Powered umbrella

• US 5,291,908 A
• Filed: 08/10/1992
• Issued: 03/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clyde C. Grady II
• Original Assignee: Clyde C. Grady II
• Inventors: Grady, Clyde C. II
• Primary Examiner(s): Raduazo, Henry E.
• Application Number:
  US07/929,888
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 135/22, 135/203
• US Class Current: 135/22
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 25/143 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 25/165 with fluid or electric actuators

Abstract

This invention relates to umbrellas in general. In particular it relates to umbrellas which automatically open and close. This automatic opening and closing of the umbrella in the presented embodiments is accomplished by means of the rotation of a threaded rod.

The improvements disclosed herein relate to improved means for more economically controlling the source of motive power used to open and close the umbrella.

A key improvement disclosed herein includes a means for conserving the power of the batteries used to power the motor which causes the threaded rod to open and close the umbrella embodiments utilizing this means of opening and closing.

An additional improvement disclosed is the use of a multiple-lead threaded rod which avoids the binding and "cross-threading" of previous designs.

Also disclosed is a means for conveniently converting the umbrella to the ordinary manually opened and closed umbrella should the necessity occur.

Two different mechanisms are also disclosed whereby such electrically powered umbrellas can be collapsed to a shorter length. In one such mechanism the length is alternately lengthened and shortened manually. In another mechanical arrangement invented, the electric motor which opens and closes the umbrella ribs also simultaneously lengthens and shortens the umbrella shaft.

Claims

1. An umbrella having a frame of interconnected ribs covered by cloth and a means for the automatic opening and closing of the aforesaid ribs and cloth comprising:

a hollow one piece shaft provided with at least one slot extending therethru along a portion of its length;

a collar which slides along the exterior surface of the aforesaid hollow one piece shaft, wherein said collar is connected to the aforesaid interconnected ribs;

a threaded nut located concentrically within the aforesaid one piece shaft,

a reversible motor capable of driving said threaded rod in two directions to extend or close said umbrella; and

at least one pin extending through said at least one slot, said at least one pin being detachable from said threaded nut without being detached from said collar whereby

said collar may be manually slid up and down the length of said hollow shaft to manually open and close said cloth and ribs.

2. The umbrella of claim 1 wherein there is further provided that the aforesaid pin once detached from the aforesaid threaded nut, said pin or other means may be used to manually secure the ribs and cloth in either the open or closed position.

3. An umbrella having a frame of interconnected ribs covered by cloth and a means for the automatic opening and closing of the aforesaid ribs and cloth comprising:

an upper tube shaft connected to said ribs and provided with at least one slot extending therethru along a portion of its length;

a lower tube shaft, inserted at one of its ends concentrically into said upper shaft;

a collar which slides along the exterior surface of the aforesaid upper tube shaft;

a threaded nut located concentrically within the aforesaid upper tube shaft and the said threaded nut is attached to the aforesaid collar by means of at least one pin extending through at least one slot provided in the aforesaid upper tube shaft, wherein said pin is detachable from said threaded nut without detachment from said collar;

a hollow threaded rod threadably inserted at one of its ends into the aforesaid threaded nut;

a reversible motor fixed relative to said lower tube having a drive shaft adjustably insertable into said hollow threaded rod such that when said motor is operated said hollow threaded rod is made to turn; and

wherein, the overall length of the said umbrella may be shortened or lengthened, respectively by means simultaneously altering the distance that said lower tube shaft is inserted into said upper tube shaft and the distance that said drive shaft is inserted into said hollow threaded rod.

4. The umbrella of claim 3 wherein:

the aforesaid hollow threaded rod contains a female thread along its interior surface and the aforesaid drive shaft contains a matching male thread on its outer surface such that when said reversible motor turns in a first direction, said umbrella is shortened by increasing the amount of insertion of the drive shaft into the threaded rod, and when said reversible motor turns in a second direction, said umbrella is lengthened by decreasing the amount that said drive shaft is inserted into the threaded rod.