Sun Umbrella Movable Pulley Rope Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sun umbrellas are inconvenient to open and close due to their large and heavy design, requiring significant effort and time, which limits their practicality in outdoor leisure settings.
Innovation Solution
A sun umbrella design featuring a vertical pole, connecting rod, inclined rod, umbrella frame, and an umbrella opening mechanism with a first pull rope, movable pulley, second pull rope, and slide locking piece, allowing for easy operation by reducing the pulling force and incorporating a locking mechanism for angle adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the sun umbrella is designed with large area and heavy structure to provide adequate shade, then the shading effectiveness is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates requiring many people to open and close
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a pull rope as an intermediary tool to operate the umbrella mechanism. The pull rope transmits force from the user's hand to the movable umbrella disk and supporting ribs, enabling a single person to control the large-area umbrella without direct manual manipulation of the heavy structural components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from direct linear pushing/opening motion to a rope-pulling operation that utilizes rotational and translational movement through the pulley system. The pull rope operates in a different dimensional space, allowing force application at a distance from the heavy umbrella structure.
2Device complexity
If the sun umbrella uses traditional straight-supported structure with movable umbrella disk directly pushed on vertical pole, then the structural simplicity is maintained, but the opening and closing operation becomes difficult requiring significant effort
Solution Approach 1:
The pull rope acts as a force transmission intermediary, converting small pulling force applied by the user into the larger force needed to move the heavy umbrella structure. The rope transmits and amplifies the operational force through the mechanical system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic elements including the movable pulley that changes position during operation, and the supporting ribs that rotate and extend dynamically during opening/closing. This dynamic mechanism allows force multiplication and reduces the static effort required.
3Ease of operation
If the sun umbrella uses inclined-suspended type with pull rope connected to movable umbrella disk, then the ease of operation is improved, but the opening and closing time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The pull rope system is pre-configured with the pulley and connecting mechanisms in place before operation. When the user pulls the rope, the pre-arranged mechanical connections immediately translate the pulling motion into umbrella opening/closing action, eliminating setup time and enabling rapid operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The pull rope maintains continuous tension and contact with the movable umbrella disk and supporting ribs throughout the opening and closing process. This continuous force transmission ensures smooth, uninterrupted motion without pauses or incremental adjustments, reducing total operation time.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design simplifies the opening and closing process, reduces effort required, and allows for flexible angle adjustment, enhancing the usability and practicality of sun umbrellas.
Implementation Method 1
the provided movable pulley can reduce the pulling force by half
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a conveniently open and close sun umbrella, which includes a vertical pole, a connecting rod, an inclined rod, an umbrella frame and an umbrella opening mechanism. The two ends of the connecting rod are respectively hinged on the vertical pole and the inclined rod. The umbrella opening mechanism includes a first pull rope, a movable pulley, a second pull rope and a slide locking piece which is slidably mounted on the vertical pole. One end of the inclined rod is hinged on the slide locking piece, and the other end is hinged on a fixed umbrella disk. One end of the first pull rope is fixed on the movable pulley, and the other end is fixed on the movable umbrella disk. One end of the second pull rope is fixed on the vertical pole, and the other end is fixed on the slide locking piece.