U.S. patent application number 09/759705 was filed with the patent office on 2002-07-18 for reel for a suspended sunshade.
Invention is credited to Lin, Steve.
Application Number | 20020092944 09/759705 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25056651 |
Filed Date | 2002-07-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020092944 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lin, Steve |
July 18, 2002 |
REEL FOR A SUSPENDED SUNSHADE
Abstract
A reel has a housing, an axle, a handle, a wheel and a friction
element. The friction element is mounted in the housing and presses
against the wheel. The friction element is made of an elastic
material. The friction element includes an inverse U-shaped base
and a protruding contact pad extending up from the base portion to
press against the outer edge of the wheel. Consequently, the wheel
can be stopped in any desired position by the friction element, and
the degree to which the canopy can be expanded is controlled. The
use of the suspended sunshade becomes more versatile.
Inventors: |
Lin, Steve; (Chiayi Hsien,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Kolisch, Hartwell, Dickinson, McCormack & Heuser
520 S.W. Yamhill Street, Suite 200
Portland
OR
97204-1378
US
|
Family ID: |
25056651 |
Appl. No.: |
09/759705 |
Filed: |
January 12, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
242/396.6 ;
135/20.3; 242/395 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45B 23/00 20130101;
A45B 25/14 20130101; B65H 2701/537 20130101; A45B 2023/0012
20130101; A45B 2023/0081 20130101; A45B 2023/0037 20130101; B65H
75/4428 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
242/396.6 ;
242/395; 135/20.3 |
International
Class: |
B65H 075/30; A45B
025/14 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A reel comprising: a housing; an axle rotatably mounted in the
housing and having a first end exposed from the housing and a
second end extending into the housing; a handle securely attached
to the first end of the axle; a wheel securely attached to the
second end of the axle; and a friction element located in the
housing and pressing against an outer edge of the wheel.
2. The reel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the friction element is
made of an elastic material and includes an inverse U-shaped base
and a protruding contact pad extending up from the base portion to
press against an outer edge of the wheel. cm 3. The reel as claimed
in claim 2, wherein the base has a length equal to an inner width
of the housing; the protruding contact pad has a length equal to
the base; and the friction element has a height larger than the
width of a gap defined between the inner wall of the housing and
the outer edge of the wheel.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a reel, and more
particularly to a reel for a suspended sunshade, which has a
friction element to stop the reel.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] A conventional sunshade comprises a base, a post, a frame
and a canopy. The post extends upward from the base. The frame is
foldable and mounted on the top of the post. The canopy is attached
to the frame to cover the frame. When the frame is expanded, the
canopy is simultaneously expanded to shade the sunlight. However,
because the canopy is arranged above the base, the space under the
canopy for the user to use is reduced because the base is in the
shaded area. Therefore, a suspended sunshade as shown in FIGS. 3
and 4 is provided to increase the useable space.
[0005] The conventional suspended sunshade comprises a base (40), a
post (41), a suspending rod (44), a tube (45), a frame (47), a
canopy (46) and a reel (50). The post (41) extends upward from the
base (40). The suspending rod (44) is pivotally connected to the
top of the post (41). A sleeve (42) is slidably mounted on the post
(41). A lever (43) is pivotally connected between the sleeve (42)
and one end of the suspending rod (44). The tube (47) extends
downward from the other end of the suspending rod (44). The frame
(47) is moveably and foldably attached to the tube (45). The canopy
(46) is attached to the frame (47) to cover the frame (47). The
reel (50) is mounted on the opposite end of the suspending rod (44)
from the tube (45). A cord (48) is connected between the reel (50)
and the frame (47) and extends through the suspending rod (44) and
tube (45).
[0006] With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the conventional reel (50)
for the suspended sunshade comprises a housing (52), an axle (54)
and a wheel (58). The housing (52) is attached to the end of the
suspending rod (44). The axle (54) is rotatably mounted in the
housing (52) and extends out from the housing (52). A handle (56)
is secured to the exposed end of the axle (54). The wheel (58) is
secured to the axle (54) and rotatably mounted in the housing (52).
One end of the cord (48) is securely connected to the wheel (58).
When the user rotates the handle (56), the axle (54) and the wheel
(58) will rotate with the handle (56). The cord (48) will be wound
around the wheel (58) or unwound from the wheel (58). This causes
the frame (47) to move relative to the tube (45) through the cord
(48), and the frame (47), and the canopy (46) will be folded or
expanded. In addition, a stop is arranged between the tube (45) and
the frame (47), such that the frame (47) and the canopy (46) are
held in the expanded position by the stop. Because the base (40)
and the post (41) are not under the canopy (46), the useable shaded
space under the canopy (46) is increased.
[0007] However, because the conventional reel (50) does not have a
friction element, the frame (47) and the canopy (46) can only be
completely folded or fully expanded. The degree to which the canopy
(46) is expanded is not controllable. The use of the suspended
sunshade is limited.
[0008] To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides
an improved reel for a suspended sunshade to mitigate or obviate
the aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The main objective of the invention is to provide an
improved reel with a friction element to hold the wheel in any
desired position so the degree to which the canopy of the suspended
sunshade is expanded is controllable. The reel comprises a housing,
an axle, a handle, a wheel and a friction element. The friction
element is mounted in the housing and presses against the wheel.
The friction element is made of an elastic material. The friction
element includes an inverse U-shaped base portion and a protruding
contact pad extending up from the base portion to press against the
wheel. Consequently, the wheel can be stopped in any desired
position by the friction element, and the degree to which the
canopy is expanded is controlled. The use of the suspended sunshade
becomes more versatile.
[0010] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the
invention will become more apparent from the following detailed
description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective of a reel in accordance
with the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a front plan view in partial section of the reel
in FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a suspended sunshade with a
conventional reel in accordance with the prior art;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a side plan view in partial section of the
suspended sunshade in FIG. 3; and
[0015] FIG. 5 is a front plan view in partial section of the
conventional reel in FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0016] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a reel in accordance with
the present invention comprises a housing (10), an axle (14), a
handle (16), a wheel (18) and a friction element (20). The housing
(10) is securely connected to one end of the suspending rod of a
suspended sunshade. The housing (10) has an opening, and a cover
(12) is attached to the opening to close the housing (10). The axle
(14) is rotatably mounted in the housing (10) and extends out from
the housing (10). The handle (16) is securely attached to the
exposed end of the axle (14). The wheel (18) is securely attached
to the axle (14) inside the housing (10). One end of a cord (19) of
the suspended sunshade extends into the housing (10) and is
securely connected to the wheel (18). The friction element (20) is
located in the housing (10) and presses against the outer edge of
the wheel (18). The friction element (20) is made of an elastic
material like rubber or silicon. The friction element (20) includes
an inverse U-shaped base (22) and a protruding contact pad (24).
The length of the base (22) is equal to the inner width of the
housing (10). The protruding contact pad (24) extends up from the
base (22) and has a length equal to that of the base (22). The
height of the friction element (20) is larger than the width of the
gap defined between the inner wall of the housing (10) and the
outer edge of the wheel (18). Consequently, when the friction
element (20) is mounted in the housing (10) between the inner wall
of the housing (10) and the outer edge of the wheel (18), the
inverse U-shaped base (22) will deform and be under a constant
restoration force. The friction element (20) will be securely held
in position, and the protruding contact pad (24) will tightly press
against the outer edge of the wheel (18).
[0017] When the user rotates the handle (16), the axle (14) and the
wheel (18) will rotate with the handle (16). The cord (19) will be
wound around the wheel (18) or unwound from the wheel (18), and the
canopy of the suspended sunshade will be folded or expanded.
Because the friction element (20) is mounted in the housing (10)
and abuts the wheel (18), the wheel (18) will stop rotating and be
held in position by the friction element (20) when the user stops
applying a rotational force to the handle (16). The wheel (18) can
stop at any desired position, such that the canopy can be expanded
to any desired degree. Consequently, the degree to which the canopy
of the suspended sunshade can be expanded is controllable. The use
of the suspended sunshade becomes more versatile.
[0018] Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the
present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description,
together with details of the structure and function of the
invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be
made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and
arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the
full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in
which the appended claims are expressed.
* * * * *