U.S. patent application number 09/895374 was filed with the patent office on 2003-01-02 for parasol with rechargeable battery device.
Invention is credited to Wu, Hung-Ming.
Application Number | 20030000559 09/895374 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25404419 |
Filed Date | 2003-01-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030000559 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wu, Hung-Ming |
January 2, 2003 |
Parasol with rechargeable battery device
Abstract
A parasol includes a shank, a rib assembly, a light collecting
member, a converting circuit, and a rechargeable battery device.
The rib assembly is mounted on an upper portion of the shank, and
has a canopy mounted thereon. The light collecting member is
mounted on the shank, and is used to receive sunlight and to
collect solar energy. The converting circuit is mounted on the
shank, is coupled electrically to the light collecting member, and
is operable so as to convert the solar energy collected by the
light collecting member into electrical energy. The rechargeable
battery device is mounted on the shank, is coupled electrically to
the converting circuit, and is charged by the electrical energy
from the converting circuit.
Inventors: |
Wu, Hung-Ming; (Chiayi
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
TOWNSEND AND TOWNSEND AND CREW, LLP
TWO EMBARCADERO CENTER
EIGHTH FLOOR
SAN FRANCISCO
CA
94111-3834
US
|
Family ID: |
25404419 |
Appl. No.: |
09/895374 |
Filed: |
June 29, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
135/16 ;
362/102 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F21V 23/0442 20130101;
A45B 2200/1027 20130101; A45B 2200/1009 20130101; F21S 9/03
20130101; F21V 33/006 20130101; A45B 3/04 20130101; H02J 7/35
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
135/16 ;
362/102 |
International
Class: |
A45B 003/02; A63B
015/02 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A parasol comprising: a shank having a lower portion adapted to
be mounted on a ground surface, and an upper portion opposite to
said lower portion; a rib assembly mounted on said upper portion of
said shank and having a canopy mounted thereon; a light collecting
member, mounted on said shank, for receiving sunlight and for
collecting solar energy; a converting circuit mounted on said shank
and coupled electrically to said light collecting member, said
converting circuit being operable so as to convert the solar energy
collected by said light collecting member into electrical energy;
and a rechargeable battery device mounted on said shank and coupled
electrically to said converting circuit, said rechargeable battery
device being charged by the electrical energy from said converting
circuit.
2. The parasol of claim 1, further comprising a lamp unit, mounted
on said shank and coupled electrically to said rechargeable battery
device, for generating a light output.
3. The parasol of claim 2, further comprising a sensor device
mounted on said shank and coupled electrically to said lamp unit,
said sensor device being adapted to sense ambient light conditions
and activating said lamp unit according to the ambient light
conditions sensed thereby.
4. The parasol of claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary battery
unit coupled electrically to said rechargeable battery device.
5. The parasol of claim 1, further comprising a load housing
mounted on said upper portion of said shank, said rib assembly
being connected to said load housing, said light collecting member
being mounted on said load housing, said converting circuit being
disposed in said load housing, said shank being hollow and having
said rechargeable battery device mounted therein.
6. The parasol of claim 5, wherein said load housing includes a
transparent container part having a closed bottom end mounted on
said upper portion of said shank, and an open top end, and a cover
part mounted on said open top end of said transparent container
part, said parasol further comprising a lamp unit mounted in said
load housing and coupled electrically to said rechargeable battery
device, said lamp unit being operable so as to generate a light
output.
7. The parasol of claim 6, further comprising a sensor device that
includes an ambient light sensor mounted on said cover part, and a
control circuit coupled electrically to said ambient light sensor
and said lamp unit, said ambient light sensor being adapted to
sense ambient light conditions and generating a control signal
corresponding to the ambient light conditions sensed thereby, said
control circuit controlling activation of said lamp unit in
response to the control signal received thereby from said ambient
light sensor.
8. The parasol of claim 7, wherein said ambient light sensor is a
light sensitive resistor.
9. The parasol of claim 5, further comprising an auxiliary battery
unit coupled electrically to said rechargeable battery device and
disposed externally of said shank.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a parasol, particularly to one with
a rechargeable battery device.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] The conventional parasol is generally designed to provide
protection against sunlight and rain, and is not capable of
supplying electrical power to an electrical load.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to
provide a parasol with a rechargeable battery device for supplying
electrical power to an electrical load.
[0006] Accordingly, a parasol of this invention comprises a shank,
a rib assembly, a light collecting member, a converting circuit,
and a rechargeable battery device. The shank has a lower portion
adapted to be mounted on a ground surface, and an upper portion
opposite to the lower portion. The rib assembly is mounted on the
upper portion of the shank, and has a canopy mounted thereon. The
light collecting member is mounted on the shank, and is used to
receive sunlight and to collect solar energy. The converting
circuit is mounted on the shank, is coupled electrically to the
light collecting member, and is operable so as to convert the solar
energy collected by the light collecting member into electrical
energy. The rechargeable battery device is mounted on the shank, is
coupled electrically to the converting circuit, and is charged by
the electrical energy from the converting circuit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent in the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings,
of which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of
a parasol according to the present invention;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a fragmentary partly sectional view of the
preferred embodiment; and
[0010] FIG. 3 is a schematic circuit block diagram of the preferred
embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0011] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the preferred embodiment of a
parasol 100 according to the present invention is shown to comprise
a shank 1, a rib assembly 12, a light collecting member 2, a
converting circuit 3, a rechargeable battery device 4, an auxiliary
battery unit 5, a lamp unit 6, and a sensor device 7. The shank 1
is hollow, has a lower portion 101 adapted to be mounted on a
ground surface, and an upper portion 102 opposite to the lower
portion 101. A load housing 13 is mounted threadedly on the upper
portion 102 of the shank 1, and includes a transparent container
part 131 and a cover part 132. The transparent container part 131
has an open top end 1312 and a closed bottom end 1311 mounted on
the upper portion 102 of the shank 1. The cover part 132 is mounted
on the open top end 1312 of the transparent container part 131.
[0012] The rib assembly 12 is connected to the load housing 13 for
mounting the same on the upper portion 102 of the shank 1, and has
a canopy 121 mounted thereon.
[0013] The light collecting member 2 is mounted on an outer side of
the cover part 132 of the load housing 13 for receiving sunlight
and for collecting solar energy, and includes a light collecting
plate 21. Since the construction and operating principle of the
light collecting plate 21 are known in the art, a detailed
description of the light collecting plate 21 will be dispensed with
herein for the sake of brevity.
[0014] The converting circuit 3 is mounted on an inner side of the
cover part 132 so as to be disposed in the load housing 13 of the
shank 1, is coupled electrically to the light collecting member 2
via wires (not shown ), and is operable so as to convert the solar
energy collected by the light collecting member 2 into electrical
energy.
[0015] The rechargeable battery device 4 is mounted in the shank 1,
and has an input end 41 and an output end 42. The input end 41 is
coupled electrically to the converting circuit 3 by means of
conductive wires (not shown ) in the shank 1, and is charged by the
electrical energy from the converting circuit 3. The output end 42
is used for providing an electrical output.
[0016] The auxiliary battery unit 5, which is rechargeable in the
preferred embodiment, is coupled electrically to the rechargeable
battery device 4, is used to store more electrical energy, and is
disposed near the lower portion 101 and externally of the shank 1.
The lamp unit 6 is mounted on the bottom end 1311 of the container
part 131 of the load housing 13, includes a light bulb 61, and is
coupled electrically to the output end 42 of the rechargeable
battery device 4. As such, the light bulb 61 can operate to emit
light. The sensor device 7 is mounted on the cover part 132 of the
load housing 13, and couples electrically the output end 42 of the
rechargeable battery device 4 to the lamp unit 6. The sensor device
7 includes an ambient light sensor 71 and a control circuit 72. In
this embodiment, the ambient light sensor 71 is a light sensitive
resistor exposed to the exterior of the load housing 13.
Preferably, the control circuit 72 and the converting circuit 3 are
mounted on a single circuit board 1321, which in turn is mounted on
the inner side of the cover part 132. The ambient light sensor 71
is adapted to sense ambient light conditions, and generates a
control signal corresponding to the ambient light conditions sensed
thereby in a known manner. The control circuit 72 is coupled
electrically to the ambient light sensor 71, and activates the
light bulb 61 of the lamp unit 6 in response to the control signal
received thereby from the ambient light sensor 71.
[0017] With further reference to FIG. 3, in use, the light
collecting member 2 collects the solar energy during daytime, and
the collected solar energy is converted into electrical energy by
the converting circuit 3. The electrical energy is stored in the
rechargeable battery device 4 and the auxiliary battery unit 5. The
sensor device 7 activates the lamp unit 6 according to the ambient
light conditions sensed thereby.
[0018] The auxiliary battery unit 5 is optional in the parasol of
this invention. Furthermore, an electrical socket (not shown ) can
be connected electrically to the rechargeable battery device 4 and
the auxiliary battery unit 5 to permit the supply of electrical
power to other electrical appliances, such as radios and electric
fans.
[0019] While the present invention has been described in connection
with what is considered the most practical and preferred
embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to
the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various
arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest
interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and
equivalent arrangements.
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