Abstract:
An electric stretching/collecting device for a parasol including a touch switch, a remote control circuit, a motor driving mechanism, a manually operated clutch mechanism and a ratchet damper mechanism. A motor serves to drive the motor driving mechanism to wind or unwind a cord for stretching/collecting the parasol. When the crank is switched, a clutching effect is provided to change the electrically driving operation into a manually driving operation. Therefore, the stretching/collecting device of the parasol is able to achieve double uses of manual and electric operation for conveniently stretching or collecting the parasol face.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an electric stretching/collecting device for a parasol, in which a motor is used to automatically stretch or collect the parasol. 
     When a crank is switched, the electrically driving operation is switched to a manually driving operation. A remote controller also serves to control the stretching/collecting operation of the parasol so that the stretching/collecting operation of a large parasol can be more conveniently performed with strength saved. 
     A conventional parasol is stretched or collected by a cord winding mechanism which is manually operated via a crank. Such operation is laborious and time-consuming. In addition, articles are often placed at a position near the crank to limit the space for the cranking operation of the crank so that the cranking operation is often obstacled. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an electric stretching/collecting device for a parasol, in which the stretching/collecting operation of the parasol can be switched between an electrical operation by a touch switch or a remote controller and a manual operation by a crank so that the stretching/collecting operation of a large parasol can be more conveniently performed with strength saved. 
     According to the above objects, the electric stretching/collecting device for a parasol of the present invention includes a touch switch, a remote control means, a motor driving mechanism, a manually operated clutch mechanism and a ratchet damper mechanism. The touch switch and the remote control means are respectively designed with related circuit elements connected to a motor. A first bevel gear is rotatably disposed on an output shaft of the motor for driving a second bevel gear of a horizontal transmission shaft for electrically stretching/collecting the parasol by the touch switch or remote control means. A manually operated clutch mechanism is disposed at one end of the transmission shaft, which is controlled by a crank to detachably engage with the transmission shaft and drive the same with a clutching effect. Therefore, the operation can be switched between an electric measure and a manual measure. In addition, a ratchet damper mechanism is disposed at a rear end of the transmission shaft, whereby the transmission shaft is one-way rotatable and when the parasol is stretched open to a maximum limit position, the damper mechanism serves to prevent the parasol from downward sliding. 
     The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings wherein: 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of the manually driving clutch mechanism of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective exploded view of the damper mechanism of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 4A and 4B show that the cord winder of the present invention is electrically rotated to wind or unwind the cord; 
     FIGS. 5A and 5B show that the cord winder of the present invention is manually rotated to wind or unwind the cord; and 
     FIG. 6 shows the stretching/collecting operation of the parasol of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 4A. The electric stretching/collecting device for a parasol of the present invention includes a touch switch  10 , a remote control circuit  11 , a motor driving mechanism  20 , a manually operated clutch mechanism  30  and a ratchet damper mechanism  40 . The touch switch  10  is a membrane-type switch attached to outer side of an outer housing  12 . The switch is connected with a motor  21  of the driving mechanism  20 . The motor is externally connected with a battery as a power source. The remote control circuit  11  is controlled by an external remote controller for controlling on/off of the motor  21 . 
     The motor driving mechanism  20  includes a first bevel gear  22 , a second bevel gear  23 , a transmission shaft  24 , a steel ball  25 , a collar  26 , an engaging ring  27  and a brake shaft  28 . The output shaft of the motor  21  is rotatably fixed with the first bevel gear  22 . The transmission shaft  24  is passed through a pin hole  51  of an inner tube seat  50 . The second bevel gear  23 , collar  26  and engaging ring  27  are sequentially fitted on the transmission shaft  24 . The collar  26  is padded at the pin hole  51  and located on the transmission shaft  24  via the engaging ring  27  and a small screw  29 . The front end of the second bevel gear  23  is fixedly stopped by a shaft latch  31  and located on the transmission shaft  24 . The second bevel gear  23  meshes with the first bevel gear  22 . The inner hole of the second bevel gear  23  is disposed with an engaging groove  32  for drivingly engaging with the steel ball  25  (referring to FIGS. 4B and 5B ). Accordingly, the brake shaft  28  extends to abut under the steel ball  25 , making the steel ball  25  engaged in the transmission shaft  24  and the engaging groove  32  of the second bevel gear  23 , whereby the transmission shaft  24  and the second bevel gear  23  form an integrated rigid body. By means of pressing the touch switch  10  or the remote control circuit  11 , the motor  21  is activated to rotate and drive the second bevel gear  23  through the first bevel gear  22 . At this time, the cord  33  is wound on the transmission shaft  24  to stretch open the parasol face. 
     Referring to FIGS. 2,  4 A and  5 A, the manually operated clutch mechanism  30  is composed of a crank  34 , a brake shaft  28 , a transmission shaft  24 , a collar  26 , a steel ball  25 , an engaging ring  27  and a small screw  29 . When the crank  34  is pulled outward, the brake shaft  28  is outward pulled along with the crank  34 . Due to retraction of the brake shaft  28 , the steel ball  25  drops from the hole  37  of the transmission shaft  24  and disengages from the engaging groove  32  of the second bevel gear  23 . A rectangular engaging section at an end of the transmission shaft  24  is engaged with an inner rectangular recess  36  of the crank  34 , whereby the crank  34  can be rotated to directly drive the transmission shaft  24 . At this time, the steel ball  25  is dropped so that the transmission shaft  24  is disengaged from the second bevel gear  23  with a clutching effect so that when rotating the crank  34 , the motor  21  will not be driven to rotate. 
     Please refer to FIGS. 3,  4 A and  5 A, the damper mechanism  40  includes a pad sleeve  41 , a washer  42 , a ratchet gear  43 , a spring  44 , a check gasket  47 , tightening nut  48  and tightening nut  45 . A rear end of the transmission shaft  24  is passed through the tube seat  50  and then sequentially passed through the respective components of the damper mechanism and finally tightened by the tightening nut  45 . The check gasket  47  is inserted into a fissure  241  at the end of the transmission shaft. A click  46  is locked on the pad sleeve  41 . When rotating the crank  34 , the ratchet gear  43  is tightened by the tightening nut  45  so that the check gasket  47  is rotated along therewith so as to stretch open the cord. When the cord is unwound to stretch open the parasol to a limit position, the ratchet gear  43  is stopped by the click  46  to provide a damping effect for preventing the parasol face from sliding downward. When reversely rotating the crank  34 , the check gasket  47  is frictionally slided on the ratchet gear  43  to provide a certain torque for the transmission shaft  24  so as to lower and collect the parasol face. 
     As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, when electrically stretching/collecting the parasol, the brake shaft  28  is pushed inward to the transmission shaft  24  to force the steel ball  25  as a key to engage into the engaging groove  32  so as to engage the second bevel gear  23  with the transmission shaft  24 . At this time, the first bevel gear  22  transmits the electrically driving force through the second bevel gear  23  to drive the transmission shaft  24  to rotate. When the motor  21  is activated, the parasol can be stretched open as shown in FIG.  6 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, when performing manually stretching/collecting operation of the parasol, the brake shaft  28  is pulled outward to outer side of the crank  34  to make the steel ball  25  drop from the engaging groove  32 . At this time, the second bevel gear  23  cannot drive the transmission shaft  24  to achieve an idling effect. The rectangular engaging section  35  at the end of the transmission shaft  24  is engaged in the rectangular recess  36  of the crank  34 . At this time, the crank  34  is engaged with the transmission  24  to directly control the stretching/collecting operation of the parasol, serving as a manually controlling structure as shown in FIG.  6 . 
     According to the above arrangement, the stretching/collecting device for the parasol of the present invention employs a motor driving mechanism for stretching/collecting the parasol. In addition, the clutch mechanism provides a switching effect between the manual operation and electric operation and remote control operation, whereby the stretching/collecting operation of parasol can be performed in versatile and strength-saving manners. 
     The above embodiment is only used to illustrate the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of the above embodiment can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.