and a closed state. Preferably, in some embodiments of the present invention, the effective length of the guide member movement range is in the range of 20% to 100% relative to the maximum diameter of the umbrella in the closed state. Most desirably, and according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the effective length of the guide member movement range is in the range of 50% to 95% with respect to the maximum diameter of the umbrella in the closed state.

  The term “guide member” refers to one element or a group of elements that can move back and forth over a predetermined range from above the central shaft of the umbrella, and the movement causes the umbrella body to be in an open state and a closed state, respectively. Led. The term “effective length” is used regardless of the length of the threaded portion on which the movement of the element is realized (but preferably the threaded portion is not longer than necessary and the threaded portion is used to reduce the overall weight of the umbrella. Is connected to the electric motor with simple parts that are lighter than the screw), and between the two limit points above the shaft of the guide member (corresponding to the open state and the closed state of the umbrella respectively) Refers to the moving range.

  As will become more apparent in the following description, and as described above with respect to the umbrella guide mechanism having a short stroke for a handheld umbrella according to the present invention and a small number of parts, the umbrella can be reduced by shortening the moving range of the umbrella guide member. The number of components can be reduced, the durability of some of these components can be increased, the overall weight of the umbrella can be kept within a reasonable range, and it can be used safely by children and small persons. It is possible to develop a collection of electric umbrellas that are small and easy to handle.

  The above and other advantages of the electric umbrella according to the present invention are significant in the global market, unlike all other inventions that have failed to develop and / or commercialize electric umbrellas that can be sold. It is indispensable in order to achieve the goal, and it is indispensable to realize the dream of surviving the electric umbrella in the market.

  In order to shorten the range of movement of the guide member, the umbrella of the present invention is opened through the end portion on the base side of the rib, and the umbrella body is designed to be fully deployed by the lever operating portion concentrated near the tip of the umbrella. Is done. The umbrella lever actuating part has a diameter close to the maximum diameter when the umbrella is closed, so according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the umbrella rib There are no struts extending between the shafts of the umbrella. This point protrudes from the runner of the umbrella, so that it can move smoothly along the shaft of the umbrella and as an important support of the umbrella body, the umbrella lever actuating part has a considerable length (stretcher) Unlike the conventional motor-type umbrella.

  By eliminating the need for struts in the umbrella body guide mechanism, the number of parts constituting the umbrella can be reduced, manufacturing, assembling processes and maintenance can be simplified, and the umbrella ribs can be thickened and strengthened. This makes it possible to realize a stronger and more durable umbrella structure without significantly increasing the overall weight of the umbrella. Due to the absence of struts (according to some embodiments of the present invention), the umbrella can have an internal grip near the top of the umbrella shaft, which makes it possible to stably hold the umbrella in case of strong winds. In addition, the umbrella can be lowered to the immediate vicinity of the user's head. This is also different from conventional umbrellas where the space above the shaft is occupied by struts.

  However, it should be clearly stated that the scope of the present invention is not limited to structures without struts. As long as we argue, we would add a configuration with a strut for passive reinforcement, but even in this case (because the strut is simply passive support, ie stabilization) It will still be different from a conventional umbrella in that it has an umbrella guide member with a short moving range that allows the umbrella to be deployed without depending on the active support of the struts.

  Furthermore, since the strut does not exist between the umbrella rib and the shaft and cannot be seen, the design can be more attractive and attractive. In addition, the ribs can be wrapped from both sides of the umbrella body (that is, by extending the umbrella body double or without interference along the ribs so as to cover the ribs so as to be hidden as in the embodiment of the present invention). By having a sleeve).

  As described above, by making the umbrella structure without struts, it is possible to form a screw part for short distance movement suitable for standing up and opening the umbrella body with a small number of motor revolutions in the guide mechanism. Thus, a quicker opening / closing operation can be performed, and the use time of the motor can be shortened (thus, motor consumption can be reduced).

  Therefore, the present invention further relates to a guide mechanism with a short stroke and a small number of parts useful for a hand-held umbrella, particularly a hand-held umbrella driven by an electric motor, (a) a small diameter hollow shaft having an upper end and a lower end (ie (B) a diameter around a common center point that approximates the diameter of the shaft of a conventional handheld umbrella, does not exceed it in any case, and is much smaller than the diameter of a fixed umbrella shaft) Umbrella body guide members having a plurality of first parts (ie, pins or slides) of slide pin joints that are firmly connected and angularly spaced apart, (c) each of said slide pin joints A plurality of angularly spaced umbrella ribs with a short lever arm having a second part (part engaged with the first part), the lever The rib can be rotated around a pivot point located between the short lever arm and the rib, and the lever arm is 120 to 165 degrees with respect to the rib around the pivot point, preferably The rib has an angle of about 135 degrees, and the rib is connected to a spacer for keeping the pivot point away from the hollow shaft so as to be pivotable at the pivot point, and (d) Two points of the umbrella body guide member vertically spaced above the upper end of the shaft, that is, the lower limit point where the first part of the slide pin joint is on the upper end side of the shaft and the umbrella body is open, An electric motor engaged to move a short distance between the first part of the slide pin joint on the side farthest from the upper end of the shaft and the upper point where the umbrella is closed; (e ) The motor An umbrella guide mechanism comprising a battery housing electrically connected to provide power, and (f) at least one manual switch that can be controlled by a user to open and close the umbrella. is there.

  According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the electric umbrella detects load that causes the motor to stop (by disconnecting battery power) when it is detected that the motor current increases and exceeds a predetermined threshold. A circuit is further provided.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the load recognition circuit not only protects the motor but also automatically stops the motor when the umbrella is fully deployed or when the umbrella is fully closed. That is, in any of these states, if the rotation of the motor continues, the current increases, the load recognition circuit operates and the motor power is cut off, and the rotation of the motor is physically stopped.

  According to some embodiments, the umbrella electrical circuit is configured to provide power to the motor each time the load recognition circuit is activated (equivalent to when the umbrella is fully opened or fully closed in normal circumstances). The polarity of the connection is reversed so that the next time the user activates the motor, the motor rotates in the opposite direction to the previous operation. According to such a setting, the umbrella needs to have only one switch that performs both opening and closing, and that automatically switches each time the operation is performed.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the guide member and each rib are connected by a slide pin joint. For example, a lever arm having a short rib moves so as to expand and contract with respect to the arm of the corresponding guide member. It should be understood that similar or equivalent configurations, such as telescoping connections, are also included within the scope of the present invention as further listed below.

  The present invention further relates to a rechargeable electric umbrella system: (a) an electric umbrella that is driven by a rechargeable battery and includes a battery charging circuit having a contact terminal; and (b) a stand that can be connected to an AC power network, and an AC / DC converter. And at least one terminal having a contact matching the contact terminal of the electric umbrella, or (c) a stand connectable to a vehicle-mounted battery, and at least one terminal having a contact matching the contact terminal of the electric umbrella. A system having the above is provided.

  According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, there is provided an electronic circuit that detects and warns of a decrease in the electric umbrella battery power. The battery power low alarm is preferably caused by lighting of an LED lamp.

  According to some embodiments, the electric umbrella according to the present invention has one or more backup batteries. The backup battery may be provided in the housing so that the battery can be manually replaced with the main battery when a decrease in power of the main battery is detected. The replacement may be performed by replacing the battery itself or an electric switch for switching an electric circuit. May be switched automatically by a switch circuit controlled by a circuit that activates or detects a decrease in battery power, in which case a warning LED light is provided to indicate that the backup battery is being used.

  The backup battery may be rechargeable or non-rechargeable. Existence of external power if the main battery is rechargeable and has a dedicated charging circuit for the umbrella (ie if the battery is charged inside the umbrella's internal housing) and if the backup battery is also rechargeable In order to charge the backup battery at the same time as the main battery, a backup battery charging circuit connected to the backup battery is preferably provided. In this case, after the external power is disconnected, the backup battery It is kept fully charged until it is disconnected and a drop in main battery power is detected.

  When the main battery is rechargeable and has a dedicated charging circuit for the umbrella (that is, when the battery is charged in a housing inside the umbrella), and when the backup battery is non-rechargeable, the non-rechargeable battery A switch (same switch as the switch for switching between the main battery and the backup battery) is provided to prevent the battery from being charged accidentally.

  According to some embodiments of the present invention, the electric umbrella further includes position recognition means for quickly grasping the position of the umbrella. The position recognition means includes first and second electronic circuits, the first electronic circuit being attached to or disposed inside an umbrella, the second electronic circuit being held by a user, (A) When communication between the two circuits is interrupted (in this case, an alarm is issued from the circuit held by the user), or (b) when the user issues an alarm generation command to know the position of the umbrella ( In this case, the alarm is emitted from a circuit attached to the umbrella). Preferably, each umbrella is given a unique identification code so that the user can find and recognize his / her umbrella from a plurality of similar umbrellas. The position recognition circuit is preferably driven by a dedicated battery, that is, separately from the main battery of the umbrella so that the umbrella can be found even when the main battery runs out. Therefore, the position recognition circuit is preferably arranged at the top of the umbrella near the guide member, away from the handle of the umbrella where the main battery is arranged.

  The present invention further relates to an umbrella guide mechanism for a multistage folding umbrella. In this embodiment, a plurality of angularly spaced portions are provided around the central portion of the lower end that is connectable to a rib stretcher that engages with a rib that is connected to a corresponding rotation coupling portion. This embodiment is different from the embodiment in which the umbrella body is simply folded in that it further includes the pivot joint.

  The present invention also relates to a state in which the umbrella guide mechanism further includes the umbrella mechanism. The multi-stage foldable umbrella body mechanism includes (i) a multi-stage foldable rib that is pivotally connected to the rotary coupling portion and constitutes a plurality of slide pin joints coupled to the guide member, and (ii) A plurality of rib stretchers are rotatably connected to the rotation connecting portion and the corresponding multi-stage folding rib.

  Furthermore, the present invention relates to an electric umbrella having an umbrella body guiding mechanism based on an embodiment of a multistage folding umbrella body. According to the embodiment, the umbrella body guide mechanism for the multi-stage folding umbrella body is connected to the uppermost part of the telescopic shaft at the lower end, and the telescopic shaft is connected to the handle part of the umbrella at the lower end. The umbrella body guide member is disposed in the vicinity of or inside the handle portion, and shafts corresponding respectively to an open state and a closed state of the umbrella by rotation of an electric motor driven by a battery placed in the vicinity. Driven along a short path between the upper upper limit and the lower limit, the electric motor converts the rotation into the vertical movement of the guide member and the expansion movement of at least two cylindrical elastic members of the shaft. The rotation is transmitted to a screw or a helical shaft formed as described above.

According to some embodiments, the umbrella comprises decorative lighting, for example with LEDs. Such illumination may be distributed on the umbrella via an optical fiber.
According to some preferred embodiments, the umbrella according to the present invention comprises a battery charger concealed inside the handle, which can be pulled out, opened or deployed to connect to a wall outlet.

  According to some preferred embodiments, the umbrella according to the present invention can cooperate with a remote controller by means of wireless communication means arranged at the top of the concealed storage, preferably the upper rocker.

The umbrella may further include an audible alarm indicating various abnormal situations that may occur during use and that can be detected by the sensor and its electronic execution circuitry.
According to some preferred embodiments, the handle portion has a cushion or is protected by a cushioning material so as not to be damaged by dropping or the like.

    According to some preferred embodiments, the umbrella according to the present invention has a foldable or pull-out leg portion that is housed in the handle portion and is suitable for bringing the umbrella upright.

The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS.
These drawings are only intended to illustrate some of the preferred embodiments of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.
FIG. 1 shows a short-stroke umbrella guiding mechanism according to the present invention which is particularly suitable for a hand-held umbrella and indispensable for a motor-driven hand-held umbrella. The guide mechanism (a) is a base material (1) having a plurality of rotational connection portions (1a) for connecting corresponding umbrella ribs (2) provided angularly spaced along the outer periphery. (Also referred to as a “spacer” in the description of the present invention), and each of the umbrella ribs (2) is in a closed state (the state shown in FIG. 1) and an open state (the state shown in FIG. 1A). In order to realize the above, it is possible to rotate around the rotation connecting portion (1a).

  The rib is operated by the lever arm (2a) which is the end on the base side so as to realize the above-mentioned open state and closed state (the end portion of the rib has a mushroom-like shape as shown in FIG. 10). (I.e., made of a flexible material so that it can be stretched).

  At the end of the lever arm (2a), a pin (2b) is slidably disposed in a slide hole (4c) formed in the slide bar (4b), and these constitute a set of slide pin joints. is doing.

  A plurality of the slide bars (4b) are firmly connected to the respective umbrella ribs one by one, and are arranged angularly apart from each other around the central hub (4a). The slide bar (4b) and the hub (4a) constitute the umbrella guide member (4) described above, and the hub is the uppermost point at the position farthest from the upper end of the shaft (3) of the umbrella (FIG. 1). The umbrella guide member (4) is indicated by an arrow A between the position shown in FIG. 1) and the lower limit point (position shown in FIG. 1A) at which the hub is closest to the upper end of the shaft. It is possible to move along the route.

  When the guide member (4) moves between the two limit points along the path A, the plurality of ribs (2) closes the umbrella body corresponding to the upper limit point of the hub (4a) (FIG. 1). Between the state shown in FIG. 1) and the state where the umbrella corresponding to the lower limit of the hub (4a) is opened (the state shown in FIG. 1A). Said base material (1) has a lower end cylindrical part (1c) which can be connected to the upper end of the shaft (3) of an umbrella.

  As is apparent from the above, the short stroke umbrella guide mechanism including the guide member (4), the substrate (1), and the rib (2) can be mass-produced and sold to the umbrella manufacturer, and Based on the design, it can be connected to the shaft and covered with an umbrella, in which case the hub (4a) passes through the hollow interior of the shaft (3) with the lower end connected to the appropriate drive mechanism ( Can be attached by welding or by screwing inside for screwing, or by opening holes on both sides and reinforced with a pressure ring through the rod, or by any suitable connection method. Manufacturers can choose and design according to their product requirements and needs. By combining ribs of various sizes with the same base material and the same umbrella guide member, umbrellas of various sizes can be manufactured.

Such manufacturing may be performed on the basis of ribs manufactured in various sizes, or using size-adjustable ribs.
FIG. 1A partially illustrates the short stroke umbrella guide mechanism of FIG. 1 with the umbrella open. At this time, the hub (4a) is in the vicinity of the lower limit point above the upper end of the shaft (3), that is, in the vicinity of the lower end cylindrical portion (1c) of the bottom surface of the substrate. While the guide member moves a short distance from the upper limit point shown in FIG. 1 to the lower limit point shown in FIG. 1A, the slide bar (4b) pushes down the pin (2b) and the pin (2b) as the guide member descends. Slides along the slide hole (4c), whereby the short lever arm (2a) is pulled down, and the rib (2) is pulled up while rotating around the rotation connecting portion (1a).

  FIG. 2 shows a short-stroke umbrella guide mechanism according to the present invention, specifically designed for electric umbrellas. Therefore, the figure also includes parts of an electric umbrella combined with a short stroke umbrella guide mechanism. The hub (4a) of the umbrella body guide member according to the present embodiment has a spiral thread portion that is screwed into the spiral shaft (5). Due to the rotation of the helical shaft, the guide member is moved between the upper limit point and the lower limit point above the hollow shaft (13) according to the direction of rotation. The rotation of the spiral shaft (5) is realized by a rotation transmission rod (5b) that passes through the shaft and is connected to the electric motor at the lower end thereof (the connection to the motor is predicted to be received when the umbrella is deployed). Through an appropriate gear that applies the torque of the motor to the resisting force).

  Of course, the inner diameter of the shaft through which the transmission rod passes can be reduced to the minimum as long as a space for the rotation transmission rod can be secured, while the diameter of the transmission rod itself is the resistance force when the motor is driven. As long as it can withstand without distortion, it can be made as thin as possible. The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 further shows a priority mechanism that allows the umbrella to be manually opened and closed when the motor drive system is malfunctioning or when there is no remaining battery power.

  The advantage of adopting this priority system is that it can be installed and used regardless of the user's behavior regardless of the motor drive system, accurately connecting and disconnecting the delicate technical system It relieves the user from the responsibility of operating to operate. This simple and easy to use priority system is one of the beneficial advantages arising from the development of the unique umbrella guide mechanism according to the present invention.

  This priority system has a cylindrical portion (11c) extending from the substrate (11), whereby the shaft (13) can be expanded and contracted with respect to the cylindrical portion (11c). Therefore, unlike the embodiment of FIG. 1, in this embodiment, the umbrella body guide mechanism is not permanently attached to the upper end of the shaft, and the cylindrical portion (11c) according to this embodiment is shown in FIG. It is longer than the cylindrical portion (1c) of the embodiment, that is, has a length that enables the shaft to extend and contract with a distance sufficient to pull up the base material (11) until it reaches the guide member (4). Is different. The cylindrical part (11c) longer than the cylindrical part (1c) in FIG. 1 may be longer at the stage of manufacture, and an extension member is connected to the cylindrical part (1c) in FIG. It may be of length.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the cylindrical portion (1c) and the shaft (3) are permanently connected, but instead of this, the cylindrical portion (11c) of the present embodiment has a lower end ( 11e) is detachably attached to the shaft (11) of the electric umbrella by a combination of a screw-in grip (6) for fastening the shaft (13) and a fastener (11d) and a fitting groove (13a), The combination of the fastener (11d) and the fitting groove (13a) serves to position the cylindrical portion (11c) at a predetermined appropriate position with respect to the shaft (13) before the grip is tightened and fixed to the shaft. Yes.

  If necessary (eg when the battery is depleted), turn the screw-in grip several times in the appropriate direction (eg counterclockwise) to loosen the clamp on the cylindrical shaft and then tighten the lever ( 11d1) is pushed and the fastener (11d) is removed from the fitting groove (13a), and the cylindrical portion (11c) can be freely expanded and contracted vertically with respect to the shaft (13) by grasping the grip and moving it in a desired direction. At this time, if the grip is pulled downward, the cylindrical portion and the base material (11) are pulled away from the guide member (4), and the umbrella body is closed (when completely or somewhat opened), If the grip is pushed upward, the cylindrical part and the base material (11) are pushed up so as to approach the guide member (4), and the umbrella body (completely or somewhat closed) If) is opened.

  After the umbrella is in the desired state, the grip (6) is rotated clockwise to retighten the lower end (11e) of the cylindrical portion in the direction of arrow B with respect to the shaft. When the grip (6) is rotated clockwise, the lower end (11e) of the cylindrical portion is formed by a vertical groove formed so that the diameter of the lower end (11e) of the cylindrical portion is changed when the grip (6) is turned. ) Is narrowed, and the cylindrical part is tightened to the shaft or released from the shaft if the thread overlaps the screw part of the grip and the screw part at the lower end of the cylindrical part screwed to the grip part. Such a small change is sufficient for this.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, since there are no stretchers or struts that interfere between the shaft and the umbrella, the preferential screw-in grip (6) can be placed very close to the umbrella. Therefore, the grip (6) is not only essential for priority operation, but also very useful when holding the umbrella with both hands, ie holding the conventional grip at the bottom of the shaft with one hand, The hand (6) in the vicinity of the umbrella body can be gripped by the hand, and this way of gripping is essential when dealing with strong winds. Furthermore, the umbrella according to the present invention has the advantage that the umbrella body can be held down so as to come close to the user's head, which protects the user from rain and snow that is blown by the wind. It is indispensable and impossible with a conventional umbrella.

  FIG. 2A shows the bottom surface (11e) of the cylindrical portion of the guide mechanism as viewed from below. The figure shows a state in which the bottom surface is divided into three parts between the grooves by a vertical groove (11f), and these parts rotate the grip (6) in FIG. 2 clockwise. When approached, the pressures in the direction of arrow B approach each other. When the above portions approach each other and the umbrella shaft is tightened strongly, the cylindrical portion is fixed to the shaft and the expansion / contraction operation is prevented, and as a result, the state of the umbrella body is maintained.

  FIG. 2B is a top view of a variation of the shaft (13), where the shaft is composed of a thin hollow material (eg, aluminum) made by extrusion, with a groove (15) formed between them. And a plurality of reinforcing ribs (14). These grooves are wired with electrical cords required in some embodiments to connect a battery located on the bottom side of the shaft and an electronic circuit or a light located above the top of the shaft. be able to.

  As is apparent from the above, an umbrella motor drive system including a motor unit (not shown), a rotation transmission rod (5b), and a helical shaft (5) (including a hub (4a) provided around the helical shaft). It is the same and is independent of the operation of the priority mechanism. Because these two systems (ie, the priority system and the motor drive system) are independent, a simple, reliable and easy-to-handle product can be obtained.

  FIG. 3 shows an example used when the umbrella of FIG. 2 is opened when the priority system shown in FIG. 2 is closed. As shown in the figure, the relative positional relationship among the shaft (13), the rotation transmission rod (5b), the helical shaft (5) and the guide member (4) does not change between FIG. 2 and FIG. The system maintains the two illustrated states unchanged, and the motor is not rotating between the two states (if the motor has rotated, the guide member hub (4a) is along the helical shaft. That position should have changed, but in this example it has not changed).

  While there is no change on the motor drive system side, the umbrella rib closed as shown in FIG. 2 is in an open state in FIG. This change is caused by releasing the cylindrical portion (11c) from the shaft (13) and pushing up the grip (6) to move the cylindrical portion (11c) toward the guide member (4) as described in the description with reference to FIG. This is realized as a result of extending the base material (11) closer to the guide member (4) while pushing up the rib (2).

  FIG. 4 shows the state of the priority system shown in FIG. 2 after the motor drive system is activated and the umbrella ribs are lifted and opened. As shown, the rotation of the helical shaft causes the hub (4a) (and the guide member (4)) to reach the lower limit above the upper end of the shaft (13), while at the same time the short lever arm (2a) pivots downward. As a result, the rib (2) is pulled up around the pivot point. The next figure shows the priority system closing the umbrella when the battery level is low.

  FIG. 5 shows a state where the opened umbrella rib is closed by the priority system in the mechanism shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the relative positional relationship among the shaft (13), the rotation transmission rod (5b), the helical shaft (5) and the guide member (4) does not change between FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, in other words, a motor drive system. Maintain the two illustrated states unchanged, and the motor does not rotate between the two states (if the motor has rotated, the guide member hub (4a) It should have changed position, but in this example it has not changed). While there is no change on the motor drive system side, the umbrella rib that has been opened as shown in FIG. 4 is in a closed state in FIG.

  This change is caused by releasing the cylindrical part (11c) from the shaft (13) and pulling down the grip (6) to separate the cylindrical part (11c) from the guide member (4) as explained in the description with reference to FIG. This is realized as a result of extending and contracting downward with respect to (13), thereby separating the base material (11) from the guide member (4) while pulling down the rib (2).

  2 and 3 show how the priority mechanism operates between the two limit points of the guide member when the rib was originally closed, while FIGS. 4 and 5 show that the rib is originally It shows how it operates between the two limit points of the guide member when it is open. Thus, it will be appreciated that the priority system according to the present invention can guide the rib to whatever position the user desires in whatever initial position it can take each time.

  FIG. 6 is an isometric sectional view partially showing another embodiment of the short stroke umbrella guide mechanism according to the present invention. This embodiment is different from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 in several points as described below.

  First, the hub (4a) of the guide member (4) has a hollow tube (64) at its end, and a threaded rod that is the upper end of a rotation transmission rod (not shown in FIG. 6, see FIG. 6A). The hub extension member (4aa) having an internal thread that is screwed with the external thread of (65) is driven between the upper limit point and the lower limit point.

  When the threaded rod rotates with respect to the internal thread in the hollow tube (64), the rotation is converted into a vertical motion so that the hub extension member (4aa) moves upward or downward according to the direction of rotation of the threaded rod (65). The guide member (4) is moved to move similarly between the lower limit point corresponding to the opened state of the umbrella and the upper limit point corresponding to the closed state as shown in the figure. A system having a hub extension member having an external thread at its end threadedly engaged with an internal thread of the threaded rod (65), which is the upper end of the rotation transmission rod, is also equivalent to the system described above, and thus is within the scope of the present invention. It should be understood that it is included. This annotation should be applied to all configurations, and it should be understood that configurations in which the roles of engaging parts according to the present invention are interchanged are within the scope of the present invention.

  Secondly, the cylindrical portion (1c) extends from below as one segment (1cc) of the pipe, and a grip (66) fixed so as to overlap the lower end is provided at the end portion. The grip is non-rotatable, and after loosening the rotating tightening nut (66a) constituting the bottom surface of the grip (66) in FIG. 6A and pushing the fastener lever (61d1) to retract the fastener (61d), the cylinder It can be used to move the extension pipe segment (1 cc) up and down to expand and contract with respect to the shaft (63). In the present embodiment, the fastener is disposed on the grip (66) (see FIG. 6B), and as described above, the grip according to the present embodiment overlaps with a part of the extension of the cylindrical portion (1c).

  When the clamping nut (66a) is loosened and the fastener is retracted, the priority system can be operated in the same way as in FIGS. 2-5, in which case the grip (2) can be pushed up to open the rib (2). Yes, the grip can be pulled down to pull and close the ribs (if the ribs were partially or completely open, this is not shown).

  The short stroke guide mechanism according to the present invention is preferably protected, separated and covered from below by the substrate (1) and from above by the conical cover (70).

  FIG. 7 shows a concealing housing (72) for the microelectronic circuit (73), which is arranged at the upper part in the cover (71), and the electronic circuit communicates with the counterpart circuit held by the user (others). (In the embodiment, ultrasonic communication) A position identifier (also useful as an anti-theft alarm) that issues an alarm when the communication is interrupted, informs the position of the umbrella when a call is made from a remote controller held by the user, or other similar LED blinking to distinguish from other umbrellas (buzzer sound or combination of sound and light in other embodiments) Umbrella identifier, emergency light activated by remote controller held by user, or when walking on dark road It can be used for a variety of purposes, such as a safety flashing light that indicates the presence of the user.

  Such a practical electronic circuit can be driven by a dedicated small battery or through a cord passing through one of the hollow shafts of the umbrella, ie, the shaft groove shown in FIG. 2B. If the parts of the umbrella between the battery box and the electronic circuit are all made of conductive material, of the cords necessary to supply those parts to the practical electronic circuit and / or lights in the cover It can be used as an alternative.

  FIG. 8 is an isometric partial cross-sectional view of the lower end portion of the electric umbrella according to the present invention having a handle portion (80). The handle portion includes an internal battery box (81), a rechargeable battery (81a) (81b), a rechargeable battery. A power source connector plug jack (81c), an electric motor (82), a push button (83b) for opening the umbrella, a push button (83c) for closing the umbrella, and a low battery indicator light (83a), a switch circuit (83), An overload detection electronic circuit (see FIG. 8A), a low battery indicator light electronic circuit (see FIG. 8B), a motor (82), and a rotation transmission rod (65b) for transmitting the rotation to the short stroke umbrella guide mechanism. It has a gear unit (84) for meshing.

According to another preferred embodiment, an electronic circuit may be further added that measures and displays the ambient temperature and / or has an electronic clock.
According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, if the battery box can be pulled out, it can be immediately replaced with a new battery charged in a spare battery box of the same type and can be charged separately. (That is, the procedure of charging until the newly loaded battery is exhausted is repeated separately from the umbrella that can be used by loading the replaced battery set).

  FIG. 8A shows an overload detection circuit that cuts off the battery power of the motor when a load exceeding a predetermined threshold is detected. The circuit is useful not only for protecting the motor in an unexpected emergency, but also for indicating that the opening / closing operation of the umbrella has been completed in normal use. When the hub (4a) of the member (see FIGS. 2 to 5) reaches the upper end (5a) of the helical shaft (5), and when the opening operation is finished, the motor reaches the lower end of the helical shaft. Since the rotation of the motor receives a large resistance, the motor current flowing through the resistor (81) increases rapidly, and an overload condition is immediately detected, and the automatic switch (80) (FET gate) cuts off the battery power from the motor. When the user recognizes that the motor has stopped, the user naturally releases the push button, and thereafter, the umbrella is kept as it is until the user presses the button for controlling the reverse operation and the reverse operation is executed.

  FIG. 8B shows an electronic circuit for battery low detection that turns on a red LED warning light when a battery voltage shortage is detected.

  FIG. 9 is an overall isometric view of the electric umbrella according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, excluding the umbrella. The umbrella guide mechanism is disposed on the other side of the conical cover (70), and the rib (2) is opened as shown and the rib is substantially parallel to the shaft (63). The umbrella can hold and hold the handle (80) with one hand and, if necessary, the upper grip (66) with the other hand. As is apparent from the figure, the space below the umbrella is completely open (except for the shaft), so the umbrella can be lowered to the immediate vicinity of the user's head.

  The grip (66) is also used to activate the priority system. When the nut (66a) is loosened and the clamp lever (61d1 in FIG. 6B) is released, the umbrella is closed by pulling down the grip and the grip is released. The umbrella can be opened by pushing it up. When the umbrella is in a desired state, the nut (66a) can be tightened back to maintain the state.

  FIG. 10 shows the end (tip rib) of the rib (2) according to some preferred embodiments of the present invention. The original rib (21) is made of a rigid metal, and the leading rib (22) is made of a flexible metal bar (eg, flexible steel). These two parts are connected by a small screw, pin, peg (23) or weld, or any suitable combination thereof. If a flexible bar is inserted into the groove formed at the tip of the original rib, the connection is further strengthened. The flexibility of this part is essential to accept the mushroom shape when the umbrella is opened, with the flexible tips of the ribs being circled by the umbrella fabric sewn into a mushroom shape. Curved downward in an arc shape (for example, to the position indicated by the dotted line in the figure). When the umbrella is closed, the flexible portion of the ribs returns to a straight extension so that the umbrella can be folded into a straight and compact shape.

  According to a preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the umbrella body (120) is sewn from the upper side of the cover of the guide mechanism (70) and has another cover (77) thereon. In another preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 12, the central portion (121a) of the umbrella body (121) is inserted and held in the internal space between the base material (1) and the cover (70) of the guide mechanism.

  According to a preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 13, the umbrella of the present invention is provided with a ventilation path (see arrows) that helps to weaken the wind force that blows the umbrella or deforms the structure. The wind blown from the underside of the umbrella is escaped (even partially) through this ventilation path as shown by the arrows. The ventilation path can be formed by leaving the base end (that is, the central portion) (122a) of the umbrella body without closing and providing another cover fabric (123) on the upper side of the central portion of the umbrella body. The additional fabric can be used for decoration, and therefore may have a different color or pattern from the umbrella (122). The tip of the umbrella (according to some embodiments) is similar to a conventional umbrella having a sharp protrusion (124) threadedly connected (or other desired connection method) to the cover (70). It is good also as a design.

  Or you may form a ventilation path as a hollow pipe using the material which has the same rigidity as a base material and a cover instead of forming between umbrella body fabric and the base material and cover of a guide mechanism.

  FIG. 14 shows a state in which an umbrella is closed in a short stroke umbrella guide mechanism applied to a multi-stage folding umbrella having an extendable umbrella shaft according to another embodiment of the present invention. As is apparent from the figure, the rib (only one is shown) is composed of three bent segments (202) (212) and (216). The rib segment (202) includes a rib lever portion (202a) having a pin (202b) movable in the slide hole (4c) of the slide bar (4b). Around the hub (204a), around the hub (204a) movable up and down between a plurality of longitudinal guide members (240) arranged in a circle between each pair of slide bars (4b). The slide bar (4b) is angularly separated. In FIG. 14, the hub (204a) is at the upper limit between the guide members and corresponds to the closed state of the umbrella. Thus, the three sectioned ribs are folded and the three segments (202) (212) and (216) are substantially parallel to each other.

  As is clear from the above, as in the umbrella guide mechanism according to the above-described embodiment, when the hub (204a) is lowered, the pin (202b) slides inside the slide hole (4c), thereby the rib segment (202 ) Rotates around the rotation connecting portion (201a) by the action of the rib lever portion (202a). Naturally, when the rib segment (202) pivots upward, the rib stretcher (217) pivots around the pivot joint (217a), while the pin (217b) is provided on the rib segment (202). Further, it slides linearly in the direction of arrow R inside the corresponding slide hole (202h). When the pin (217b) moves linearly as shown by the arrow, the lever portion (212a) is pulled through the operation member (217b) connected to the lever portion (212a) by the rotation joint (231), As a result, the rib segment (212) rotates about the hinge (232).

  At the same time, the stationary wire (218) rotates the rib lever (215) about the hinge (235) and pulls up the elastic rib segment (216). As a result of the above operation, the umbrella is opened as shown in FIG.

  The guide member (240), the extension tube (222), and the base material (201) can all be manufactured integrally. Alternatively, these may be manufactured separately and then joined by an appropriate method.

  As can be further understood from FIG. 14, the shaft of the umbrella has a telescopic structure, an upper cylinder portion (220) whose upper portion is connected to the bottom portion of the umbrella body guide mechanism, and an umbrella that is also the housing of the motor (279). The lower cylinder part (221) connected to the lower end of the handle (277). A helical drive shaft (226) is operatively connected to the motor (279) and can be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise by the motor to open and close both the umbrella and the telescopic shaft.

  In FIG. 14, the telescopic shaft is closed, that is, the lower cylinder part (221) is completely inserted into the upper cylinder part (220). When the motor rotates in the direction to open the umbrella, the tube nut (227) is connected to the upper end of the upper tube portion (220) via the extension tube (222), so that the tube nut (227) is connected to the helical drive shaft (226). ), The lower cylinder part is pulled out from the upper cylinder part. Thereafter, during rotation of the drive shaft, the drive shaft shoulder (226a) having a diameter larger than that of the drive shaft (226) itself contacts the upper end of the hollow ring (225), and the hollow ring is brought into contact with the tube nut (227). Start to draw towards. The hollow ring (225) is disposed at a position facing the drive shaft (226) and is opposed to the hollow ring (225) and the hub (204a) of the guide member (204). 224) and the hub (204a).

  As a result of the pulling of the hollow ring, the guide member (204) moves downward and operates to open the multi-stage folding umbrella by opening the multi-stage folding rib of the mechanism described above. When the hollow ring (225) reaches the vicinity of the tube nut (227), the guide member (204) reaches the lower limit point along the guide member (240), the multi-stage folding umbrella opens, and the telescopic shaft has its maximum length. Become.

  As can be understood from the above, when the motor (279) rotates in the reverse direction, that is, in the direction of closing the umbrella, the rotation of the drive shaft (226) inside the tube nut (227) causes the lower tube portion (221) to move to the upper tube portion ( 220), the telescopic shaft is pushed down, and then when the upper end of the drive shaft shoulder (226a) abuts the bottom of the lower extension (204d) of the hub, the guide member (204) faces upward. It is pushed up to reach the initial closed position shown in FIG. The hollow ring (225) does not engage the threaded portion of the drive shaft (226) and can move freely, so it does not participate in the closing process. For the same reason, nothing is involved in the first stage of the opening process, ie until the drive shaft shoulder (226a) abuts the upper end of the hollow ring as described above.

  FIG. 14A is a top view showing a state in which the umbrella body guide member (204) according to the embodiment of FIG. 14 is engaged with the guide member (224). As shown in the figure, the hub (204a) is surrounded by a plurality of black guide members (240) arranged with a space between adjacent slide bars (4a). 204a) and a plurality of slide bars (4a) connected thereto are movable up and down between the guide members (240). The ends of the two wires (223) and (224) are fixed at positions facing each other across the lower extension (204d) inside the hub. These wires connect the guide member (204) to the hollow ring (225) shown in FIG. 14. By pulling the wire, the guide member (204) is lowered to open the multi-stage folding umbrella. Yes.

  FIG. 15 shows a state in which the umbrella is opened in the same embodiment as FIG. The lower tube portion (221) is pulled out from the upper tube portion (220), and the drive shaft shoulder (226a) holds the hollow ring (225) adjacent to the tube nut (227), and thus the guide member (204). ) Is held by wires (223) and (224) at the lower limit along the guide member (240) corresponding to the open position of the multi-stage folding umbrella, and the multi-stage folding rib segments (202) (212) and ( 216) is open.

  When the motor (279) rotates in the direction of closing the umbrella, the drive shaft (226) moves forward along the threaded portion inside the tube nut (227), so that the lower tube portion (221) becomes the upper tube portion (220). Get inside. When the upper end of the drive shaft shoulder (226a) reaches the bottom of the lower extension (204d) of the hub (204a), the hub of the guide member (204) is pushed up and is the reverse of the opening process described above with respect to FIG. Thus, the multi-stage folding umbrella body is folded. The folding of the umbrella is completed when the guide member returns to the initial closed state shown in FIG. 14 and the telescopic shaft completely enters.

  16A to 16C are longitudinal sectional views taken along line AA of FIG. 17 showing three states during operation of the umbrella body guiding mechanism according to another preferred embodiment of the slide pin joint. In the illustrated embodiment, the pin (300) of the slide pin joint is actually constituted by the end of the short lever portion (303) of the umbrella rib (301) and wider than the rib. The pin has a shape whose diameter is considerably larger than its length (perpendicular to the drawing). However, since the pin performs the same function as that of the pin 2b in FIG. 1, for example, the pin is also referred to in the description of the present invention. . The pin (300) slides in a hollow section (311) formed in the umbrella guide member (310) (also referred to as “slide hole” (311)). It is formed as a hub having a plurality of such hollow compartments (311), each receiving a pin (300), spaced angularly from a common center.

  In FIG. 16A, the umbrella guide member (310) is at the upper limit above the umbrella shaft (not shown), and the pin (300) pushes up the short lever portion (303) so that the rib (301) faces downward. In other words, the umbrella body is closed. When the umbrella guide member (310) is lowered to the position shown in FIG. 16B, the pin (300) is pushed downward and pushed further into the hollow compartment (311), whereby the rib (301) is hinged (302). ), The umbrella body is rotated upward to an intermediate point corresponding to the state where the umbrella is partially opened. When the umbrella body guide member (310) is further lowered to the lower limit as shown in FIG. 16C, the pin (300) is pushed downward to move outward from the hollow section (311) in the lateral direction, so that the rib ( 301) further rotates about the hinge (302) to reach the position shown in FIG. 16C corresponding to the state in which the umbrella is opened.

  As is apparent from the above, the slide pin joint constituted by the pin (300) and the slide hole (311) allows the vertical movement of the guide member (310) to move in the short lever portion (303) and the rib (311). The rotation is converted around the hinge (302). It will be appreciated that the short lever portion (303) may be shorter than that shown, and in fact the pin itself can serve as a lever. The length of the short lever portion (303) is a matter of design, and particularly depends greatly on the torque of the electric motor employed (as long as sufficient motor torque is obtained to lift the ribs and spread the umbrella fabric) You can shorten the short lever part).

  FIG. 17 is a lateral partial sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 16B when the umbrella body guiding mechanism according to the embodiment of FIGS. 16A to 16C is in the state of FIG. 16B. Here, the rib (301) is In the intermediate position, the umbrella body is opened halfway, and the pin (300) of each rib slides to the maximum extent toward the central axis of the guide member (310) in the slide hole (311). As can be seen from FIGS. 16A and 16C, the pin (300) is slid maximally in the opposite direction along the slide hole (311), that is, at the maximum distance from the center of the guide member (310). The vertical movement of the guide member is caused by the hub extension (312) (see FIGS. 16A to 16C) extending into the shaft of the umbrella in the same manner as the hub extension member (4aa) of FIG. 4a) It is realized by a thread portion on the inner surface represented by a circular double dotted line (314) similar to the thread portion on the inner surface.

  FIG. 18 is a side view of an umbrella rib made of a unitary material according to the embodiment of FIGS. 16A-17. The rib can be manufactured by plastic molding as an integral body including the pin (300), the short lever portion (303), the hinges (302) on both sides, and the rib (301). If the rib (301) itself is provided with recesses (304) on both sides, the weight can be reduced with a loss of strength that does not cause a problem. The end of the rib (305) can be tapered so that it is thin enough to provide flexibility in the area near the tip, so that when the umbrella is fully open, The rib is bent into an arch shape as indicated by the dotted line (306) by the stress of the umbrella fabric (not shown) given the mushroom-shaped dimensions and design so that the flexible tip is bent downward.

    FIG. 19 is a top view of the umbrella rib shown in FIG. The rib has a thin flat end (305) that is flexible in a direction perpendicular to the drawing. Thus, the present invention relates to an umbrella having the above-described umbrella body guide mechanism, in which the rib is formed into a shape made of a rigid material and the end portion is gradually thinned, and therefore the rib end portion is a mushroom-shaped umbrella. Flexibility beneficial to obtain body. The invention also relates to an umbrella rib that is progressively thinner near the end, which is particularly useful for obtaining mushroom-shaped umbrellas in strutless umbrellas.

For a better understanding of the present invention and for understanding how to perform it, the preferred embodiments will now be described by way of non-limiting example only with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each drawing,
FIG. 1 shows a first preferred embodiment of a short stroke umbrella guide mechanism according to the present invention (the umbrella is closed).
FIG. 1A partially shows the short stroke umbrella guide mechanism of FIG. 1 (the state in which the umbrella is opened).
FIG. 2 shows a short-stroke umbrella guide mechanism particularly useful for an electric umbrella and a part of the electric umbrella according to the present invention.
FIG. 2A shows the bottom surface of the cylindrical portion of the guide mechanism.
2B is a top view of one embodiment of the shaft of the umbrella of FIG.
3-5 show various positions representing the operation of the guide mechanism and priority system of FIG.
6, 6A and 6B partially show another preferred embodiment of the electric umbrella according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 shows a concealing storage portion provided on the cover of the guide mechanism, which is suitable for storing an electronic circuit.
FIG. 8 is an isometric partial cross-sectional view of the lower end portion of the electric umbrella according to the present invention having a handle portion that houses an electrical component therein.
FIG. 8A is a circuit diagram of an overload detector that stops the motor when a load exceeding a predetermined threshold is detected.
FIG. 8B shows a “low battery” detection and alarm circuit.
FIG. 9 is an overall view of the electric umbrella according to the present invention (the umbrella fabric is omitted).
FIG. 10 shows the end of a rib according to the best mode of the invention.
11 and 12 show two different configurations of the relationship between the umbrella fabric and its guide mechanism.
FIG. 13 shows an embodiment of an umbrella having a ventilation path.
FIG. 14 shows a state in which an umbrella is closed in a short stroke umbrella guide mechanism applied to a multi-stage folding umbrella having an extendable umbrella shaft according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 14A is a top view of a state in which the umbrella body guide member according to the embodiment of FIG. 14 is engaged with the guide portion.
FIG. 15 shows a state in which the umbrella is opened in the embodiment of FIG.
16A to 16C are longitudinal partial sectional views showing three states during operation of the umbrella guide mechanism according to another preferred embodiment of the slide pin joint.
17 is a partial cross-sectional view in the lateral direction when the umbrella body guiding mechanism according to the embodiment of FIGS. 16A to 16C is in the state of FIG. 16B.
FIG. 18 is a side view of an umbrella rib made of a unitary material according to the embodiment of FIGS. 16A-17.
FIG. 19 is a top view of the umbrella rib shown in FIG.

Claims (27)

(A) Umbrella guide member having a plurality of first parts of a slide pin joint that is firmly connected around a common central hub and arranged angularly apart, and (b) an umbrella shaft And a spacer having a plurality of pivotal connection points that are angularly spaced around the center lower end, each of the plurality of pivotal connection points, An umbrella guide mechanism for a hand-held umbrella, wherein the umbrella rib includes a short lever arm having a second part engaging a first part of the slide pin joint. The umbrella guide according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of umbrella ribs that are rotatably connected to the rotation connection point and further constitute a plurality of slide pin joints connected to the guide member. mechanism. The umbrella body guide mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the umbrella body guide mechanism is connected to an upper end of the shaft. The umbrella guide mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the spacer has a hollow cylindrical portion protruding from a lower portion. The umbrella guide mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the hub is hollow and has a thread portion on an inner surface. The umbrella guide mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the hub is connected to an extension member having a screw portion at a lower end portion. An umbrella comprising the umbrella body guiding mechanism according to claim 2. 3. The umbrella having an umbrella guide mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the umbrella is connected to the upper end of the shaft of the umbrella at the bottom, and the shaft has an upper grip attached in the vicinity of the upper end and a handle portion attached to the lower end. . The hollow shaft is connected to a handle portion of the umbrella at a lower end thereof, and the umbrella body guide member receives electric power from a battery disposed in the vicinity so as to convert a rotational motion into a longitudinal motion of the guide member. A state in which the umbrella body is opened and closed above the upper end of the shaft by rotation of an electric motor disposed in or near the handle portion that transmits rotation to a configured screw or helical shaft. 3. An electric umbrella having an umbrella guide mechanism according to claim 2, which is driven along a short path between an upper limit point and a lower limit point respectively corresponding to the upper end and the lower end of the hollow shaft. . The electric umbrella according to claim 9, further comprising a priority system. The priority system further includes an extension cylindrical portion connected to a bottom portion of the spacer and capable of expanding and contracting with respect to the umbrella shaft, and means for removably fixing the extension cylindrical portion to the shaft. The electric umbrella according to claim 9, wherein An upper grip disposed near an upper end of the shaft and part of a priority system is further provided, the priority system being connected to a bottom portion of the spacer and capable of extending and contracting with respect to the umbrella shaft, and the extension Means for removably fixing a cylindrical part to the shaft, and the upper grip is usable to move the extended cylindrical part up and down in the form of the telescopic movement. Item 9. The electric umbrella according to Item 9. The electric umbrella according to claim 9, further comprising a battery box disposed inside the handle portion. The electric umbrella according to claim 9, further comprising a battery box disposed inside the handle portion and electrically connected to a jack into which a plug of a power supply for charging the battery can be inserted. The electric umbrella according to claim 9, further comprising a detachable battery box disposed inside the handle portion. The electric umbrella according to claim 9, further comprising an overload detection circuit capable of cutting off the battery power from the motor when a motor current exceeding a predetermined threshold is recognized. An overload detection circuit capable of cutting off the battery power from the motor when recognizing a motor current exceeding a predetermined threshold and reversing the polarity of a power source connected to the motor; The electric umbrella according to claim 9, characterized in that (A) position detector, (b) emergency light, (c) safety light, (d) low battery alarm, (e) temperature measurement, (f) electronic watch, (g) anti-theft remote sensor, (h) A decorative lamp, (i) a battery charger with an integral power plug, (j) a remote controller via wireless communication for any electronic or electrical circuit of the umbrella, (k) an audio alarm, and (l) the above The electric umbrella according to claim 9, further comprising at least one practical electronic circuit or electric circuit selected from among a combination of at least two of (a) to (k). 3. The umbrella having an umbrella body guiding mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the rib is a bar having a base portion made of a rigid material and a distal end portion being a flexible bar. 3. An umbrella having an umbrella guide mechanism according to claim 2, wherein neither a strut nor a stretcher is provided between the umbrella shaft and the umbrella rib. Ribs that further include a plurality of pivot joints that are angularly spaced around the lower end of the center, and each of the plurality of pivot joints engages with a rib that can accept a corresponding pivot connection point. The umbrella guide mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the stretcher can be received. (I) a plurality of multi-stage folding ribs that are pivotally coupled to the pivot coupling point and further constitute a plurality of slide pin joints coupled to the guide member; and (ii) the corresponding pivot joint and multi-stage folding. The umbrella guide mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of rib stretchers each rotatably connected to the rib. The umbrella body guide mechanism is connected at its lower end to the upper part of the telescopic shaft, the telescopic shaft is connected to the handle portion of the umbrella at its lower end, and the umbrella body guide member receives power from a battery disposed in the vicinity. An internal portion of the handle portion that transmits rotation to a screw or helical shaft configured to convert rotational motion to longitudinal motion of the guide member and to telescopic motion of at least two tubular parts of the shaft. Or it is driven along a short path between an upper limit point and a lower limit point respectively corresponding to the open state and the closed state of the umbrella by the rotation of an electric motor arranged in the vicinity. An electric umbrella having the umbrella guide mechanism according to claim 22. The electric umbrella according to claim 9 or 22, wherein the handle portion has a cushion so as not to be damaged by dropping, or is protected by a cushioning material. The electric umbrella according to claim 9 or 22, further comprising a foldable or pull-out leg portion that is housed in the handle portion and is useful for bringing the umbrella upright. The rib is formed of a rigid material and has a thin end, and the rib end has flexibility that is beneficial for obtaining a mushroom-shaped umbrella. An umbrella having the umbrella body guiding mechanism according to claim 2. A rib of an umbrella, characterized in that the vicinity of the end portion is gradually thinned, which is particularly useful for obtaining a mushroom-shaped umbrella.

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