Stick allowing an umbrella to be installed therein

An easily detachable stick has an umbrella installed therein. The stick includes a grip element having a root portion extending therefrom, the root portion having a platform along an axis direction and a leaf spring installed on the platform, the leaf spring having one end fixed to the platform and the other end being a free end; and a supporting pole having a hollow cavity installed therein, the cavity having an opening at one end thereof, into which the root portion is inserted, a sliding groove disposed in the opening along an axis direction of the cavity, a sliding button embedded in the sliding groove, an elastic element installed in the sliding groove between the sliding button and the opening of the cavity, and an inner flange inward protruding from the opening of the cavity, allowing the free end of the leaf spring to be supported by the inner flange.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to sticks, and, more particularly, to an easily-detachable stick allowing an umbrella to be installed therein.

2. Description of Related Art

US2008/0087310, entitled “WALKING STICK UMBRELLA,” disclosed inFIG. 1a stick combined with an umbrella, wherein a shaft serves as a stick pole of the stick, and a grip element of the umbrella serves as a handle of the stick. However, the walking stick umbrella has the following drawbacks:

1. when the umbrella is in use, a user, especially a senior citizen, that needs to use the stick cannot use the stick at the same time;

2. the stick is not retractable, and is not suitable for both tall and short users; and

3. the umbrella is exposed to a region outside of the stick, and is likely to be damaged.

A stick having a large cross section came to the market. The stick has a handle and a stick pole that is screwed to the handle. After the handle is screwed off the stick pole, an umbrella may be received in a cavity of the stick pole that also has a large cross section. Since not designed exclusively for the stick, the umbrella cannot be smoothly received in cavity of the stick pole. Moreover, the user is daunted by the tedious operations of screwing the stick pole off the handle, inserting the umbrella into the cavity of the stick poly, and screwing the stick pole back. Further, the stick is not retractable and is too heavy to carry.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide an easily detachable stick allowing an umbrella to be installed therein. The stick has a grip element and a supporting pole that is easily fixed to and detachable from the grip element, allowing a user to take the umbrella out of a cavity of the supporting pole in which the umbrella is received and use the umbrella and the stick at the same time. Since received in the cavity of the supporting pole, the umbrella is protected from damages. Further, the stick is retractable.

To achieve the above-mentioned and other objectives, an easily-detachable stick allowing an umbrella to be installed therein is provided according to the present invention, including:

a grip element having a root portion extending therefrom, the root portion having a platform along an axis direction and a leaf spring installed on the platform, the leaf spring having one end fixed to the platform and the other end being a free end; and

a supporting pole having a hollow cavity installed therein, the cavity having an opening at one end thereof, into which the root portion is inserted, a sliding groove disposed in the opening along an axis direction of the cavity, a sliding button embedded in the sliding groove, an elastic element installed in the sliding groove between the sliding button and the opening of the cavity, and an inner flange inward protruding from the opening of the cavity, allowing the free end of the leaf spring to be supported by the inner flange.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a protrusion is disposed on the root portion, a groove is disposed on an inner side of the opening of the cavity and corresponds in position to the protrusion for the protrusion to be combined therewith, and the leaf spring corresponds in position to the sliding button.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the supporting pole is retractable, and the supporting pole has a plurality of retractable skeleton segments, one of which has a plurality of locking holes disposed thereon, and another of which has a depressible latch that matches with any one of the locking holes.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the umbrella is a foldable umbrella that comprises a rib, a shaft, a handle having a tip cup connected to the shaft, a runner movable along the shaft and hinged on a side of the rib, and a canopy combined with one end of the rib and one end of the shaft.

Preferably, the end of the rib can be received in the tip cup and enclose the shaft tightly, without enclosing a periphery of the runner, and the runner, together with the end of the rib, can be received in the tip cup of the handle. By contrast, the conventional umbrella has too large a cross section for the umbrella to be received in the stick pole because the rib still encloses the runner after the retraction of the umbrella. Therefore, the umbrella, after retracted, is very slim, and is easily received in the stick because the runner is received in the shaft.

The present invention provides an easy operation of fixing/detaching the grip element to/from the supporting pole. Moreover, a user may use the umbrella and the stick at the same time.

The invention can be more fully understood by reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, with reference made to the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Please refer toFIG. 1, which shows an exploded view of an easily-detachable stick allowing an umbrella to be installed therein. The stick comprises a grip element1having a root portion11extending therefrom, the root portion11having a platform111along an axis direction and a leaf spring112installed on the platform111, the leaf spring112having one end fixed to the platform111and the other end being a free end; and a supporting pole2having a hollow cavity21installed therein, the cavity21having an opening20at one end thereof, into which the root portion11is inserted, a sliding groove211disposed in the opening20along an axis direction of the cavity21, a sliding button212embedded in the sliding groove211, an elastic element213installed in the sliding groove211between the sliding button212and the opening20of the cavity21, and an inner flange24inward protruding from the opening20of the cavity21, allowing the free end of the leaf spring112to be supported by the inner flange24.

The grip element1has an integral structure. The root portion11is extended and protruded downward from the grip element1. The end of the root portion11has a round or any other shape of cross section. In an embodiment of the present invention, the end of the root portion11has a round cross section.

The supporting pole2has the hollow cavity21installed therein. The cavity21may have a round or any other shape of cross section that corresponds to the cross section of the end of the root portion11. In an embodiment of the present invention, the end of the grip element1has a round cross section. The top end of the supporting pole2is fixed to the root portion11of the grip element1. The cavity21is used for reception of an umbrella.

The supporting pole2is retractable, and has a plurality of retractable skeleton segments22, one of which has a plurality of locking holes221disposed thereon, and another of which adjacent the one of the retractable skeleton segments22has a latch222disposed thereon. The latch222may be depressed and bounded back, and matches with any one of the locking holes221. Therefore, the stick has a variety of lengths, and is suitable for both tall or short users.

Please refer toFIG. 2, which is a schematic diagram of the root portion11of the grip element1. The root portion11has the platform111along the axis line, and the leaf spring112disposed on the platform111. The leaf spring112has one end fixed to the platform111, and the other end being a free end that is warped upward in a normal state. In an embodiment of the present invention, the leaf spring112is fixed to the platform111by screws or rivets. A protrusion113is disposed on the root portion11, at an angle with respect to the platform111. A seal ring12is disposed at a connection of the root portion11with the grip element1. When the grip element1is connected to the supporting pole2, the seal ring12ensures that no rain or dust may enter the cavity21of the supporting pole2.

Please refer toFIGS. 3-7, which are a schematic diagram of a supporting pole of the stick, a cross-section view ofFIG. 1along a cutting line A-A, a cross-section view ofFIG. 4along a cutting line B-B, a schematic diagram of an elastic element of the stick in a stretching state, and a schematic diagram of the elastic element in a compressing state, respectively. The cavity21of the supporting pole2has the opening20disposed on one end thereof. The sliding groove211is disposed along the axis direction of the cavity21. The sliding button212is embedded in the sliding groove211. An elastic element213is installed between the sliding button212and the opening20of the cavity21. In an embodiment of the present invention, the elastic element213is an elastic element. A groove23is formed on an inner side of the opening20of the cavity21, and is also at the predetermined angle with respect to the sliding groove211. When the leaf spring112corresponds in position to the sliding button212, the protrusion113of the root portion11also corresponds in position to the groove23. Additionally, an inner flange24inward protrudes from the opening20of the cavity21, allowing the free end of the leaf spring112to be supported thereby. In an embodiment of the present invention, the inner flange24is conical, and has a narrower opening toward an inner direction of the cavity21. The conical surface of the inner flange24has an edge planer positioning function. Accordingly, when the root portion11combines with the opening20and the protrusion113combines with the groove23, the protrusion113slides by using the conical surface of the inner flange24, to search for the groove23and achieve a fool-proof design.

When the grip element1needs to be connected to the supporting pole2, the protrusion113of the root portion11is aligned with the groove23of the supporting pole2, allowing the root portion11of the grip element1to be inserted into cavity21. At the same time, the free end of the leaf spring112is supported by an inner wall of the inner flange24, such that the grip element1is fixed to the supporting pole2. Since the elastic element213is in a stretching state, it is ensured that the sliding button212does not press the free end of the leaf spring112, and the grip element1will not be detached from supporting pole2accidentally.

Please refer toFIG. 1again, which shows that the supporting pole2combines with an umbrella3that is received in the cavity21.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the umbrella is a foldable umbrella. Please refer toFIGS. 8-10, which are a schematic diagram of the umbrella (without a canopy), a schematic diagram of the umbrella that is retracted, with a runner of the umbrella not received in a tip cup of a handle of the stick, and a cross-section view ofFIG. 9along a cutting line C-C.

The umbrella3comprises a rib32, a shaft311, a handle31having a tip cup312connected to the shaft311, a runner34movable along the shaft311and hinged on a side of the rib32, and a canopy33combined with one end of the rib32and one end of the shaft311, allowing the end of the rib32, after retracted, to be received in the tip cup312and enclose the shaft311tightly, without enclosing a periphery of the runner34. The other side of shaft311is retractable, allowing the end of the rib32, after retracted, to be received in the tip cup312easily, and preventing the loose of the rib32. The runner34is hinged to one side of the rib32, so the rib32, after retracted, encloses the shaft311tightly, without enclosing a periphery of the runner34. By contrast, the rib of the conventional umbrella, after retracted, encloses a periphery of the runner34and is slightly wide-open. Therefore, the umbrella3, after the rib32is retracted, is slimmer. In an embodiment of the present invention, the shaft311comprises a plurality of retractable segments3110having cross sections decreasing toward the handle31gradually, allowing one of the retractable segments3110having a smallest cross section to be received in the tip cup312of the handle31, such that the end of the rib32and the runner34of the umbrella3are receivable in the tip cup312because the retractable segment3110that has the smallest cross section occupies a small space in the tip cup312and a sidewall of the tip cup312defines a large space in the tip cup312.

Please refer toFIGS. 2 and 4at the same time. When the umbrella3is taken out of the cavity21and the sliding button212moves along the sliding groove211to the opening20of the cavity21, the elastic element213is in a compressing state and the sliding button212compresses the free end of the leaf spring112, such that the free end is in contact with the platform111and the grip element1can be detached from the supporting pole2.

The canopy33is installed on and connected to the rib32. A binding lace331is disposed on the canopy33. The binding lace331has one end connected to the canopy32, and the other end connected to a binding device332. The binding lace331is long enough to enclose and bind the canopy33that is retracted, and the canopy33is fixed to the binding lace331by the binding device331. Therefore, the retracted canopy33will not be loosed. In an embodiment of the present invention, the binding device332is a buckle or a Velcro.

In sum, the stick of the present invention provides an easy operation of fixing/detaching the grip element to/from the supporting pole. Moreover, an umbrella may be received in the cavity of the supporting pole. Accordingly, a user may use the umbrella and the stick at the same time. The umbrella, since received in the cavity of the supporting pole, is protected from potential damages. The stick of the present invention is retractable. A user is allowed to use the umbrella and the stick at the same time, no matter what the weather is.

The foregoing descriptions of the detailed embodiments are only illustrated to disclose the features and functions of the present invention and not restrictive of the scope of the present invention. It should be understood to those in the art that all modifications and variations according to the spirit and principle in the disclosure of the present invention should fall within the scope of the appended claims.