Tent – canopy – umbrella – or cane – Umbrella – Mechanically operated
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-09
2001-01-09
Canfield, Robert (Department: 3635)
Tent, canopy, umbrella, or cane
Umbrella
Mechanically operated
C135S015100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06170497
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to an umbrella, and in particular, to a rope-operated umbrella opening mechanism adapted in a large-sized umbrella, such as a beach umbrella.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Large-sized umbrellas, such as beach umbrella and garden umbrella, are well known. A conventional large-sized umbrella is shown in
FIG. 1
of the attached drawings, comprising a shank
10
having a crown
11
fixed to a top end thereof. A runner
12
is fit over and axially movable along the shank
10
. A plurality of rib-stretcher sets
13
are connected between the crown
11
and the runner
12
for supporting a canopy (not shown) of the umbrella. The shank
10
is separated into an upper and lower sections between which a joint
15
is formed for allowing the upper section to rotate with respect to the lower section in order to change the direction of the umbrella canopy as shown in
FIG. 2
for tracking the sun.
A rope-winding device
14
is fixed to the lower section of the shank
10
proximate a lower end thereof winding/unwinding a rope
16
. The rope
16
is partially received in an axially-extending central bore (not shown) of the shank
10
. The rope
16
extends from the rope-winding device
14
, through the joint
15
and a roller or pulley (not shown) rotatably fixed to the shank
10
proximate the crown
11
, and is connected to the runner
12
whereby by actuating the rope-winding device
14
by means of a crank arm
17
to wind/unwind the rope
16
onto/from the rope-winding device
14
, the runner
12
is moved toward/away from the crown
11
for opening/closing the umbrella.
Such a conventional umbrella opening mechanism, however, has disadvantages. For example, since the runner
12
is driven by a single rope
16
that is attached to the runner
12
at one side thereof thereby leading to a force unbalanced condition which causes a frictional engagement between one side of the runner
12
and the shank
10
. A smooth movement of the runner
12
is thus prohibited.
Attaching two ropes to two opposite sides of the runner is an idea solution for the force-unbalancing problem. However, since the joint
15
which provides only a very limited space for the two ropes to simultaneously extend therethrough, it is not possible to connect two ropes between the runner
12
and the rope-winding device
14
.
It is thus desirable to have an umbrella opening mechanism that overcomes the problems encountered in the prior art designs of the large-sized umbrellas.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an umbrella opening mechanism which moves a runner in a force balanced fashion thereby solving the problems of one side friction and un-smooth movement of the runner.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an umbrella opening mechanism which overcomes the above problems without simultaneously connecting two ropes between the runner and a rope-winding device whereby limitations caused by the joint on the existence of the two ropes is eliminated.
To achieve the above objects, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an umbrella opening mechanism adapted to open an umbrella comprising a shank having an axially-extending central bore, a crown fixed to an axial top end of the shank, a runner axially movable along the shank and rib-stretcher sets connected between the crown and the runner for supporting an umbrella canopy, and comprising a rope-winding device manually controlled by a crank arm. A first rope which has a first end fixed to the rope-winding device and which is capable to be wound onto the winding device extend through the central bore of the shank with a second end thereof attached to a movable connection element. Two pulleys are fixed to the shank and arranged in two radial holes defined in the shank proximate the crown and in communication with the central bore. A second rope has a center point fixed in the central bore and two half sections slidably extending through and supporting the connection element. Each half section has an end extending out of the shank through the corresponding radial hole and supported by the pulley to be fixed to the runner at two opposite sides. By actuating the rope-winding device to wind the first rope, the connection element is moved and the sections of the second rope are pulled into the shank thereby driving the runner toward the crown and thus opening the umbrella.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4807655 (1989-02-01), Robertson
patent: 4928718 (1990-05-01), Apple
patent: 5803102 (1998-09-01), Ko
patent: 5806547 (1998-09-01), Derlinga
patent: 5845665 (1998-12-01), Koehn
patent: 143117 (1934-01-01), None
Canfield Robert
Rosenberg , Klein & Lee
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