Abstract:
A foldable umbrella includes a control device on the handle of the umbrella and the control device includes a ring which has a projection that is engaged three aligned holes in three tubes of a shaft when the when the umbrella is folded. An end member is connected to a wire which reeves through pulleys on a finishing cap and a runner on the shaft. The end member is compressed by a compressing plate in the control device. The ring is pushed by pushing a control button at a first time to disengage the projection from the aligned holes to let the shaft expand. The control button is pushed at a second time to remove the end member from the compressing plate to fold the umbrella.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a folding device for umbrella and includes a control device which controls expansion of retracted tubes by a button and two wires are connected between a moving member in the tubes and a finishing cap of the umbrella. One of the wires is connected to a runner so that the runner moves with the expansion of the tubes to expand the umbrella. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A conventional umbrella generally includes a shaft with a runner movably mounted to the shaft. A finishing cap is connected to a top of the shaft and a plurality of ribs are pivotally and radially connected to the finishing cap so that a fabric is connected to the ribs. A plurality of stretchers are pivotally connected between the ribs and the runner. A bottom stop and a top stop are respectively received in the shaft and biased by two respective springs. When the runner is engaged with the bottom stop, the umbrella is at its folded status and when the runner is engaged with the top stop, the ribs extend and the umbrella is expanded. The runner is pushed by a user along the shaft to expand the umbrella from the lower stop to the top stop when expanding the umbrella. It is inconvenience for the users to expand the umbrella when the other hand carrying a bag or the like. An automatic umbrella is then developed and includes a control button which is pushed to let the runner run toward the finishing cap to expand the umbrella. Nevertheless, this type of automatic mechanism is not used for an umbrella having a shaft composed of more than two retractable tubes. 
     The present invention intends to provide folding device for umbrella wherein the umbrella has a shaft with four retractable tubes and the umbrella can be expanded or folded by pushing a button once. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a foldable umbrella comprising a finishing cap with a plurality of first ribs pivotally connected thereto. A fabric is mounted to the ribs and first pulley is received in the finishing cap. A shaft is connected to the finishing cap and comprises a plurality of tubes which are retractably connected with each other. Each tube has a hole defined through a periphery thereof. A handle tube is connected to a low end of the shaft and a control device is connected to the handle tube. The handle tube has a first aperture and a second aperture defined therethrough. A runner is movably mounted to the shaft and a plurality of stretchers are pivotally connected between the runner and the ribs. A spring is received in the shaft and has a first end thereof engaged with a retaining tube which is movably received in the shaft. 
     A first wire has a first end thereof fixedly connected to the finishing cap and a second of the first wire reeves through a second pulley in the runner and the first pulley in the finishing cap and is then fixedly connected to a first block received in the retaining tube. An end member is movably received in the shaft and has an engaging head. A second wire has a first end thereof fixedly connected to the end member and a second end of the second wire extends through a second block which is received in the retaining tube and located between the first block and the end member. The second end of the second wire reeves through a fourth pulley in the first block and is fixedly connected to the second block. A second end of the spring is engaged with the engaging head of the end member. 
     The control device comprises a base member and a central passage defined through the base member in which the handle tube is received. A slot is defined through a periphery of the base member and communicates with the central passage. An opening is defined in the periphery of the base member and communicates with the central passage. A carrying member is movably inserted in the opening and has a hole defined therein which is in alignment with the central passage. A spring is biased against a bottom of the carrying member. A protrusion extends from the carrying member and is movably engaged with the slot. A groove is defined in an inner periphery of the central passage and a ring is movably received in the groove. A projection extends radially inward from an inner periphery of the ring. A tube is fixedly engaged with the central passage in the base member and received in the handle tube. A tunnel is defined through the tube and communicates with the first aperture and the second aperture in the handle tube. A pressing plate is connected to the tube and has a convex portion which is inserted in the tunnel and presses against the end member when the umbrella is folded. The projection is inserted in the tunnel and engaged with the holes in the retracted tubes of the shaft when the umbrella is folded. 
     A first button has a plate and a tongue extends from the plate. A spring is mounted to the tongue and biased between the plate and the carrying member. A second button has a board and the ring and the plate of the first button both contact the board. 
     The primary object of the present invention is to provide a foldable umbrella wherein the umbrella is expanded by pushing a button and folded by pushing the button again. 
     These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, several embodiments in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view to show a foldable umbrella of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 shows a structure of a shaft of the umbrella of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded view to show a control device of the umbrella of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view to show the control device when the umbrella is in a foldable status; 
     FIG. 5 is an illustrative view to show when the button is pushed, the umbrella of the present invention expands; 
     FIG. 6A is a cross sectional view to show when the button of the control device is pushed to let the shaft extend; 
     FIG. 6B is a cross sectional view to show a carrying member is moved upward after the button of the control device is pushed to let the shaft extend; 
     FIG. 7 is an illustrative view to show when the button is pushed again, the umbrella of the present invention is folded; 
     FIG. 8A is a cross sectional view to show when the button of the control device is pushed, the end member is released from the compressing plate, and 
     FIG. 8B is a cross sectional view to show the end member bounces upward to fold the umbrella. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 to  4 , the foldable umbrella of the present invention comprises a finishing cap  27  with a plurality of first ribs  21  pivotally connected thereto and a first pulley  15  received in the finishing cap  27 . A shaft  10  is connected to the finishing cap and is composed of three tubes  11 ,  12  and  13  which are retractably connected with each other. As shown in FIG. 2, each of the tubes  11 ,  12  and  13  has a lower open end and a flange  111 / 122 / 132  extends radially inward from the lower open end. Two of the three tubes  11 ,  12  and  13  respectively has a flange  121 / 131  extending radially outward from a top end thereof so that the flanges  121 ,  131  is engaged with the flanges  111  and  122  when the shaft  10  is extended. A handle tube  14  is connected to a low end of the shaft  10  and a control device  40  is connected to the handle tube  14 . The handle tube  14  has a first aperture  142  and a second aperture  143  defined therethrough. The handle tube  14  has a flange  141  extending radially outward from a top end thereof so as to be engaged with the flange  132  of the third tube  13 . Each of the tubes  11 ,  12 , and  13  has a hole  112 / 123 / 133  defined through a periphery thereof and the three holes  112 ,  123 ,  133  are in alignment with other when the tubes  11 ,  12  and  13  are retractable. A runner  26  is movably mounted to the shaft  10  and a plurality of stretchers  22  are pivotally between the runner  26  and the ribs  21 . Three sub-ribs  23 ,  24  and  25  are pivotally connected with each other and the sub-rib  23  is pivotally connected to the stretcher  22 . A fabric mounted to the ribs  21 . 
     A spring  16  is received in the shaft  10  and a first end of the spring  16  is engaged with a retaining tube  36  which is movably received in the shaft  10 . A first wire  31  has a first end thereof fixedly connected to the finishing cap  27  and a second of the first wire  31  reeves through a second pulley  261  in the runner  26  and the first pulley  15  in the finishing cap  27  and then is fixedly connected to a rod  332  in a first block  33  received in the retaining tube  36 . An end member  35  is movably received in the shaft  10  and has an engaging head  350 . A second wire  34  has a first end thereof fixedly connected to the end member  35  and a second end of the second wire  34  extends through a hole ( 321 ) in a second block  32  which is received in the retaining tube  36  and located between the first block  33  and the end member  35 . The second end of the second wire  34  reeves through a third pulley  331  in the first block  33  and is then fixedly connected to the second block  32 . A second end of the spring  16  is engaged with the engaging head  350  of the end member  35 . 
     The control device  40  comprises a base member  41  and a central passage defined through the base member  41  in which the handle tube  14  is received. A neck  411  extends from the control device  40  and the base member  41  is received in a casing  45 . A slot  414  is defined through a periphery of the base member  41  and communicates with the central passage. An opening is defined in the periphery of the base member  41  and communicates with the central passage, wherein the opening is located diametrically opposite to the slot  414 . The casing  45  has a hole  451  which communicates with the opening in the base member  41 . A groove  412  is defined in an inner periphery of the central passage and a ring  42  is movably received in the groove  412 . A spring  422  is biased between the ring  42  and the an inner periphery of the groove  412 . A projection  421  extends radially inward from an inner periphery of the ring  42  and the projection  421  has an inclined surface. Two ridges  413  extend radially from the inner periphery of the central passage in the base member  41 . 
     A carrying member  43  is movably inserted in the opening and has a first hole  431  defined therein which is in alignment with the central passage of the base member  41 . A spring  435  is biased against a bottom of the carrying member  43 . A protrusion  432  extends from the carrying member  43  and is movably engaged with the slot  414 . Two notches  434  are defined in two sides of the carrying member  43  so that the two ridges  413  are engaged with the notches  434 . A second hole  433  is defined in an end of the carrying member  43  and which communicates with the first hole  431  in the carrying member  43 . 
     A tube  47  is received in the handle tube  14  and is fixedly engaged with the central passage in the base member  41 . A tunnel  471  is defined through the tube  47  and communicates with the first aperture  142  and the second aperture  143  in the handle tube  14 . A slit  472  is defined in an outer periphery close to a lower end thereof and a pressing plate  48  having one end thereof inserted into the slit  472  and the other end of the compressing plate  48  is a convex portion  481  which is inserted in the tunnel  471  and presses against the end member  35  when the umbrella is folded. The convex portion  481  is located in alignment with the first aperture  142  of the handle tube  14  and the engaging member  35  has a shoulder portion  352  which is engaged with a periphery defining the tunnel  471  of the tube  47 . It is to be noted that the projection  421  inserted in the tunnel  471  and engaged with the aligned holes  112 / 123 / 133  in the retracted tubes  11 ,  12  and  13  of the shaft  10  when the umbrella is folded. 
     A first button  44  includes a curved plate  441  and a tongue  442  extends from the plate  441 . A spring  443  is mounted to the tongue  442  and biased between the plate  441  and the carrying member  43 . A second button  46  has a board which is large enough that the ring  42  and the plate  441  of the first button  44  contact the board. A protrusion  461  extends from the board of the second button  46  and is accessed via the hole  451  of the casing  45 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6A, when expanding the umbrella, the user pushes the protrusion  461  of the second button  46  to push the ring  42  so that the projection  421  is disengaged from the aligned holes  112 ,  123 ,  133 . The three tubes  11 ,  12  and  13  bounce and expand by the spring  16 , the retaining tube  36  is then pulled by the first wire  31  and the second wire  34 . When releasing the second button  46 , the first button  44  is bounced back by the spring  443  and the carrying member  43  is moved upward by the spring  435 . The carrying member  43  is stopped when the protrusion  432  is engaged to a top edge of the slot  414 . The second button  44  is moved upward together with the carrying member  43  because the tongue  442  is inserted into the second hole  433 . The tongue  442  is now inserted into the first aperture  142   
     Referring to FIGS. 7,  8 A and  8 B, when folding the umbrella, the second button  46  is pushed again and the tongue  442  is inserted into the second aperture  143  in the handle tube  14  and pushes the end member  35  to disengage from the top edge of the tunnel  471 . The end member  35  is then lifted by the extended spring  16 , the upward movement of the end member  35  loosen the first wire  31  and the second wire  34  so that the runner  26  drops to collapse the umbrella. 
     While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.