Umbrella Pivot Joint Cable Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional umbrellas with suspended canopies face safety risks due to unintentional tilting caused by wind exposure and high mass, and existing solutions only allow locking in a single angular position, requiring increased height and strong forces for locking mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a pivotable joint with an engagement element connected to the cable or Bowden wire to lock the canopy in various angular positions, allowing for different tilting configurations and reducing the force required for locking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the canopy is suspended by a joint that can be locked in a single angular position, then the canopy can be secured in one fixed orientation, but the umbrella height must be increased and strong forces are required for locking
Solution Approach 1:
The joint is designed to be pivotable about a horizontal axis, allowing dynamic adjustment of the canopy's angular position. The engagement element can engage with different sections of the holding structure to lock the joint at multiple arbitrary inclinations, transforming a static single-position lock into a dynamic multi-position system.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding structure is divided into multiple sections along its length, each capable of receiving the engagement element. This segmentation allows the canopy to be locked at different heights and angular positions without requiring a single tall structure, reducing the overall height requirement while maintaining stability.
2Device complexity
If the joint is locked in a single angular position, then the locking mechanism is simpler, but the adaptability to different environments is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The joint allows the canopy to be inclined at arbitrary angles by pivoting about the horizontal axis. The engagement element can engage with multiple sections of the holding structure at different positions, enabling adaptation to various environmental conditions such as inclined ground or changing sun positions while maintaining a relatively simple locking mechanism based on existing cable or Bowden wire systems.
3Reliability
If the entire canopy is lifted by the cable or Bowden wire to lock the joint, then the joint can be secured, but particularly strong forces act on the cable or Bowden wire
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement element is extracted as a separate component that interacts with the holding structure sections. By engaging with multiple sections distributed along the holding structure, the locking force is distributed across multiple contact points rather than concentrated on the cable or Bowden wire, reducing the force requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement element is positioned to engage with the holding structure sections before full canopy deployment. This preliminary engagement provides initial stabilization, allowing the cable or Bowden wire to work with reduced force to complete the locking process.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an umbrella, particularly a sun umbrella or rain umbrella, comprising a holding structure and an umbrella roof attached thereto by means of a joint, the joint being able to be locked by means of a cable or Bowden wire running through at least one part of the holding structure, characterized in that the joint is designed as a purely rotating joint, wherein an engagement element located on the umbrella roof is connected to the cable or Bowden wire or is otherwise mechanically operationally connected thereto, in order to releaseably engage in a segment of the joint associated with the holding structure to lock the joint.