Umbrella with alert device

• US 6,270,230 B1
• Filed: 06/25/1999
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kuei Ying Mai
• Original Assignee: Kuei Ying Mai
• Inventors: Mai, Kuei Ying
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US09/344,670
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 362/102, 362/800, 362/234, 135/910, 135/16
• US Class Current: 362/102
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 3/04 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 135/91 Illuminated cane or umbrella
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

An umbrella with alert device includes a circular umbrella cover made of waterproof fabric or plastic material, an umbrella frame for supporting the umbrella cover to form an umbrella body, and an alert device for providing visual warning signal to others on the road. The alert device includes a battery receiver mounted below the umbrella cover, a battery stored within the battery receiver for providing power supply, a plurality of LEDs which are electrically connected with each other and the battery by electrical wires and spacedly disposed around an outer edges of the gores, a transparent strip water-sealedly welded on the outer edges of the panels by ultrasonic welding or sewed on the outer edges of the gores to cover the LEDs and the electrical wires, and a power switch electrically connected to the battery for controlling on and off of the alert device. The umbrella with alert device is specifically designed to enhance the visibility of the user during nighttime raining condition, so that the user can be more easily located by the drivers on the road, so as to avoid accident.

Claims

1. An umbrella, comprising

an umbrella frame for supporting a circular umbrella cover made of water proof material to form an umbrella body, wherein said umbrella cover comprises a plurality of gores sewing edge to edge to form a circular covering, said umbrella frame comprising a rod, a plurality of ribs each having a first end jointed at an upper portion of said rod and a second end extended outwardly and downwardly to form a tip for supporting said umbrella cover by fastening said gores thereof on said ribs respectively, a runner slidably mounted on said rod, a plurality of stretchers each having a first end pivotally jointed at said runner and a second end pivotally jointed at a middle position of the respective rib, and a controlling means for operating said umbrella frame to fully stretch out to open said umbrella and to fold up to close said umbrella;

and

an alert device for providing visual warning signal, wherein said alert device comprises a battery receiver mounted below said umbrella cover, at least a battery stored within said battery receiver for providing power supply, a plurality of LEDs electrically connected with each other and said battery by electrical wires and intervally distributed on said gores of said umbrella cover, at least a transparent strip water-sealedly affixed on said umbrella cover to cover said LEDs and said electrical wires disposed on said gores of said umbrella cover for sealedly isolating said LEDs from outside and holding said LEDs in position, and a power switch electrically connected to said battery for switching on and off said alert device.

2. The umbrella as recited in claim 1 wherein said battery receiver is attached to an underside of said umbrella cover.

3. The umbrella as recited in claim 2 wherein said plurality of LEDs are spacedly disposed around outer edges of said gores of said umbrella cover and said electrical wires which are connected between every two of said LEDs are also extended along said outer edges of said gores.

4. The umbrella as recited in claim 3 wherein said transparent strip is made of waterproof material, which is extended along said outer edges of said gores of said umbrella cover to cover and hold all said LEDs and said electrical wires in position, wherein two sides of said transparent strip are sealedly welded on said outer edges of said gores of said umbrella cover by ultrasonic welding.

5. The umbrella as recited in claim 2 wherein said plurality of LEDs are respectively and intervally installed along said ribs on said umbrella cover and there are a plurality of said transparent strips respectively attached along said ribs respectively to sealedly cover said LEDs and said electrical wires connected between said LEDs.

6. The umbrella as recited in claim 5 wherein two sides of each of said transparent strip are sealedly welded on said outer edges of said gores of said umbrella cover by ultrasonic welding.

7. The umbrella as recited in claim 1 wherein said plurality of LEDs are spacedly disposed around outer edges of said gores of said umbrella cover and said electrical wires which are connected between every two of said LEDs are also extended along said outer edges of said gores.

8. The umbrella as recited in claim 7 wherein said transparent strip is made of waterproof material, which is extended along said outer edges of said gores of said umbrella cover to cover all said LEDs and said electrical wires, wherein two sides of said transparent strip are sealedly welded on said outer edges of said gores of said umbrella cover by ultrasonic welding.

9. The umbrella as recited in claim 1 wherein said plurality of LEDs are respectively and intervally installed along said ribs on said umbrella cover and there are a plurality of said transparent strips respectively attached along said ribs respectively to sealedly cover said LEDs and said electrical wires connected between said LEDs.

10. The umbrella as recited in claim 9 wherein two sides of each of said transparent strip are sealedly welded on said outer edges of said gores of said umbrella cover by ultrasonic welding.