U.S. patent application number 11/030177 was filed with the patent office on 2006-07-13 for electric spreading device for a parasol.
Invention is credited to Chong-Yi Lo.
Application Number | 20060151019 11/030177 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36652027 |
Filed Date | 2006-07-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060151019 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lo; Chong-Yi |
July 13, 2006 |
Electric spreading device for a parasol
Abstract
An electric spreading device for a parasol includes an inner
tube, an outer tube, a handle and an electric motor. The inner tube
has an upper end extending through a lower sleeve of a lower ring
and fixed with an upper sleeve of an upper ring, with a screw
having a center threaded hole fixed in a lower end of the inner
tube. The outer tube fits around the inner tube to enable the inner
tube to move up and down, having its upper end fixed with the lower
sleeve and its lower end connected with the handle. The motor is
arranged in the handle, having a threaded rod to engage the center
threaded hole of the screw of the inner tube. Then the motor with
the threaded rod rotates relative to the screw so that the inner
tube with the screw can be moved up and down for spreading or
collapsing the canopy.
Inventors: |
Lo; Chong-Yi; (Sherman Oaks,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE
FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
36652027 |
Appl. No.: |
11/030177 |
Filed: |
January 7, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
135/20.3 ;
135/37 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45B 25/165
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
135/020.3 ;
135/037 |
International
Class: |
A45B 25/12 20060101
A45B025/12 |
Claims
1. An electric spreading device for a parasol comprising: A canopy:
An upper ring and a lower ring spaced apart, said upper ring
connected pivotally with upper ends of ribs in a radial condition,
said lower ring pivotally connected with lower ends of spreaders in
a radial condition, an upper sleeve and a lower sleeve provided
between said upper ring and said lower ring in the same axis: An
inner tube having its upper end extending through said lower sleeve
of said lower ring and then fixed with said upper sleeve, and a
screw fixed in a lower end and having a center threaded hole: An
outer tube fitting around said inner tube to enable said inner tube
to move up and down relative to said outer tube, having its upper
end fixed with said lower sleeve of said lower ring: An electric
motor fixed in a lower portion of said outer tube, having a
threaded rod engaging the center threaded hole of said screw in
said inner tube: Said threaded rod rotating relative to said screw
in said inner tube so that said inner tube with said screw may be
moved up and down in case said motor is powered to rotate clockwise
or counterclockwise, said inner tube and said lower ring moving up
and down together relative to said outer tube being immovable so
that said spreaders and said ribs are spread or collapsed to spread
or collapse said canopy.
2. The electric spreading device for an umbrella as claimed in
claim 1, wherein said outer tube has its lower end connected with a
handle and said motor is arranged in said handle.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to an electric spreading device for a
parasol, particularly to one electrically spreading or collapsing
an umbrella canopy for using a parasol with convenience.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Conventional parasols are generally handled manually for
spreading and collapsing canopies, for pushing a lower ring up to
the spread condition and pushing the lower ring down to the
collapsed condition.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] This invention has been devised to offer an electric
spreading device for a parasol, for saving manual handling of a
parasol in spreading or collapsing the canopy with convenience.
[0006] The feature of the invention is an inner tube having its
upper end extending through a lower sleeve of a lower ring and
fixed with an upper sleeve of an upper ring and having a screw with
a center threaded hole. Further, an outer tube fits around the
inner tube to enable the inner tube move up and down, having its
upper end fixed with the lower sleeve of the lower ring, and a
handle is connected with a lower end of the outer tube. An electric
motor is arranged in the handle, having a threaded rod engaging the
center threaded hole of the screw of the inner tube. The motor with
the threaded rod rotates relative to the screw, so the inner tube
and the lower ring are moved up and down for spreading or
collapsing the canopy.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0007] This invention will be better understood by referring to the
accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an electric
spreading device for a parasol in the present invention;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the electric spreading
device for a parasol in the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a front view of the electric spreading device or a
parasol in the spread condition in the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the electric spreading
device for a parasol in the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a front view of the electric spreading device for
a parasol in a half-spread condition in the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 6 is a front view of the electric spreading device for
a parasol in the collapsed condition in the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 7 is a magnified view of the part marked (A) in FIG. 4;
and,
[0015] FIG. 8 is a magnified view of the part marked (B) in FIG.
4.
DETAILED DESCIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0016] A preferred embodiment of an electric spreading device for a
parasol in the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,
includes a canopy 10, an upper ring 11, a lower ring 12, a
plurality of ribs 13, a plurality of spreaders 14, an upper sleeve
110, a lower sleeve 120, an inner tube 20, an outer tube 30, a
handle 40, an electric motor 50, and a threaded rod 51.
[0017] The ribs 13 have their upper ends pivotally connected with
the upper ring 13 in a radial condition, and their lower ends
attached with a lower edge of the canopy 10 so as to support the
canopy 10 when it is spread.
[0018] The spreaders 14 have their upper ends respectively
pivotally connected with an upper portion of each rib 13, and their
lower ends pivotally connected with the lower ring 12.
[0019] The inner tube 20 has its upper end fitting through the
lower sleeve 120 and the lower ring 12 and fixed with the upper
sleeve 110 as shown in FIG. 8, and an inner screw 21 with a center
threaded hole fixed in its lower end.
[0020] The outer tube 30 fits around the inner tube 20 to enable
the inner tube 20 move up and down, having its upper end fixed with
the lower end of the lower sleeve 120 of the lower ring 12 as shown
in FIG. 7, and a combining disc member 31 fixed at the lower
end.
[0021] The handle 40 has its upper combining disc member 41 fixed
with the combining disc member 31, for being held manually by a
user.
[0022] The electric motor 50 possible to rotate clockwise and
counterclockwise is fixed in an interior of the handle 40, provided
with an elongate treaded rod 51 extending in the inner tube 20 and
engaging the inner threaded hole of the screw 21. The motor 50 is
connected with a switch (not shown) and a battery (not shown) for
turning on and off.
[0023] In using after the electric spreading device is assembled
together in an umbrella, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the
following operation is to be carried out.
[0024] 1. When the canopy 10 is to be spread from the collapsed
condition shown in FIG. 6, the motor 50 with the threaded rod 51 is
started to rotate relative to the screw 21 in the inner tube 20 to
force the inner tube 20 together with the upper ring 11 shift
downward from the preset uppermost position shown in FIG. 6 to the
preset lowest position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, to spread the
canopy 10.
[0025] 2. When the canopy 10 is in the spread condition and is
wanted to be reduced in its spread angle, the motor 50 with the
threaded rod 51 is rotated reversely relative to the screw 21, as
shown in FIG. 5, and the inner tube 20 and the upper ring 11 are
moved up together to a needed position, and then the motor 50 with
the threaded rod 51 is stopped to let the inner tube 20 with the
upper ring 11 also stopped at that needed not-fully-spread
position, with the canopy 10 kept at that angle.
[0026] 3. When the canopy 10 is to be collapsed from the spread
condition, the motor 50 with the threaded rod 51 is controlled to
rotate relative to the screw 21 to let the inner tube 20 with the
lower ring 11 move up to the preset uppermost position, as shown in
FIG. 6. Then the canopy 10 is collapsed completely.
[0027] In general, the electric spreading device for a parasol in
the invention can spread the canopy 10 to a completely fully opened
condition or half opened or opened to any other needed angle, very
convenient and saving manual handling.
[0028] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been
described above, it will be recognized and understood that various
modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are
intended to cover all such modifications may fall within the spirit
and scope of the invention.
* * * * *