Patent Publication Number: US-6220261-B1

Title: Adjustable static umbrella

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The invention relates to a static umbrella which is collapsible and which has a tiltable mast. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Static umbrellas of the type mentioned at the outset are known from a number of sources, thus, for example, from DE 32 29 776 A1. The static umbrella described there has a telescopable static mast which comprises a hollow-constructed lower mast part and an upper mast part longitudinally slidable in this and turnably arranged about the mast axis, in which the mutual longitudinal slidability and turnability are adjustable and arrestable by means of a connecting member. On the static mast there is arranged an arm movable in and out by means of a hinge, as well as tiltably about tilting axis of the hinge standing perpendicular to the mast axis. The arm carries on the end away from the mast a collapsible umbrella, and the hinge is provided with an arresting device, by means of which all movements of the hinge are releasable and blockable, respectively. 
     The known hinge has the disadvantage that on freeing of the tiltability of the arm there is present the danger of an inadvertent folding-down of the umbrella-side end of the arm. Thereby not only is the handling of the umbrella made difficult or even made impossible, but there is also present the danger of injury to the operating person. The disadvantages are further increased by the fact that the freeing of the tiltability of the arm is accompanied by a freeing of the longitudinal slidability, whereby there is yielded the additional hazard of the sliding-out of the arm from the hinge. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The problem of the invention is to improve a static umbrella of the type mentioned at the outset so that a simpler and safer handling is possible. 
     The problem is solved according to the invention by a static umbrella which permits a safer and jolt-free moving in and out of the arm. 
     Through the fact that the hinge is freed only in a restricted angular range, the moving in and out of the arm can be performed safely and without jolts, since a tipping over of the arm carrying the umbrella onto the operating person is excluded and therewith an injury hazard to the operating person is averted. Furthermore, the moving in and out as well as the tilting of the arm becomes simpler and more comfortable. 
     The formation of the hinge with an open manner of construction is especially suited, furthermore, for an optimal surface treating, such as electrostatic finishing or coating. Furthermore, assembling and maintenance of the components are facilitated. 
     One advantage of the static umbrella is an especially safe arresting device, by means of which the tilting angle of the arm is dependably arrestable even without excessive tightening of the tensioning device. 
     Another advantage is execution of the longitudinal guide of the arm. This is suited both for straight and also for curved arms. By the use of non-rotational symmetrical transverse profiles there is avoided an undesired twisting of the arm about the axis of the longitudinal guide, even with released longitudinal guidance, i.e. during the moving in and out of the arm. Another advantage is an especially preferred form of execution of the longitudinal guide, thanks to which the moving in and out of the arm is facilitated, since any yielding of the arm into the dividing gap of the longitudinal guide, conditioned by lever effect, which would have resulted in an increased tension resistance in the arresting of the hinge is prevented. The gearing profiles contribute moreover to the parallel guidance of the hinge shells. 
     Yet another advantage is the arrangement of the tension device of the hinge is yielded. Since the tensioning device is located between the togglehead and the longitudinal guide of the arm, in the tightening of the tensioning device there is ensured a dependable arresting both of the tiltability and also of the movability of the arm. 
     Another advantage is a preferred form of execution of the tensioning device, which allows a simple and safe operation and, in particular, precludes an undesired complete unscrewing of the tensioning screw and the danger of an unintended disassembling of the hinge. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Examples of execution of the static umbrella according to the invention are described in detail in the following with the aid of the drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 shows a static umbrella in working position, in side view; 
     FIG. 2 shows the static umbrella of FIG. 1 in rest position, in side view; 
     FIG. 3 shows a hinge in the working position of the static umbrella, according to the section XII—XII of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 4 shows the hinge of FIG. 3 in the working position of the static umbrella, in which one hinge shell was removed, as seen from the side of the missing hinge shell; 
     FIG. 5 shows the hinge of FIG. 3 in the rest position of the static umbrella, in which one hinge shell was removed, as seen from the side of the missing hinge shell; 
     FIG. 6 shows a hinge with a modified tensioning device, in the representation of FIG. 3; 
     FIGS.  7 ( a ) and  7 ( b ) show a hinge shell pair of the hinge, in each case as seen from the inside; 
     FIG. 8 shows the togglehead of the hinge, in side view; and, 
     FIG. 9 shows the togglehead of FIG. 8, according to the section XVIII—XVIII of FIG.  8 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 show an example of execution of a free-arm umbrella with a telescopable static mast  2 , which has a hollow -constructed first mast part  4  as well as a second mast part  6 , in which the two mast parts are arrestably connected with one another by means of a connecting member  8 . The second mast part  6  is longitudinally slidable in the first mast part  4  and turnable with respect to this about the common axis of the two mast parts. An arm  10  is borne movably in and out by means of a hinge  12  arranged on the tip of the static mast  2 . The hinge  12  permits, furthermore, a tilting of the arm  10  about a tilting axis  14  standing perpendicular to the mast axis. On its end  16 , away from the mast, the arm  10  carries a collapsible umbrella  18 . In the working position of the static umbrella the telescopable static mast  2  as well as the arm  10  are approximately or entirely extended, in which case the arm  10  occupies an approximately horizontal tilting position. In the rest position of the static umbrella the second mast part  6  is thrust largely into the first mast part  4  and the arm  10  is in moved-in and approximately in vertical tilting position. In the example of execution shown, the arm  10  has a curved course; also straight-constructed arms, however, are usable. As is evident from FIGS. 1 and 2, with the curved arm there is yielded the advantage that with given dimensions of the static umbrella  18  between its rest position and its working position, a smaller tilting angle range is to be run through than in the case of a straight arm. 
     The hinge  12  of the static umbrella according to the invention is represented in detail in FIGS. 3 to  9 . This comprises a togglehead  80  fastenable to the static mast  2 , preferably to the mast tip, as well as a part of mirror-image-symmetrically arranged hinge shells  82 ,  82 ′, turnably borne about the tilting axis  14 , enclosing the togglehead  80 . A longitudinal guide  84  for the reception of the arm  10  is arranged eccentrically and perpendicularly to the tilting axis  14  on the hinge shell pair  82 ,  82 ′, in which arrangement a rotation of the hinge shell pair  82 ,  82 ′ about the tilting axis  14  brings about a tilting of the longitudinal guide  84 . The longitudinal profile of the longitudinal guide  84  is adapted to that of the arm  10 . In the example of execution shown, the longitudinal guide  84  is constructed as a tube section divided in longitudinal direction, in which each half of the longitudinal guide  84  is arranged on an appertaining hinge shell  82  or  82 ′ respectively. The longitudinal guide  84  is equipped with first and second guide surface pairs  86 ,  86 ′ and  88 ,  88 ′ for the reception of the arm  10  provided with a corresponding outer profile, which are arranged preferably in the end regions of the longitudinal guide  84 , the two guides surfaces of a guide surface pair  86 ,  86 ′ or  88 ,  88 ′ being arranged on different hinge shells  82 ,  82 ′. Alternatively the togglehead  80  can be constructed directly on the mast tip. 
     An arresting device  90  of the hinge  12  comprises a tilting hinge  92  for the parallel aligning and tilting of the hinge shells  82 ,  82 ′ about the tilting axis  14  and a tensioning device  94 . The tilting hinge  92  represented contains in each case pin  96  or  96 ′, arranged on the inside of the hinge shell  82  or  82 ′, respectively, which pin is tiltably and axially slidable in an assigned recess  98  or  98 ′ of the togglehead  80 , in which arrangement the length of the pins  96 ,  96 ′ and the depth of the recesses  98 ,  98 ′ are to be chosen such that the hinge shells  82 ,  82 ′ are axially slidable over a sufficient path, for example several millimeters. Other possibilities of the tilting hinge  94  can be provided; in particular the togglehead can be provided with cylindrical bearing bolts aligned along the tilting axis  14 , on which the hinge shells  82 ,  82 ′ are turnably and longitudinally slidable borne with corresponding bearing bushes. 
     The tensioning device  94  comprises a tensioning screw  100  with actuating lever  102  which is admitted through the transverse bore  104  lying through the hinge shells  82 ,  82 ′, on the end of which bore a corresponding screw-threaded part  106  is present. In the screwing of the tensioning screw  100  into the threaded part  106  the hinge shells  82 ,  82 ′ provided with steps  108  and  108 ′ on the transverse bore  104  are pressed against one another and against the togglehead  80 . In order to avoid an inadvertent complete unscrewing of the tensioning screw  100  and a disassembling of the hinge  12  associated with it, a security screw  110  is screwed into the end  112  away from the actuating lever  102  of the tensioning screw  100 . In an alternative form of execution of the tensioning device  94  according to FIG. 6 the actuating lever  102  is mounted on the screw thread part  106 ′. 
     On the insides of the hinge shells  82 ,  82 ′ and the outsides of the togglehead  80  there are formed contact surface pairs  114 ,  114 ′ in such manner that with tightened tensioning device  94  the hinge shells  82 ,  82 ′ enter into adhesion contact with the togglehead  80  or engage into one another, whereby the turnability of the hinge shells  82 ,  82 ′, and therewith the tiltability of the arm  10  about the tilting axis  14 , is arrestable. With tightened tensioning device  94 , moreover, the guide surfaces  86 ,  86 ′ and  88 ,  88 ′ of the longitudinal guide  84  are pressed against one another and therewith against the arm  10 , whereby this latter is arrestable against driving in the longitudinal guide  84 . On releasing of the tensioning device  94  the longitudinal guide  84  of the arm  10  is freed and the contact surface pairs  114 ,  114 ′ are separated from one another, whereby the tiltability of the arm  10  is freed. The total tilting range of the arm  10  is limited by two end stops which are reached, respectively, in the working or in the rest position of the static umbrella. As is evident from FIGS. 4 and 5, the end stops are formed by a projection  116  or  116 ′, respectively facing toward the togglehead  80 , which strikes against a corresponding upper stop surface  118  and lower stop surface  120  of a recess on the togglehead  80 . The size of the recess determines the maximal tilt angle between the working and the rest positions of the hinge  12  and therewith of the arm  10 . 
     The contact surface pairs  114 ,  114 ′ can be constructed as pairs of surfaces provided with an adhesive coating, that are pressable against one another. In the example of execution shown the contact surface pairs  114  and  114 ′ comprise sector-form rest projections  122  and  122 ′ on the inside of the hinge shells  82  and  82 ′, which engage into corresponding rest depressions  124  and  124 ′ on the facing side of the togglehead  80 . The angular division of the contact surface pairs  114 ,  114 ′ here defined as the angle between two adjacent rest projections  122 ,  122 ′ or two adjacent rest depressions  124 ,  124 ′, corresponds in the example shown to the maximal tilt angle of the arm  10 , which here amounts to approximately 40°. The angular position of the rest projections  122 ,  122 ′ and rest depressions  124 ,  124 ′ is chosen in such manner that the contact surfaces of a contact surface pair  114  or  114 ′ engage in one another when the tilting position of the arm  10  corresponds either to the working or to the rest position. If necessary a finer angular division of the contact surface pairs  114 ,  114 ′ could be chosen, in order to arrest the arm  10  also in intermediate positions of the tilt angle. 
     The transverse profile  126  of the contact surface pairs  114 ,  114 ′, here defined as the corresponding transverse profile of the stop projections  122 ,  122 ′ and stop depressions  124 ,  124 ′, respectively, is such that the stop projections  122 ,  122 ′ taper upward and the stop depressions  124 ,  124 ′ converge downward, to form run-on surfaces which facilitate the interlocking and releasing of the contact surface pairs  114 ,  114 ′. This formation brings it about that with released tensioning device  94  the hinge shells  82 ,  82 ′ are thrust apart in the driving in and out of the arm, since a force exerted by the user of the static umbrella on the arm  10  in its longitudinal direction also exerts a torque about the tilting axis  14  and brings about the spreading of the hinge shells  82 ,  82 ′. In a first opening phase with only slightly opened tensioning device  94  there occurs only a spreading of the hinge shells  82 ,  82 ′ without any over-running of the contact surface pairs  114 ,  114 ′, so that without any tilting of the arm  10  this arm, especially also in the case of a curved arm, is drivable in and out without jolting, and therefore easily. There can also be provided spring means, in order to push apart the two hinge shells  82 ,  82 ′ after releasing of the tensioning device, in which case the corresponding spring forms is to be overcome in the tightening of the tensioning device  94 . In a second opening phase of the tensioning device  94  this is opened so far that also the contact surface pairs  114 ,  114 ′ are over-run and the hinge  12  and therewith the arm  10  can be tilted. 
     In order to prevent, during the driving in and out of the arm  10 , a twisting of same about its longitudinal axis, the guide surfaces  86 ,  86 ′ and  88 ,  88 ′ as well as the arm  10  are provided with non-rotation-symmetric cross-section profiles corresponding to one another. Furthermore, the length guide  84  has one or more gearing profiles  128  in the zone of the longitudinal dividing, in which arrangement in each case a projection  130  of a half of the longitudinal guide  84  projecting over the longitudinal section plane engages into a corresponding recess  132  of the oppositely lying half of the longitudinal guide  84 . In this manner there is prevented the possibility that through the releasing of the tensioning device  94  on the one hand there occurs a mutual swinging of the hinge shells  82 ,  82 ′ and, on the other hand, through the mentioned division gap of the longitudinal guide  84  there occurs a yielding of the arm  10  in vertical direction, i.e. and unwanted releasing of the arm out of the longitudinal guide  84 . 
     As is evident from FIGS. 1 and 2, the tilting position of the arm  10  is always so aligned that on an unintended releasing of the tensioning device  94  the arm  10  is forced into the driven-in rest position, whereby the risk of an inadvertent sliding of the arm  10  out of the hinge  12  is aggravated. If necessary, the umbrella-remote arm end  134  can be equipped with a security means against sliding out, for example with a bulge  136  that can be screwed on.