Patent ID: 6360759
Filing Date: 2002-03-26
Classification: A45B

Abstract:
A multiple-fold automatic umbrella comprising:a central shaft consisting a plurality of tubes telescopically engageable one another for making multiple folds of the central shaft; a rib assembly including at least a top rib pivotally secured to an upper notch formed on a top of said central shaft, a stretcher rib pivotally secured to said top rib and pivotally secured to a lower runner slidably held in said central shaft, and a plurality of ribs pivotally secured with one another and pivotally connectable to said top rib and said stretcher rib; an opening spring retained in said central shaft for opening the umbrella; a plurality of closing springs retained on said rib assembly for closing the umbrella; and a control means including a push button resiliently slidably held in a grip formed on a lower portion of said shaft, an upper latch resiliently held in said grip for engaging said shaft and said runner when folded when closing the umbrella and operatively disengaged from said shaft and said runner upon depression of said push button for opening the umbrella, a closing controller having a lower latch resiliently held in said grip and operatively disengaging a locking head for closing the umbrella; said locking head connected with a penta-fold rope having an inner rope end secured to said locking head when closing the umbrella and an outer rope end secured to said upper notch; said penta-fold rope defining a first rope section directed from said inner rope end, and then directed from a guiding collar formed on a bottom portion of a guiding rod having a fine diameter and secured to an upper portion in said shaft, towards and to be wound on an upper guiding roller rotatably mounted on an upper portion of said shaft; a second rope section directed from said upper guiding roller towards and to be wound on a first lower guiding roller rotatably mounted on said lower runner slidably held on said shaft along one side of said shaft; a third rope section directed from said first lower guiding roller towards and to be wound on an uppermost guiding means formed in a top portion in said shaft; a fourth rope section directed from said uppermost guiding means towards and to be wound on a second lower guiding roller rotatably mounted on said runner opposite to said first lower guiding roller along the other side of said shaft; and a fifth rope section directed from said second lower guiding roller towards the outer rope end to be fixed on said upper notch, thereby dynamically balancing said rope on opposite sides of said shaft for enhancing a smooth opening and closing operation of the umbrella.