Patent Publication Number: US-7913707-B2

Title: Umbrella having an angle adjustable function

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a shading device and, more particularly, to an umbrella or a sunshade to provide a shading function. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A conventional umbrella or sunshade comprises an upright post and a frame mounted on the upright post. The frame includes a mounting bracket secured on and supported by the upright post, a support shank extending through the mounting bracket, a skeleton foldably mounted on an upper end of the support shank, a canopy mounted on the skeleton, a grip portion mounted on a lower end of the support shank, and an elbow link having a lower end pivotally connected with the upright post and an upper end pivotally connected with the grip portion. When in use, the canopy mounted on the skeleton can be opened to provide a shading effect to a user and can be closed when not in use. However, the frame is securely mounted on the upright post so that the canopy mounted on the skeleton has a fixed angle that cannot be adjusted according to the present weather condition. Thus, the canopy cannot efficiently shade the user, thereby limiting the shading effect of the umbrella when the sunshine or rain is directed in an oblique angle. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an umbrella, comprising an upright post, a swing mechanism pivotally mounted on the upright post and a frame mounted on the swing mechanism to move in concert with the swing mechanism and to pivot relative to the upright post. The swing mechanism includes a mounting seat mounted on an upper end of the upright post, a pivot seat pivotally mounted on the mounting seat and having a lower end provided with a worm wheel, a worm rotatably mounted on the mounting seat and meshing with the worm wheel of the pivot seat to drive the pivot seat to pivot relative to the mounting seat, a driven gear secured on the worm to rotate the worm, a propeller shaft rotatably mounted on the upper end of the upright post, a drive gear secured on the propeller shaft to rotate in concert with the propeller shaft and meshing with the driven gear to rotate the driven gear, and a rocker arm secured on the propeller shaft to rotate the propeller shaft. The swing mechanism further includes a fixing seat secured on a bottom of the mounting seat to support the propeller shaft and to limit the worm and the driven gear, two first bearings mounted between the propeller shaft and the fixing seat and two second bearings mounted between the mounting seat and the worm. 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an umbrella having an angle adjustable function. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to provide an umbrella, wherein when the swing mechanism is operated, the frame is rolled relative to the upright post to tilt leftward or rightward to adjust the inclined angle of the skeleton of the frame so as to provide a better shading effect. 
     A further objective of the present invention is to provide an umbrella, wherein the user only needs to drive the rocker arm to change and adjust the inclined angle of the frame, so that the user can operate the rocker arm to adjust the inclined angle of the frame easily and quickly. 
     A further objective of the present invention is to provide an umbrella, wherein the swing mechanism has a simplified construction, thereby greatly decreasing the cost of fabrication of the umbrella. 
     Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of an umbrella in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a locally enlarged view of the umbrella taken along an oblong mark “ 2 A” as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a swing mechanism of the umbrella as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a font cross-sectional view of the umbrella as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a locally enlarged view of the umbrella taken along an oblong mark “ 5 A” as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic operational view of the umbrella as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic operational view of the umbrella as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 8  is a locally enlarged view of the umbrella taken along an oblong mark “ 8 B” as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic operational view of the umbrella as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic operational view of the umbrella as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 11  is a rear operational view of the umbrella as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 12  is a rear operational view of the umbrella as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings and initially to  FIGS. 1-5 , an umbrella  1  in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises an upright post  10 , a swing mechanism  2  pivotally mounted on the upright post  10 , and a frame  11  mounted on the swing mechanism  2  to move in concert with the swing mechanism  2  and to pivot relative to the upright post  10 . 
     The swing mechanism  2  includes a mounting seat  24  mounted on an upper end of the upright post  10 , a pivot seat  23  pivotally mounted on the mounting seat  24  and having a lower end provided with a worm wheel  230 , a worm  21  rotatably mounted on the mounting seat  24  and meshing with the worm wheel  230  of the pivot seat  23  to drive the pivot seat  23  to pivot relative to the mounting seat  24 , a driven gear  26  secured on the worm  21  to rotate the worm  21 , a propeller shaft  28  rotatably mounted on the upper end of the upright post  10 , a drive gear  27  secured on the propeller shaft  28  to rotate in concert with the propeller shaft  28  and meshing with the driven gear  26  to rotate the driven gear  26 , and a rocker arm  29  secured on the propeller shaft  28  to rotate the propeller shaft  28 . 
     The swing mechanism  2  further includes a fixing seat  25  secured on a bottom of the mounting seat  24  to support the propeller shaft  28  and to limit the worm  21  and the driven gear  26 , two bearings  22  mounted between the mounting seat  24  and the worm  21 , and two bearings  280  mounted between the propeller shaft  28  and the fixing seat  25 . 
     The pivot seat  23  of the swing mechanism  2  has an upper end provided with a recessed fixing portion  231  for mounting the frame  11 . The mounting seat  24  of the swing mechanism  2  has an upper end provided with a socket  240 , and the worm wheel  230  of the pivot seat  23  is inserted into and pivotally mounted in the socket  240  of the mounting seat  24  by a pivot shaft  242 . The socket  240  of the mounting seat  24  protrudes outwardly from the upper end of the upright post  10 . The mounting seat  24  of the swing mechanism  2  has a lower end inserted into the upper end of the upright post  10 . The worm  21  and the driven gear  26  of the swing mechanism  2  are received in the lower end of the mounting seat  24  and located between the mounting seat  24  and the fixing seat  25 . The drive gear  27  of the swing mechanism  2  has a diameter smaller than that of the driven gear  26  of the swing mechanism  2 . The propeller shaft  28  of the swing mechanism  2  extends through and is rotatably mounted on the fixing seat  25 . The propeller shaft  28  of the swing mechanism  2  has an end portion  282  protruding outwardly from the upper end of the upright post  10 . The rocker arm  29  of the swing mechanism  2  protrudes outwardly from the upper end of the upright post  10  and is secured on the end portion  282  of the propeller shaft  28 . 
     The frame  11  includes a mounting bracket  111  secured on and supported by the fixing portion  231  of the pivot seat  23 , a support shank  110  extending through the mounting bracket  111 , a skeleton  116  mounted on an upper end of the support shank  110 , a grip portion  114  mounted on a lower end of the support shank  110 , and an elbow link  115  having a lower end pivotally connected with the upright post  10  and an upper end pivotally connected with the grip portion  114 . The upper end of the elbow link  115  of the frame  11  is provided with a pivot base  113 , and the grip portion  114  of the frame  11  has a lower end provided with an universal connector  112  pivotally mounted on the pivot base  113  of the elbow link  115 . 
     In operation, referring to  FIGS. 6-12  with reference to  FIGS. 1-5 , when the rocker arm  29  of the swing mechanism  2  is driven by a user, the propeller shaft  28  is rotated by the rocker arm  29  to rotate the drive gear  27  which rotates the driven gear  26  which rotates the worm  21  which rotates the worm wheel  230  which moves the pivot seat  23  so that the pivot seat  23  is pivoted relative to the mounting seat  24  and is pivoted relative to the upright post  10  leftward or rightward as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . In such a manner, the support shank  110  is moved and rolled by the pivot seat  23  to move the skeleton  116 . Thus, the skeleton  116  of the frame  11  is moved and rolled relative to the upright post  10  to tilt leftward as shown in  FIG. 9  or rightward as shown in  FIG. 10  to adjust the inclined angle the skeleton  116  of the frame  11  so as to provide a better shading effect. At this time, the grip portion  114  of the frame  11  is also moved and rolled in concert with the support shank  110  to tilt leftward as shown in  FIG. 11  or rightward as shown in  FIG. 12 . 
     Accordingly, when the swing mechanism  2  is operated, the frame  11  is rolled relative to the upright post  10  to tilt leftward or rightward to adjust the inclined angle of the skeleton  116  of the frame  11  so as to provide a better shading effect. In addition, the user only needs to drive the rocker arm  29  to change and adjust the inclined angle of the frame  11 , so that the user can operate the rocker arm  29  to adjust the inclined angle of the frame  11  easily and quickly. Further, the swing mechanism  2  has a simplified construction, thereby greatly decreasing the cost of fabrication of the umbrella. 
     Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.