Patent Abstract:
An automatic close umbrella is disclosed. As the umbrella is to be folded, the user only needs to press an elastic control device on a handle by one finger so that a tenon is released from a buckle and thus the buckle unit of the lower rib collector is separated with the lower sub-bar. Furthermore, the lower rib collector descends due to the elasticity of the upper rib collector and lower rib collector so as to impact the hook device of the sub-bar. Thereby, two sub-bars are separated and the hook device of each sub-bar will release. Therefore, each multi-sectional bar is telescopic automatically. Furthermore, as the ribs are folded, the canopy will be closed. Thus, as the user enters into a room or a car, the user may close the umbrella easily by only one hand.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to umbrellas, and particularly to a fully automatic closing umbrella which includes functions of automatically closing an umbrella canopy and automatically retracting and resetting a telescopic shaft as a button is pushed.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    Conventional umbrellas are opened and closed manually by both hands. The canopy on the umbrella is pushed up for opening and pulled down for closing the umbrella. Both manual actions require the use of both hands. To open an umbrella, one hand pushes the canopy upward while the other hand securely holds the handle for leverage. To close an umbrella, a user pulls down the canopy and pulls one end of the umbrella against the other to compress the telescopic shaft together.  
           [0005]    The prior automatic opening function allows on umbrella canopy to automatically open by pushing a button with one hand. The shaft is telescopically stretched out and the canopy of the umbrella is opened. However, to close the umbrella, the user still needs to pull one end of the umbrella against the other and compress the telescopic shaft together. This inconvenience poses a problem during rainy days, i.e. when a user is holding an object by one hand. The user must firstly put the object aside and then proceed to close the umbrella with both hands.  
           [0006]    Automatic closing function was later developed and incorporated with the automatic opening function. Thus known as the automatic opening and closing function, current automatic closing function automatically closes the canopy and ribs of the umbrella by pushing a button. However, the telescopic shaft remains stretched and unfolded. To properly close the umbrella and fold the telescopic shaft, the user still needs to pull one end of the umbrella against the other and compress the telescopic shaft together. This resets the telescopic shaft and prepares it for use again. Additionally, these prior art designs are complicated in structure and comprise many parts, which can be damaged easily.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    An automatic close umbrella is disclosed. As the umbrella is to be folded, the user only needs to press an elastic control device on a handle by one finger so that a tenon is released from a buckle and thus the buckle unit of the lower rib collector is separated with the lower sub-bar. Furthermore, the lower rib collector descends due to the elasticity of the upper rib collector and lower rib collector so as to impact the hook device of the sub-bar. Thereby, two sub-bars are separated. Then, the hook device of each sub-bar will release. Therefore, each multi-sectional bar is telescopic automatically. Furthermore, as the ribs are folded, then the canopy will be closed. Thus, as the user enters into a room or a car, the user may close the umbrella easily by only one hand.  
           [0008]    The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawing. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a structural view of the umbrella of the present invention.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a cross section view showing the upper rib collector, the lower rib collector and the uppermost sub-bar;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a cross section view of the upper rib collector, lower rib collector and uppermost sub-bar of FIG. 1, where the umbrella has been expanded.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a cross section view of the handle of the present invention, wherein the umbrella has been expanded.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the handle and control device of the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 is a cross section view showing an expanded umbrella.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the hook device of the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 8 is a cross section view of the present invention, wherein two sub-bars of the present invention is positioned with a hook device.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing the two sub-bars are disengaged with the hook device.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing that after the control device is pressed, wherein the lower rib collector is disengaged from the rod.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a process next to that of FIG. 10, wherein the folding of the sub-bars and the canopy are closed.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 12 is a schematic view showing the expansion of the lower rib collector and the sub-bars in the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]    Referring to FIG. 1, an exploded perspective view of the present invention is illustrated. The umbrella has a multi-node telescopic main rod  10 , an upper rib collector  20 , a lower rib collector  30  movable along the telescopic main rod  10 , a handle  40  fixed at a lower end of the main rod  10 , a control device  50  installed on the handle  40  and capable of folding the umbrella, an umbrella stand  60  formed by a plurality of ribs  60 , and a canopy  62  arranged on the ribs  60 .  
         [0022]    With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, an enlarged view showing the upper rib collector  20  and lower rib collector  30  of the present invention. It is illustrated that an elastomer  70  (for example, a compressible spring) is installed between the upper rib collector  20  and lower rib collector  30 . After the elastomer  35  is compressible by the elastomer  70 , it has an effect of expansion for restoring to original condition.  
         [0023]    Referring to FIG. 3, the cross section view of the upper rib collector  20  and lower rib collector  30  of the present invention is illustrated. A pulley  52  is installed in the upper rib collector  20 . In the present invention, the pulley  52  can be neglected, however, it is preferable to install the pulley. By this pulley  52 , the wire  51  can lead into the upper sub-rod  11 . An upper end of the wire  51  is connected to the key  22  in the through hole  21  of the lower rib collector  30 . The wire  51  can be lead into the upper sub-rod  11  through the pulley  52 . One end of the wire  51  is connected to the key  22 . The key  22  may be pushed by the elastomer  23  in the lower rib collector through hole  21 . Another end thereof is connected to the tenon  54  in the lower sub-rod  14  (referring to FIG. 4).  
         [0024]    Other than connecting with a plurality of ribs  60 , the lower rib collector  30  has a buckle unit  33 . The buckle unit  33  includes an inserting bar  36  which vertically passes through the straight through hole  301  in the lower rib collector  30 ; an elastomer  37  in the straight through hole for elastically moving the inserting bar  36 ; a positioning pin  38  transversally installed in the lower rib collector transversal hole  302  and operated by an elastomer  39 ; and a button  34  transversally installed in the lower rib collector transversal hole  303  and operated by an elastomer  35 . The inserting bar  38  passes through the positioning pin  38  vertically, and the button  34  passes through the lower end of the inserting bar  36 . The rear end of the positioning pin  38  is pushed by the elastomer  39  so that the front end thereof is embedded into the positioning hole  111  of the upper sub-rod  11 . Thereby, the lower rib collector  30  is fixed to the upper end of the upper main rod  10 . Moreover, the rear end of the button  34  is pushed by the elastomer  35  to protrude out of the transversal hole  303 . When the button  34  moves, the stud hole  361  of the inserting bar  36  will affect by the tapered surface  341  so that the inserting bar  36  lifts upwards or descend downwards. Further, when the inserting bar  36  moves, the positioning pin  38  will move transversally due to the action of the tilt surface  362 .  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the handle of the umbrella of the present invention. The wire  51  is connected to the tenon  54  in the lower sub-rod  14  from the lower rib collector  30 . The lower end of the tenon  54  is connected to the elastomer  57 . The lower end of the elastomer  57  is fixed in the lower sub-rod  14  (for example by pin  58 ). The elastomer  57  pulls the tenon  54  and the wire  51 . The tenon  54  has a stopping ring  542  which resists against the hook  502  integral with the button  501 . The button  501  is a part of the control device  50 . Referring to FIG. 5, the control device  50  has an annular ring  503 , a hook  502  in the ring, and a button  501  integrally formed with the ring. The ring  503  is in an annular groove  42  of the handle  40 . The button  501  is embedded into the embedding groove  43 . The rear end of the ring  503  resists against a small spring  55  locating in a spring groove  44 . After the lower sub-rod  14  passes through the straight hole  45 , the through hole  141  at the lower end is aligned to the annular groove  42 . Then the hook  502  in the ring  503  passes through the through hole  141  to resist against the stopping ring  542  of the tenon. When the umbrella is opened, the stopping ring  542  is positioned below the hook  502 . When the button  501  is pressed, the hook  502  will retract so that the tenon  54  lifts automatically due to the contraction of the elastomer  23  in the upper rib collector  20  (since the elastic force of the elastomer  23  is larger than that of the elastomer  57 ). As a result, the tenon stopping ring  542  is above the hook  502 .  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 6 shows a whole cross section view as the umbrella is expanded. In the figure, the structures of the upper rib collector  20  and lower rib collector  30  have been described. The elastomer  56  in the main rod  10  is fixed to the upper rib collector  20  by the upper end  561  thereof. The lower end  562  thereof is fixed to the lower portion of the lower sub-rod  14 . After each sub-rod is expanded, the wire  51  is vertical. The hook device  90  of each sub-rod (despite of the lower sub-rod  14 ) has a structure which may be known from FIG. 7. The hook device  90  illustrated in the drawing is formed by an opening elastic ring clip  91 , an elastic buckling piece  92 , an impacting portion  96  at an upper end of the elastic buckling piece, and a buckling hook  97 . The clip ring  91  is around the outer edge of the lower end of each sub-rod (for example, sub-rod  11 ). Two hook pieces  98  at the opening of the ring clip insert into the two slits  116  of the sub-rod  11 . To avoid the ring clip  91  to slide down, a sleeve  99  encloses the clip ring  91 . Then, the buckle hook  97  passes into the hook hole  117  of the sub-rod and then further into the hook hole  125  of the lower sub-rod  12  so that the upper and lower sub-rods are combined and thus fixed.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 9 shows that when the umbrella is folded, the lower rib collector  30  will descend due to the expansion of the elastomer  70 . When the lower end contacts the impact portion  96  of the hook device  90 . The buckle  92  moves outwards so that the buckle hook  97  will separate the hook hole  125  of the sub-rod  12  so that the upper and lower sub-rods will disengage and the sub-rod  11  will descend continuously. Similarly, when the sub-rod  12  descends to touch the hook device  90  of the sub-rod  12 , the buckling relation will be released so that the sub-rod  12  descends continuously. Likewise, finally, the sub-rods  11 ˜ 13  will descend to the lower sub-rod  14  so as to be as a sub-rod of one section.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing the umbrella being folded. In the drawing, it is illustrated when the user press the button  501  on the handle  40  by only one finger, the wire  51  will lift upwards due to the expansion of the elastomer  23  in the upper rib collector  20  so that the key  22  descends. The key  22  further presses the inserting bar  36  so that the inserting bar  36  descends to enforce the positioning pin  38  to retract, and thus is separated from the positioning hole  111 . Therefore, the retaining relation between the lower rib collector  30  and the upper sub-rod  11  is detached. Then, the lower rib collector  30  will descend immediately by the expansion of the elastomer  70 . Then, the buckling relations of hook devices  90  of each sub-rod can be released and the length of the main rod  10  is shortened due to the compression of the elastomer  56 , as illustrated in FIG. 11. After all of the sub-rods are combined as a single section, the wire  51  is loose. Therefore, the tenon  54  will descend due to the compression of the elastomer  57 . The stopping ring  542  will slide through the hook  502  to be located therebelow. When the user&#39;s finger separates from the button  501 , by the expansion of the elastomer  55 , the control device  50  will return to the original condition. Moreover, each rib  61  of the umbrella stand  60  will automatically fold.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 12 is a schematic view showing the lower rib collector moving upwards. It is illustrated that after the user pushes the lower rib collector  30  upwards by a single hand. Each rib  60  of the umbrella stand  60  will expand with the lifting of the lower rib collector  30  until the lower rib collector  30  is positioned upon the upper sub-rod  11 .  
         [0030]    Therefore, by the present invention, the umbrella may fold automatically by using only one hand. Therefore, as the user enters into a house or a car, the user can fold the umbrella by one hand.  
         [0031]    Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details described thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have been suggested in the foregoing description, and others will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0