Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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I
A Simplified Fully Automatic Umbrella
Field of the_Invention
This application relates to a fully automatic umbrella, more
particularly to an umbrella having significantly simplified
construction.
Recently, a number of patent applications have been assigned to
the present inventor, which include Canadian Applns. 2047974 4,
2065226-8 and 2070871-9. Upon implementation, the present
inventor found that various disadvantages including too much of the
parts to be favorably manufactured and assembled should be overcome.
Summary of the Invention
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to overcome
the aforementioned disadvantages in the prior art and to provide a
noval fully automatic umbrella having significantly simplified
construction.
This object is achieved by a fully automatic umbrella according
to the present invention which comprises a shank consisting of an
inner and an outer tubes capable of relative sliding movement with
respect to each other, in which said inner tube having a middle
ring at upper section and an extension outreached over said middle
ring while said outer tube having a lower ring at upper ends, both~- - 25 tubes being provided with respective upper and lower aligned
apertures; an umbrella opening spring telescopically received within
said extension of said inner tube; a cylinder mounted around said
extension for relative sliding movement therewith and provided with
an upper ring at lower end; an umbrella closing spring
telescopically mounted around said inner tube in the limit between
said middle ring and the top end of said outer tube; a locking
mechanism consisting of an upper and a lower pawls to be
respectively locked into said upper and lower aligned apertures for
restricting said umbrella opening and closing springs at a locked
state, respectively; a canopy structure connected with said upper,
middle and lower rings correspondingly; a wire interconnected
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between said upper pawl and said lower ring for pushing and pulling
said upper pawl in movement; and a handle provided with an actuating
member for controlling the operation of opening and closing the
umbrella, respectively.
Brief Description of the Drawin~s
-- The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the
invention will be apparent from the following particular description
of preferred embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig.l is a ~artly sectional elevation illustrating the automatic
umbrella of the invention in the closing state;
Fig.2 is a partly sectional elevation illustrating the umbrella
in the preparative state before opeing; and
Fig.3 is a partly sectional elevation illustrating the umbrella -
in the opening state.
Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments
- Now, reference is made to Fig.l which shows that the present
invention mainly comprises a shank 1, an umbrella opening spring 2,
a cylinder 3, an umbrella closing spring 4, an upper pawl 5, a lower
pawl 6, a canopy structure 7, a wire 8 and a handle 9. ~ -~
m e shank 1 consists of an inner tube 11 and an outer tube 12
capable of relative sliding movement with respect to each other.
Said inner tube 11 is provided with a fixed middle ring 13 at upper
section. an extension 14 is outreached over said middle ring 13.
Said outer tube 12 is provided with a movable lower ring 15 which is
slidable in relation to said outer tube 12. Both inner and outer
tubes 11, 12 are provided with upper apertures 16, 17 and lower
apertures 18, 19, respectivley. In the preparative state as shown
in Fig.2, namely, when said inner tube 11 is flushed with said outer
tube 12 at both lower ends, said upper apertures 16 and 17 as well
as said lower apertures 18 and 19 are aligned to each other
respectively.
m e umbrella opening spring 2 is telescopically received within
said extension 14 of said inner tube 11. Said extension 14 is
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housed within a cylinder 3. Said cylinder 3 is slidable in relation
to said extension 14 in cooperation with the telexcopic action of
said opening spring 2. The cylinder 3 is provided with a fixed
upper ring 31 at lower end.
The umbrella closing spring 4 is telescopically mounted in the
limit between said middle ring 13 and the top end of said outer tube
12. Said outer tube 12 is slidable in relation to said inner tube
11 in cooperation with the telescopic action of said closing spring
Said upper and lower pawls 5,6 constitute a locking mechanism.
Said lower pawl 6 is resiliently secured at lower end of said inner
tube 11 by means of a hair spring 61, while said upper pawl 5 is
resiliently secured in a housing 52 similarly by means of a hair
spring 51 in which said housing 52 is, in turns, slidably movable
within said inner tube 11. Of course, said housing 52 is provided
with a slit for allowing the hook portion of said upper pawl 5
protruding out therethrough.
The wire 8 is interconnected between said upper pawl 5 and said
lower ring 15. the outer tube 12 has a longitudinal slot 20 below
said lower ring 15 while the inner tube 11 has also a longitudinal
slot 21 at corresponding intermediate section. The wire 8 is
deflected at upper end to pass through out of the aligned slots
20,21 and then bent returned to engage into said lower ring 15.
This wire 8 is so rigid that capable of pushing and pulling said
upper pawl 5.
The canopy structure 7 is just the same as conventional one so
that further description is not necessary and herewith omitted.
Anyway, each constituting rib is at one end pivotably connected to
said upper, middle and lower rings 31,13 and 15 correspondingly.
The handle 9 is mounted at lower end of the shank 1. In! the
handle 9 an actuating member 91 is provided with two protrusions,
namely, the umbrella opening and closing actuating portions 92 and
93, respectively, directing to said upper and lower apertures 17,19
of said outer tube 12.
Moreover, said lower ring 15 is optionally provided with a
locking means 22 to be locked into the correspondingly aligned lock
holes 23 and 24 in said inner and outer tubes 11 and 12,
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respectively, so as to support said lower ring 15 more stable and
thereby to prevent said canopy structure from slipping o~ by accident.
Before opening of the umbrella, a preparative action should be
taken by the user, for example, holding the handle 9 with one hand
and putting the end of the cylinder 3 against any surface of the
ground, a wall or another hand of himself. When a slight force is
applied by said one hand, then said outer tube 12 will be slidably
moved in relation to said inner tube 11 to cause said umbrella
closing spring 4 compressed. Since in the closing state of the
umbrella, the umbrella opening spring 2 is kept under the compressed
state, so that in the action of preparative operation only the
umbrella closing spring 4 is going to be compressed which is easily
accomplished by a slight force. The handle 9 brought by said
outer tube 12 is moved upwards in relation to said inner tube 11 to
push the locking means 22 of said lower ring 15 out of the
corresponding lock holes 23,23, until the upper and lower apertures
17 and 19 thereof are aligned with the upper and lower apertures 18
and 20, respectively. At this point, the upper pawl 5 is pushed
downwards by the wire 8 to lock into the aligned apertures 16 and 17
to restrict said umbrella opening spring 2 at compressed and locked
state while the lower pawl 6 brought by said inner tube 11 is simul-
taneously moved downwards in relation to said outer tube 12 until
locked into the alighed apertures 18 and 19 to restrict said
umbrella closing spring 4 at compressed and locked state, as
illustrated in Fig.2.
Under this preparative state, the umbrella can be opened any
time. When the thumb, for example, of the hand that holds the handle
9 presses upper side of the actuating mechanism 91, said upper pawl
5 is thus pressed down by the umbrella opening actuating portion 92
out of the aligned apertures 16 and 17, then the locked state of
said umbrella opening spring 2 is released. Thereby, said umbrella
opening spring 2 is expanded by its own accumulated energy when
compressed, then the cylinder 2 is moved upwards in relation to the
extension 14 of said inner tube 11 so as to open the canopy
structure 7. At the same time the lower ring 15 is moved upwards to
the top end of the outer tube 12, the locking member 22 is locked
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-- 5 --
into the aligned lock holes 23,24 and the upper pawl 5 is pulled
upwards by the wire 8. Now, the lower pawl 6 is kept under locked
state, as illustrated in Fig.3.
When the opened umbrella is going to be closed, the user only
needs to press the lower side of the actuating mechanicm 91, said
lower pawl 6 is thus pressed down by the umbrella closing actuating
portion 93 out of the lower aperture 19 of the outer tube 12, then
the locked state of said umbrella closing spring 4 is released.
Thereby, siad umbrella closing spring 4 is expanded by its own
accumulated energy when compressed, then the outer tube 12 is moved
downwards in relation to the inner tube 11 so as to close the canopy
strueture 7. At the same time, the umbrella opening spring 2 is ~
compressed and the lower pawl 6 is brought by the inner tube 11 ~- -
moved upwards a certain distance, returned to the state as
illustrated in Fig.l.
As mentioned above, the arrangement and construction of the
automatic umbrella according to the present invention are -~
significantly simplified, yet the structure is still sufficient
strong and stable. Furthermore, the operation is easy and positive,
20 and the production cost is greatly reduced. -
Although the invention has been described in detail with
reference to its presently preferred embodiment, it will be
understood by any person skilled in the art that various
modifications, changes and variations can be made without departing
25 from the spirit and scope of the invention. ~ ~ ~
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