Umbrella with alarming and lighting functions

• US 5,502,624 A
• Filed: 01/18/1995
• Issued: 03/26/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yue-Feng Tu
• Original Assignee: Yue-Feng Tu
• Inventors: Tu, Yue-Feng
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Basichas, Alfred
• Application Number:
  US08/374,304
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 362/102, 362/800, 135/16, 135/910
• US Class Current: 362/102
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 3/04 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

The present invention relates to an umbrella with alarming and lighting functions wherein bulbs or light emitting diodes (LEDs) are installed on the top end of the shaft and on the tips of each of the ribs and powered via electrical leads from battery cells installed in the handle. The leads are installed inside the shaft and respective ribs. For ribs made of fiber glass or carbon fiber, copper wires are embedded during continuous forming process and contacts are provided on the pivotally connected nest whereby, electrical energy can be delivered to the bulbs or LEDs on the tips of each of the ribs to provide a visual warning alarm.

Claims

1. An umbrella with alarming and lighting functions comprising a plurality of ribs pivotally connected near the top end of a shaft by means of a nest, a water resistant cap placed on the top side of the nest, and pieces of fabric laid over the top side of the ribs, characterized in that:

said shaft is provided on the top end with a bulb socket for installing a bulb, male threads being formed around the top end for a transparent lamp shade to be screwed thereto, the shaft being provided on the lower end with a handle within which a space is defined for receiving battery cells and the lower end having a bottom cap, a switch being provided on the handle whereby electrical energy required for the bulb on the top of the shaft is supplied directly by the cells by means of wires via the switch;

said ribs comprise rods having electrical leads embedded therein one end thereof being provided with a socket for installing a bulb or LED and the other end thereof being formed with a pivotal connection, the end of the pivotal connection being formed into a ball shaped contact and a rod shaped contact being formed slightly spaced therefrom along said rib and separated by an insulating layer wherein the leads are connected to the pivotal connection and the bulb socket;

said nest comprises a nest seat, an inner conductive ring, a nest cap and an outer conductive ring, the nest seat having formed therein an annular groove which mates with the ball shaped contact of the pivotal connection on the ends of the ribs, the annular groove being formed around the periphery with a plurality of notches which fit around a neck of the pivotal connection, the inner conductive ring being mounted within the annular groove and formed with notches mating with said notches of the nest seat, the nest cap being installed over the top side of the nest seat and comprising a disk body provided on the bottom side with said outer conductive ring, whereby the ball shaped contact is in constant contact with the inner conductive ring such that in use by stretching the ribs open, the rod shaped contact is brought into contact with the outer conductive ring such that electrical energy is delivered to the bulbs on the tips of the ribs and whereby the switch on the handle is used to control illumination of both the bulb on the top end of the shaft and the bulbs on the tips of the ribs and to solely control the bulb on the top end of the shaft for use as a flashlight after the umbrella is folded whereby the rod shaped contact and the outer conductive ring are disconnected.

2. The umbrella of claim 1 wherein said ribs comprise fiber glass rods having a pair of electrical leads embedded therein with one lead connected to said ball shaped contact and the other lead connected to said rod shaped contact.

3. The umbrella of claim 1 wherein said ribs comprise rods of carbon fiber having a single electrical lead embedded therein.

4. An umbrella having alarm and lighting functions and comprising a plurality of ribs pivotally connected near the top end of a shaft by means of a nest, a water resistant cap placed on the top side of the nest, and pieces of fabric laid over the top side of the ribs, characterized in that:

said shaft comprises an illumination means at the top end, a handle at the bottom end with space defined therein for receiving at least one battery, a switch on said handle controlling electrical energy from said battery to said illumination means, and wires electrically connecting said battery, switch and illumination means;

said ribs comprise rods pivotally engaging said nest, each rib having an illumination means at an outer end, a pivotal connection means at an inner end, a pair of electrical contact elements associated with said pivotal connection means and electrical conducting means connecting said contact elements and said illumination means; and

said nest comprises a nest seat, an inner conductive ring, a nest cap and an outer conductive ring, wherein said nest seat has formed therein an annular groove which receives said pivotal connection means of said ribs and which includes a plurality of notches formed around the periphery of said groove which notches receive said ribs when pivoted, said inner conductive ring is mounted within said annular groove in electrical connection with said battery and is formed with notches corresponding to said notches of said annular groove, said nest cap comprises a disk body having said outer conductive ring on the underside thereof whereby said outer conductive ring is in electrical connection with said battery and overlies said notches when said nest cap is secured to said nest seat, whereby one of said pair of electrical contacts of each rib is in constant electrical contact with said inner conductive ring and the other of said pair of electrical contacts is brought into electrical contact with said outer conductive ring upon pivoting of said ribs to an open position whereby electrical energy is delivered to said illumination means at the outer ends of said ribs and whereby electrical connection of said electrical contacts and said outer conductive ring is broken upon pivoting of said ribs to a closed position.

5. The umbrella of claim 4 wherein said illumination means on said shaft comprises an electrical socket and a bulb removably received therein, said socket having means to receive a transparent cover enclosing said bulb.

6. The umbrella of claim 5 wherein said pivotal connection means on each of said ribs comprises a ball end joined to said rib by a neck portion, said ball end sized to pivot within said annular groove of said nest seat and said neck portion sized to pass through said peripheral notches.

7. The umbrella of claim 6 wherein said pair of electrical contact elements comprise said ball end and an annular contact on said neck portion spaced from said ball and electrically insulated therefrom.

8. The umbrella of claim 7 wherein said illumination means of each rib comprises an electrical socket and a bulb removably received therein.

9. The umbrella of claim 7 wherein said ball end contact is in constant electrical connection with said inner conductive ring and said annular contact electrically connects to said outer conductive ring when said umbrella is opened and electrically disconnects from said outer conductive ring when said umbrella is closed.

10. The umbrella of claim 9 wherein said inner conductive ring is electrically connected to said battery by said switch.

11. The umbrella of claim 9 wherein said outer conductive ring is electrically connected to said battery by said switch.

12. The umbrella of claim 9 wherein said nest is electrically connected to said battery in a manner whereby said switch activates said illumination means on said shaft irrespective of the open or closed condition of said umbrella.