Umbrella Frame Design Eliminates Crank Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing outdoor umbrellas are cumbersome to use for raising and lowering the cover, particularly due to the need for cranking mechanisms and cords that can break or detach, requiring users to reach under the collapsed cover and taking excessive time to open.

Innovation Solution

An umbrella frame design featuring a pair of yokes with radially disposed ribs and struts that pivot between lowered and raised positions without a crank or cord, allowing manual pivoting of one rib to open and a downward force on the cover to close, utilizing weighting means to maintain the yokes in position.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a crank mechanism and cord are used to raise and lower the umbrella cover, then the umbrella can be opened and closed, but the operation becomes cumbersome and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of raising and lowering coverVSAvoidtime required to open umbrella

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the crank mechanism and cord from the traditional umbrella structure, extracting the cumbersome operating components that caused delays. The cover is raised and lowered by directly manipulating the ribs, eliminating the need for intermediate mechanical transmission components and significantly reducing opening time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using a crank to pull the cover up through complex mechanical advantage, the patent inverts the approach by allowing direct manual manipulation of the ribs to raise the cover. The operating sequence is simplified from multi-step mechanical operation to direct structural manipulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If a cord is used to connect the crank mechanism to the movable yoke, then the umbrella can be operated, but the cord may break or become detached

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of raising and lowering mechanismVSAvoidcomplexity of cord and crank assembly

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the cord and crank mechanism entirely from the umbrella structure. By removing these prone-to-failure components, the invention achieves reliability without the complexity of cord connections and mechanical advantage systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The umbrella structure becomes self-sufficient by eliminating the need for external cords and cranks. The ribs and yokes directly transmit the user's manual force to raise and lower the cover, making the system self-contained and free from detachable connection points.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If a crank mechanism is used to raise the cover, then the cover can be opened, but the user must reach under the collapsed cover to access the mechanism

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility of activating mechanismVSAvoidcomplexity of crank assembly

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the crank assembly from the umbrella structure, eliminating the need for users to reach under the collapsed cover to access the mechanism. The ribs themselves become the operating elements, accessible from the outside of the folded umbrella.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent eliminates the need for an intermediate crank mechanism by allowing direct manipulation of the rib structure. The user's hand becomes the direct mediator of force transmission to the yokes and cover, removing the need to access hidden internal mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Productivity

If traditional yoke and rib structures are used, then the umbrella provides cover, but the raising and lowering process is cumbersome

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeed of opening umbrellaVSAvoidsimplicity of raising and lowering

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the time-consuming crank operation from the umbrella system, allowing the cover to be raised and lowered quickly through direct rib manipulation. This increases productivity by reducing the number of operational steps while maintaining the traditional yoke-rib structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The umbrella structure is pre-configured with the yokes and ribs in positions that allow immediate manual manipulation for rapid deployment. The geometry of the yoke-rib assembly is designed to facilitate quick transition from closed to open position without requiring preliminary mechanical preparation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS8302616B2Umbrella for outdoor furniture and frame therefor

Publication Date: 2012.11.06 FARM CREDIT SERVICES OF AMERICA INC FLCA

AI summary

The umbrella is constructed with a frame that allows one rib to be manually lifted in order to open the umbrella and allows a manually applied force to be placed on the cover between two adjacent ribs in order to close the umbrella. Mechanical cranks and the like are eliminated. In one embodiment, the upper yoke is movable relative to a fixed lower yoke and the tension in the cover maintains the upper movable yoke in the open condition of the umbrella.