U.S. patent application number 10/225248 was filed with the patent office on 2004-02-26 for umbrella having worm-gear based driving system.
Invention is credited to Ma, Joen-Shen.
Application Number | 20040035452 10/225248 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32471723 |
Filed Date | 2004-02-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040035452 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ma, Joen-Shen |
February 26, 2004 |
Umbrella having worm-gear based driving system
Abstract
An umbrella includes a center post having upper and lower
sections pivotally connected together. A crown is mounted to the
upper section. A number of ribs are pivoted to and radially extend
from the crown. A runner is movably mounted to the center post. A
stretcher is arranged between and pivoted to the runner and each
rib. A canopy is attached to and supported by the ribs. A worm-gear
based driving system converts the rotation of the worm caused by
manual operation into linear movement of a nut engaging a threaded
shaft of the gear. A link is arranged between and pivoted to the
nut and the upper section whereby the linear movement of the nut
drives the link to swivel the upper section relative to the lower
section about the pivotal connection between the upper and lower
sections. The worm-gear based driving system may also be employed
to move the runner with respect to the center post for
opening/closing the umbrella. The runner has a projection extending
through an axially-extending slit defined in the center post and
having an inner-threaded member engaging a threaded shaft of the
gear whereby the rotation of the worm is converted into linear
movement of the inner-threaded member and the runner with respect
to the center post for opening/closing the umbrella.
Inventors: |
Ma, Joen-Shen; (Taipei,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROSENBERG, KLEIN & LEE
3458 ELLICOTT CENTER DRIVE-SUITE 101
ELLICOTT CITY
MD
21043
US
|
Family ID: |
32471723 |
Appl. No.: |
10/225248 |
Filed: |
August 22, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
135/20.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45B 25/14 20130101;
A45B 2023/0012 20130101; A45B 23/00 20130101; A45B 2025/146
20130101; A45B 17/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
135/20.3 |
International
Class: |
A45B 011/00; A45B
017/00; A45B 023/00; A45B 025/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An umbrella comprising: an umbrella frame comprising: a center
post comprising an upper section and a lower section pivotally
connected to the upper section, a crown mounted to the upper
section of the center post, a number of ribs pivotally attached to
the crown and radially extending from the crown, a runner movable
along the center post, and a stretcher extending between and
pivotally connected to the runner and each rib; and a driving
system comprising: a worm rotatably supported in the lower section
and rotatable by a manual control device, a shaft extending
substantially in parallel to the lower section of the center post
and comprising a gear mounted thereto, the gear mating the worm,
the shaft having an external threading, a nut threadingly engaging
the external threading of the shaft whereby the rotation of the
worm is converted into linear movement of the nut along the shaft,
and a link having an end pivoted to the nut and an opposite end
pivoted to an extension of the upper section and offset from the
pivotal connection between the upper and lower section; whereby
rotating the worm by the manual control device drives the link to
swivel the upper section relative to the lower section about the
pivotal connection between the upper and lower sections.
2. The umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein the manual control
device comprises a rotation knob located outside the lower section
of the center post and mounted to the worm.
3. An umbrella comprising: an umbrella frame comprising: a center
post defining a slit extending substantially parallel thereto, a
crown mounted to the center post, a number of ribs pivotally
attached to the crown and radially extending from the crown, a
runner movable along the center post, the runner comprising a
projection extending through the slit into the center post, a
stretcher extending between and pivotally connected to the runner
and each rib; and a driving system comprising: a worm rotatably
supported in the center post and rotatable by a manual control
device, a shaft extending substantially in parallel to the center
post and comprising a gear mounted thereto, the gear mating the
worm, the shaft having an external threading, and a nut mounted to
the projection of the runner and threadingly engaging the external
threading of the shaft whereby the rotation of the worm is
converted into linear movement of the nut and the runner along the
shaft toward/away from the crown for opening/closing the
umbrella.
4. The umbrella as claimed in claim 3, wherein the manual control
device comprises a crank handle located outside the center post and
mounted to the worm.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention generally relates to a large-sized
umbrella, and in particular to a worm-gear based driving system
employed in the large-sized umbrella.
[0003] 2. The Related Art
[0004] Large-sized umbrellas are widely used in a variety of
applications, such as beach umbrellas and garden umbrellas. The
conventional large-sized umbrella comprises, in general, an upright
center post having a lower end mounted to ground and an upper end
to which a crown is fixed, a plurality of ribs pivoted to the crown
and radially extending from the crown, a runner slidably mounted to
the post and a plurality of stretchers arranged between and pivoted
to the ribs and the runner. When the runner is moved toward the
crown, the ribs are forced to open and expanding a flexible canopy
attached thereto. When the runner is moved away from the crown, the
umbrella is closed.
[0005] Conventionally, the runner is moved by a rope-pulley system
which winds/unwinds a rope connected to the runner for driving the
runner toward/away from the crown to open/close the umbrella. A
disadvantage of the rope-pulley based driving system is the
complicated structure thereof. In addition, the rope may be broken
after long term operation.
[0006] Some of the large-sized umbrellas have a multi-section
central post that comprises at least upper and lower sections
pivotally connected. The pivotal connection between the lower
section and the upper section allows the upper section that carries
the canopy to swivel to a desired angle with respect to the lower
section to direct the canopy toward the sunlight for better
shielding effect. Conventionally, the swiveling of the upper
section relative to the lower section is controlled by a
complicated and not really reliable structure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a
large-sized umbrella comprising a worm-gear based driving system
that has a simple and reliable structure.
[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
large-sized umbrella comprising a worm-gear based driving system
that is easy to operate.
[0009] To achieve the above objects, in accordance with the present
invention, there is provided an umbrella comprising a center post
having upper and lower sections pivotally connected together. A
crown is mounted to the upper section. A number of ribs are pivoted
to and radially extend from the crown. A runner is movably mounted
to the center post. A stretcher is arranged between and pivoted to
the runner and each rib. A canopy is attached to and supported by
the ribs. A worm-gear based driving system converts the rotation of
the worm caused by manual operation into linear movement of a nut
engaging a threaded shaft of the gear. A link is arranged between
and pivoted to the nut and the upper section whereby the linear
movement of the nut drives the link to swivel the upper section
relative to the lower section about the pivotal connection between
the upper and lower sections. The worm-gear based driving system
may also be employed to move the runner with respect to the center
post for opening/closing the umbrella. The runner has a projection
extending through an axially-extending slit defined in the center
post and having an inner-threaded member engaging a threaded shaft
of the gear whereby the rotation of the worm is converted into
linear movement of the inner-threaded member and the runner with
respect to the center post for opening/closing the umbrella.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in
the art by reading the following description of preferred
embodiments thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in
which:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a large-sized umbrella
in which a worm-gear based driving system in accordance with the
present invention is embodied, the umbrella being in an open and
non-swiveled condition;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 1 but
showing the umbrella in an open but swiveled condition;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the
umbrella showing the worm-gear based driving system of the present
invention, the worm-gear based driving system being in a neutral,
non-swiveled position;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3 but
showing the worm-gear based driving system in a swiveled
position;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a large-sized umbrella
in which a worm-gear based driving system in accordance with
another embodiment of the present invention is embodied, the
umbrella being in an open condition;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the large-sized
umbrella in a closed condition; and
[0017] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the
umbrella showing the worm-gear driving system in accordance with
the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0018] With reference to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 1
and 2, an umbrella constructed in accordance with the present
invention comprises an umbrella frame (not labeled) comprising a
center post comprised of upper and lower sections 10, 11 pivotally
connected at 12 (FIGS. 3 and 4). The lower section 11 has a lower
end fixed to a stand (not labeled) for standing on the ground. The
upper section 10 has an upper end to which a crown 15 is attached.
A number of ribs 16 are pivoted to the crown 15 and radially extend
therefrom. A runner 14 is movably mounted to the center post. A
stretcher 17 has opposite ends respectively pivoted to the runner
14 and each rib 16. Moving the runner 14 toward the crown 15 drives
the stretchers 17 to expand the ribs 16, thus opening the umbrella,
and moving the runner 14 away from the crown 15 allows the ribs 16
to collapse and thus closing the umbrella. A flexible canopy 18 is
attached to and supported by the ribs 16.
[0019] Also referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the umbrella comprises a
driving system 20 comprising a worm 22 rotatably supported by the
lower section 10 of the center post and a rotation knob 21
coaxially attached to the worm 22. The rotation knob 21 is located
outside the center post and thus accessible by a user. A gear 23 is
rotatably supported inside the lower section 10 and mates the worm
22. The gear 23 is mounted to a shaft 24 extending substantially
parallel to the lower section 10. Thus, manually rotating the knob
21 causes the shaft 24 to rotate. A plurality of supports 25 are
formed inside the lower section 10 and securely attached thereto
for rotatably supporting the shaft 24.
[0020] The shaft 24 has an externally-threaded section 26 which a
nut 27 threadingly engages. Thus, the rotation of the shaft 24 is
converted into linear translation of the nut 27 along the shaft 24.
A link 28 has opposite ends respectively pivoted to the nut 27 and
an extension 13 of the upper section 11. The pivotal connection
between the link 28 and the extension 13 is offset from the pivot
12 that connects the upper section 11 to the lower section 10.
Thus, the movement of the nut 27 along the shaft 24 swivels the
upper section 11 with respect to the lower section 10 about the
pivot 12 from a neutral, non-swiveled position shown in FIGS. 1 and
3 to a swiveled position shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.
[0021] FIGS. 5 and 6 show an umbrella constructed in accordance
with another embodiment of the present invention comprising an
umbrella frame (not labeled) comprising a center post 30 having a
lower end mounted to a stand (not labeled) for standing on the
ground and an upper end to which a crown 32 is attached. A number
of ribs 33 are pivoted to the crown 32 and radially extend
therefrom. A runner 31 is movably mounted to the center post 30. A
stretcher 34 has opposite ends respectively pivoted to the runner
31 and each rib 33. Moving the runner 31 toward the crown 32 drives
the stretchers 34 to expand the ribs 33, thus opening the umbrella,
and moving the runner 31 away from the crown 32 allows the ribs 33
to collapse and thus closing the umbrella. A flexible canopy 35 is
attached to and supported by the ribs 33.
[0022] Also referring to FIG. 7, the umbrella comprises a driving
system 40 for driving the runner 31 toward/away from the crown 32
to open/close the umbrella. The driving system 40 comprises a worm
42 rotatably supported by the center post 30 and a crank handle 41
attached to the worm 42. The crank handle 41 is located outside the
center post 30 and thus accessible by a user. A gear 43 is
rotatably supported inside the center post 30 and mates the worm
42. The gear 43 is mounted to a shaft 44 extending substantially
parallel to the center post 30. Thus, manually driving the handle
41 causes the shaft 44 to rotate. A plurality of supports 45 (only
one being visible in FIG. 7) is formed inside the center post 30
and securely attached thereto for rotatably supporting the shaft
44.
[0023] The shaft 44 has an external threading (not labeled) which a
nut 38 threadingly engages. Thus, the rotation of the shaft 44 is
converted into linear translation of the nut 38 along the shaft 44.
The center post 30 forms a slit 37 extending substantially parallel
thereto. The runner 31 has an inward projection 36 extending
through the slit 37 into the center post 30 and movable along the
slit 37. The nut 38 is mounted to the projection 36, such as
interferentially fit in a bore (not labeled) defined in the
projection 36. Thus, the movement of the nut 38 along the shaft 44
drives the runner 31 toward/away from the crown 32 to open/close
the umbrella.
[0024] Although the present invention has been described with
reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to
those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and
changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present
invention which is intended to be defined by the appended
claims.
* * * * *