Automatic opening and closing device for manually operated umbrellas and parasols.

Abstract

This invention relates to an automatic opening and closing device for umbrellas and parasols that can be operated manually. The opening and closing of the umbrella or parasol is performed automatically, allowing it to be operated with one hand. This invention comprises a screw rod 10 of a predetermined length, with a screw-shaped guide groove 11 formed along its outer circumference. This invention comprises a lifting nut 20 that is guided along the screw-shaped guide groove 11 and moves up and down when the screw rod 10 rotates in forward and reverse directions. The screw rod 10 is inserted inside a central shaft. The central shaft has a guide groove 31 formed along its longitudinal direction for guiding a guide projection 21 that protrudes from the outer surface of the lifting nut 20. The lifting platform is connected to the guide projection 21 and is cylindrical in shape, surrounding the central shaft 30 so as to move up and down together with the lifting nut 20. Multiple umbrella ribs 60 are provided on the upper outer part of the lifting platform, connected radially. A drive motor 50 is provided below the screw rod to transmit forward and reverse rotational power to the screw rod 10.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic opening and closing device for umbrellas and parasols.

[0002] More specifically, it is configured such that not only the operation of opening the umbrella or parasol but also the operation of closing it is automatically performed by a mechanical operation.

[0003] The present invention also relates to an automatic opening and closing device for umbrellas and parasols that can be manually operated in an emergency.

Background Art

[0004] Generally, umbrellas and parasols are sold under the name of "automatic umbrellas".

[0005] These automatic umbrellas are automatically opened when a button is pressed when opening, but generally are manually closed when closing, so strictly speaking, it is more accurate to call them "semi-automatic umbrellas".

[0006] Such semi-automatic umbrellas are easy to open, but when closing, it is necessary to use both hands, so when carrying luggage in one hand or when one hand is injured, etc., when only one hand can be used, there is inconvenience when closing the umbrella.

[0007] Also, when closing the umbrella, a certain amount of force is required, so it has been difficult to use for elderly people, children, or people with physical disabilities who have weak strength.

[0008] In addition, when the umbrella is frequently opened and closed, such as when opening the umbrella to avoid sunlight during the moving process while playing golf in summer and closing the umbrella to hit the ball, manually closing it feels more troublesome.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0009] This invention was conceived to improve upon the problems of the prior art described above.

[0010] This invention provides an automatic umbrella opening and closing device that allows for easy opening and closing via an automatic mechanism, while also being manually operable in case of malfunction or discharge. The aim is to improve the convenience of using umbrellas and parasols. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] To achieve the above objective, the screw rod of the automatic umbrella opening and closing device according to the present invention is configured such that a screw-shaped guide groove is formed along its outer surface. When the screw rod rotates in the forward and reverse directions, it is guided along the screw-shaped guide groove and forms a lifting nut that is screw-coupled to the screw rod as it moves up and down.

[0012] The aforementioned screw rod is configured to be inserted inside the central rod.

[0013] The lifting nut is equipped with a protruding guide projection.

[0014] The central rod has guide grooves running along its longitudinal direction to guide the guide projection.

[0015] The lifting platform is cylindrical in shape, surrounding a central rod.

[0016] The lifting platform is configured to be connected to a guide projection and is designed to move up and down together with the lifting nut on which the guide projection is located.

[0017] Multiple umbrella ribs are arranged radially on the upper outer side of the lifting platform.

[0018] The drive motor is installed at the bottom of the screw rod to transmit forward or reverse rotational power to the screw rod.

[0019] Further, at the lower end and upper end of the guide groove formed in the middle rod, a lower lock groove and / or an upper lock groove are respectively formed with a structure extending at a right angle to the guide groove.

[0020] When operating manually, the user holds it by hand and rotates the lifting platform so as to disengage from the lock groove formed at a right angle.

[0021] After the lifting platform disengages from the lock groove, a force is applied so that the lifting platform moves vertically.

[0022] The lifting platform can be manually operated by a guide protrusion continuously provided inside being guided up and down along a guide groove provided in the middle rod.

[0023] Further, a lubricating ring for reducing the frictional force with the guide groove and preventing frictional noise is formed on the guide protrusion.

[0024] An elastic spring for biasing the lifted lifting nut is formed at the upper end of the screw rod.

[0025] Further, the lifting platform has a structure divided into an upper lifting platform to which a plurality of umbrella ribs are connected and a lower lifting platform connected to a guide protrusion of the lifting nut, and the lower lifting platform is configured to be rotatably connected to the upper lifting platform by a connecting ring.

[0026] Further, upper extension pipes and lower extension pipes are respectively extended at the upper and lower parts of the lifting platform to prevent the external exposure of the guide groove provided in the middle rod.

Advantages of the Invention

[0027] The present invention automatically performs the opening and closing operations of an umbrella or a parasol. By enabling the operation of an umbrella or a parasol with one hand, it has the effect of improving the convenience for the user.

[0028] Particularly, when the umbrella or parasol malfunctions or the power supply discharges, it is possible to manually open and close the umbrella, and it can be safely used even in emergency situations.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0029] [Figure 1] It is an exploded view of the opening and closing drive unit of the umbrella according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is an assembled view of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is an enlarged view of the lifting platform of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a cross-sectional view of part A of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] It is a view showing the state where the umbrella of the present invention is opened and the state where the guide protrusion is inserted into the lock groove thereby. [Figure 6] It is a view showing the state where the umbrella of FIG. 5 is half-closed and the state where the guide protrusion moves along the guide groove thereby. [Figure 7] It is a view showing the state where the umbrella of FIG. 5 is closed and the state where the guide protrusion is inserted into the lock groove thereby. [Figure 8] In the present invention, it is a view showing performing a lifting operation manually. [Figure 9] In the present invention, it is a view showing performing a lifting operation manually. [Figure 10] It is a view showing in detail the part of the guide protrusion according to the present invention. [Figure 11] It is a view showing that an anti-slip layer is formed on the lifting platform of the present invention. [Figure 12] It is a second embodiment showing that the lifting platform of the present invention is divided.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0030] In order to achieve the above object, the automatic opening and closing device of the umbrella of the present invention has the following configuration.

[0031] First, the screw rod is configured to have a screw-shaped guide groove formed along its outer surface and to have a predetermined length.

[0032] The screw rod is inserted into the interior of the central rod.

[0033] The lifting nut is configured with a guide projection so that it is guided into a guide groove provided on the central rod as the screw rod rotates in the forward and reverse directions, allowing it to move up and down.

[0034] The central rod has a guide groove formed in the longitudinal direction to guide the guide projection that protrudes from the outer surface of the lifting nut.

[0035] The lifting platform is cylindrical in shape, surrounding a central rod.

[0036] The lifting platform is configured to be connected to a guide projection and is set to move up and down together with the lifting nut.

[0037] The upper outer part of the lifting platform is constructed by connecting multiple umbrella ribs radially. The drive motor is located below the screw rod to transmit forward or reverse rotational power to the screw rod. Embodiment

[0038] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0039] Embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various ways, and the scope of the invention should not be limited by the embodiments described in detail below. These embodiments are provided to explain the present invention to those who are ordinary skill in the art.

[0040] Therefore, the shapes of the components shown in the drawings are emphasized for a clearer explanation.

[0041] The same components in each drawing were given the same reference numerals.

[0042] Furthermore, detailed explanations of the functions and configurations of prior art that are deemed likely to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention will be omitted.

[0043] First, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, the configuration of the automatic opening and closing device for manually operated umbrellas and parasols according to the first embodiment of the present invention is as follows.

[0044] In this embodiment, the screw rod 10 of the automatic umbrella opening and closing device is configured to have a predetermined length with a screw-shaped guide groove 11 formed along its outer surface.

[0045] The lifting nut 20, which moves along the screw rod 10, is guided along the screw-shaped guide groove 11 and moves up and down when the screw rod 10 rotates in the forward or reverse direction. The screw rod 10 is inserted into the center rod 30. The center rod 30 also has a guide groove 31 configured in the longitudinal direction.

[0046] The guide groove 31 is for guiding the guide projection 21 that protrudes from the outer surface of the lifting nut 20.

[0047] The lifting platform 40 is constructed in a cylindrical shape that surrounds the central rod 30.

[0048] The upper outer part of the lifting platform 40 is constructed by connecting multiple umbrella ribs 60 radially.

[0049] The lifting platform is configured to be connected to the guide projection 21 and to move up and down together with the lifting nut 20 on which the guide projection is formed.

[0050] The drive motor is mounted inside the handle on the lower side of the screw rod 10 in order to transmit forward or reverse rotational power to the screw rod 10.

[0051] A guide projection (not shown) is provided on the inside of the lifting nut 20, which is guided along the screw-shaped guide groove 11.

[0052] In particular, the drawings show that the lower end and upper end of the guide groove 31 formed in the central rod 30 have a structure in which a lower end lock groove 31a and an upper end lock groove 31b extend perpendicularly to each other.

[0053] Furthermore, when operating manually, if the lifting platform 40 is grasped by hand and rotated in a twisting motion, the guide projections 21 connected to the inside disengage from the lock grooves 31a and 31b, releasing the lock. After that, manual operation becomes possible, where force is applied from above and below to guide the platform up and down along the guide groove 31.

[0054] The inside of the lifting nut 20 is provided with a screw-shaped projection that engages with the screw-shaped guide groove 11, so that the lifting nut moves up and down in accordance with the rotation of the screw rod 10.

[0055] With this configuration, the lifting platform can be easily moved up and down with minimal force.

[0056] In the drawing, reference numeral 60 denotes multiple umbrella ribs radially connected to the lifting platform 40, and reference numeral 70 denotes the umbrella fabric.

[0057] This study examines the effects and benefits of the configuration and operation of the automatic opening and closing device for umbrellas and parasols of the present invention, which has the above configuration.

[0058] A screw rod 10 is housed inside the central rod 30 of this invention, together with a lifting nut 20.

[0059] The cylindrical lifting platform 40 surrounds the outside of the central rod 30 and forms a structure in which multiple umbrella ribs 60 are connected.

[0060] In this configuration, the umbrella opens and closes in accordance with the raising and lowering movement of the lifting platform 40.

[0061] In other words, when the operating switch located on the umbrella handle is pressed, the drive motor 50, which is powered by a power supply unit (not shown) built into the handle, is activated.

[0062] As a result, when the screw rod 10, which receives rotational power from the drive motor 50, rotates in one direction, the lifting nut 20 rises along the guide groove 31 by the screw-shaped guide groove 11.

[0063] As a result, the lifting platform 40, which is integrally connected to the lifting nut 20 via the guide projection 21, rises together with the lifting nut 20, and the multiple umbrella ribs 60 open, resulting in the umbrella being in the open state as shown in Figure 5.

[0064] In particular, since an upper end lock groove 31b is formed at the upper end of the guide groove 31, the guide projection 21 is locked in place, and a stable open state of the umbrella is maintained.

[0065] On the other hand, when closing the umbrella again, the screw rod 10, to which reverse rotational power is transmitted from the drive motor 50, rotates in the opposite direction.

[0066] As both the lifting nut 20 and the lifting platform 40 descend along the central rod 30, the umbrella closes as shown in Figures 6 and 7.

[0067] At this time, since a lower end lock groove 31a is formed at the lower end of the guide groove 31, the guide projection 21 is locked and fixed in place.

[0068] The guide projection 21 enters the lower end lock groove 31a, thereby maintaining a stable closed state of the umbrella.

[0069] On the other hand, in the case of the umbrella of the present invention, if the power supply unit is discharged and it is difficult to apply power to the drive motor 50, the umbrella can be opened and closed manually.

[0070] In other words, Figures 8 and 9 illustrate the manual operation of opening and closing an umbrella.

[0071] When a user grasps the lifting platform 40 by hand and lowers or raises it while lightly twisting it, the fixed state with respect to the guide projection 21 is released, and the lifting platform 40 and the lifting nut 20 move up and down along the guide groove 31, thereby opening and closing the umbrella manually.

[0072] In particular, it offers the advantage of being able to manually open and close the umbrella in the event of a malfunction or power discharge, ensuring safe use even in emergency situations.

[0073] This invention enables the automatic opening and closing of an umbrella or parasol, allowing for one-handed operation and improving the convenience of use.

[0074] On the other hand, Figure 10 shows that a lubricating ring 22 made of polyacetal resin is inserted into the guide projection 21 in order to reduce frictional force with the guide groove 31 and to prevent frictional noise.

[0075] An elastic spring 23 is provided at the upper end of the screw rod 10 to bias the raised lifting nut 20.

[0076] Since the lubrication ring 22 is sandwiched between the guide projection 21, the noise and wear caused by friction with the inner wall surface of the guide groove 31 can be reduced during the process in which the guide projection 21 moves up and down along the guide groove 31.

[0077] In particular, the fact that the lubrication ring 22 is made of polyacetal resin material provides the advantage of improved durability.

[0078] Figure 12 is a diagram showing the configuration of a lifting platform according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0079] The lifting platform 40 has a configuration that is divided into an upper lifting platform 42 and a lower lifting platform 43.

[0080] The upper lifting platform 42 is configured with multiple umbrella ribs 60 connected to it, and the guide projection 21 of the lifting nut 20 is connected to the lower lifting platform 43.

[0081] The lower lifting platform 43 is configured to be rotatably connected to the upper lifting platform 42 by a connecting ring 44. The connecting ring 44 may be equipped with bearing balls to allow for smoother rotation.

[0082] In this configuration, the upper lifting platform 42, to which multiple umbrella ribs 60 are connected, has a structure that prevents rotation while moving up and down, and the lower lifting platform 43 moves up and down together with the upper lifting platform 42.

[0083] The lower lifting platform 43, together with the internal lifting nut 20, is capable of both vertical movement and horizontal rotation, and the lower lifting platform functions as a rotating handle.

[0084] In particular, during the process in which the lower lifting platform 43 is rotated and locked at the positions of the lower end lock groove 31a and the upper end lock groove 31b, the upper lifting platform 42 is prevented from rotating, thus offering the advantage of preventing twisting of the multiple umbrella ribs 60.

[0085] Furthermore, Figure 13 shows the configuration of a third embodiment according to the present invention, in which an upper extension pipe 45 and a lower extension pipe 46 are extended from the upper and lower parts of the lifting platform 40, respectively, in order to prevent the guide groove 31 provided on the central rod from being exposed to the outside.

[0086] With this configuration, during the raising and lowering operation of the lifting platform 40, the internal guide groove 31 can be covered by the upper and lower extension pipes 45 and 46, which improves the appearance of the umbrella and also has the advantage of preventing external foreign matter from flowing into the guide groove 31.

[0087] Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated above, it is obvious that the structure of the automatic umbrella opening and closing device of the present invention can be modified and implemented in various ways by those skilled in the art.

[0088] For example, in the above embodiment, the power supply unit built into the umbrella handle can be supplied using a variety of power supply methods, such as a replaceable battery system or a USB charging system.

[0089] Furthermore, the opening and closing device of the present invention can be applied not only to umbrellas and parasols, but also to outdoor parasols and umbrella-type sunshades.

[0090] Therefore, such modified embodiments should not be understood separately from the technical idea or scope of the present invention, and such modified embodiments are also included within the scope of the appended claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A screw rod (10) of a predetermined length having a screw-shaped guide groove (11) formed along its outer circumferential surface, When the screw rod (10) rotates in the forward or reverse direction, the lifting nut (20) is guided along the screw-shaped guide groove (11) and moves up and down, The screw rod (10) is inserted into the central rod (30), and a guide groove (31) for guiding the guide projection (21) protruding from the outer surface of the lifting nut (20) is formed along the longitudinal direction of the central rod (30), A lifting platform (40) is provided on the outer upper part, which is cylindrical in shape surrounding the central rod (30) and connected to the guide projection (21), and moves up and down together with the lifting nut (20), and has multiple umbrella ribs (60) connected radially to it. An automatic lifting and lowering device for umbrellas and parasols that can be operated manually, characterized by having a configuration that includes a drive motor (50) located at the bottom for transmitting forward or reverse rotational power to the screw rod (10).

2. The automatic lifting and lowering device for umbrellas and parasols that can be manually operated, as described in claim 1, characterized in that the lower end and upper end of the guide groove (31) formed in the central rod (30) have a structure in which a lower end lock groove (31a) and an upper end lock groove (31b) extend perpendicularly to each other.

3. The manual operation of the automatic lifting device for umbrellas and parasols according to claim 1 is possible, characterized in that when the lifting platform (40) is grasped by hand and rotated in a twisting motion, the guide projection (21) connected to the inside guides the lifting device up and down along the guide groove (31).

4. The guide projection (21) is provided with a lubricating ring (22) sandwiched between it and the guide groove (31) to reduce frictional force and prevent frictional noise, and the upper end of the screw rod (10) is provided with an elastic spring (23) to bias the raised lifting nut (20), as described in claim 1, which allows for manual operation of an automatic lifting device for umbrellas and parasols.

5. The lifting platform (40) has a structure divided into an upper lifting platform (42) to which the plurality of umbrella ribs (60) are connected, and a lower lifting platform (43) connected to the guide projection (21) of the lifting nut (20), and the lower lifting platform (43) is rotatably connected to the upper lifting platform (42) by a connecting ring (44), characterized in that it is an automatic lifting device for umbrellas and parasols that can be operated manually according to claim 1.

6. The automatic lifting device for umbrellas and parasols that can be manually operated, as described in claim 1, is characterized in that an upper extension pipe (45) and a lower extension pipe (46) are provided at the upper and lower parts of the lifting platform (40), respectively, to prevent the guide groove (31) from being exposed to the outside.

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