PT1469755E - Automatically closing sunshade - Google Patents

Abstract

The sunshade (1) comprises an automatic closing mechanism (15) should it fall over, said mechanism (15) comprising an elongate sliding element (16, 36) wherein one part thereof protrudes above the corolla (5), said part being able to meet the ground should the parasol (1) fall over and being able to result in the sliding of said elongate element (16, 36), whereupon the releasable means (8, 10 ; 30, 31) for locking the sunshade in an open position can be released. According to the invention, said mechanism (15) comprises an elastic recall means (20) acting upon said elongate element (16, 36) in such a way that said elongate element (16, 36) is maintained in the sliding position wherein the elongate element (16, 36) does not act upon the releasable locking means (8, 10 ; 30, 31).

Description

description

The present invention relates to a self-closing umbrella, which closure acts as soon as the umbrella is turned upside down by the wind.

Such a beach umbrella is known from FR 2797 752. It is known to provide an umbrella which comprises a self-closing mechanism which is shown in figure 1 attached, that mechanism and the umbrella are seen , in this figure, in section along the axis of the umbrella. The parasol P shown in the drawing comprises, in a conventional manner, a tubular mast 100, an upper core 110 on which are mounted rotating rods 120 having a crown 200, counter-stems 130 of the rods 120 and a slide 140 sliding along the mast 100, on which are mounted the counter-stems 130 rotating. The slider 140 is constituted by a window 141 in which a lateral projection 151, a U-shaped spring 150 located inside the mast 100, protrudes, the projection 151 secures the locking of the slider 140 in the high position and therefore keeps it in the unfurled position of the crown 200.

The self-closing mechanism 300 is constituted by an axial tube 310, which traverses the core 110 with possibility of sliding. The tube 310 is thus partially disposed within the mast 100 and is threaded into the elongated arm of the spring 150 forming the protrusion 151.

In the event of the overturning of the umbrella P the part of the tube 310 which protrudes upwardly from the crown 200 is in contact with the ground, which causes the sliding of that tube 310 and then the displacement of the protrusion 151 towards the axis of the mast to the exit of the projection towards the window 141 thereby releasing the sliding of the slide 140. This device is a practical drawback of great importance which is to compel the user to reset the slide tube 310 in a high position that this tube has been threaded in order to be able to close the umbrella P in the open position. Moreover, at the slightest push the umbrella P is capable of closing, which necessitates ensuring that the catch is well-armed before the opening movement of the umbrella is performed. Likewise, the vibrations or bumps, to which the parasol may be subjected, risk causing the descent of the tube 310 caused by its weight to trigger, thereby triggering an unforeseen opening of the parasol P.

A further drawback is that the known mechanism is only adaptable to the type of umbrella described above, which is a penalisation limitation for the manufacturer. Other types of umbrellas are in effect, namely those with a sliding lock by a transverse knob, and with a joint allowing the corolla to be tilted. Furthermore, it is not possible to realize the locking mechanism in the form of a relatively easy-to-fit adaptive kit on the existing umbrella structure.

The present invention seeks to remedy all of these drawbacks. One of the objects of the invention is therefore to provide a sunshade with a self-closing mechanism in the event of the overturning of the parasol, making it easier to re-open the umbrella, sun protection after actuation of the mechanism that led to the closing of the umbrella, and increasing the reliability of the operation of this mechanism.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a self-closing sunshade which can be adapted to numerous types of sunshade, in particular sunshades with a button-down zipper and / or a hinge that allows the inclination of the sunshade. crown with limited modifications to the parts that make up the existing parasols.

It is a further object of the invention to provide the self-closing mechanism for sunshades which can be carried out in the form of a relatively easy adaptive kit in an existing sunshade aperture.

Said umbrella is formed in a manner known per se, a tubular mast, an upper core on which are mounted rotating rods having a crown, counter-rods for opening the rods and a sliding slide along the rod. mast, on which the rotary counter-stems, the liberal means of locking the slide in upright position and an automatic closing mechanism of the umbrella in case of dropping of the parasol are mounted, this mechanism has an elongate component that crosses the slidable core and where a part projects over the crown, that part is prepared to hit the ground in the event of the overturning of the parasol and thereby cause a sliding of said elongate component, which leads to the release of said means of unlocking.

According to the invention, said mechanism comprises an effective elastic warning means on said elongate member in order to normally maintain said elongate member in the sliding position in which said elongated member does not act on said unlocking means.

The closure mechanism thus has an automatic armament, so that the umbrella according to the invention does not require any manipulation other than that required for its opening. In addition, this locking mechanism avoids unintentional blockages of the slider resulting from the vibrations or bumps to which the parasol can be subjected, all authorizing the

The sliding of the elongated overturning component of the parasol.

Preferably the elongated member and said resilient means are joined together and can thus form a kit adapted to the umbrella. According to one embodiment of the invention in the case, the elongated member comprises a support between a stronger cross-sectional part and a more fragile cross-sectional part, said elastic means is a helical spring threaded and retained in the portion of the most fragile section to bring one of its ends against said support, the other end of said spring comes against a bearing surface comprising the mast of the umbrella.

Such a bearing surface may in particular be the area in which an upper part of the mast is attached to a hinge or patella allowing the inclination of that upper part of the mast and therefore the inclination of the crown attached to that upper part of the mast .

The end of the spring coming against said elongate member support may be glued or threaded by gentle rubbing into said most fragile section portion.

The elongated member and such spring thus form a assembly that can be placed in a single assembly operation on an upper portion of the mast.

Since the umbrella comprises a slide equipped with a button running transversely with respect to the direction of travel of the slide and behind a ring having a part integral with the mast, the self-closing mechanism according to the invention may having a wheel-shaped part connected longitudinally to the elongated member, coming to act on the knob so as to move it to an unlocking position in relation to said ring; the elastic means referred to above may now be constituted by a helical spring interposed between a bearing surface integral with the part having said ring and said wheel-shaped piece.

The self-closing mechanism thus constituted can also be realized in the form of a kit adaptable to the structure of the existing parasol.

Since the umbrella comprises a pivotal hinge allowing the inclination of an upper part of the mast, and therefore the inclination of the crown attached to that upper part of the mast, and that said hinge or pivot is situated between said core and said elongate member comprises an upper portion attached to a flexible but not extensible or longitudinally contractible filiform portion, the upper and filiform portions thereof being dimensioned such that the filiform portion passes through said joint or patella since the elongated component is placed in place on the umbrella.

This filiform part thus enables the elongated member to follow the movement of the joint or ball joint.

[0024] This filiform part may in particular be produced in the form of a length of rope slowly.

Since the umbrella comprises a wheel-shaped part such that preceding said wheel-shaped part may have an elastic deformable structure between a contraction state which it adopts for introduction through the mast and the state of expansion that it adopts when it is placed in said piece forming the said locking ring.

The elongate member, the resilient means and the said wheel-shaped member may then be attached to the same assembly and may be placed in the umbrella simultaneously and thus form a kit as referred to.

Alternatively, the elongate member and the wheel-shaped member may comprise complementary junction means 5, said junction means engaging each other since the elongate member is placed in the umbrella of the umbrella and that said piece in the form of a locking ring of the slider.

The umbrella according to the invention may comprise a cord attached to the elongated member or to the said wheel-shaped piece, which cord is intended to be attached to a fixed or relatively heavy object, for example a user's bag or a anchoring member to the ground, and in case of overturning of the umbrella, the elongated member or said wheel-shaped part is actuated to effect the automatic closing of the umbrella.

While said cord is attached to the elongate member, said elongated member may comprise a radially movable cord attachment eyelet, such radial mobility allows the eyelet, upon insertion of the elongate member in the mast, not to be an obstacle to this introduction, and once the elongated member placed on the mast, causes a protrusion through the adapted window in the mast.

The invention will be well understood, and other features and advantages thereof will appear, with reference to the attached schematic drawing, representing, by way of non-limiting examples, various possible embodiments of the umbrella that concerns it. Figure 2 shows a side view of the upper part of an umbrella according to a first embodiment, in section through the axis of the mast comprising the umbrella, in the open position of the umbrella; figure 3 represents a view similar to figure 2 since an automatic closing mechanism comprises the umbrella is activated and allows closure of that umbrella; Figure 4 is a side view of the upper part of an umbrella according to a second embodiment, also in cross section through the axis of the mast comprised in that parasol; Figure 5 is a large-scale view of a portion of that umbrella, the crown and the top of the umbrella mast were tilted thanks to the ball-and-socket included in that parasol; figure 6 shows a view similar to figure 5 of a variant of the embodiment; figure 7 is a view of different elements comprising an umbrella according to a third embodiment, in section through the axis of these elements; Figure 8 is an axial cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the umbrella during placement of the elements shown in Figure 7; Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8, once embodied; Figure 10 is a view of different elements comprising an umbrella according to a fourth embodiment, in cross-section through the axis of these elements; Figure 11 is an axial cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the umbrella when placing the elements shown in Figure 10; FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 11, once embodied, and FIG. 13 is a partial view of the umbrella and of said elements, taken along line XIII-XIII of FIG. 12; FIG. For simplicity, parts or elements of an embodiment which appear identically or similar in another embodiment will be identified by the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

Figure 2 shows an umbrella 1 comprising a tubular mast 2, an upper core 3 on which are mounted rotating rods 4 which have a crown 5 (figured in dotted line), counter-stems 6 of opening rods 4 and a slide 7 sliding along the mast 2, on which are mounted the rotating countershafts 6. The slider 7 is constituted by a window 8 in which a lateral projection 10 of a U-shaped spring 11 situated inside the mast 2 protrudes, that the shoulder 10 ensures the locking of the slide 7 in the high position and therefore keeps it in the unfurled position of the crown 5.

The umbrella 1 comprises a self-closing mechanism 15 including an axial tube 16, which traverses the slidable core 3, an extension of the arm 11a of the spring 11 which forms the projection 10 and threaded into the tube 16, a ball 17 secured to the end of the tube 16 making a protrusion above the crown 5, and a spring 20 bearing against the core 3 on the one hand, through one end 20a; and against the ball 17 on the other hand, that spring 20 tends to constantly push away that ball 16 from that core 3.

In the case of overturning of the umbrella 1 the part of the tube 16 which protrudes upwards from the crown 5 is in contact with the ground, which causes the tube 16 to slide towards the projection 10, against the force the movement of the projection 10 in the direction of the axis of the mast 2 until the exit of the projection 10 towards the window 8 thus releasing the sliding of the slide 7.

As soon as the pressure on the tube 6 ceases the spring 20 accompanies that tube to the original position. The mechanism 15 has an automatic armature, so that the umbrella 1 does not require any other manipulation than that necessary for its opening. Further, the mechanism 15 avoids unintentional locks of the slider 7 resulting in vibrations and bumps which may be subjected to the umbrella 1.

The umbrella 1 according to figures 4 and 5 comprises a mast 2, a core 3, rods 4, a crown 5 and counter rods 6, a slide 7, a sliding tube 16, which allows the release of the means of locking the slide 7 relative to the mast 2 in the open position of the umbrella 1 and a spring 20.

The umbrella 1 shown comprises a part of the upper mast 2a, provided with a sphere 25 at its lower end, and a part of the lower mast 2b which comprises a tubular piece 26 encased in its upper end. This tubular piece 26 forms a spherical receiving location 27 of the ball 25 with the possibility of multidirectional debate.

The mast part 2a comprises a core 3 and a tube 16, which is equipped with a terminal tube 17, and the part of the lower mast 2b receives the slide 7.

As shown in figures 4 and 5 the part 26 forms a trunk ring 30 defining a top support, and the slide 7 delimits a chamber oriented transversely and outwardly into which the button 31 is placed. This button 31 delimits an aperture being able to receive said ring 30, and comprises a bearing portion 32 and a locking portion 33 opposite the bearing portion 32, that locking portion 33 may come in abutment against the ring 30. The knob 31 is slidable in said chamber, between the shown locking position, in which the locking part 33 is in abutment against the support formed by the ring 30, thus blocking the slider 7 in relation to the part 26, and an unlocking position, in which the button 31 is moved to the left of figure 4 in relation to the position shown, said locking part 33 being in that erased position next to the ring 30 and thus releasing the slide 7. A spring (not shown) normally maintains the knob 31 in the shown locking position, and a pressure on the bearing part 32 allows sliding of said knob 31 to meet the force of said spring.

The locking portion 33 has a sloping top face bringing against the inclined side face of the ring 30 since the slide 7 approaches its locking position, its faces effective as ramps that slide the button 31 in order to allow automatic deletion of the locking portion 33 for the purpose of passing the locking portion upwardly of the ring 30.

Although shown, the tube 16 has an upper portion 16a of the stronger section and a lower portion 16b of the more fragile section, there being delimited a carrier therebetween. The spring 20 is threaded gently into the fragile section 16b until it is brought to one end thereof against said support, the other end of said spring 20 brings against the inner collar 34 of the part of the mast 2a formed at the level of the connecting zone of the ball 25 to that part of the mast 2a.

The tube 16 is attached to a wheel-shaped part 35 via a soft rope section 36, said wheel-shaped piece 35 being located in the piece 26 and said soft rope section 36 extends through the ball 25 and the part 26.

The wheel-shaped part 35 is dimensionably slidable in the part 26, a driving washer 37 is provided for this purpose. Such a part 35 has a lateral flange 38 on the inclined face radially protruding outwardly of the part 26 through a window which comprises the latter. The protrusion 38 back against the locking portion 33 and, since the part 35 is moved downwardly relative to the part 26, forms a wheel for displacing the locking part 33 in its aforementioned unlocking position.

The spring 20 always always always holds the tube 16, and like the part 35, in the position shown in Figures 4 and 5, in which the protrusion 38 is not a hindrance to the coming of the locking part 33 in a locked position.

The soft rope section 36 is flexible but is neither stretchable nor capable of longitudinal compression, so as to allow, as shown in Figure 5, to follow the inclination of the mast part 2a by transmitting the sliding movement of the tube 16 to the part 35 in case of overturning of the umbrella 1. The ball 25 has a cavity 39 of conical or cross-shaped shape at the level of its end zone to allow it to strike despite the presence of the section 36.

The piece 35 is somewhere attached to the strand 40 by a joint ring 41, that strand 40 being threaded through a window adapted in the mast part 2b and flowing out of the mast 2. That strand 40 may be connected to a relatively heavy object or an anchoring means to the ground and allows to actuate the part 35 towards the unlocking of the slide 7 in this case or the umbrella 1 will leave its position of use under the effect of a strong gust.

In the embodiment variant shown in Figure 6, the spring 20 is not placed at the level of the bottom of the tube 16 but between the piece 35 which does not extend downwardly, and a cap 45 attached to the lower end of the piece 26.

The workpiece 35 is in this case held radially in the form of a transverse drill 46 threaded into the bore comprising the workpiece 26 and threaded, possibly slidable, into a vertical light 47 which comprises the part 35 which coincides in the holes .

The strand 40, attached to the workpiece 35, passes through the spring 20 and the cap 45.

Figure 9 shows a ball-and-socket umbrella 1 substantially as mentioned and where the upper mast part 2a, the core 3, the rods 4, the tube 16, the spring 20 located in the part lower part of the tube 16, the ball 25, the part 26, the slide 7, the knob 31, the wheel-shaped piece 35 and the rope section 36.

In this case, and as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the part 35 has a V-shaped structure and is deformable and elastic between a contraction state visible in Figure 8 and a normal state of extension visible in Figures 7 and 9.

The assembly of the tube assembly 16 - spring 20 - the part 36 part 35 can be carried out in a single assembly operation of that assembly in the part of the mast 2a, the part 35 being adapted in its shrinkage state when it passes through the cavity 39 adapted in the sphere 25 for the passage of the section 36 (cf, figure 8), after returning to its normal state of extension since it is adapted to the level of the window of the part 26 provided to receive the protrusion 38 which it bears (see Figure 9). It is understood that the part 35 is shaped such that the force required for its deformation is much greater than the force produced by the spring of the button 31 in the locked position.

According to a further particularity of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 7 to 9, the tube 16 has a protrusion 41 for a bore for securing the cord 40 as referred to, and the mast part 2a has a window 50 in which a protrusion 41 is threaded since the part 35 is in the assembled position in the part 26 as shown in Figure 9 to enable said protrusion 1241 to be pushed inwardly in the course of the assembly of the tube 16 in the part of the mast 2a, as 8 shows the tube 16 comprises a U-shaped cut around said projection 41 individualizing a flexible elastic tab in the radial direction with the protrusion 41. That tab is moved between an internal radial position of the protrusion 41 and an external radial position of the projection of this projection through the window 50.

Figure 12 shows an umbrella 1 of the same type as shown in Figure 9 and Figures 10 to 12 correspond to Figures 7 to 9, which shows respectively a mechanism 15 for releasing the locking means of slide 7 in open position of the umbrella 1, this mechanism upon being placed on the umbrella 1, and such mechanism after such placement.

In this case, the section 36 comprises a ball 51 secured thereto and the part 35 having a receiving site 52 for receiving that ball 51, laterally opening. Although shown in Figure 13, this part 35 also has a longitudinal groove 53 adapted to its edge opposite the protrusion 38, and the workpiece 26 has a groove 54 which is slidably threaded into the groove 53 while the workpiece 35 is placed in the workpiece 36 This rib 54 allows guiding the movement of the part 35 by holding the ball 51 in place 52.

As appears here, the invention provides a self-closing umbrella which has numerous advantages over prior art umbrellas, in particular those which facilitate the reopening of the umbrella after unlocking the mechanism which leads to the closing of the umbrella, to increase the reliability of the operation of this mechanism and to be adaptable to numerous types of umbrella, namely the umbrella with locking of the sliding by button, and / or articulation that allows the inclination of the crown with limited modifications of the parts contained in the existing parasols.

Even though the invention is not limited to the embodiment described above by way of example but extends to all the embodiments covered by the claims appended hereto.

Lisbon, 4 January 2007 14

Claims (10)

Claims 1. The self-closing umbrella (1) with tubular mast (2), an upper core (3), in which rotatable rods (4) with a crown (5), counter-stems (6) (4), a sliding (7), sliding along the mast (2) on which the rotating counter-stems (6) are mounted, the sliding locking means (8, 10, 30 and 31) (15) has an elongated member (16,36) which is provided with an elongate member (16), which is provided with an elongated member passes through the core (3) with possibility of sliding and where a part makes a shoulder above the crown (5), that part being prepared to find the ground in the event of the overturning of the umbrella (1) and thus causing a slip of the said elongated member (16, 36) which releases said locking liberal means (8, 10; 30, 31); Umbrella (1) characterized by said mechanism (15) with elastic warning means (20) under said elongated member (16, 36) so as to normally maintain said elongate member (16, 36) in the sliding position in which the elongate member (16, 36) does not act on said locking liberal means (8, 10, 30, 31). The umbrella (1) according to claim 1 is characterized in that the elongate member (16, 36) and said resilient means (20) are joined together. The sunshade (1) according to claim 2 characterized in that the elongated member (16, 36) has a support between a part (16a) of the strongest section and a part (16b) of the fragile section, and said means (20), a helical spring (20) being threaded and retained in that portion (16b) of more fragile section up to one of its ends against said support, the other end of said spring comes against the bearing surface (34) which comprises the mast (2) of the umbrella (1) The sunshade (1) as claimed in claim 2 is characterized by: - comprising a slide (7) equipped with a knob (31) which slides transversely in the direction of the displacement of the slide (7) and locks behind the ring (30); the self-locking mechanism 15 has a wheel-shaped member 35 attached longitudinally to the elongate member 16, 36, which acts on the knob ( 31) in order to move it into an unlocking position relative to said ring (30), and - the elastic means (20) is constituted by a coil spring (20) interposed between a bearing surface (45) integral with the part (26) with said ring (30) and said wheel-shaped part (35) The sunshade (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 4 is characterized: - It comprises a hinge or a kneecap (25, 27) allowing the inclination of the upper part of the mast (2a), and where the inclination of the crown 5) connected to said upper part of the mast (2a) is said hinge or pivot (25, 27) being located between said core (3) and said locking liberal means (8, 10, 30, 31), and the component (16,36) has an upper portion (16) attached to a flexible but non-stretchable or longitudinally contractible filiform portion (36), said upper portions (16) and filiform (36) are dimensioned such that the portion (36,36) is placed in the sunshade (1) 16. Sun umbrella (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized by: - comprising a slide (7) equipped with a knob (31) sliding transversely in the direction of the displacement of the slide (7) and locking behind a ring (30) having a part (26) integral with the mast (2); - the self-closing mechanism (15) has a wheel-shaped part (35) connected longitudinally to the elongate member (16, 36), acting on the button (31) to move it to an unlocking position in (35), said wheel-shaped member (35) has an elastic deformable structure between a contraction state, which it adopts for introduction through the umbrella (2) of the umbrella, and the expansion state which it adopts when it is placed in said part (26) forming said locking ring (30). Umbrella (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises: a slide (7) equipped with a knob (31) slides transversely in the direction of the movement of the slide (7) and locks behind a ring (30) having a part (26) integral with the mast (2); - the self-closing mechanism (15) has a wheel-shaped part (35) connected longitudinally to the elongate member (16, 36), acting on the button (31) to move it to an unlocking position in (30), and - wherein the elongate member (16, 36), and the wheel-shaped member (35) have complementary junction means (51, 52), said junction means are joined one to the other, while the elongated member 16, 36 is placed in the mast 2 of the umbrella 1 and said wheel-shaped piece 35 is placed in the piece 26 forming the locking ring 30 (7). The sunshade (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7 is characterized by a strand (40) connected to the elongate member (16, 36), or to said wheel-shaped part (35), said strand ) is intended to be connected to a fixed or relatively heavy object, for example a user's bag or an anchoring means to the ground, allowing in the case of overturning of the umbrella (1) to drive the elongated component (16, 36), or said wheel-shaped part (35) for causing the automatic closing of the umbrella (1) The sunshade (1) according to claim 8 is characterized in that said string (40) is connected to the elongate member (16, 36), said elongated member (16, 36) has a radially movable eyelet (40), such radial mobility allows the eyelet at the moment of insertion of the elongate member (16, 36) in the mast (2) not to be an obstacle to such introduction and once the elongate member (16, 36) is placed in the (2) protrudes through the adapted window (50) in the mast (2). The self-closing mechanism (15) according to one of claims 2 to 9 is characterized in that it comprises an elongated member (16, 36), an elastic means (20) and, in the case of a collapsible, which are joined together and can thus form a kit adaptable to a structure of an existing parasol. Lisbon, 4th January 2007 18