RU2497426C1 - Automatic foldable umbrella - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: personal use articles.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to an automatic foldable umbrella, in particular - to an automatic foldable umbrella requiring no force application. The invention objective consists in creation of an automatic foldable umbrella, easily controllable and less prone to slip from the user's hands. The automatic foldable umbrella includes a central assembled stem including an upper, a lower and a middle stems hat are telescopically interconnected. The first force transmission unit is intended for bringing the upper stem into the opened position relative to the middle stem when the middle stem is displaced by the central spring for bringing into the extended position which enables the upper stem travel downwards into the retrieved position wherein the "spacer spoke" mechanism is folded. The second force transmission unit is intended for moving the runner towards the upper sleeve when the upper stem is brought into the opened position which enables easy and effortless performance of the folding operation.

EFFECT: development of an automatic foldable umbrella requiring no force application.

8 cl, 10 dwg

Description

Technical field

The invention relates to an automatic folding umbrella, in particular to an automatic folding umbrella that does not require the application of force.

State of the art

Figure 1 shows a conventional automatic folding umbrella described in patent document US 6,684,893 B2; The umbrella includes a handle 1, a working unit 2, a central assembly rod 3, a central spring 4, an upper sleeve 5, a slider 6, a spacer mechanism 7 and a cord 8. The working unit 2 has a retained protrusion 202 located on the movable ring 201 and designed to be held in the holding hole 602 in the runner 6 to hold the central assembly rod 3 in a folded state, while the central spring 4 is in a compressed state; a spring-loaded actuator 203 mounted to rotate on the movable ring 201 to disengage from or engage with the held member 801, and a push button 204 manually actuated to move the movable ring 201. The central assembly rod 3 includes a lower , middle and upper rods 301, 302, 303 telescopically connected to each other. The cord 8 has an attached end attached to the upper sleeve 5, and passes for winding on a roller 601 mounted on the runner 6, and a roller 501 mounted on the upper sleeve 5. The cord 8 ends with a fixed end that is attached to the held element 801. The held element 801 is held by the ZOG holding portion of the lower stem 301 to hold the cord 8 in a tensioned state to hold the spacer mechanism 7 in the open position when the central assembly rod 3 is moved to the extended position by the protective action of the Central spring 4, as shown in figure 2, and is removed from the holding section 301 'after moving the actuator 203, initiated by the action of the button 204, to release the tensioned cord 8, so that the slider 6 and the mechanism 7 "spokes-spacers" could move in the folded position, as shown in figure 3.

However, since in order to open the umbrella, the central spring 4 must exert a biasing force sufficient to move the central assembly rod 3, the slider 6 and the spacer mechanism 7, it is necessary to apply a relatively large force manually to compress the central spring 4 in order to folding the central assembly rod 3, which is inconvenient for the user, especially for a woman or a child, and can cause injury to the user if the user accidentally releases an umbrella from his hands during folding.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic folding umbrella that can be easily and effortlessly controlled so as to reduce the risk of the umbrella slipping out of the user's hands during folding.

According to the present invention, an automatic folding umbrella comprises a central assembly rod including upper and lower rods, which are telescopically connected to each other along the axis and, accordingly, have upper and lower ends; at least one middle rod having upper and lower ends, the upper end being inserted into the upper rod and the lower end being worn on the lower rod; and an inner tube that has a connecting end arranged to move with one of the above upper or middle rod, wherein the inner tube extends downward and ends with a stop end. The lower stem has a holding portion. In the lower rod there is a central spring for displacing the middle rod in order to move it relative to the lower rod from the folded position to the extended position. At the upper end of the upper rod is the upper sleeve. A slider is placed on the upper rod, which moves along the upper rod between the far and near positions relative to the upper sleeve. The spacer mechanism pivotally connects the upper sleeve and the slider and can move from the assembled position to the open position when the slider moves from the distant position to the near position. The first force transmission unit includes a first direction changing element located on the upper rod and remote from its upper end, a second direction changing element located on the middle rod near its upper end; the first cord having a first connected end, tensioned with the upper end of the upper rod, a portion of the first cord that extends down from the first connected end in the upper rod is wound on the first and second direction changing elements, then lowered down into the inner tube and ends at fixed end; and a holding member that is connected to the fixed end and can be moved between the held and free states when it is held by the holding portion and removed from it, respectively. When the middle rod is displaced to move from the folded position to the extended position, and when the held element is held in the held state, the first direction changing element is pulled upward by a portion of the first cord to move to the second direction changing element to shift the upper rod to the extended position. When the held element is displaced to the free state, the first direction changing element is released and can move down, thereby allowing the upper rod to move down relative to the middle rod to the retracted position, while the spacer mechanism moves to the assembled position. The second force transmitting unit includes a third direction changing element located on the upper rod near its upper end, and a second cord having a second connected end, tensioned with the middle rod, and a part of the second cord that extends upward from the second connected end , wraps around the third element of the change of direction, then goes down and ends at the third connected end, which is connected to the slider. The slider moves from the far position to the near position when the upper stem moves from the retracted position to the extended position.

The first, second and third elements of the change of direction of movement can be rollers, which are mounted with the possibility of rotation on the upper rod at a distance from the upper end, the middle rod and upper rod near the upper end, respectively.

The upper rod may have an outer channel, which is offset from the axis and allows the passage of part of the first cord from the first connected end of the first cord to the first element of the change of direction and winding part of the first cord to the first element of the change of direction. An inner tube surrounds the axis and forms an inner channel for accommodating a portion of the first cord and a longitudinal slot for communicating the outer channel with the inner channel for passing a portion of the first cord.

The connecting end of the inner tube can be attached to the upper sleeve. The middle rod has a plug that is located at the upper end to secure the second direction-changing element on it and has a through hole extending along the axis so that the inner tube can be slidably mounted through the through hole. The stop end of the inner tube does not extend beyond the upper stem.

The middle stem may have a plug located at the upper end for mounting a second direction changing element thereon. The connecting end of the inner tube is attached to the plug, with the inner tube passing down in the middle stem so that the stop end does not extend beyond the lower end of the middle stem.

An automatic folding umbrella may also include a working unit, comprising: an installation case that allows you to install the lower end of the lower rod; a push button that has a holding portion for holding the slider in a distant position when the biasing action of the central spring is applied, and that moves manually relative to the mounting housing, which allows the holding portion to release the slider; and an actuator that is rotatably mounted on the push button and has an engaging end pivoting between the idle position in which the engaging end disengages from the held member and the operating position in which the engaging end engages with a held element so that in response to manually pressing the push button, the held element is actuated to shift from the held state to the free state; and a torsion spring designed to bias the actuator into position.

The holding portion and the actuator may be located opposite each other with respect to the axis.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows a conventional automatic folding umbrella when folded, a sectional view;

figure 2 is the same, in the open state;

figure 3 is the same with the folded mechanism "spokes-spacers", but with the extended stem;

figure 4 - automatic folding umbrella according to the first embodiment of the present invention when folded, a sectional view;

figure 5 is the same, in the open state;

figure 6 is the same with the folded mechanism "spokes-spacers", but extended by the rod;

7 shows a part of a central assembly rod according to a first embodiment of the invention in an exploded state, a perspective view;

on Fig - automatic folding umbrella according to the second variant of implementation of the present invention in the folded state, a view in section;

figure 9 is the same, in the open state;

figure 10 is the same, with the folded mechanism "spokes-spacers", but extended by the rod.

The implementation of the invention

Before a detailed description of the present invention will be given, it should be noted that the same reference numerals are used to refer to like elements.

Figures 4 and 5 show a first embodiment of an automatic folding umbrella according to the present invention. The folding umbrella comprises a working unit 10, an assembled central rod 30, a central spring 40, an upper sleeve 50, a slider 60, a spacer mechanism 70, a first force transmission unit 80 and a second force transmission unit 90.

The working unit 10 includes an installation case 11, a spring-loaded push button 12, which is manually moved relative to the installation case 11 and has a holding part 121, an actuator 13 that is mounted to rotate on the push button 12 and has an engaging end 131 that can be rotated between the idle and working positions, and a torsion spring 14, designed to bias the actuator 13 in the working position.

The assembled central rod 30 includes upper and lower shocks 32, 31, which are telescopically connected to each other along the axis (L) and, accordingly, have upper and lower ends 320, 310, which, respectively, are installed in the upper sleeve 50 and installation the housing 11, at least one middle rod 33 having upper and lower ends 334, 335, with the upper end 334 inserted into the upper rod 32, and the lower end 335 worn on the lower rod 31, and an inner tube 34 having a connecting end 343, which is attached to the upper sleeve 50, while the inner tube and 34 extends downward and ends with a supporting end 344, which does not extend from the upper rod 32. In particular, the holding portion 121 and the actuator 13 of the work unit 10 are located opposite each other with respect to the axis (L). In addition, the lower stem 31 has a holding portion 311 near the lower end 310 and a thrust portion 312 located above the holding portion 311.

As shown in Fig.7, the upper rod 32 has an outer channel 321 located offset from the axis (L). The middle stem 33 has a plug 331, which is located at the upper end 334 and has a through hole 333 that extends along the axis (L) so that the inner tube 34 can be slidably mounted through the through hole 333. The inner tube 34 surrounds the axis (L ), forming an inner channel 341 and a longitudinal slot 342, designed to communicate the outer channel 321 with the inner channel 341.

The central spring 40 is a compression spring, which is located in the lower stem 31 and abuts against the stop portion 312 and the plug 331 to act on the middle stem 33 and move it upward relative to the lower stem 31 from the folded position to the extended position.

The slider 60 is worn on the upper rod 32 and moves along it between the far and near positions relative to the upper sleeve 50.

The spacer mechanism 70 pivots the upper sleeve 50 and the slider 60 and can move from the assembled position to the open position when the slider 60 moves from the distant position to the near position.

The first force transmitting unit 80 includes a first direction changing element 83 located in the outer channel 321 of the upper rod 32 and remote from the upper end 320, a second direction changing element 84 located on the middle rod 33 of the plug 33, a first cord 81 having a first connected the end 811, which is mounted in the outer channel 321 near the upper end 320, the first cord portion 813 located in the outer channel 321, which extends downward from the first connected end 811, is wound on the first and second elements 83, 84 changed I direction, and then passes further downwards through the longitudinal slot 342 into the internal passage 341 of the inner tube 34 and ends at the fixed end 812 and the retained member 82 which is connected to the fixed end 812.

The second force transmitting unit 90 includes a third direction changing element 94 located on the upper rod 32 near the upper end 320, and a second cord 95 having a second connected end 91, attached to the middle cap 33 of the plug 331, and a second cord portion 93, which extends upward from the second connected end 91, is wound on the third direction changing element 94 and goes down, ending at the third connected end 92, which is connected to the slider 60.

In this embodiment, the first, second and third direction changing elements 83, 84, 94 are rollers which are rotatably mounted on the lower part of the upper rod 32, the upper end 334 of the middle rod 33 and the upper part of the upper rod 32, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the automatic folding umbrella according to the present embodiment is folded, the slider 60 is held in a distant position by engaging the holding portion 121 in the holding hole 61, whereby the central spring 40 is in a compressed state while while the holding member 82 is in a held state since it is held by the holding portion 311. Meanwhile, the actuator 13 is held by the lower end 335 of the middle current 33 in the inoperative position when the incoming engagement end 131 is not in engagement with the retaining element 82.

As shown in FIG. 5, when it is necessary to open the umbrella, the push button 12 is pressed manually and the holding part 121 exits the holding hole 61 to release the slider 60. At this time, the central spring 33 is affected by the central spring 40 to move it from the folded position in the extended position. Meanwhile, by holding the held member 82 in the held state, the first direction changing member 83 is pulled upward by the first cord portion 813 to move to the second direction changing member 84 in order to move the upper stem 32 to the extended position while the slider 60 moves from a distant position to a near position, thereby revealing the mechanism 70 "spokes-spacers".

At this stage, the actuator 13 is rotated by the torsion spring 14 to the operating position when the engaging end 131 is engaged with the held member 82.

As shown in FIG. 6, when it is desired to close the umbrella, the push button 12 is manually pressed to move the actuator 13 and remove the held member 82 from the holding portion 311 in order to set the held member 82 to a free position. In the absence of a counteracting force applied to the first cord portion 813 by the held member 82, the first direction changing member 83 is released and can be lowered so that the upper stem 32 can move downward relative to the middle stem 33 to the retracted position, while the spoke mechanism 70 struts ”closes in the assembled position. In addition, the inner tube 34 moves downward and allows the abutment end 344 to rest on the held member 82.

In the case of applying manual pressure to move the upper sleeve 50 and the mounting housing 11 to each other to move the middle rod 33 relative to the lower rod 33 in the folded position, the inner tube 34 is moved down with the held element 82, so that the held element 82 is moved back to the held position. Meanwhile, the middle rod 33 is moved to shift the actuator 13 to the inoperative position, and the slider 60 is moved to the distant position and held in this position. Thus, the umbrella is fixed in the folded state, as shown in Fig.4.

As shown in FIG. 6, since the upper rod 32 can move downward relative to the middle rod 33 when the spacer mechanism 70 is in the assembled position, the compressive force required to fold the assembled central rod 30 is significantly reduced. Thus, the folding operation of the assembled central rod 30 can be carried out in a convenient manner that does not require the application of force, while minimizing the risk that the umbrella accidentally slips out of the user's hands during folding. In addition, since less biasing force is required to allow the central spring 40 to move the middle stem 33 relative to the lower stem 31 to the extended position, injury to the user is prevented.

In addition, since the first cord portion 813 is guided and passes through the longitudinal slot 342, the first direction changing element 83 can smoothly move without interfering with the movement of the middle and upper rods 33, 32 and the central spring 40.

Figures 8-10 show an automatic folding umbrella according to the second embodiment of the invention, similar in design to the umbrella according to the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the connecting end 343 'of the inner tube 34' is attached to the plug 33 G of the middle rod 33 ', and the tube extends downward in the middle rod 33', while the stop end 344 'does not extend beyond the lower end 335' of the middle rod 33 '.

Despite the fact that the present invention has been described by the example of the most appropriate and preferred embodiments, it should be understood that it is not limited to the described embodiments and encompasses various constructions corresponding to the essence and scope of the invention.

Claims (8)

1. Automatic folding umbrella containing a central assembly rod (30), including upper and lower rods (32, 31), which are telescopically connected to each other along the axis (L) and have upper and lower ends (320, 310), accordingly, at least one middle rod (33, 33 ') having upper and lower ends (334, 335, 335'), which are inserted and put on the above upper and lower rods (32, 31), respectively, and the inner tube (34, 34 ') having a connecting end (343, 343') arranged to move with one of the above upper or the middle rod (32, 33, 33 '), while the inner tube extends downward and ends with a stop end (344, 344'), and the lower rod (31) has a holding portion (311); a central spring (40) located in the lower rod (31) to displace the middle rod (33, 33 ') to move it relative to the lower rod (31) from the folded position to the extended position; an upper sleeve located at the upper end (320) of the upper rod (32); a slider (60), worn on the upper rod (32) and moving along the upper rod between the far and near positions relative to the upper sleeve (50);
a spacer mechanism (70) pivotally connecting the upper sleeve (50) and the slider (60) and moving from the assembled position to the open position when the slider (60) moves from the distant position to the near position;
a first force transmission unit (80) including a first direction changing element (83) located on the upper rod (32) and remote from its upper end, a second direction changing element (84) located on the middle rod (33, 33 ' ) near its upper end, a first cord (81) having a first attached end (811), tensioned with the upper end of the upper rod (32), a portion (813) of the first cord that extends downward from the first connecting end (811) in the upper stem (32), wound on the first and second elements (83, 84) changes to board and then lowers down into the inner tube (34, 34 ') and ends at the fixed end (812), and the held element (82) connected to the fixed end (812) and configured to move between the held and free states in which the held member (82) is held by the holding portion (311) and removed from it, respectively, so that when the middle rod (33, 33 ') is shifted to move from the folded position to the extended position, and the held member (82) is held in the held state then he first element (83) is pulled upward direction change part (813) for moving the first cord to the second element (84) for changing the direction of displacement of the upper rod (32) towards the open position; and when the held element (82) is displaced to the free state, the first direction changing element (83) is released and can move down, thereby allowing the upper rod (32) to move down relative to the middle rod (33, 33 ') in the retracted position, while the “spacer-spoke” mechanism (70) moves to the assembled position; and
a second force transmitting unit including a third direction changing element (94) located on the upper rod (32) near its upper end (320), and a second cord (90) having a second connected end (91) that is moved with tension with the middle stem (33, 33 '), and the part (93) of the second cord that extends upward from the second connected end (91) is wound onto the third direction changing element (94), then goes down and ends at the third connected end (92) ), which is connected to the slider (60), so that the slider (60) p forcibly relocated from the distal position into a proximal position when the upper stem (32) moves from the retracted position to the open position. 2. The automatic folding umbrella according to claim 1, in which the first, second and third elements (83, 84, 94) change direction are rollers mounted with the possibility of rotation on the upper rod (32) at a distance from the upper end (320), average the stem (33, 33 ') and the upper stem (32) near the upper end (320), respectively. 3. Automatic folding umbrella according to claim 2, in which the upper rod (32) has an outer channel (321) located offset from the axis (L) and allowing passage of part (813) of the first cord from the first connected end (811) of the first cord (81) to the first direction changing element (83) and winding a portion (813) of the first cord onto the first direction changing element (83); an inner tube (34, 34 ') surrounds the axis (L) and forms an inner channel (341) for accommodating a portion (813) of the first cord and a longitudinal slot (342) for communicating the outer channel (321) with the inner channel (341) for passing part (813) of the first cord. 4. Automatic folding umbrella according to claim 3, in which the connecting end (343) of the inner tube (34) is attached to the upper sleeve (50); the middle rod (33) has a plug (331) located at the upper end to secure the second directional element (84) on it and having a through hole (333) extending along the axis (L) so that the inner tube (34) could be mounted slidably through a through hole (333). 5. Automatic folding umbrella according to claim 4, in which the thrust end (344) of the inner tube (34) does not extend beyond the upper rod (32). 6. The automatic folding umbrella according to claim 3, in which the middle stem (33 ') has a plug (331') located at the upper end to secure the second direction changing element (84); the connecting end (343 ') of the inner tube (34') is attached to the plug (331 '), and the tube goes down in the middle stem (33') so that the stop end (344 ') does not extend beyond the lower end (335') middle stock (33 '). 7. Automatic folding umbrella according to claim 1, additionally containing a working unit (10), including:
an installation case (11) configured to install a lower end (310) of a lower rod (31) therein;
a push button (12) having a holding portion (121) designed to hold the slider (60) in a distant position when exposed to the biasing action of the central spring (40), and manually moved relative to the mounting housing (11), which allows the holding portion (121) release the slider (60); an actuator (13) mounted rotatably on the push button (12) and having an engaging end (131) that rotates between the inoperative position when it disengages from the held element (82) and the operating position when it enters engaged with the held element (82) so that in response to manually pressing the push button (12), the held element (82) is actuated to move from the held state to the free state; and
torsion spring (14), designed to displace the actuator (13) in the working position. 8. The automatic folding umbrella according to claim 7, in which the holding portion (121) and the actuator (13) are located opposite each other relative to the axis (L).

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