U.S. patent application number 10/153771 was filed with the patent office on 2003-11-27 for ferrule for illuminating umbrella.
Invention is credited to Wu, Tsun-Zong.
Application Number | 20030218876 10/153771 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29548713 |
Filed Date | 2003-11-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030218876 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wu, Tsun-Zong |
November 27, 2003 |
Ferrule for illuminating umbrella
Abstract
A ferrule for umbrella is made of a light-transmissible material
and defines an internal space for accommodating a light-emitting
element mounted on a top of the umbrella. The ferrule is fixedly
connected to a top of a shaft or an upper hub of the umbrella and
is characterized in that at least a part of outer and inner
surfaces of the ferrule is provided with a plurality of
protrusions. The protrusions function like lens to diffract and
scatter light emitted from the light-emitting element to create an
enhanced illuminating effect, enabling the umbrella to have a
bright illuminating source that provides good visually warning
effect.
Inventors: |
Wu, Tsun-Zong; (Taipei,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Tsun-Zong WU
PO Box 82-144
TAIPEI
TW
|
Family ID: |
29548713 |
Appl. No.: |
10/153771 |
Filed: |
May 24, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
362/102 ;
362/225; 362/806 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45B 3/04 20130101; A45B
2200/1018 20130101; A45B 9/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
362/102 ;
362/806; 362/225 |
International
Class: |
A45B 003/02 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A ferrule being fixedly connected to a top of an umbrella to
enclose a light-emitting element mounted on the top of the
umbrella, comprising a body made of a light-transmissible material
and defining an internal space for receiving said light-emitting
element therein, and a plurality of protrusions provided on at
least a part of outer and inner surfaces of said body.
2. The ferrule for umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
protrusions are provided on an inner surface of said body of said
ferrule.
3. The ferrule for umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
protrusions are provided on an outer surface of said body of said
ferrule.
4. The ferrule for umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
protrusions are formed along spiral grooves that are spirally
provided on said body of said ferrule.
5. The ferrule for umbrella as claimed in claim 4, wherein said
spiral grooves are formed by providing a pattern including
right-handed and left-handed spiral lines on said body of said
ferrule.
6. The ferrule for umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
protrusions are a plurality of axially extended and curve-sectioned
raised strips.
7. The ferrule for umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
protrusions are a plurality of circumferentially extended and
curve-sectioned raised strips.
8. The ferrule for umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
protrusions form convex lens on the outer surface of said body of
said ferrule.
9. The ferrule for umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
protrusions are formed by providing concave pits on the outer
surface of said body of said ferrule.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a ferrule for an
illuminating umbrella, and more particularly to a ferrule that is
able to enhance the illuminating effect of the illuminating
umbrella.
[0002] An illuminating umbrella refers to an umbrella having a
light-emitting element fixedly mounted on a top thereof. The
light-emitting element is usually enclosed in a ferrule fixedly
connected to the top of the umbrella. The ferrule is made of a
transparent or semitransparent material. When the light-emitting
element enclosed in the ferrule is powered by a power source
provided in a handle of the umbrella to emit light, the emitted
light is projected outward via the ferrule.
[0003] Generally, an illuminating umbrella uses an LED as its
light-emitting element to emit only considerably weak light. And,
the conventional ferrule for the illuminating umbrella is simply a
hollow cylindrical member or a hollow tapered member for
protectively covering the light-emitting element. The ferrule
itself does not function to enhance the illuminating effect
provided by the light-emitting element. Therefore, the illuminating
umbrella using the conventional ferrule does not provide good
illuminating effect, particularly at streets having a lot of
intensive illuminating sources. On the other hand, an illuminating
umbrella that provides a bright illuminating source that can be
clearly seen even at well-illuminated streets would no doubt
provide better protection to a user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] A primary object of the present invention is to provide a
ferrule for an illuminating umbrella, so that light emitting from a
light source of the umbrella is largely enhanced when it is
projected outward via the ferrule, enabling the illuminating
umbrella to be clearly seen even at well-illuminated streets and
serve as a good visually warning means.
[0005] The ferrule for illuminating umbrella according to the
present invention is made of a light-transmissible material and
defines an internal space for accommodating the light-emitting
element mounted on a top of the umbrella. The ferrule is fixedly
connected to a top of a shaft or an upper hub of the umbrella and
is characterized in that at least a part of outer and inner
surfaces of the ferrule is provided with a plurality of
protrusions. The protrusions function like lens to diffract and
scatter the light emitted from the light-emitting element to create
an enhanced illuminating effect, enabling the umbrella to have a
bright illuminating source that provides good visually warning
effect.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The structure and the technical means adopted by the present
invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best
understood by referring to the following detailed description of
the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings,
wherein
[0007] FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a ferrule
for an illuminating umbrella according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of an illuminating
umbrella with the ferrule of FIG. 1, wherein the umbrella is
stretched but not illuminated;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of an illuminating
umbrella with the ferrule of FIG. 1, wherein the umbrella is
stretched and illuminated;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, enlarged, and partially sectioned
view of a handle for the illuminating umbrella shown in FIGS. 2 and
3;
[0011] FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram that enables an illuminating
source of the illuminating umbrella of FIGS. 2 and 3 to flash
automatically; and
[0012] FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram that enables an illuminating
source of the illuminating umbrella of FIGS. 2 and 3 to light
continuously.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] Please refer to FIG. 1 that is a partially cutaway
perspective view of a ferrule 1 for an illuminating umbrella
according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 that is
a fragmentary plan view of an illuminating umbrella 10 with the
ferrule 1 of FIG. 1, wherein the umbrella 10 is stretched but not
illuminated; FIG. 3 that is a fragmentary plan view of the
illuminating umbrella 10 with the ferrule 1 of FIG. 1, wherein the
umbrella 10 is stretched and illuminated; FIG. 4 that is a
fragmentary, enlarged, and partially sectioned view of a handle 11
for the illuminating umbrella 10 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3; FIG. 5
that is a circuit diagram enabling an illuminating source of the
illuminating umbrella 10 to flash automatically; and FIG. 6 that is
a circuit diagram enabling an illuminating source of the
illuminating umbrella 10 to light continuously.
[0014] In the present invention, at least a part of inner and outer
surfaces of the ferrule 1 is provided with a plurality of
protrusions. The ferrule 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 is made of a
light-transmissible material, that is, a semitransparent material,
and defines an internal space 1c for accommodating a light-emitting
element therein. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the
protrusions provided on the ferrule 1 include a plurality of
curve-sectioned strips 1a raised from an outer surface of the
ferrule 1, and a female spiral thread 1b provided on an inner
surface of the ferrule 1. A part of the female spiral thread 1b may
serve to screw the ferrule 1 to an upper hub of the umbrella
10.
[0015] The raised strips 1a and the female spiral thread 1b may be
provided on any surface of the ferrule 1. That is, the raised
strips 1a and the female spiral thread 1b may be provided on either
the outer or the inner surface of the ferrule 1, or on both outer
and inner surfaces of the ferrule 1.
[0016] FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate an illuminating umbrella 10 using
the ferrule 1 shown in FIG. 1. The illustrated umbrella 10 is a
manually controlled stick umbrella having a handle 11, a handle cap
12, a shaft 13, an upper hub 14, a movable lower hub 15, a set of
ribs 16, a set of stretchers 17, tips 18, gores 19, and a
light-emitting circuit 20. The light-emitting circuit 20 includes a
light-emitting element 21, such as an LED, batteries 22, a switch
23, a controlling IC chip 24, wires 25 arranged in the shaft 13,
and a spring 26.
[0017] Wires 25 are extended from terminals of the batteries 22 to
the LED 21 via the switch 23 and the controlling IC chip 24 to form
an electric circuit.
[0018] When the switch 23 is ON, the controlling IC chip 24 is
actuated. At this point, power is intermittently supplied from the
batteries 22 to the LED 21, so that the LED 21 flashes. And, when
the switch 23 is OFF, the LED 21 does not emit light.
[0019] The controlling IC chip 24 may be replaced with a fixed
resistor 27, as shown in FIG. 6. In this case, when the switch 23
is ON, the LED 21 will emit light continuously.
[0020] Although a manually controlled stick umbrella is shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3, it is understood that the illuminating umbrella of
the present invention may be other known type of umbrella, such as
self-opening umbrella, folding umbrella, etc.
[0021] The illustrated ferrule 1 for umbrella is made of a
colorless or colored light-transmissible material and has a
plurality of curve-sectioned raised strips 1a provided on its outer
surface and a female spiral thread 1b provided on its inner
surface. The light emitted from the LED 21 is scattered by the
raised strips 1a and the spiral thread 1b, indirectly making the
entire ferrule 1 an illuminating body. That is, a full length of
the ferrule 1 is illuminated. When viewing from a distance, the
entire ferrule 1 looks like a considerably large illuminating body
to illuminate continuously or intermittently. Weak light from the
one single point of LED 21 is enhanced by the ferrule 1 to form a
large illuminating volume and provide enhanced illuminating and,
accordingly, good visually warning effect.
[0022] Therefore, the illuminating umbrella 10 having the ferrule 1
of the present invention mounted thereto provides very good
illuminating effect, even at streets having a lot of illuminating
sources. The illuminated ferrule 1 on the umbrella 10 can be
quickly identified by car drivers, motorcycle riders and cyclists,
and is therefore very helpful in terms of traffic safety.
[0023] The protrusions provided on the ferrule 1 are not
necessarily limited to the raised strips 1a on the outer surface
and the female spiral thread 1b on the inner surface of the ferrule
1 as the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1. The raised strips 1a
having a curve cross section may also be otherwise provided on the
inner surface of the ferrule 1 while the female spiral thread 1b is
provided on the outer surface of the ferrule 1. Again, it is
acceptable to provide the raised strips 1a and the spiral thread 1b
on any one of the outer and the inner surface of the ferrule 1.
Moreover, areas on the surfaces of the ferrule 1 for forming the
protrusions 1a, 1b may also be changed. And, various cross sections
may be designed for the protrusions 1a, 1b and grooves between
adjacent protrusions.
[0024] That is, the protrusions on the ferrule 1 of the present
invention may be formed from one or more adjacent spiral threads
and spiral grooves. The protrusions 1a, 1b may have a trapezoidal,
a triangular, or a round cross section.
[0025] The above-mentioned spiral grooves or protrusions may be
left-handed or right-handed inclined spiral grooves or threads.
[0026] In another embodiment, the protrusions may be a plurality of
curve-sectioned raised strips extended in parallel with the shaft
13.
[0027] The plurality of curve-sectioned raised strips may also be
otherwise horizontally arranged to be closely adjacent to one
another, or be parallelly spaced from one another at fixed
intervals.
[0028] The grooves formed between the raised strips or threads may
also be otherwise provided in checkered or diagonally latticed
patterns.
[0029] Moreover, the protrusions are not necessarily limited to
parallelly arranged raised strips but may be patterns showing
dispersed beads, convex dots, or concave pits.
[0030] That is, the protrusions may have a convex cross section by
forming a plurality of dispersed beads or a latticed pattern on the
outer surface of the ferrule 1.
[0031] Alternatively, the ferrule 1 may be formed on its outer
surface with a plurality of concave pits, so that relatively higher
lands between adjacent pits form the protrusions.
[0032] In brief, the ferrule 1 of the present invention is provided
on its inner and/or outer surface with orderly or randomly arranged
dots and/or pits that function like lens and prisms, so as to
diffract and/or scatter the light emitted from the light-emitting
element 21 and make the ferrule 1 brightly illuminated and clearly
visible from a distance. Therefore, the illuminating umbrella 10
with the ferrule 1 of the present invention provides good
illuminating and visually warning effect, even at streets having a
lots of illuminating sources, and can be clearly identified by car
drivers, motorcycle riders, and cyclists to be helpful in terms of
traffic safety.
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