Illuminating umbrella having reliable connecting wires for multiple folds

• US 6,126,293 A
• Filed: 05/17/1999
• Issued: 10/03/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wu, Tsun-Zong
• Original Assignee: Wu, Tsun-Zong
• Inventors: Wu, Tsun-Zong
• Primary Examiner(s): HUSAR, STEPHEN F
• Application Number:
  US09/314,196
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 362/102, 362/234, 362/253, 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

Abstract

An illuminating umbrella includes a top illuminator fixed on a top end of an umbrella central shaft, a plurality of tip illuminators respectively fixed on a plurality of tips of the umbrella ribs of two or multiple folds; each illuminator having a positive wire electrically connected to a positive conducting ring secured on an upper notch of the central shaft, and having a negative wire electrically connected to a negative conducting ring formed on the upper notch of the central shaft, with the positive conducting ring electrically connected to a positive pole of a power source, and the negative conducting ring electrically connected to the negative pole of the power source through an on-off switch, having a safely protected and reliably connected electrical circuit provided among the illuminators and the power source; and a flasher connected between the power source and the illuminators for flashing the illuminators.

Claims

1. An illuminating umbrella comprising:

a central shaft (1) having at least a lower tube (1a) and an upper tube (1b) telescopically engageable each other and having a grip (11) formed on a lower portion of said lower tube;

a rib assembly (2) for securing an umbrella cloth (5) thereon having a plurality of top ribs (21) each pivotally secured to an upper notch (20) fixed on a top portion of said shaft, and a plurality of stretcher ribs (22) each pivotally connected to each said top rib (21) and a runner (23) slidably held on said shaft, a plurality of outer ribs (24) each pivotally connected to each said stretcher rib (22), and a plurality of connecting ribs (25) each pivotally connected between each said outer rib (24) and each said top rib (21);

an illuminating means (3) including a top illuminator (31) secured on a top of said shaft, and a plurality of tip illuminators (32) each secured on a tip end of each said outer rib (24); and

a power supply means (4) including a power source (41) of at least a battery stored in said grip, an on-off switch (42) formed on said grip for switching on or off said power source, a positive conducting ring (44) disposed on said upper notch (20) for electrically connecting a positive pole of each said illuminator through an externally insulated positive wire (P) and electrically connected to a positive pole of the power source (41) through a positive conductor means in said shaft, and a negative conducting ring (45) disposed on said upper notch (20) on said central shaft (1) for electrically connecting a negative pole of each said illuminator through an externally insulated negative wire (N) and electrically connected to a negative pole of said power source (41) through the on-off switch (42) and a negative conductor means in said shaft (1);

a flasher (43) connected between said illuminators and said power source for flashing said illuminators when said switch is switched on;

each said top rib (21) having an inner hole formed in an inner portion of the top rib for leading said positive and negative wires (P, N) from each said tip illuminator (32) and through a plurality of protective tubes (46, 46a, 46b) respectively coupled with each said outer rib (24), said stretcher rib (22), and said top rib (21) for continuously disposing said positive and negative wires in each said protective tube to be connected with said positive and negative conducting rings (44,

     45) on said upper notch (20); and

a cap means (31a) provided on a top of said central shaft (1) for encasing said top illuminator (31) therein and for shielding said positive and negative conducting rings (44,

     45) therein and for fastening an inner portion (51) of the umbrella cloth (5) therein.

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 each said tip illuminator (32) has said positive and negative wires (P, N) subsequently disposed in an outer protective tube (46) encasing the outer rib (24) therein, a middle protective tube (46a) clamped in said stretcher rib (22), and an inner protective tube (46b) clamped in said top rib (21).

4. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 1, wherein each said top rib (21) is bifurcated at an inner end portion of said top rib for forming said inner hole in the inner end portion of said top rib for leading the positive and negative wires (P, N) from said tip illuminator (32) towards said positive and negative conducting rings (44, 45) on said upper notch (20) by winding said positive and negative wires around a fastening wire (200), which is annularly fastened on the upper notch for pivotally securing the top ribs (21) on said upper notch (20).

5. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said illuminating means (3) further includes a grip illuminator (33) secured on said grip and electrically connected to said power source through said on-off switch.

6. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said positive conductor means includes a positive conductor (411) as externally insulated and connected with a coiled positive conductor (411a), which is externally insulated and telescopically wound in the lower tube (1a) of said shaft, with said coiled positive conductor (411a) electrically connected to the positive pole of said power source (41).

7. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 6, wherein said lower tube (1a) has a plug (1c) plugged in a lower end thereof for retaining an upper end of said coiled positive conductor (411a).

8. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said negative conductor means is formed in situ on said shaft (1), with the upper tube (1b) and the lower tube (1a) telescopically engageable and electrically conductive each other.

9. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 8, wherein said shaft (1) includes a coupling spring catch (1d) made of electrically conductive material and having an upper end (1e) secured to a lower portion of the upper tube (1b), and a lower hook end (1f) bent outwardly to contact the lower tube (1a) through a catch hole (1h) formed in the upper tube (1b) when the upper tube (1b) is upwardly extended and coupled with the lower tube (1a) when opening the umbrella as coupled by the coupling spring catch (1d) protruding outwardly through two catch holes (1h, 1j) respectively formed in the upper tube (1b) and the lower tube (1a), thereby ensuring a continuous electrical connection between the upper tube (1b) and the lower tube (1a) for completing the negative conductor means (412) as formed by the upper and the lower tubes (1b, 1a).

10. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said cap means (31a) as provided on a top of the shaft (1) includes:

a transparent top cover (311) encasing the top illuminator (31) having an intermediate cap portion (312) protruding downwardly from the transparent top cover (311) and having a lower flange (312f) formed on a bottom portion of the cap portion (312); and

a base member (313) secured on the shaft (1) and having a male-threaded portion (313t) engaged with a female-threaded portion (312t) of the cap portion (312) and having a bottom flange (313f) of the base member (313) engaged with an outer rim of the upper notch (20) for encasing the positive and negative conducting rings (44,

     45) in between the upper notch (20) and the bottom flange (313f) of the base member (313), with the bottom flange (313f) of the base member (313) and the lower flange (312f) of the cap portion (312) cooperatively clamping an inner cloth portion (51) of the umbrella cloth (5) between said two flanges (313f, 312f) of the base member (313) and the cap portion (312) for enhancing water proof of the umbrella.

11. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 10, wherein said base member (313) with said bottom flange (313f) thereof is formed as a base washer (313w);

and said female-threaded portion (312t) of the cap portion (312) engaged with a male-threaded portion (20t) formed on the upper notch (20).

12. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 1, wherein each said tip illuminator (32) has a pair of pins (32p) protruding from an illuminator base (320) to be plugged in a socket (321s) of a tip holder (321) and connected with the positive and negative wires (P, N) led from the protective tube (46) which encases the outer rib (24) therein;

with the tip holder (321) coupled to an outer end portion (24b) of the outer rib (24) and with the tip holder (321) coupled to a tip sleeve (322) for further protecting the tip illuminator (32) and, said tip sleeve (322) having a top hole (322e) formed in a top portion of the tip sleeve for securing an outer portion (52) of the umbrella cloth (5) on the tip sleeve (322).

13. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 12, wherein said tip holder (321) includes:

a rib hole (321a) formed in the tip holder (321) for inserting the outer end portion (24b) of the outer rib (24) into the rib hole (321a), a slot (321h) formed in the tip holder to be engaged with a rib lug (24L) formed on the outer rib (24), a holder lug (321L) formed on the tip holder (321) to be engaged with a sleeve slot (322h) formed in the tip sleeve (322), a flat portion (321t) longitudinally formed on a circumference of the tip holder (321) to be engaged with a secant through hole (322f) longitudinally formed through the tip sleeve (322) and a pair of grooves (321g) parallelly recessed in opposite sides of the tip holder (321) for embedding the positive and negative wires (P, N) in the two grooves as led from the protective tube (46);

said tip sleeve (322) having the secant through hole (322f) engaged with the flat portion (321t) of the tip holder (321) and engaged with a flat edge portion formed on the illuminator base (320) of the tip illuminator (32) for preventing twisting of the tip illuminator, the tip holder and the tip sleeve when coupled together.

14. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 12, wherein said tip sleeve (322) has a transparent cover for encasing the tip illuminator.

15. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said positive conductor means includes a positive conductor (411) in an upper portion of said shaft (1) connected with a coiled positive conductor (411a) held in the lower tube (1a) of the shaft (1), and said negative conductor means including a negative conductor (412) as formed in an upper portion of the shaft (1) slidably contacted with a lower rod negative conductor (412a) electrically connected to the negative pole of the power source (41) through the on-off switch (42);

and said negative conductor (412) and said lower rod negative conductor (412a) respectively covered with electrically insulative sheath (412s) thereon, having an electrically conductive top end portion formed on a top end of the lower rod negative conductor (412a) adjacent a top insulative head portion (412i) and electrically conducted with a hook end (412c) formed on a bottom end of the negative conductor (412) when the umbrella is opened and the upper tube (1b) of the shaft (1) is upwardly extended above and stably coupled with the lower tube (1a), thereby completing the electrical connection among the power source and the illuminators through the positive conductors (411, 411a) and the negative conductors (412, 412a).

16. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said upper notch (20) of said shaft (1) has a printed-circuit-board (PCB) disk (40) disposed on the upper notch (20) having at least a positive conducting ring (44a) concentrically formed on the PCB disk (40) for connecting a positive wire (P) of the tip illuminator (32), and having a negative conducting ring (45a) concentrically formed on the PCB disk (40) for connecting a negative wire (N) of the tip illuminator (32).

17. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said tip illuminators (32) include a plurality of groups of tip illuminators (32) flashed alternatively or sequentially, each said tip illuminator having a positive wire (P) electrically connected to a positive conducting ring annularly formed on a printed-circuit-board (PCB) disk (40) disposed on said upper notch (20), and a negative wire electrically connected to a negative conducting ring annularly formed on said PCB disk (40).

18. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said illuminating umbrella is an automatic umbrella having an opening spring (14) retained in the shaft (1) and a push button (13) depressible for opening the umbrella, in which the negative conductor means formed on said shaft, and said positive conductor means including a positive conductor (411) as externally insulated and slidably contacted with a lower rod positive conductor (411'"'"'a) which is externally insulated and is electrically connected to the positive pole of the power source (41), having a top hook end (411c) of the lower rod positive conductor (411'"'"'a) electrically contacted with an electrically conductive bottom end of the positive conductor (411) adjacent to a bottom insulative head portion (411i) formed on a bottom of the positive conductor (411).

19. An illuminating umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said on-off switch (42) includes:

an actuating rod (42a) protruding downwardly from a plug (1c) retained on a bottom end of the upper tube (1b) of the shaft (1), and a negative contactor (412s) resiliently held in the grip (11) and normally contacted with a bottom end of the lower tube (1a) of the shaft (1) for closing a negative pole of the power source (41) with the negative conductor means formed in situ on the lower tube (1a) and the upper tube (1b) of the shaft (1);

whereby upon closing of the umbrella to lower the upper tube (1b) down to the lower tube (1a), the actuating rod (42a) will be downwardly extended to depress the negative contactor (412s) to be separated from the negative conductor means of the shaft (1), thereby disconnecting the power source to the illuminators.

20. An illuminating umbrella comprising:

a central shaft (1) having a lower tube (1a) and an upper tube (1b) telescopically engageable each other, and having a grip formed on a lower portion of said shaft;

a rib assembly (2) for securing an umbrella cloth thereon having at least a plurality of top ribs (21) each pivotally secured to an upper notch (20) fixed on a top portion of said shaft (1), and a plurality of stretcher ribs (22) each pivotally connected to each said top rib and a runner slidably held on said shaft;

an illuminating means (3) including a top illuminator (31) secured on a top of said shaft, and a plurality of tip illuminators (32) each secured on a tip end of a rib of said rib assembly (2); and

a power supply means (4) including a power source (41) of at least a battery stored in said grip, a positive conducting ring (44) disposed on said upper notch (20) for electrically connecting a positive pole of each said illuminator through an externally insulated positive wire (P) and electrically connected to a positive pole of the power source (41) through a positive conductor means in said shaft (1), and a negative conducting ring (45) disposed on said upper notch (20) on said central shaft (1) for electrically connecting a negative pole of each said illuminator through an externally insulated negative wire (N) and electrically connected to a negative pole of said power source (41) through a negative conductor means in said shaft (1);

a flasher (43) connected between said illuminators and said power source for flashing said illuminators when said switch is switched on;

each said top rib (21) having an inner hole formed in an inner portion of the top rib for leading said positive and negative wires (P, N) from each said tip illuminator to be connected with said positive and negative conducting rings (44,

     45) on said upper notch (20); and

a cap means (31a) provided on a top of said central shaft (1) for encasing said top illuminator (31) therein and for shielding said positive and negative conducting rings (44,

     45) therein and for fastening an inner portion of the umbrella cloth therein;

said positive conductor means including a positive conductor (411) as externally insulated and slidably contacted with a lower rod positive conductor (411'"'"'a) externally insulated, with a hook end (411c) formed on a bottom end of the positive conductor (411) electrically contacted with an electrically conductive top end of the lower rod positive conductor (411'"'"'a) adjacent a top insulative head portion (411i) formed on a top end of the lower rod positive conductor (411'"'"'a);

said negative conductor (412) formed in situ on the shaft (1);

whereby upon opening of the umbrella, a circuit of said power supply means including said positive and negative conductor means will be closed to light the illuminators.