parasol

Abstract

To provide a parasol that enables the supply of electricity through solar power generation while simultaneously ensuring good visibility and suppressing the transmission of ultraviolet rays. [Solution] The parasol 1 comprises a central shaft 11 that serves as the central axis, a plurality of ribs 14 that are supported to open and close relative to the central shaft 11, a solar cell 16 which is a transmissive perovskite solar cell arranged in at least one of a plurality of compartments 15 between the ribs 14, a storage battery of a power storage unit 17 that is electrically connected to the solar cell 16, and a power supply unit 131 that is electrically connected to the storage battery.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a parasol.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a parasol equipped with a solar panel and a battery capable of storing electric power generated by the solar panel (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). According to these technologies, even in an environment without a power source such as outdoors, it is possible to supply electric power to mobile devices and the like using electric power generated by sunlight.

Prior Art Literature

Patent Literature

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, conventional solar panels such as silicon-based solar cells do not have transparency, so when arranged on the canopy of a parasol, they block the user's field of view. On the other hand, providing a transparent region where no solar panel is arranged in a part of the parasol canopy can secure the user's field of view, but simply providing such a transparent region results in insufficient ultraviolet shielding.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a parasol that enables power supply by photovoltaic power generation, while achieving both securing a good field of view and suppressing transmission of ultraviolet rays.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] The invention described in claim 1 is a parasol comprising a central shaft, a plurality of ribs supported by the central shaft so as to be openable and closable, a transmissive perovskite solar cell disposed in at least one of a plurality of compartments between the ribs, a rechargeable battery electrically connected to the transmissive perovskite solar cell, and a power supply unit electrically connected to the rechargeable battery. The invention described in claim 2 is the parasol according to claim 1, wherein the transparent perovskite solar cell is arranged in a portion of the area of ​​the booth. The invention described in claim 3 is the parasol according to claim 2, wherein the transparent perovskite solar cell is located at the tip of the main rib in the booth. The invention described in claim 4 is the parasol according to claim 1, wherein the storage battery is built into the ferrule located at one end of the central shaft. The invention described in claim 5 is the parasol according to claim 1, wherein the power supply unit is built into the handle located at the other end of the central shaft. The invention described in claim 6 is the parasol described in claim 1, wherein the power supply unit outputs power from the storage battery by contact or non-contact. The invention described in claim 7 is the parasol according to claim 5, wherein the power supply unit is a USB port provided in a part of the handle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a parasol that enables the supply of electricity from solar power generation while simultaneously ensuring good visibility and suppressing the transmission of ultraviolet rays. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing an example of the overall configuration of a parasol according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a plan view showing an example of the configuration of a parasol. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is an enlarged view showing an example of the handle configuration of a parasol. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. <Composition of Parasol 1> Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the overall configuration of the parasol 1 according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is a plan view showing an example of the configuration of the parasol 1 in Figure 1. Figure 3 is an enlarged view showing an example of the configuration of the handle 13 of the parasol 1 in Figure 1. The parasol 1 shown in Figure 1 is a parasol that enables the supply of electricity through solar power generation while simultaneously ensuring good visibility and suppressing the transmission of ultraviolet rays. As shown in Figure 1, the parasol 1 comprises a central shaft 11, a ferrule 12, a handle 13, multiple ribs 14, multiple compartments 15, a solar cell 16, and a power storage unit 17.

[0010] The central shaft 11 is the central axis component of the parasol 1. The central shaft 11 is made of, for example, a high-strength metal material, an insulating resin material, a lightweight and highly rigid fiber-reinforced plastic, or wood with excellent design. A ferrule 12 is positioned at one end of the central shaft 11 in the axial direction. A handle 13 is positioned at the other end of the central shaft 11 in the axial direction. The central shaft 11 may be telescopic.

[0011] The tip 12 is a component that makes up the tip of the parasol 1. The tip 12 is made of, for example, a hard resin with excellent impact resistance, a lightweight aluminum alloy, or a rubber material with wear resistance. The tip 12 has a built-in power storage unit 17, which will be described later.

[0012] The handle 13 is a component that makes up the handle portion of the parasol 1. The handle 13 is made of, for example, a soft resin (such as TPE) with excellent gripping properties, a lightweight hard resin, or wood or synthetic leather with excellent design properties. The handle 13 has a power supply unit 131 built into it, which will be described later with reference to Figure 3.

[0013] The plurality of main ribs 14 are members that are openably and closably supported with the end portion on the ferrule 12 side in the axial direction of the central shaft 11 serving as a fulcrum. The main ribs 14 are made of, for example, a lightweight aluminum alloy with excellent corrosion resistance, glass fiber (GFRP) that achieves both flexibility and strength, carbon fiber (CFRP) with high rigidity, or the like. In the present embodiment, the number of main ribs 14 is eight, but the number is not limited thereto.

[0014] The plurality of canopy panels 15 are triangular members arranged between adjacent main ribs 14 for blocking sunlight, and are formed of a flexible base material such as fiber woven fabric, knitted fabric, or polymer film. The plurality of canopy panels 15 may be formed by joining a plurality of pieces of cloth, resin, or the like, or may be a single piece of cloth, resin, or the like as a whole. At least a part of the canopy panel 15 may be subjected to UV-cut processing. Further, a fully light-blocking fabric may be used for at least a part of the canopy panel 15.

[0015] The parasol 1 according to the present embodiment includes eight main ribs 14 and eight canopy panels 15. As shown in Fig. 2, each individual canopy panel 15 has a region 151 on the ferrule 12 side in the axial direction of the main rib 14, and a region 152 on the tip end side in the axial direction of the main rib 14, and a solar cell 16 is arranged in the region 152.

[0016] The solar cell 16 arranged in the region 152 of the canopy panel 15 is configured as a transmissive solar cell. In order to ensure the light-blocking property as a function of the parasol 1, the solar cell 16 has a characteristic of selectively absorbing a specific wavelength range such as an ultraviolet range and transmitting visible light range. The solar cell 16 is arranged on a part or the whole of at least one of the eight canopy panels 15, thereby securing the visibility for a user who uses the parasol 1.

[0017] The solar cell 16 may be formed of, for example, a lightweight and flexible thin-film transmissive perovskite solar cell. A transmissive perovskite solar cell is a photoelectric conversion element in which a compound layer having a perovskite crystal structure is disposed as a photoelectric conversion layer between a pair of light-transmissive electrodes, and performs photoelectric conversion while having a predetermined average transmittance in the visible light region. In this case, the photoelectric conversion layer may include a crystal structure represented by, for example, the general formula ABX₃ (A is a monovalent cation, B is a divalent metal cation, and X is a halogen anion). The configuration may be such that through composition control or film thickness control, both transmittance that can ensure the user's field of view and photoelectric conversion efficiency sufficient for supplying power to an external device are achieved.

[0018] The solar cell 16 has flexibility to such an extent that the crystal structure of the photoelectric conversion layer is maintained and conductivity is ensured even in a situation where the panel 15 is bent or folded. The solar cell 16 is laminated on the front surface or the back surface of the panel 15, or is integrated and held inside the panel 15. Specifically, the solar cell 16 may have a configuration in which, in a state sealed or held by a light-transmissive resin film such as a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, the solar cell 16 is attached to the panel 15 via an adhesive layer. This makes it possible to protect the solar cell 16 from external moisture and impact while following the flexibility of the panel 15.

[0019] The solar cell 16 may be attached to a flat region having a relatively large radius of curvature when the parasol 1 is folded. Examples of such a region include an intermediate region between adjacent main ribs 14. Further, the electrode layer, connection portions 19, and wiring 18 constituting the solar cell 16 may be formed as a mesh-like or wavy conductive pattern on a substrate such as a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film. In this case, tensile stress and compressive stress accompanying the movement of the panel 15 can be dispersed, so that peeling of the crystal structure of the solar cell 16 and disconnection of the wiring 18 can be effectively suppressed.

[0020] The solar cell 16 has a connection part 19 to which wiring 18 can be connected, and is electrically connected to the energy storage unit 17 via the wiring 18. To suppress deterioration and breakage, it is preferable that the wiring 18 be arranged to avoid the folds formed when the compartments 15 are folded. For example, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the wiring 18 may be arranged along the main ribs 14.

[0021] The power storage unit 17 has a power receiving function that receives power from the wiring 18, a power storage function that stores power using a battery, and a power transmission function that transmits power to the power supply unit 131, which will be described later. Specifically, the power storage unit 17 includes a DC / DC converter that converts the received power to a voltage suitable for the battery, a DC / DC converter that converts the transmitted power to a voltage suitable for charging external devices, and a control circuit that manages the charge and discharge state. As shown in Figure 1, the power storage unit 17 is built into the tip 12.

[0022] Figure 3 shows a magnified view of the handle 13 of the parasol 1 in Figure 1 (the part indicated by the circular frame). As shown in Figure 3, a power supply unit 131 is built into the tip of the handle 13. The power supply unit 131 is electrically connected to the power storage unit 17 via wiring 20 and is a terminal that can supply power stored in the battery of the power storage unit 17 to an external device. Such a terminal is not particularly limited and may be, for example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port to which a charging cable for a mobile device such as a smartphone can be connected. In this case, the user can charge their smartphone while walking outdoors with the parasol 1 open.

[0023] <Other Embodiments> Although this embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. Furthermore, the effects of the present invention are not limited to those described in this embodiment. For example, the configuration of the parasol 1 shown in Figures 1 to 3 is merely an example for achieving the objective of the present invention and is not particularly limited.

[0024] In the above-described embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, the wiring 18 is arranged along the main ribs 14, but is not limited to this configuration. For example, the wiring 18 may be arranged in the area 151 of the compartment 15. Alternatively, for example, a configuration in which wireless power is supplied between the solar cell 16 and the power storage unit 17 may be used. In this case, the connection unit 19 may have a power transmission function that wirelessly transmits power obtained from the solar cell 16, and the power storage unit 17 may have a power receiving function that receives the wirelessly transmitted power without contact. By using a wireless power supply configuration, the risk of the wiring 18 being overloaded and broken due to the opening and closing operation of the parasol 1 is avoided.

[0025] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the power storage unit 17 and the power supply unit 131 are electrically connected via wiring 20, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, but the system is not limited to this configuration. For example, the system may be configured to provide wireless power supply between the power storage unit 17 and the power supply unit 131. In this case, the power storage unit 17 may have a power transmission function that wirelessly transmits the stored power, and the power supply unit 131 may have a power receiving function that receives the wirelessly transmitted power without contact.

[0026] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the energy storage unit 17 is built into the tip 12, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, but is not limited to this. For example, it may be positioned on the central shaft 11 near the tip 12, or the energy storage unit 17 may be built into a part of the central shaft 11. Alternatively, the energy storage unit 17 may be built into the handle 13.

[0027] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the power supply unit 131, which is composed of a USB port or the like, supplies power to an externally connected device via a wired connection, but the system is not limited to this. For example, the system may supply power to an external device by contactless power transmission using electromagnetic induction. In this case, for example, the system may perform wireless power supply based on the Qi standard, which is an international standard for wireless power supply using electromagnetic induction.

[0028] In summary, the parasol 1 of the present invention only needs to have the following configuration and can take on various forms. In other words, the parasol 1 comprises a central shaft 11 that serves as the central axis, a plurality of ribs 14 that are supported by the central shaft 11 so as to be able to open and close, a solar cell 16 which is a transmissive perovskite solar cell arranged in at least one of a plurality of compartments 15 between the ribs 14, a storage battery of a power storage unit 17 that is electrically connected to the solar cell 16, and a power supply unit 131 that is electrically connected to the storage battery. This makes it possible to provide a parasol that allows for the supply of electricity through solar power generation while simultaneously ensuring good visibility and suppressing the transmission of ultraviolet rays.

[0029] Here, the solar cell 16 may be placed in a portion of the area of ​​booth 15 (for example, area 152 of booth 15 in Figure 2). This allows for the placement of solar cells 16 in a portion of the booth 15, thereby improving visibility in areas closer to the user's line of sight.

[0030] Furthermore, the solar cell 16 may be positioned at the tip of the main rib 14 in the booth 15. This allows for improved user visibility by placing transparent solar cells 16 in an area close to the user's line of sight.

[0031] Alternatively, the battery of the power storage unit 17 may be built into the tip 12 located at one end of the central rod 11. This allows the battery, which is heavier than other components, to be built into the ferrule 12 at the tip of the parasol 1, thereby balancing the overall weight of the parasol 1 and providing a power storage function without compromising its appearance.

[0032] Alternatively, the power supply unit 131 may be built into the handle 13 located at the other end of the central rod 11. This allows power to be easily supplied to mobile devices such as smartphones while the parasol 1 is in use, by providing the power supply unit 131 at the handle 13.

[0033] Furthermore, the power supply unit 131 may be configured to output power from the battery of the power storage unit 17 by contact or non-contact. This allows for power output not only through contact but also through non-contact methods, thereby reducing the risk of wear and tear on terminals (e.g., USB ports) due to contact and malfunctions caused by water damage.

[0034] Alternatively, the power supply unit 131 may be a USB port located on part of the handheld unit 13. This improves practicality by providing a highly versatile USB port as the power supply unit 131, enabling power supply to many mobile devices. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0035] 1... Parasol, 11... Center pole, 12... Tip, 13... Handle, 14... Ribs, 15... Small section, 16... Solar cell, 17... Power storage unit, 18, 20... Wiring, 19... Connection part, 131... Power supply unit

Claims

1. The central rod, Multiple main ribs are supported by the central rod in a manner that allows them to open and close, A transparent perovskite solar cell is placed in at least one of the multiple compartments between the main ribs, A storage battery electrically connected to the aforementioned transparent perovskite solar cell, A power supply unit electrically connected to the aforementioned storage battery, A parasol equipped with [features / equipment].

2. The aforementioned transparent perovskite solar cell is located in a portion of the area of ​​the booth. The parasol according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned transparent perovskite solar cell is positioned in the booth on the tip side of the main rib, The parasol according to claim 2.

4. The aforementioned battery is built into the tip of the central rod, which is located at one end of the central rod. The parasol according to claim 1.

5. The power supply unit is built into the handle located at the other end of the central rod. The parasol according to claim 1.

6. The power supply unit outputs power from the storage battery by contact or non-contact. The parasol according to claim 1.

7. The power supply unit is a USB port provided in a part of the user's hand. The parasol according to claim 5.

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