Illuminating umbrella having reliable connecting wires

• US 6,089,727 A
• Filed: 09/18/1998
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tzun-Zong Wu
• Original Assignee: Tzun-Zong Wu
• Inventors: Wu, Tzun-Zong
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US09/157,464
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 362/102, 362/800, 362/184, 135/16, 135/910
• US Class Current: 362/102
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 25/02 Umbrella frames
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 3/04 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0004 Personal or domestic articles
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 135/91 Illuminated cane or umbrella
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

An illuminating umbrella includes a top illuminator fixed on a top end of an umbrella central shaft, and a plurality of tip illuminators respectively fixed on a plurality of tips of the top ribs of the umbrella. Each illuminator has a positive wire electrically connected to a positive conducting ring secured on an outer peripheral portion of an umbrella notch or ferrule formed on an upper end of the central shaft, and a negative wire electrically connected to a negative conducting ring embedded on the central shaft which serves as a negative conductor. The positive conducting ring is electrically connected to a positive pole of a power source, of which the negative pole is electrically connected to the central shaft through an on-off switch slidably held on a grip of the shaft thereby forming a reliable stable power connection circuit among the illuminators and the power source. A flasher is connected between the power source and the illuminators for flashing the illuminators when turned on.

Claims

1. An illuminating umbrella comprising:

a central shaft having a grip formed on a lower portion of said shaft;

a rib assembly having at least a top rib pivotally secured to an upper notch fixed on a top portion of said shaft, and a stretcher rib pivotally connected to said top rib and a runner slidably held on said shaft;

an illuminating means including a top illuminator secured on a top of said shaft, and at least a tip illuminator which is fixed on a holder fixed on an outer end of said top rib, having an outer sleeve jacketed on a circumference of said holder for firmly securing said tip illuminator and for securing an umbrella cloth on said sleeve; and

a power supply means including a power source of at least a battery stored in said grip, an on-off switch slidably formed on said grip for switching on or off said power source, a positive conducting ring formed on an outer peripheral portion of said upper notch for electrically connecting a positive pole of each said illuminator through an externally insulated positive wire and electrically connected to a positive pole of the power source through a positive conductor passing through an interior in said shaft, and a negative conducting ring secured on said central shaft for electrically connecting a negative pole of each said illuminator through an externally insulated negative wire and electrically connected to a negative pole of said power source through the on-off switch by a negative conductor in said shaft, and

a flasher connected between said illuminators and said power source for operatively flashing said illuminators when switching on said switch.

2. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 1, wherein each said illuminator is a light-emitting diode.

3. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said negative conductor is formed on said central shaft which is made of electrically conductive material.

4. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 1, wherein each said tip illuminator has said positive and negative wires disposed in a protective tube clamped in said top rib having a cross section of U shape and having a pair of crimping edge portions of said top rib bent inwardly for clamping said protective tube therein.

5. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 4, wherein said tip illuminator is fixed on a holder fixed on an outer end of said top rib, having an outer sleeve jacketed on a circumference of said holder for firmly securing said tip illuminator and for securing an umbrella cloth on said sleeve.

6. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 1, wherein each said tip illuminator has said positive wire and said negative wire led from each said top rib into a wire slot, which is formed in said upper notch and is juxtapositioned to a rib slot formed in said upper notch for pivotally securing each said top rib on said upper notch, and then respectively connected to said positive and negative conducting rings.

7. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 1, wherein each said top rib is a solid rib, having said positive and negative wires connected to each said tip illuminator and disposed about a circumference surface of said solid rib and having at least a protective tube jacketed on said solid rib to cover said positive and negative wires within said protective tube.

8. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 7, wherein each said tip illuminator is fixed on a holder having a pair of grooves recessed on opposite side portions of said holder for holding said positive and negative wires in said pair of grooves;

said holder fixed on an outer end of said solid rib and having an outer sleeve jacketed on said holder and secured on an outer end portion of said protective tube.