Folding umbrella

Abstract

This product provides a folding umbrella that can be opened quickly, functions as rain protection with a single touch, folds smoothly, is resistant to damage from wind, can be easily stored in limited spaces such as bags, and can be carried around in a bag after the rain stops. [Solution] The umbrella body 10 is composed of a disc 11 that functions as a base, five panels 14 that form an isosceles triangle by connecting the opposite vertices with one side of a regular pentagon inscribed in the disc 11 as the base, and a rain-receiving cover 19 made of a waterproof and heat-shielding material that has the shape of a regular pentagon formed by connecting the vertices of the isosceles triangle when the five panels 14 are open. When in use, the five panels open and the rain-receiving cover 19 catches the rain, and when stored, the five panels are folded with the rain-receiving cover 19 facing inward.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a folding umbrella that is easy to store in a bag or the like and has high convenience when carried around.

Background Art

[0002] Due to recent climate change, local heavy rains have occurred frequently, and in particular, due to the heat island phenomenon in urban areas, the occurrence of so-called guerrilla heavy rains has been reported frequently. Under such circumstances, the cases of encountering unexpected heavy rains while outside are increasing, and means to avoid sudden rain are in demand.

[0003] Folding umbrellas have been widely used and popularized conventionally, and an example of an improved technology related to this is disclosed in the following patent documents.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Since a folding umbrella is for preparing for sudden rain, it is required to function as a rain shield with a one-touch operation without taking time to open the umbrella, and it is necessary to be able to perform the folding operation without trouble. In particular, in cases where a businessman encounters heavy rain while away from the office, there are many cases where he does not want to increase the luggage in his hand as much as possible, and it is convenient to have an umbrella that can be easily stored in a limited space such as a bag. For this purpose, it is preferable that the shape is easy to store and the area and volume during storage are as small as possible.

[0006] Furthermore, after the rain stops, the folding umbrellas that have been widely used until now are typically carried in a plastic or other cover because they are still wet, and cannot be stored and carried in a bag as is. In addition, folding umbrellas that are commonly used are prone to being damaged by strong winds.

[0007] This invention was made in consideration of these circumstances, and aims to provide a folding umbrella that can function as a rain shield with a single touch operation without requiring time to open, can be folded without any problems, is resistant to damage from wind, can be easily stored in a limited space such as a bag, and can be stored in a bag or the like and carried around after the rain stops. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a folding umbrella comprising: an umbrella body that receives rain when in use; a main shaft attached to the umbrella body via a hinge or hinge at one end to serve as a handle when in use; and a main shaft support that connects the umbrella body and the main shaft and controls the opening and closing operation when opening the umbrella body when in use and closing it when stored. The folding umbrella is characterized in that when stored, the umbrella body, main shaft, and main shaft support are folded to form a flat shape. The umbrella body is composed of a disc that functions as a base, five panels that form an isosceles triangle formed by connecting the opposite vertices with one side of a regular pentagon inscribed in the disc as the base, and a rain-receiving cover made of a waterproof and heat-shielding material that has the shape of a regular pentagon formed by connecting the vertices of the isosceles triangle when the five panels are open. The umbrella has a structure in which the five panels open and receive rain with the rain-receiving cover when in use, and a structure in which the five panels are folded with the rain-receiving cover on the inside when stored.

[0009] When the main shaft, which serves as the handle, is raised during use, the main shaft support, which controls the opening and closing motion, opens the umbrella body. This allows the umbrella to function as rain protection with a single touch, without requiring any time to open. Furthermore, when stored, the umbrella body, main shaft, and main shaft support fold flat, minimizing the area and volume when stored, making it easy to store in limited spaces such as bags.

[0010] Furthermore, because the five panels fold inward when stored, the rain-catching cover can be stored without touching the wet surface of the rain-catching cover, as it remains enclosed within the five panels. Therefore, the wet surface is not exposed to the outside, eliminating the need for a separate storage bag, and it can be stored directly in a bag or other container.

[0011] In the folding umbrella of the present invention, five wires are arranged on the back side of the disc, each end of which is fixed to each of the five panels, and retractable springs are attached to these wires. A converging member is provided that brings together one end of the five wires at a single point in the center of the back side of the disc, and one end of the five converged wires is fixed to the main shaft support. When the main shaft is raised during use, the main shaft support tilts with the center of the disc as the pivot point, and the converging fixing point of the five wires moves in conjunction with the tilt of the main shaft support, causing the five wires to be pulled and the springs to stretch. The wires and springs then function as a force-transmitting member, allowing the five panels to open.

[0012] The user of the umbrella can easily open and close the umbrella body by simply operating the main shaft, which serves as the handle. This operation is linked to the opening and closing of the five panels via the main shaft support. Furthermore, when the umbrella body is open, the five panels are always held taut by extended springs. Therefore, even if the panels are blown inward by the wind, the springs will return them to their original position, preventing damage from wind.

[0013] In the folding umbrella of the present invention, a notch is provided in a part of the outer circumference of the disc, and a rotatable cylindrical member is provided at the bottom of the five panels, and the wire can be configured to slide in contact with the circumferential surface of the cylindrical member when the umbrella body is opened and closed.

[0014] Since the umbrella opens and closes via a sliding wire, it is necessary for the wire to slide smoothly. By having the wire slide in contact with the circumferential surface of a rotatable cylindrical member, the resistance to the wire's sliding can be reduced, enabling smooth opening and closing of the umbrella. Therefore, the folding operation can be performed without any problems. In addition, wear on the wire during sliding is reduced, improving durability. Furthermore, because a notch is provided, when the five panels are opened, the wire passes through the notch and moves smoothly from the front side to the back side of the disc, and the wire end attachment point can reach the back side of the disc.

[0015] In the folding umbrella of the present invention, the main shaft may be configured to include a flat handle extension that can be extended downward when the umbrella body is opened, and to include a stopper and a stopper hole for maintaining the handle extension at an appropriate length.

[0016] The handle length can be adjusted by extending the handle extension downwards during use, making it easier to use. Furthermore, because the handle extension is flat, it can be stored compactly and flat. The handle extension can be kept at a comfortable length thanks to the stopper and stopper hole.

[0017] In the folding umbrella of the present invention, the main shaft can be attached to the umbrella body via a hinge or hinge at a position away from the center of the disc of the umbrella body.

[0018] Since the main shaft is attached to the umbrella body through a hinge or a pivot at a position away from the center of the disc of the umbrella body, during use, the main shaft can be positioned on the side of the face rather than in front of the face, thus not obstructing the user's vision.

Advantages of the Invention

[0019] According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a folding umbrella that does not require time to open the umbrella, functions as a rain shield with a one-touch operation, can perform the folding operation without hindrance, is less likely to be damaged by wind, can be simply stored in a limited space such as a bag, and can be directly stored in a bag or the like and carried after the rain stops.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] It is a view showing the surface of the umbrella body in a folded state. [Figure 2] It is a view for explaining the umbrella body in an open state. [Figure 3] It is a view showing the back surface of the umbrella body in a folded state. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view of the surface in a folded state of the umbrella. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view of the back surface in a folded state of the umbrella. [Figure 6] It is a view showing the wire convergence and fixing point in the main shaft support. Fig. 6(a) is a plan view, Fig. 6(b) is a sectional view taken along A-A' of Fig. 6(a), and Fig. 6(c) is a sectional view taken along B-B' of Fig. 6(a). [Figure 7] It is a view for explaining the operation of the umbrella body opening. Fig. 7(a) is an overall view showing the structure of the umbrella body and the main shaft support before the umbrella body opens, and Fig. 7(b) is an overall view showing the structure of the umbrella body and the main shaft support in the state where the umbrella body is open. [Figure 8] It is a partial detailed view for explaining the operation of the umbrella body opening. Fig. 8(a) shows the state before the panel of the umbrella body opens, Fig. 8(b) shows the state during the panel of the umbrella body opening, and Fig. 8(c) is a view for explaining the state where the umbrella body is open. [Figure 9] This diagram shows the state before the handle was extended. Figure 9(a) is an overall view before the handle was extended, Figure 9(b) is a cross-sectional view AA' of Figure 9(a), Figure 9(c) is a cross-sectional view BB' of Figure 9(a), and Figure 9(d) is a cross-sectional view CC' of Figure 9(a). [Figure 10] This diagram shows the state after the handle has been extended. Figure 10(a) is an overall view after the handle has been extended, Figure 10(b) is a cross-sectional view of DD' of Figure 10(a), and Figure 10(c) is a cross-sectional view of EE' of Figure 10(a). [Figure 11] This diagram shows the main shaft in the position of the umbrella and the umbrella body in the process of opening. [Figure 12] This diagram shows the umbrella in its fully open state. [Figure 13] This diagram shows the usage status of a folding umbrella. [Figure 14] This diagram shows the procedure for folding the five panels when storing the device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0021] The folding umbrella of the present invention will be described below based on its embodiments. The present invention provides a folding umbrella comprising: an umbrella body 10 that receives rain when in use; a main shaft 20 whose one end is attached to the umbrella body 10 via a hinge or hinge 22 and serves as a handle when in use; and a main shaft support 30 that connects the umbrella body 10 and the main shaft 20 and controls the opening and closing operation when opening the umbrella body 10 when in use and closing it when stored. When stored, the umbrella body 10, the main shaft 20, and the main shaft support 30 are folded to form a flat shape.

[0022] Based on Figures 1 to 6, the configuration of the umbrella body of an embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 1 shows the surface of the umbrella body 10 when the umbrella is folded, and Figure 2 shows the umbrella body 10 when the umbrella is open. Figure 3 shows the back surface of the umbrella body 10 when the umbrella is folded, Figure 4 is a perspective view of the surface when the umbrella is folded, and Figure 5 is a perspective view of the back surface when the umbrella is folded. Figure 6 shows the convergence fixing point 33 of the wire 43 in the main shaft support 30.

[0023] The umbrella body 10 comprises a disc 11 that functions as a base, five panels 14 that form an isosceles triangle by connecting the opposite vertices with one side of a regular pentagon inscribed in the disc 11 as the base, and a rain-receiving cover 19 made of a waterproof and heat-shielding material that has the shape of a regular pentagon formed by connecting the vertices of the isosceles triangle when the five panels 14 are open. The structure is such that when in use the five panels 14 open and the rain-receiving cover 19 catches the rain, and when stored the umbrella body 10 the five panels 14 are folded with the rain-receiving cover 19 facing inward. The rain-receiving cover 19 is attached so as to be located above the five panels 14 when the umbrella body 10 is open. A sheet or cloth can be used as the rain-receiving cover 19. In Figure 2, for the sake of explanation, the state before and after the rain-receiving cover 19 is attached is illustrated separately. When the rain-receiving cover 19 is attached, it takes the shape of a regular pentagon formed by connecting the vertices of the isosceles triangle when the five panels 14 are open.

[0024] A notch 44 is provided in a part of the arc portion 13 located on the outer circumference of the disc 11, extending from the outer circumference to the bottom edge of the five panels 14. A rotatable cylindrical member 15 is provided at the position reached by the notch 44, which is at the bottom edge of the five panels 14, and the wire 41 is configured to slide in contact with the circumferential surface of the cylindrical member 15. One end of the wire 41 is bonded and fixed to each of the five panels 14 at the wire end bonding point 17. Because the notch 44 is provided in a part of the outer circumference of the arc portion 13 of the disc 11, when the five panels 14 are opened, the wire 41 passes through the notch 44 and moves from the front side to the back side of the disc 11 without obstruction, and the wire end bonding point 17 can reach the back side of the disc 11. The other ends of the five wires 43 are gathered at one point in the center of the back surface of the disc 11 by a gathering member 16.

[0025] A rubber-like soft material 12 is provided at the bottom of each of the five panels 14 as a connecting material to the disc 11, allowing the panels 14 to open and close smoothly in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the umbrella body 10. As shown in Figure 8, the arc portion 13 is inclined diagonally downward at a predetermined angle θ with respect to the horizontal plane of the disc 11, and functions as a support when the five panels 14 are open. Therefore, when the five panels 14 are open, the outer circumference of the umbrella body 10 is inclined diagonally downward, allowing water droplets on the surface of the umbrella body 10 to flow off, thereby improving the rain-shedding effect when exposed to rain.

[0026] A band 25 is provided to bundle and secure the five folded panels 14, and a hook 18 is attached to fasten this band 25. When using the folding umbrella, the hook 18 is detached from the band 25 and the main shaft 20, which serves as the handle, is raised. When storing the folding umbrella, the main shaft 20, which serves as the handle, is folded down and the band 25 is secured to the hook 18.

[0027] As shown in Figures 3 and 6, five wires 41 are arranged on the back side of the disc 11 of the umbrella body 10, each end of which is fixed to one of the five panels 14. Retractable springs 42 are attached to the wires 41 and 43, and one end of each of the five wires 43 is brought together at one point in the center of the back side of the disc 11 by a gathering member 16.

[0028] As shown in Figures 3 and 6, the ends of the five bundled wires 43 are located below the center of the disc 11 of the umbrella body 10 and are converged and fixed at a convergence fixing point 33 in the reinforcing member 32 of the main shaft support 30. The upper end of the main shaft 20 when it is upright is a wide main shaft reinforcing member 21, and the upper end of the main shaft reinforcing member 21 is attached to the disc 11 of the umbrella body 10 via a hinge or hinge 22.

[0029] The operation of opening the umbrella body 10 will be explained based on Figures 6, 7, and 8. Figure 6 shows the movement of the convergence fixing point of the wire 43 on the main shaft support 30 as the umbrella body 10 opens and closes, Figure 7 is an overall view illustrating the operation of opening the umbrella body 10, and Figure 8 is a detailed view illustrating the operation of opening the umbrella body 10.

[0030] As shown in Figure 6, the spindle support 30 is composed of two opposing support members 31, a reinforcing member 32 that connects the two support members 31 at the center of the disc 11, and a pull tab 35 that connects the two support members 31 on the opposite side from the center of the disc 11. The spindle support 30 is attached to the center side of the disc 11 by a hinge or hinge 34. The support members 31 are provided with notches 36 that fix the spindle support 30 to the spindle 20.

[0031] The reinforcing member 32 of the main spindle support 30 is provided with a convergence fixing point 33 where the combined ends of five wires 43 converge and are fixed at the center of the back surface of the disc 11. When the main spindle 20 is raised during use, the main spindle support 30 tilts with the hinge or hinge 34 as a pivot point, and the convergence fixing point 33 of the five wires 43 moves to position 33' in conjunction with the tilt of the main spindle support 30, the five wires 43 are pulled, and the wires 41, 43 and the spring 42 function as a force transmission member 40, causing the five panels 14 to open.

[0032] As shown in Figure 7(a), when the five panels 14 are closed, the wire 41 is bent 360° by the cylindrical member 15. When the five panels 14 open, as shown in Figure 7(b), the wire 41 moves towards the center by a length of πr, which is half the circumference of the cylindrical member 15, where r is the radius of the cylindrical member 15. Therefore, by making the distance X2 of the movement of the convergence fixing point 33 of the five wires 43 due to the tilting of the main shaft support 30 greater than πr (X2 > πr), the spring 42 stretches beyond its natural length, and elastic energy due to the tension acting on the spring 42 is stored in the spring 42. In this state, the five panels 14 are open, so the five panels 14 are always pulled by the spring 42. Therefore, even if the five panels 14 are blown over by the wind, they can be returned to their original position by the spring 42, allowing them to be used in strong winds and preventing damage from the wind.

[0033] When the main shaft 20 is raised for use, the notch 26 provided on the main shaft 20 and the notch 36 provided on the main shaft support 30 engage, fixing the main shaft 20 in an upright position, and the main shaft support 30 is fixed at a predetermined angle to the disc 11. In this state, tension from the spring 42, which is extended beyond its natural length, is acting, so the engagement between the notch 26 and the notch 36 does not disengage. Therefore, the umbrella body 10 is stably fixed in an open position during use.

[0034] When storage is complete, the pull tab 35 is pulled to release the engagement between the notches 26 and 36, and the main shaft 20 is tilted towards the disc 11. In conjunction with this, the main shaft support 30 returns to its original position, the tension caused by the spring 42 is released, and the five open panels 14 are folded inward by the sliding of the wires 41 and 43, with the wet surface of the rain-receiving cover 19 facing inward. As a result, it can be stored with simple operation without touching the wet surface of the rain-receiving cover 19, and since the wet surface is not exposed to the outside, there is no need to prepare a separate storage bag, and it can be stored directly in a bag by fastening the band 25 to the hook 18.

[0035] In this way, the user of the umbrella can open and close the five panels 14 via the main shaft 20, which serves as the handle, simply by operating it. This is done via the main shaft support 30, which is linked to the handle, so the umbrella can be opened and used as rain protection with a single touch, without taking any time to open it. Furthermore, when stored, the umbrella body 10, main shaft 20, and main shaft support 30 fold up into a flat shape, so it can be easily stored in a limited space such as a bag.

[0036] The structure for extending the handle will be explained based on Figures 9 and 10. Figure 9 shows the state before the handle is extended, and Figure 10 shows the state after the handle is extended. The main shaft 20 is equipped with a flat handle extension 23 that can be extended downward when the umbrella body 10 is opened. By sliding the handle extension 23 downwards during use, the length of the handle can be adjusted, making it easier to use. In addition, because the handle extension 23 is flat, it can be stored in a compact and flat shape.

[0037] A stopper 24 is attached to the handle extension 23. When the handle extension 23 slides, the protrusion of the stopper 24 is inserted into the stopper hole 27, stopping the sliding of the handle extension 23. This allows the handle extension 23 to be kept at an appropriate length for easy gripping. When storing, the protrusion of the stopper 24 is released from the stopper hole 27, and the handle extension 23 is slid in the reverse direction to a length suitable for storage. In this way, convenience during use and convenience during storage can be achieved.

[0038] Figures 11, 12, and 13 illustrate the opening and closing operation and usage conditions achieved by the structure and function described above. Figure 11 shows the umbrella body 10 in the process of opening with the main shaft 20 upright, Figure 12 shows the umbrella body 10 fully open, and Figure 13 shows the usage conditions of the folding umbrella. The main shaft 20 is attached to the disc 11 of the umbrella body 10 via a hinge or hinge 22 at a position away from the center of the disc 11 of the umbrella body 10. As shown in Figure 13, the main shaft 20, which serves as the handle when in use, is positioned to the side of the face rather than directly in front of it, thus preventing it from obstructing the user's field of vision.

[0039] As described above, the umbrella body 10 of the present invention has a structure comprising five panels 14 that form an isosceles triangle formed by connecting the opposite vertices with one side of a regular pentagon inscribed in a disc 11 as the base, and a rain-receiving cover 19 made of a waterproof and heat-shielding material that has the shape of a regular pentagon formed by connecting the vertices of the isosceles triangle when the five panels 14 are open. Figure 14 shows an example of the procedure for folding the five panels 14 when stored, and they are folded in the order of (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f).

[0040] Here, comparing this to polygons with other numbers of sides rather than a regular pentagon, when the number of sides is 6 or more, the rain-receiving cover 19 does not fold properly when closing panel 14, resulting in poor operability, and the folded shape is not flat but bulging, which is undesirable. However, when the number of sides is 5, the folding procedure shown in Figure 14 can be performed without any problems, and the folded shape can be made flat.

[0041] On the other hand, in the case of polygons with four or fewer sides, the area of ​​the rain-receiving cover 19 formed by connecting the vertices of the isosceles triangle when the multiple panels 14 are open becomes smaller, reducing its ability to receive rain. As a result of such considerations, a regular pentagon was adopted from the viewpoint of balancing ease of folding with the ability to receive rain. In this invention, folding multiple panels 14 is essential, and the new problems that arise from this are solved by adopting a regular pentagon. [Industrial applicability]

[0042] This invention provides a folding umbrella that can be widely used as a rain cover with a single touch, without requiring time to open, can be folded without any problems, can be easily stored in a limited space such as a bag, is resistant to damage from wind, and can be stored in a bag or other container and carried around after the rain stops. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0043] 10 Umbrella body 11 discs 12. Rubber-like soft material 13. Arc section 14 panels 15 Cylindrical member 16. Assembly Member 17 Wire end bonding points 18 Hook 19 Rain cover 20 spindle 21 Main shaft reinforcing member 22 Hinges or hinges 23 Handle extension 24 Stopper 25 bands 26 Notches for fixing the spindle and spindle support. 27 Stopper Holes 30 Main shaft support 31 Support material 32 Reinforcement material 33. Five wires converge at a fixed point. 34. Hinges or hinges 35 Pull handle 36 Notches for fixing the spindle and spindle support. 40 Tension transmission member 41 Wire 42 Springs 43 Wire 44 cuts

Claims

1. A folding umbrella comprising: an umbrella body that receives rain when in use; a main shaft attached to the umbrella body via a hinge or hinge at one end to serve as a handle when in use; and a main shaft support that connects the umbrella body and the main shaft and controls the opening and closing motion when opening the umbrella body in use and closing it when stored, wherein the umbrella body, main shaft, and main shaft support fold together to form a flat shape when stored. The umbrella body consists of a disc that functions as a base, five panels that form an isosceles triangle by connecting the opposite vertices with one side of a regular pentagon inscribed in the disc as the base, and a rain-receiving cover made of a waterproof and heat-insulating material that has the shape of a regular pentagon formed by connecting the vertices of the isosceles triangle when the five panels are open. A folding umbrella characterized by having a structure in which five panels open when in use to catch rain with a rain-catching cover, and a structure in which the five panels fold up with the rain-catching cover facing inward when stored.

2. The folding umbrella according to claim 1 is characterized in that, on the back side of the disc, five wires are arranged, each end of which is fixed to each of the five panels, and retractable springs are attached to these wires, and a converging member is provided to bring together one end of the five wires at a single point in the center of the back side of the disc, and one end of the five converged wires is fixed to the main shaft support, and when the main shaft is raised during use, the main shaft support tilts with the center of the disc as the pivot point, the converging fixing point of the five wires moves in conjunction with the tilt of the main shaft support, the five wires are pulled and the springs are stretched, the wires and springs function as a force transmission member for tension, and the five panels open.

3. The folding umbrella according to claim 2, wherein a notch is provided in a part of the outer circumference of the disc, and a rotatable cylindrical member is provided at the bottom of the five panels, and the wire slides in contact with the circumferential surface of the cylindrical member when the umbrella body is opened and closed.

4. The folding umbrella according to claim 1, characterized in that the main shaft is provided with a flat handle extension that can be extended downward when the umbrella body is opened, and is provided with a stopper and a stopper hole for maintaining the handle extension at an appropriate length.

5. The folding umbrella according to claim 1, characterized in that the main shaft is attached to the umbrella body via the hinge at a position away from the center of the disc of the umbrella body.

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