Patent ID: 8365746
Filing Date: 2013-02-05
Classification: A45B

Abstract:
1. A safely operable handle device for an automatic foldable umbrella, the umbrella including: a central shaft unit including upper and lower shafts telescopically coupled to each other in an axial direction, and respectively having a top-side end and a bottom end; a top notch secured to the top-side end to be moved therewith between folded and extended positions; a runner slidably sleeved on the central shaft unit; a rib-and-stretcher assembly pivotally interconnecting the top notch and the runner so as to be moved from a collapsed position to a spread position when the runner is displaced from a distal position to a proximate position relative to the top notch; a compression spring disposed within the central shaft unit to bias the top-side end of the upper shaft, together with the top notch to move from the folded position to the extended position, and in succession, to move the runner from the distal position to the proximate position, thereby placing the rib-and-stretcher assembly in the spread position; and a first force transmission cord having a coupling end tensely moved with the top notch, and a cord segment which extends from the coupling end into the central shaft unit through winding on the runner and terminates at an anchoring end that is kept in a tugged position when the runner is displaced to the proximate position, and that is withdrawn to a released position to permit the runner to be moved to the distal position, thereby bringing the rib-and-stretcher assembly to the collapsed position, said safely operable handle device comprising: a grip shell which is adapted to shield the bottom end of the lower shaft, and which defines a chamber therein; a retained block which is adapted to be connected with the anchoring end of the first force transmission cord, and which is deflectable between a first orientation, where said retained block is blocked so as to hold the anchoring end in the tugged position, and a second orientation, where said retained block is movable to permit the anchoring end to be withdrawn to the released position; a reel member which is mounted in said chamber and rotatable about a reel axis, and which has a plurality of ratchet teeth angularly displaced from one another about the reel axis; a second force transmission cord having a connected end which is moved with one of the top notch and said retained block, and a reelable end which is secured to and is tensely reelable on said reel member; a coil spring disposed to bias said reelable end to reel in said reel member; a pawl member having a pawl end which is movable between an engaging position, where said pawl end is engaged with a selected one of said ratchet teeth so as to permit a unidirectional rotation of said reel member to reel in said reelable end, and a disengaged position, where said pawl end is disengaged from said ratchet teeth so as to set said reel member free to rotate, and a cammed surface; a push button which is pressible manually to make a stroke movement relative to said grip shell; an actuator configured to move in response to the stroke movement of said push button to activate said retained block to deflect from the first orientation to the second orientation so as to permit the runner to move from the proximate position to the distal position after the rib-and-stretcher assembly is displaced to the spread position; and a force-transmitting mechanism which is disposed in said chamber, and which is configured such that, in response to movement of said retained block to the released position, said force-transmitting mechanism is urged to move in the axial direction from a lower position to an upper position, said force-transmitting mechanism having a camming surface which is mated with said cammed surface of said pawl member such that, when said force-transmitting mechanism is moved from the lower position to the upper position, said pawl end is moved from the disengaged position to the engaging position.