Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BLUETOOTH AUDIO DEVICE FOR MOUNTING ON AN UMBRELLA SHAFT
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a Bluetooth audio and
particularly to a Bluetooth audio that is selectively installable
on an umbrella shaft of an umbrella.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Outdoor activities are very popular these days. During
holidays many people have flocked to parks or forests to be
close to nature for a change. Various types of outdoor
furniture also have been developed and marketed to suit this
trend, such as parasols, folding tables and chairs, portable
cooking facilities and the like. Take parasol as an example. It
mainly provides a shade area for people to rest and fend off
sunshine. The conventional parasols mostly provide merely
sunshade function. Some vendors now have tried to attach
furniture to the parasol to improve its usability.
For instance, U.S. patent Nos. 7,134,762 and 7,497,583
disclose a light providing apparatus attachable to umbrella.
The light providing apparatus includes a body, a clamping
device, a light source and a power supply unit. The body has
an inner wall and an opening to hold the umbrella. The
clamping device is located on the inner wall facing the
opening with a front end movable against the inner wall
through a spring. Thus the light providing apparatus can be
attached to the umbrella. Although the aforesaid technique
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provides a clamping structure installable on the umbrella, the
holding strength of the clamping device on the umbrella
depends on the elastic force of the spring. In the event that the
elastic force weakens the clamping device cannot securely
clamp the umbrella, then the light providing apparatus could
be shaking against the umbrella. Moreover, the clamping
device and the umbrella of the aforesaid technique are in
contact with each other for merely a small area, hence it still
leaves a lot to be desired in terms of the force for anchoring
on the umbrella.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to solve the
problem of the conventional structure of unable to provide
steady holding on the umbrella.
To achieve the foregoing object the present invention
provides a Bluetooth audio that can be selectively installed on
an umbrella shaft of an umbrella. The BluetoothTm audio
includes an audio body, a coupling shell and a clamp device.
The audio body includes an installation recess which has an
installation space for installing the umbrella shaft, a housing
space formed inside, a Bluetooth module located in the
housing space to form information link with an external
electronic device through a Bluctooth file transmission
protocol to receive an audio signal, a loudspeaker module to
form information link with the Bluetooth module to receive
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..
the audio signal and output music, and at least one first power
terminal located on one side of the installation recess and
faced the installation space to form electrical connection with
the Bluetooth module. The installation recess has a closed end
corresponding to the substantial center of the audio body and
an open end located at the edge of the audio body
corresponding to the closed end. The coupling shell can be
selectively placed in the installation space through the open
end and installed in the installation recess to close the open
end to confine and position the umbrella shaft at the closed
end. The coupling shell includes a power supply module
disposed therein to store working power and a second power
terminal electrically connected to the power supply module
and formed electrical contact with the first power terminal
when the coupling shell is installed in the installation recess
to supply the working power stored in the power supply
module to the Bluetooth module and the loudspeaker module.
The clamp device is located on the audio body corresponding
to the closed end and includes a clamp member located in the
installation space and controllable to slide to a first position or
a second position to release or clamp the umbrella shaft, and
an operation member connected to the clamp member and
operable by a user's hand to move the clamp member.
In one aspect the audio body has a first surface faced an
umbrella panel of the umbrella and a second surface remote
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from the umbrella panel.
In another aspect the clamp device is located on the first
surface of the audio body.
In yet another aspect the audio body includes a plurality of
lighting elements disposed on the second surface and received
the working power from the first power terminal to emit light.
In yet another aspect the lighting elements are located
annularly on the edge of the audio body.
In yet another aspect the Bluetooth module and the
lighting elements are located on a same circuit board.
In yet another aspect the audio body has an installation
cavity on the second surface to hold the clamp device.
In yet another aspect the operation member includes a
poking portion exposed outside of the first surface and
operable by a user and the audio body has a confining track to
confine a movement of the poking portion when operated by
the user.
In yet another aspect the clamp member includes a first
segment fixedly located in the installation recess, a second
segment hinged on the first segment and capable of sliding
between the first position and the second position, and an
elastic element abutting respectively the first segment and the
second segment to provide a return force to position the
second segment at the first position in normal conditions.
In yet another aspect the first segment has a first elastic
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pad at one side facing the second segment, and the second
segment has a second elastic pad at one side thereof facing the
first segment.
In yet another aspect the audio body has a loudspeaker
opening formed on the second surface corresponding to the
loudspeaker module to output music outside the audio body.
In yet another aspect the audio body includes a first half
shell and a second half shell that are coupled with each other.
In yet another aspect the audio body has at least one
confining cavity on one side of the installation recess facing
the installation space, and the coupling shell has at least one
latch member to latch in the confining cavity to form a
confining relationship between therewith when the coupling
shell is installed in the installation recess.
In yet another aspect the coupling shell has an operation
button connected to the latch member that is operable by the
user to release the confining relationship between the latch
member and the confining cavity.
Through the structure set forth above, compared with the
conventional techniques, the invention provides features as
follows:
With the clamp member operable by user's hand, and the clamp
member formed surface contact with the umbrella shaft after
installation, the audio body can be securely installed on the
umbrella shaft.
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The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and
advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent
from the following detailed description, which proceeds with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the invention
in an implementation condition.
FIG. 2 is fragmentary schematic view-1 of the structure of an
embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3 is fragmentary schematic view-2 of the structure of an
embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 4 is fragmentary schematic view-3 of the structure of an
embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 5A is schematic view-1 of the assembly process of an
embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 5B is schematic view-2 of the assembly process of an
embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 5C is schematic view-3 of the assembly process of an
embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENTS
Please referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, the present
invention aims to provide a Bluetooth audio 1 which can be
selectively installed on an umbrella shaft 91 of an umbrella 9.
The Bluetooth audio 1 includes an audio body 10, a coupling
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' .
shell 20 and a clamp device 30. The audio body 10 can be
formed by coupling a first half shell 11 and a second half shell
12 with each other, and includes a housing space 13, an
installation recess 14 to form an installation space 15 for
installing the umbrella shaft 91, a Bluetooth module 16
located in the housing space 13, a loudspeaker module 17
connected to the Bluetooth module 16, and at least one first
power terminal 18 located on one side of the installation
recess 14 and faced the installation space 15 to form electrical
connection with the Bluetooth module 16. More specifically,
the audio body 10 has a first surface 101 faced an umbrella
panel 92 of the umbrella 9, and a second surface 102 remote
from the umbrella panel 92. The audio body 10 also has a
plurality of lighting elements 103 scattered on the second
surface 102 to get working power from the first power
terminal 18 to emit light. In one embodiment the lighting
elements 103 are located annularly on the edge of the audio
body 10. The lighting elements 103 can be located on a same
circuit board 8 with the Bluetooth module 16. The circuit
board 8 can be adjusted according to the profile of the audio
body 10. For instance, in the event that the audio body 10 is
circular, the circuit board 8 can be formed in an arched shape
to mate the audio body 10. Moreover, the installation recess
14 has a closed end 141 corresponding to the substantial
center of the audio body 10 and an open end 142 located on
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_ ,i =
the edge of the audio body 10 corresponding to the closed end
141. The Bluetooth module 16 forms an information link with
an external electronic device (not shown in the drawings)
through a Bluetooth file transmission protocol to receive an
5 audio signal. The external electronic device can be a notebook
computer, a handheld mobile phone or the like. The
loudspeaker module 17 forms another information link with
the Bluetooth module 16 via an electric line to receive the
audio signal to intensify sound and output music. In addition,
the audio body 10 has a loudspeaker opening 104 on the
second surface 102 corresponding to the loudspeaker module
17 to output the music outside the audio body 10.
In practice, the coupling shell 20 can be designed
according to the profile of the installation recess 14 so that it
15 can be selectively placed in the installation space 15 via the
open end 142 and installed in the installation recess 14 to
close the open end 142 and confine the umbrella shaft 91 at
the closed end 141. The coupling shell 20 has a power supply
module 21 located inside to store working power, and a
20 second power terminal 22 electrically connected to the power
supply module 21 and formed electric contact with the first
power terminal 18 when the coupling shell 20 is installed in
the installation recess 14 to supply the stored working power
from the power supply module 21 to the Bluetooth module 16
25 and the loudspeaker module 17. Furthermore, the power
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supply module 21 can be a battery to provide the working
power. In addition, the coupling shell 20 can also be
selectively coupled with the installation recess 14. In order to
confine the coupling shell 20 in the installation recess 14 at a
desired position, in one embodiment the audio body 10 has at
least one confining cavity 143, and the coupling shell 20 has
at least one latch member 201. The confining cavity 143 is
located on one side of the installation recess 14 facing the
installation space 15. The latch member 201 corresponds to
the confining cavity 143 to form a confining relationship
therewith when the coupling shell 20 is installed in the
installation space 15. Namely, when the coupling shell 20 is
sliding in the installation space 15 the latch member 201 sinks
into the confining cavity 143 so that the coupling shell 20
cannot continuously slide and is confined at a desired
position. In addition, the coupling shell 20 further has an
operation button 202 connected to the latch member 201 to be
operated by a user to release the confining relationship
between the latch member 201 and the confining cavity 143.
More specifically, the latch member 201 and the operation
button 202 can be linked in movement through a mechanical
structure. In one embodiment the latch member 201 can be
driven by the operation button 202 to move reciprocally
against the surface of the coupling shell 20. Thus, when the
operation button 202 is operated by the user it drives the latch
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member 201 away from the confining cavity 143 and escaping
therefrom so that coupling shell 20 is movable again in the
installation space 15.
Also referring to FIGS. 1 through 4 again, the clamp
device 30 is located on the audio body 10 corresponding to the
closed end 141 of the installation recess 14. More specifically,
the clamp device 30 is located on the first surface 101 of the
audio body 10, and includes a clamp member 33 located in the
installation space 15 and controllable to slide between a first
position 31 and a second position 32, and an operation
member 34 connected to the clamp member 33 and operable
by user's hand to drive the clamp member 33. Furthermore,
the first position 31 means the location of the clamp member
33 in the installation space 15, and the second position 32
means the clamp member 33 is moved and skewed to one side
of the installation recess 14 to release the umbrella shaft 91.
In addition, the clamp member 33 has a first segment 331
fixedly located in the installation recess 14, a second segment
332 hinged on the first segment 331 and capable of sliding
between the first position 31 and the second position 32, and
an elastic element 333 to abut the first segment 331 and the
second segment 332 and provide a return force to position the
second segment 332 at the first position in normal conditions.
In another embodiment the first segment 331 has a first elastic
pad 334 at one side facing the second segment 332, and the
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second segment 332 has a second elastic pad 335 at one side
facing the first segment 331. When the first elastic pad 334
and the second elastic pad 335 are in contact with the
umbrella shaft 91 a friction force is generated to securely hold
the Bluetooth audio 1 on the umbrella shaft 91. The first
elastic pad 334 and the second elastic pad 335 can be rubber
products. In yet another embodiment the audio body 10 has an
installation cavity 19 on the second surface 102 to hold the
clamp device 30. The installation cavity 19 makes the clamp
device 30 at an elevation same as the second surface 102 upon
being placed therein so that the clamp device 30 does not
notably expose outside the Bluetooth audio 1 to enhance
appeal of the Bluetooth audio 1. In addition, in yet another
embodiment the operation member 34 has a poking portion
341 exposed outside the first surface 101 and operable by the
user, and the audio body 10 has a confining track 105 to
confine the movement locus of the poking portion 341 when it
is operated by the user.
Please referring to FIGS. 1 and 5A through 5C, the
Bluetooth audio 1 can be installed on the umbrella shaft 91 of
different diameters. During assembly, first, separate the
coupling shell 20 and the audio body 10 to release the closed
installation space 15; next, place the umbrella shaft 91 in the
installation space 15 through the open end 142, meanwhile
user maneuvers the operation member 34 to move the clamp
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member 33 temporarily from the first position 31 to the
second position 32; then moves the operation member 34
again after the umbrella shaft 91 is held at the closed end 141
of the installation space 15 to move the clamp member 33
from the second position 32 to the first position 31; during
moving of the clamp member 33 to the first position 31, it
clamps the umbrella shaft 91 so that the second segment 332
forms surface contact with the umbrella shaft 91 to securely
hold the audio body 10 on the umbrella shaft 91. Then the
coupling shell 20 can be placed into the installation space 15
through the open end 142 with the front end thereof abutting
the umbrella shaft 91, thereby the umbrella shaft 91 is firmly
confined by the closed end 142 of the installation space 15. As
a result, the Bluetooth audio 1 can be installed on the
umbrella shaft 91.
As a conclusion, the Bluetooth audio of the invention can
be selectively installed on an umbrella shaft, and includes an
audio body, a coupling shell and a clamp device. The audio
body has an installation recess to form an installation space
and allow the umbrella shaft to be installed inside. The
installation recess has a closed end corresponding to the
substantial center of the audio body and an open end
corresponding to the closed end and located at the edge of the
audio body. The coupling shell can selectively enter
installation space through the open end and be installed in the
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installation recess to close the open end and confine the
umbrella shaft at the closed end. The clamp device is located
in the audio body corresponding to the closed end and is
operable by a user to clamp the umbrella shaft, thereby the
Bluetooth audio can be securely held on the umbrella shaft.
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