Electric Umbrella Motor Relocation for Compact Folding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electrically folding and unfolding multi-fold umbrellas are inconvenient due to their length when folded, as the motor is typically located in the handle, making them difficult to use and carry.
Innovation Solution
The design relocates the motor to the upper nest, utilizing a lead screw and pulley system with multiple pulleys and a spring mechanism, allowing for faster and more efficient folding and unfolding, reducing the overall length and improving usability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the motor is located in the handle, then the umbrella structure is simple, but the umbrella becomes overlong and inconvenient to use and carry
Solution Approach 1:
The motor is relocated from the handle (one-dimensional position) to the upper nest (different spatial dimension), changing the spatial arrangement of components. This dimensional shift allows the motor to be positioned where it can drive the folding mechanism more efficiently while reducing the overall umbrella length, directly resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and compactness.
Solution Approach 2:
The motor is nested within the upper nest structure, which contains multiple components (motor, pulleys, gears) in a compact arrangement. This nesting approach allows the motor to be integrated into the existing folding mechanism structure, reducing overall length while maintaining functional simplicity through shared structural elements.
2Length of moving object
If the motor is relocated to the upper nest with lead screw and pulley system, then the umbrella length is reduced, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The upper nest structure serves multiple functions: it houses the motor, contains the pulley system, supports the lead screw mechanism, and integrates with the folding ribs. By making the upper nest a multi-functional component, the patent reduces overall structure complexity despite adding the motor relocation, as one structural element performs multiple roles rather than requiring separate dedicated components for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the motor housing, pulley mounting structure, and lead screw support into a single integrated upper nest assembly. This combining of functions into one structure reduces the number of separate parts and simplifies the overall system, even though the internal mechanism is more sophisticated than a simple handle-mounted motor.
3Productivity
If multiple pulleys are used in the folding mechanism, then the folding speed is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple pulleys are nested within the compact upper nest structure, where they are arranged in a space-efficient configuration. This nesting allows the pulley system to achieve high folding speed through mechanical advantage while containing the complexity within a confined space, preventing the overall structure from becoming cumbersome or overly complex.
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
This configuration allows for a more compact and user-friendly umbrella that is easier to fold and unfold, enhancing convenience and portability while maintaining a simpler structure.
Implementation Method 1
a side of the motor adjacent to the handle defines a lead screw which is engaged with the first gear
Implementation Method 2
the other end of the pull cord is fixed on the upper nest after steering by the pulley in the upper nest and the fixed pulley in the lower nest in sequence
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is an electrically folding and unfolding multi-fold umbrella, which includes a handle, a pull cord, and an intermediate shaft fixedly connected with the handle, the handle is defined at one end of the intermediate shaft, an upper nest and a lower nest are defined at two sides of the intermediate shaft respectively, and the lower nest is adjacent to the handle, a motor, a first gear, and at least one pulley are all located in the upper nest, the first gear is coaxial with one pulley, a side of the motor adjacent to the handle defines a lead screw which is engaged with the first gear, an axis of the pulley is connected to an inner surface of the upper nest, a fixed pulley is defined at a side of an inner surface of the lower nest, one end of the pull cord is fixed in the end of the intermediate shaft adjacent to the handle, the other end of the pull cord is fixed on the upper nest after steering by the pulley in the upper nest and the fixed pulley in the lower nest in sequence. The electrically folding and unfolding multi-fold umbrella provided by the present disclosure can avoid the problems of that the existing umbrella is overlength, and inconvenient to carry, and can ensure that the length of the electrically folding and unfolding multi-fold umbrella in a folding state is short, as such the electrically folding and unfolding multi-fold umbrella is convenient to use and carry.